"Make a Move" is a song by American hard rock band Icon for Hire. It is the first single from their debut album Scripted and, following a few months of radio play,[1] was released to iTunes on July 5, 2011.[2] The song peaked at No. 13 on Billboard's Christian Rock chart.[3]
| "Make a Move" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Icon for Hire | ||||
| from the album Scripted | ||||
| Released | July 5, 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2010 | |||
| Genre | Pop punk, hard rock | |||
| Length | 3:03 | |||
| Label | Tooth & Nail | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Icon for Hire | |||
| Producer(s) | Rob Hawkins, Aaron Sprinkle | |||
| Icon for Hire singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Make a Move" on YouTube | ||||
Composition
editLike the rest of the album, "Make a Move" mixes a hard rock framework with pop-inspired synthesizers and hooks. Liz Somers of The Denver Post described it as "infectious rock with a hit of pop" and quoted frontwoman Ariel as saying in a press release, "There’s a tension really between heavy rock and pop, but never at the expense where it would overshadow the rock side...The pop part is like the sprinkles on top of a cake, but the actual cake is rich, dark and heavy."[4] Nathaniel Schexnayder of Jesus Freak Hideout said the song contained "impassioned vocals on top of [a] catchy beat and aggressive guitars", and felt it "provides a good reference point for potential buyers who want to get a feel for the group's style."[5]
Song meaning
editDavid Jeffries of AllMusic interpreted the song as "[challenging] the punk-pop set to trade both angst and apathy for something positive".[6] In an interview, lead singer Ariel explained the song's lyrics: "There are amazing, wonderful, precious people in anguish because they don't have access to food. There are bright-eyed, adorable little girls forced to have sex with strangers for fourteen hours a day, and are drugged up if they fail to perform. And what do I do with information like that? I shrug, think about how sad it is, and hope that somebody will come along and do something about it. ["Make a Move"] brings up the fact that we do so freaking little with all this knowledge. We are selfish. I am selfish."[7]
Music video
editThe music video was filmed together with the video for the band's second single, "Get Well", during a four-day shoot in Houston with director Van Alan Blumreich.[8][9] A promotional behind-the-scenes video was released in June[10] before the full video was released via Guitar World magazine's website on August 15, 2011.[11]
The video depicts the band pulling up to an alley at night, where they paint socially critical graffiti on a wall (designs include a priest with dollar signs for eyes, a fast food meal marked with skulls and crossbones, a stick figure mother and child both holding cell phones, a crying woman carrying medical prescription bags, a baby pressing up against a television screen, and a woman wearing a blindfold with "ICON" written on it). This is intercut with footage of the band performing the song in a room decorated with similar graffiti designs, and later at a concert. The graffiti painting is interrupted when a police officer pulls up and starts chasing them down the alleyway. During the chase, guitarist Shawn Jump (playing in the graffiti-decorated room) is briefly seen finishing up a phone call before throwing down the receiver and resuming his playing. The officer finally catches up to Ariel, only to find her surrounded by a large group of teenagers staring defiantly at him. Intimidated, he turns around and runs off.
Chart performance
edit| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Christian Rock[3] | 13 |
References
edit- ^ Jones, Brandon (July 6, 2011). "Icon for Hire – Make a Move Single Now Available". Indie Vision Music. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ^ "Make A Move". Retrieved April 14, 2012.
- ^ a b "Make a Move – Icon for Hire". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
- ^ Somers, Liz (July 11, 2011). "Icon for Hire worth hiring for your iPod". Higher Note. Denver Post. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ^ Schexnayder, Nathaniel (August 22, 2011). "Scripted" (album review). Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ^ Jeffries, David. "Scripted" (album review). AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ^ Lisa (October 17, 2011). "Exclusive Interview: Ariel from Icon For Hire!". The Indie Christian Music Scene. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ^ Interview with TVU's Most Wanted (Television production). TVU Music channel. November 3, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
- ^ Blumreich, Van Alan (May 12, 2011). "Icon for Hire Music Videos Booked". Vanblumreich.com. Archived from the original on May 22, 2012. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ^ Icon For Hire (June 15, 2011). 'Make A Move' Preview. YouTube. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
- ^ Hart, Josh (August 15, 2011). "Exclusive: Icon For Hire Premiere "Make A Move" Music Video". Guitar World. NewBay Media. Retrieved April 4, 2012.