Longtime Atwood artist-to-watch The Rare Occasions return with the emotionally charged “Seasick,” a spirited anthem of angst and reeling that sees them surfing turbulent waves and navigating uncharted waters with charismatic charm and unrelenting passion.
Stream: “Seasick” – The Rare Occasions
Though I’m not too fond of traveling, there’s a long, long wake behind me and I can feel it…
We’ve all heard horror stories about how the music industry can chew you up and spit you out, but nothing can adequately prepare you for when that tempest actually hits. The Rare Occasions got swept up in those stormy seas last year, and suffice to say they’ve been paddling extra hard ever since. Their first single of 2022 is a feverish, candid reckoning with their ongoing experience: A spirited anthem of angst and reeling, the emotionally charged “Seasick” finds the band surfing turbulent waves and navigating uncharted waters with charismatic charm and unrelenting passion.
I can feel it
these waves of time
they pull me down
got me seasick
and soon enough
I’m gonna drown
I can’t keep pushing back the plans I got
impersonating something that I’m not
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Seasick,” an explosive two-and-a-half minute upheaval that is sure to send fans new and old overboard with excitement. The Rare Occasions’ first single of 2022 follows the one-year anniversary of their cinematic sophomore album Big Whoop, and is their first new release since their song “Notion,” from 2016’s Futureproof EP, went viral on TikTok late last year. The tail end of 2021 was a whirlwind of unprecedented successes for Brian McLaughlin, Luke Imbusch, and Jeremy Cohen as “Notion” topped Spotify viral charts in multiple countries and landed on Billboard’s alternative charts, as well as the Top 100 singles charts in the UK, Ireland, and Canada.
LA-based and New England-bred, The Rare Occasions have independently built a steady and ever-expanding following over the course of three EPs (2013’s Applefork, 2014’s Feelers, and 2016’s Futureproof) and two LPs (2018’s Into the Shallows and 2021’s Big Whoop), but nothing quite compares to going “viral” in this era of social media saturation. A decade into their career, the world is finally taking notice of this incredibly talented, longtime Atwood Magazine favorite. “Notion” has since racked up a whopping 215+ million global streams on Spotify alone, and The Rare Occasions were quick to capitalize on their older single’s newfound popularity – re-releasing the original “Notion” and a “cinematic” version through major label Elektra Records.
“Seasick” is the honest and unfiltered musical gut-punch of a band figuring it all out in real time.
Fast-paced and hard-hitting, the song comes to life with churning drums, soaring guitar licks, and a punchy vocal performance brimming with unbridled (if not slightly exasperated) energy. “Got me seasick, I can feel it!” shouts McLaughlin in a dramatic and sweeping chorus, turning loose all the tension and turmoil inside:
port to starboard
rolling crashing
racing past my eyes
got me seasick
I can feel it, I can feel it
“‘Seasick’ is a perfect representation of how chaotic, exciting, and at times nauseating the past few months have been for us as we navigate uncharted waters of the music industry,” The Rare Occasions tell Atwood Magazine. “This song is for everyone who has stuck with us since day one!”
new start dead end
I fake my way through everything
all my old friends
forget how well I know them
through twisting gales I keep the sails aligned
recalibrate when something goes awry
port to starboard
rolling crashing
racing past my eyes
got me seasick
I can feel it, I can feel it
‘Seasick’ is a perfect representation of how chaotic, exciting, and at times nauseating the past few months have been for us as we navigate uncharted waters of the music industry.
What makes “Seasick” so enthralling and utterly invigorating is its uncompromising, unrelenting nature: Once The Rare Occasions get going, they don’t stop (or even let up) until the very last chord is played. Just like the tumultuous music industry whose waves they’ve now been swept up in, “Seasick” roars with a captivating tidal force. It’s a welcome return from one of the most exciting beacons of light in the indie rock world: A band that’s finally starting to get the attention it’s long deserved.
Get swept up in “Seasick” exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and stay tuned for The Rare Occasions’ forthcoming new EP, set to release later this fall!
“Seasick” is set to release June 30th.
we get caught up in the little things
displaced from what we know
though I’m not too fond of traveling
there’s a long long wake behind me
and I can feel it
I can feel it, I can feel it
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Stream: “Seasick” – The Rare Occasions
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