The song “Notion” by the band The Rare Occasions, highlights how three bandmates, well more like Rockstar’s, each play an instrumental part to giving this Indie Rock song the success it has received since August 5th, 2016. The band members Brian McLaughlin (singer/electric guitar), Luke Imbusch (drummer), and Jeremy Cohen (bassist) are all a part of creating a unique sound for The Rare Occasions. In their official band website it states, “their new songs feature wall-of-sound guitars, electronic soundscapes, and lush orchestral arrangements, with intricately-woven lyrical themes of existentialism and a pointed sense of cheekiness.” I recently found a video of The Rare Occasions covering “Notion” on a YouTube livestream, and it was very interesting to compare the sound of this online and live performance, to the edited and prerecorded track found on all music streaming platforms.
This livestream is recorded in a studio, but the acoustics wouldn’t be as strong as an actual professional recording studio and so there will be times of dissonance and a slight muffled sound but overall, I enjoy the feel of the livestream and how it shows the importance of each bandmate and their instruments contribution to the songs sound. It is very upbeat, and it seems as though the tempo wavers following a transgression of higher and more lighthearted melodies like the overall narrative and meaning of the song.
The livestream gives viewers a chance to see what instruments are being played and when. It also helps viewers connect with and understand how each instrument has significance to the song and at times how they each set the tone and pacing for the remaining instruments, and lyrics to give the song meaning. The song starts with the electric guitar and drums more specifically the high hat of the drum and both instruments set the starting pace and tone of the song. The bass drum then comes in and adds to this set tempo and adds a lower melody to the electric guitar. The song now had three full sounds but as the song progresses, each bandmate has a moment where their instrument may have in a way a solo or moment where their sound sticks out more than the others. This livestream shows the power of improv and creativity in music and how well musicians can change up the melody, tempo, and other features of sound based on the lyrics and feels that come with playing this song, while the other instruments all take part in following this pattern throughout the song to make a new/unique sound each time. The electric guitar, the bass and the drums are all significant to giving this indie style sound. The Rare Occasions have a unique and relatable sound, lyrics along with the instruments they play, and how they strategically use them to create an indie rock song that listeners can connect and resonate with.