The Rare Occasions - “Black Balloons”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 10

Pairs Well With…Kiwi Jr., Weezer, The Royston Club

For a one-off single, The Rare Occasion’s “Black Balloons” is a masterful slice of power pop, incessantly catchy and loaded with vocal and guitar melodies. This upbeat take on indie rock is the LA-via-Boston-based band’s bread and butter, something they’ve honed since debuting a decade ago with the Applefork EP. Infused with punk-pop energy and grungy reverb, The Rare Occasions’ music pops immediately and doesn’t let up across their catalog. It comes across as unapologetic and carefully crafted, but performed with the whip-crack tightness of an experienced rock and roll band. More is more sometimes - The Rare Occasions could go a cooler, jangle-rock direction on a dime, but instead stick what they do best track to track. For as live as they sound on record, look for a crushing showcase come SXSW 2024 or any other time they hit a stage. (Kevin McStravick)