It would be a vast understatement to say that Rarity have had an interestingly rough and frustrating couple of years as a band.
Rarity originally formed back in 2014 and had a quick rise of the ranks in the music industry. Their debut album, I Couldn’t Be Weaker, came in 2016 and provided fans with songs like “Stranger” and “Exhale,” and proving that their quick rise was well-deserved. They did an incredible amount of touring, much like they always have, but got on larger and larger bills.
Unfortunately, all of this came to an abrupt pause in 2017, as Rarity was suddenly faced with a cesspool of legal battles, illnesses, strained relationships, and even the departure of two of the founding members. The remaining members — Evan Woods, Loeden Learn, Adam Clarke — were then left with their backs against the wall, staring out at a world that stopped making sense.
But with their backs against the wall, they came back swinging.
They weren’t going to go down easy — and there were times when they almost gave up — but all of the negative things going on turned into positives, as Corbin Giroux and Cole Gardner joined in 2018, hoping in to join the fight back to prominence. This new lineup is armed with tough lessons learned, having a new lease on life, and is more than ready to continue their story.
Their new record, The Longest Lonesome, is set to come out on August 30th via New Damage Records. Produced by Sam Guaiana (Silverstein, Story Untold), The Longest Lonesome finds Rarity at their most honest, not pulling any punches and serving as a piercing response to the powers that be which nearly ripped them apart.
“It’s not a concept album, but every song is about and inspired by those same two years of our lives,” says Woods. “Really, it’s about coming together and conquering the things standing in our way.”
“The first song we wrote after it all just flipped a switch,” offers Clarke. “Wading through that really dark period brought us somewhere new, and all we could do was write about it.”
And so with that, Rarity may be different now, but they are the best versions of themselves through everything they have gone through. The music is still accessible with hook-laden melodies, but at the same time has more of a kick to it than ever. The Longest Lonesome is serving up to be a career-defining record for the band, and Substream is excited to be playing a small part of that.
Ahead of the album release in two weeks, we are bringing an exclusive stream of the latest single, “A Numbness.” Filled with blistering screams, melody, and impressive instrumental work all around — it’s a perfect example of where Rarity is and how they continue to grow from here.
“This song is about feeling like you are almost stagnant in the way your life has progressed while witnessing the people on your childhood street, friends, peers, etc. getting better jobs, getting married, moving out of the city and inadvertently relating it to your own life,” the band tells Substream. “It’s not a race and everyone’s unique experiences are not to be compared against other people, but sometimes it’s inevitable that you may think about these things. Sometimes it feels like you’ve been cemented on your childhood street, all the while witnessing others progress in ways that you wish you could’ve; failing to acknowledge all of the success and personal milestones you’ve had along your own path”
Tour Dates w/ Capstan:
