New Music: Vacations – Close Quarters

Touring and the music industry in general can take its toll mentally and physically – a topic touched on in Vacations’ Close Quarters. The track finds the Newcastle, Australia outfit on their best form, and will feature on the upcoming No Place Like Home album. Its melodic turns and honest lyrics are sure to please fans of the platinum-selling band and lovers of thoughtful indie-oriented pop everywhere.

The long player comes at the end of and is influenced by a time of personal change for Vacations’ lead singer Campbell Burns, who had recently been diagnosed with Pure OCD, a type of obsessive compulsive disorder that leads to intrusive, unwanted, and uncontrollable thoughts.

He reveals, “I found it extremely difficult to write anything for years. I didn’t know what Vacations’ voice was anymore, or even my own in a day-to-day sense. I had to find a way to fall back in love with music and so much else in my life, or I knew I would simply cease to exist.”

Campbell explains, “I was feeling burnt out from the music industry and touring to the point where I wasn’t even sure what the project was anymore. Despite it all, I could never make a decision, even when it was on my mind all day. There was always that curiosity to see what could happen next, to see if my feelings would change.”

He continues, “I came out the other side feeling more passionate than ever; it just took time for those feelings to pass as we entered a new era that involved a lot of growing pains. Close Quarters is about that time just before feeling okay, where I felt like I wanted to burn everything and let it fade away.”

Close Quarters can also be streamed on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music. For other listening options and general updates on Vacations, check the band out on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook.

The band is currently touring the U.S. with Last Dinosaurs. No Place Like Home is set for release on the 12th of January 2024 – you can find pre-save options right here.