Major Pursuit’s debut full-band single, “Rough,” is a life lesson with soaring guitars

Somewhere between 2016 and 2018, Major Pursuit grew from a sparse, ukulele-driven Bandcamp project into a full-on rock band. The project’s first release, We Don’t Make Mistakes, We Have Happy Accidents is on the quieter side, but as songwriter/vocalist Olivia Bellito moved to Philly and gathered band members, Major Pursuit’s live performances came to sound more and more dynamic.

Major Pursuit’s new song “Rough” puts its newfound full-band sounds to good use, without sacrificing any of the emotional grittiness that’s driven the project from the start. “Rough” is the first single from the forthcoming LP With Feeling, out May 25 via Utica Records. Throughout the first half of the track, Bellito takes us through the desperate feeling of entrapment that accompanies a strained and inequitable relationship, posing the question “What am I supposed to do when I’m busy taking care of you?” As if reaching a breaking point, Bellito lets the song unfurl, repeating over steadily building guitar and drums, “Damage is done by closed eyes and open mouths. Damage is done.”

As Bellito tells The Grey Estates:

“I wrote ‘Rough’ at a time when I was really frustrated with a situation that I put myself in. I was trying to help someone who obviously did not want my help, and it took me a while to understand that sometimes you have to just let people figure things out on their own.”

Major Pursuit plays Kung Fu Necktie on May 22 with Future Teens, Macseal and Who Loves You. Find more information on the XPN Concert Calendar.