Pandemic Diaries: Song Club

A while back I got an email from someone from Republic Media thanking me for my review of Ronan Keating’s album 2020. In the email, several artists with new albums were shared that I might be interested in. I was curious about the album featuring various artists called Song Club (aka Chris Gilford’s Song Club), which is themed around the pandemic. Luckily, I was given a chance to listen to the album before it was released last October 23.

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

There are twenty songs on the album, all from various artists of different styles/genres. All the songs are reflective of what we are all going through during this COVID 19 pandemic. With so many songs on this selection, let me just share the songs that stood out to me. 

The first track, Working on the Frontline by Jessie & The Leonards, talks about the story of front liners today. The light sounding track helps make the topic less depressing, I think that it is a good tribute to those who are selflessly working to help people through COVID 19. When I listened to the album this is the song that really stayed with me after (to the point of it being an earworm that I hear in my head over and over again).

Another song on COVID life for front-liners is For Us by Judie Tzuke. A bit melancholy than the first track, but I loved it. The line “crying is a superpower” for me stood out because I do see how so many people are struggling with this pandemic, and this is something that I think so many can relate to. How people cry from feeling helpless, but it is those tears that help us to toughen up again and carry on.  I thought that was a good line. 

While most of the album has this very folksy sound (Julia Fordham aside, that is), the song We Can Breathe by Nick Heyward stood out because it has this very 80s sound. It is all about the precautions we need to take to save our lives and that of others. I love that you can incorporate topics like this to catchy songs without sounding cheesy.

These Times...Again by Robert Vincent talks about how these times are different. Another folksy track, it brings to mind how life has changed because of this pandemic. A bit sad to listen to, but again, so relatable. 

I loved Six Degrees by Hannah Grace Deller. It is about how we are all connected. More than ever I think that is something that we should recognize these days as we are all undergoing a shared experience due to the pandemic. We all need to change our perspectives because everything that happens in the world today, whether we admit it or not, affects others even if they are on the other side of the world. It is not even just in the sense of this pandemic, but in terms of climate change as well. 

Jeff Golford and Jeff Cohen’s Save Us All has such an amazing vocal. I cannot help but listen to it over and over. The voice just makes you want to listen to what is being said. Again, another tribute song to the front-liners who are going above and beyond for everyone else during this pandemic. 

Another song that I loved was Still with You by Mairead Carlin and Ronan Scolard. With all the songs being about the sad topic and the pandemic, it was good to listen to a song about people holding on together and still being there for each other. It was one of the hopeful songs on the album and I appreciated the inclusion of this on this collection.

I know that most of the artists are unheard of in our part of the world, but I think that more than anything, it helps you to appreciate the song without having personal biases just because we like a certain artist or not. This is a good collection of songs on the pandemic. Some might say it is too soon to hear songs about it, but with music being a good form of therapy for these trying times, I will take it.