As we reach, and dreadfully acknowledge, the one-year anniversary of COVID-19’s wreckage across the world, many folks are feeling jaded, exhausted, and just plain crumby due to the pandemic that won’t seem to go away. Like a mosquito bite or incessant hiccups, Covid has been a nuisance and constant annoyance in everyone’s lives, leaving people wondering “When will this virus take a hike and finally leave us alone?” It’s no surprise that 2020 took a toll on everybody, and left no one unscathed, and it’s hard to believe we’ve been in this battle for a year now.
Self-described “psychedelic indie-soul” crooners The Uptown, based out of central Ohio, have successfully transmuted the loneliness and pain we’re all feeling into a happy-go-lucky tune with a hopeful perspective on the future. “Quarantine Song” is a must-listen for anyone feeling down due to the state of the world, and in need of a pick-me-up.
Musically, the song sounds like summer, and provides a nostalgic energy as the listener is reminded of the little things and good old days that we’re all missing so dearly. Listening can and will evoke a sense of longing, dreaming of better days and happier times. However, it’s the hopefulness in the lyrics that truly makes this song a winner. Listing all the simple pleasures we took for granted in a “My Favorite Things” kind of way (“Open mic nights and mini golf dates, road trips and drive-ins and breakfast we made”), creates an extremely visual experience for the listener, reminiscing on pre-Covid joys that have been put on pause while the world heals.
Even with relatable lyrics to boot (“I miss you my friends, every day we’re apart; I’m tired of working and making bad art”), “Quarantine Song” stays the course to a positive outlook with it’s hopeful recurring message of “I can’t wait to see you again” - consciously choosing to say “when” and not “if”, and instilling a sense of hope in the listener, that things WILL get better, we WILL see our friends again, and we WILL make it out of this crazy unprecedented situation. The best we can do right now is just hold on.
The Uptown’s debut EP, Willow Tree, is available to stream on all platforms. You can find them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.