During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire world seemingly screeched to a halt. Lockdowns were implemented to stop the spread of a highly contagious and deadly respiratory illness, leaving daily life in suspension. Society retreated inwards, leaving everyone to isolate themselves to defend against this contagion.
On their latest single, “Livin’ Alone,” UK-based indie rock band, Plain Navy, has tapped into the theme of social isolation that emerged during the pandemic. Through it all, your own world, as well as the world at large, are less certain than ever before. Altogether, “Livin’ Alone” is a raucous, indie rock jam born out of the anxiety of wondering when the world will be set right again.
From the get go, lead singer Euge Taylor paints a clear picture of a return to lockdown, asking “why’s that bar closed again?” As a result, he is frozen out by “cold days and colder nights.” In the big picture, closed down bars are small potatoes during a pandemic. However, in the context of this tune, it reflects how this crisis upended all aspects of life.
While Taylor is feeling “lonely” while “stuck inside,” this tune generates all of the nervous energy that is pent up inside. You can feel the emotional boiler building up pressure throughout.. However, there isn’t a explosive moment that blows off all of the collective steam. In turn, this is reflected in Taylor’s high strung vocals, which embodies all of the mounting anxiety.
The pandemic is a shared, global experience. Individually, we have our own experiences while navigating a strange, new normal. “Livin’ Alone” boils it all down to the social side of lockdown life, keeping yourself isolated and the effects thereof. The anxiousness of the unknown is what fuels Plain Navy to create such a tightly wound tune.
Written by Travis Boyer
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