Coping through creation: Songwriting in the time of COVID

SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Parker Murray was bored after graduating from high school in the spring.

He was supposed to be working on his debut album, Seizure, but COVID-19 was slowing production. It was taking too long to get people together safely. 

Then he got an idea. He’d record a different album, this time solo. He would write, record and edit tracks for bass, drums, piano and anything else he needed. 

While he wrote all of the songs for Seizure and was performing them himself, he was getting help from a professional studio. 

Along with the instruments, Parker wanted to produce this album himself. He set a seven-day deadline.

Eight days later, he finished recording and mastering A Long Week. 

The album should have a unique appeal, said the Summerside-based singer-songwriter.

“The main attraction of this is the idea that it was written and recorded in a very short time in a bedroom,” he said.

His mother, Wendy, is a life-long piano player and choir singer. She said she barely saw him leave his bedroom during the week. 

“He was hidden away, very focused, like, extremely focused.”

Music background

Parker, who comes from a musical family, has played instruments since he was eight years old. 

His older sister, Mikaila, who has been singing all her life and playing piano since she was in Grade 2, has witnessed her brother’s progress from beginner to semi-pro. 

“My god, he’s so creative,” she said. “Whatever he sets his mind to, he figures it out. He completely taught himself piano for this and figured out how to play bass in a creative and new way.”

Parker started with percussion in the school band and drums in church. He learned other instruments along the way and started singing. And he truly found his voice with the bass guitar, Mikaila said. 

“He just went on to play every instrument and be able to do everything to make his own album. It’s amazing.”

Lots of creativity

Parker tracked his time, and nothing was going to stop him, said his mother, adding this combination of dedication and creativity are what set him apart.

“You can learn to play an instrument and you can develop your skills as a singer, but to have that natural ability, that gift to be able to create music the way he does, is really amazing.”

Parker spent the first few days of the week writing what he could. He had to make up other parts as he went because of the time crunch. 

“Ninety per cent of the bass lines in these songs are all improvised,” he said. “When you don’t have a lot of time to record, you don’t have a lot of time to practise them.”

The process was so rushed, he hasn't even memorized the songs. 

“If you said play one of these songs, I’d be like, ‘bro, I don’t know them. I just recorded them, and that’s all you get’.”

For the recording, Parker rented a keyboard and filled his small bedroom studio with a full drum kit. He also made sure a lava lamp was always on for atmosphere.

“This is a great place to record," he said, then adding a bit of producer speak. “The vibe check is full.”

He then used an iPad to edit.

“It’s old. I can’t afford a new computer yet, so I’ve been using this thing for now. It crashes pretty often, but it works for now.”

Finished product

Tech limitations shouldn’t stand in the way of his creativity. 

“I don’t think gear is an excuse not to produce music, so I use what I have.”

The recording process has also been enjoyable for Wendy.

“I feel like I’m a little bit privileged because I’ve been hearing bits and pieces of it all along,” she said, adding it has been interesting to hear  it all come together and exciting to hear the polished record. 

“It’s incredible to think that he did each individual part in a week, in his room, all his own skills, his own talent, his own time – that, in itself, is very impressive.”

Parker is promoting the record through social media and is now available to stream. He said he’s also looking to reach out to local radio stations. 

Meanwhile, he isn’t sure how to fill his time. 

“I finished this on Sunday night and since then, it’s definitely been like, ‘What the hell am I supposed to do now?’”