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But then COVID-19 happened and her social activism songwriting self opened the door for her introspective pandemic songwriting self.

And what started out as a single-issue political statement morphed into one of the Mollys singer-songwriter鈥檚 most outspoken, topical album in a career that goes back four decades.

鈥淕o to Ground,鈥� McCallion鈥檚 first studio album since 2016鈥檚 鈥淒ancing Days,鈥� captures the political, social and personal emotions that McCallion has been feeling for most of 2020.

鈥淚 had initially wanted to do an album that was focused solely on immigration, but everything else with COVID came up and I felt they all kind of fit in a way,鈥� said the 56-year-old founder of the popular 蜜柚直播 Irish-influenced band The Mollys.

McCallion was working on 鈥淕o to Ground鈥� before COVID-19 and when the state ordered everyone to stay put, she continued working on it. But her focus changed; in addition to wondering aloud about the 鈥淏ones in the Sand鈥� 鈥� 鈥淗uman bones are all the same, got no country got no name鈥濃�� she found herself angry at the president, frustrated that in America today it takes two jobs to make ends meet, and the world is still so mean.

She channels our insecurities and fears of isolation with 鈥淓ven in My Own Home鈥� and our political angst on 鈥淭he World Today,鈥� a song that doesn鈥檛 name names but it鈥檚 clear who McCallion is taking aim at: 鈥淟ook what he has learned to do / Lie until the lie comes true.鈥�

The swinging blues rocker 鈥淣o Room At the Inn鈥� paints a picture of Lady Liberty shutting off the 鈥渧acancy鈥� lights and turning away immigrants while her Celtic-infused, pop-flavored take on Billy Bragg鈥檚 鈥淏etween the Wars鈥� takes on a more contemporary urgency that could easily apply to the current divisions in America as wars between nations.

鈥淕o to Ground鈥� is not all gloom and doom, mind you: There鈥檚 a blues, jazzy fun to where 鈥淧andemic Mama, used to shave her legs / Pandemic Papa cooking scrambled eggs / There ain鈥檛 nothing else in this lonely world / Pandemic Papa, pandemic girl鈥�; and a frolicky pop twang to 鈥淚 Don鈥檛 Wanna Go to Bed.鈥�

McCallion recorded the album at the studio of legendary 蜜柚直播 musician Duncan Stitt with her husband, Danny Krieger, playing electric and lead guitar.

Krieger will join McCallion for a CD release concert with her Pandemic Band 鈥� she and Krieger, Ralph Gilmore on drums and her brother Neil McCallion on bass and backup vocal 鈥� at 7 pm. Tuesday, Nov. 24, on the patio of Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St. Admission is $8 at the door.

The album is available on McCallion鈥檚 website, , and other popular streaming services.