L ook Closer, the new EP from John Mailanderâs Forecast, feels a bit like a microcosm of our pandemic experiences. Before lockdown, the stellar fiddler and his band were all set for a residency, but COVID-19 forced them to put the run of shows on hold. As quarantine continued, the group set up together in one room for masked and socially distanced recording sessions. Thursday, the band makes a return to its frequent haunt, Five Points bar and venue The 5 Spot, for a streaming virtual release show. As the pandemic stretches into a late stage where exhaustion, caution and hope mingle, most everyone is looking for some kind of solid ground on which to build their new version of normal. The Forecastâs bittersweet and genre-bending combo of jazz, bluegrass and roots music might be the perfect soundtrack.