Albums of the year
1. The Strokes – The New Abnormal
It is somehow common opinion that „Is this it“ is The Strokes‘ untouchable masterpiece and everything that came after it was mediocre at best. But I disagree. I eventually grew to like every single album they put out and while I like „First Impressions of Earth“ best, I also really dig their swith to 80s synth music.
„The New Abnormal“ makes me dream of summer, of road trips and of dancing drunkenly all by yourself in the living room after you have come home from a fun night out. It is admittedly not an „all killer“ album, but most of it is catchy melodies, wonderful harmonies and solid songwriting (Julian’s lyrics have always been very underrated anyway, even though he doesn’t shine in this craft on this album as much as he did on other records.)
„At The Door“ & „Ode To The Mets“ are especially outstanding.
2. Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
2020 was a shitty year for live music, but a wonderful year for post-punk releases. This, in my opinion, was the best one. „A Hero’s Death“ starts out great with the Joy Division-esque „I Don’t Belong“ and „Love Is The Main Thing“ and then becomes a bit too slow and mellow for my liking (altough „Oh Such A Spring“ is amazing and the lyrics are overall really good) until it takes off again with the title track and keeps being consistently phenomenal until the end. Fingers crossed it’ll be possible to see them live in 2021.
3. Laura Marling – Song For Our Daughter
While „Alas, I Cannot Swim“ and „I Speak Because I Can“ belong to my favourite albums of all time, I could not really warm up with anything that came afterwards. „Song For Our Daugther“ is finally a new release by her that I absolutly fell in love with! Her gentle guitar, her stunning voice, her incredible lyrics – it is all there!
4. Bright Eyes – Down In the Weeds, Where The World Once Was
If you are looking for a soundtrack to 2020, this is it. It is full of desperation and hope, of teenage angst and grieving for lost youth. The music and the lyrics intertwine so perfectly on this album.
„Gotta keep on going like it ain’t the end
Got to change like your life is depending on it
It’s a long time coming and we’re taking it in
What a wild ruse“
…
„I’ll grieve
What I have lost
Forgive the firing squad
How imperfect life can be
Now all I can do
Is just dance on through“
5. The Garden – Kiss My Superbowl Ring
I love how they are exploring many different genres on here (something they already started doing on „haha“), from hip-hop to hardcore, from synthy industrial to dancepunk. Sometimes I miss the raw punk of their early records, but I still enjoy this a lot!
6. Osees – Protean Threat
7. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – K.G.
8. Protomatyr – Ultimate Success Today
9. The Microphones – Microphones in 2020
10. Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways
Gigs of the year
This year has been empty of (almost) any live music experiences for me for obvious reasons. I managed to see Elephant Stone (15.02. L’Espace B) and The Growlers (16.02. Le Trianon) in Paris a few weeks before the pandemic hit Europe.
And my heart aches for a all the missed live opportunities, for example I would have seen Bright Eyes, King Gizzard and a couple more bands live for the first time ever this year. Let’s hope that 2021 is going to be full of stage lights and music again!
