10 Near Perfect Rock Albums Of The 2020s
The soundtrack to the Coronavirus.
Although the 2020s got off to a grinding start - inundated with lockdowns, 5G conspiracy theories and a narrowly avoided American civil war - there has been several highlights to be noted. Not only were we treated to Tiger King, but we also got a wealth of new music setting the tone for a new decade.
The tired old cliché that rock is dead, has never been more wrong. There's been a huge amount of revitalising past tropes but there's also been a good degree of innovation. The most notable trend happening in music right now is the blending of genres in ever more intriguing and surprising ways.
Rock isn't dead, it's just finding new forms of manifestation - existing in tandem with hip hop, jazz, R&B and any other genre willing to adopt its already established elements.
As we settle in for the third year of the new '20s, it's a good time to have a listen to those musicians who are setting the bar for those to follow.
10. Live Forever - Bartees Strange (2020)
The 2020s are shaping up to be the decade of post-genre music. In the last few years, musicians have been blending styles and sounds in ever more intriguing ways. Bartees Strange is one of the more unique artists exploring varying musical styles; fusing lo fi hip hop and indie rock with elements of folk and R&B.
His debut kicks off with a track reminiscent of the electronica sounds we've heard from Bon Iver over the last few years. It's ambient, calming, and plays with textures through vocal and instrumental manipulation. We then drive headlong into Mustang; it has all the momentum of the car it shares its name with. It's indie rock at its best, with Strange sprinkling a hint of emo-rage throughout. Boomer changes things up with a post-punk jaunt that seamlessly transitions into southern rock. Stone Meadows surprises you again, blending hints of Daughter, Jame Blake and the National. Mossblerd pulls from gritty hip hop with dark undertones, changing the mood again.
This debut might only be 35 minutes long, but Strange covers a hell of a lot of ground - all while maintaining a fluid cohesion.