Summer 2020 might not have been what we expected. But as we adjust to our new reality, we’ve been lucky to have musicians out there releasing records for us to enjoy. We may have to wait a while to see them performed live, but in the meantime, check out some of the best albums we’ve heard this summer.
Lady Gaga – Chromatica
No doubt one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, Lady Gaga really came through when she released Chromatica at the end of May. With singles like ‘Stupid Love’ and Ariana Grande collaboration ‘Rain on Me’, Chromatica is every bit as legendary as The Fame Monster and Born This Way. With her expert vocals and a pairing of dance-heavy sounds with classical music, Chromatica is modern pop music at its finest.
Lady Gaga’s Chromatica is available via Interscope Records.
Taylor Swift – Folklore
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the summer was Taylor Swift’s announcement that she was releasing a new album – less than 24 hours before she dropped it. Folklore is different to anything we’ve heard from Taylor in a while. Swapping out the bright pop sounds of last year’s Lover for minimalist indie, it’s a brand-new side of Taylor which has been embraced and revered by listeners and critics alike. Tracks like ‘betty’ and ‘the last great american dynasty’ illustrate a new lyrical style; less autobiography, more storytelling that you can’t help falling in love with.
Taylor Swift’s Folklore is available via Taylor Swift.
The Psychedelic Furs – Made of Rain
Looking for something a little more classic? This summer, post-punk band The Psychedelic Furs released their first album in almost 30 years entitled Made of Rain. The album exists in the space between original, 80s post-punk and the newer reincarnations we see in up-and-coming bands today, an exciting reminder of what makes the genre and the sound so engaging. ‘I Am the Boy Who Invented Rock & Roll’ opens the album on an ambitious and all-round successful note. Definitely one of the gloomier albums of the summer, but one which will last us well into the colder weather.
The Psychedelic Furs’ Made of Rain is available via Cooking Vinyl.
Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
All eyes were on Dublin rock band Fontaines D.C. this summer after they announced the release of their second album, just over a year after the spectacular success of their debut, Dogrel. Like Dogrel, this could well top the lists for Album of the Year, but that may be their only similarity. A Hero’s Death saw them move away from the success of their first record, a refusal to be defined by their early success. And they did it with expert ease, creating one of the most starkly atmospheric albums of recent years and showcasing a brand-new range of talents. This is just the beginning for Fontaines D.C.; A Hero’s Death taught us just how limitless they really are.
Fontaines D.C.’s A Hero’s Death is available via Partisan Records.
Creeper – Sex, Death & the Infinite Void
Creeper captured a lot of hearts when they released their second full length album, Sex Death & the Infinite Void. Hailing from Southampton, this album found them a place in the Top 5 alongside Fontaines D.C and Taylor Swift at the beginning of August – a true when for rock music and local music scenes all across the UK. Sex, Death & the Infinite Void is a genre-defying alternative album, with rock, goth and punk influences throughout – plus an extra spark of ingenuity that no other band will be able to replicate.
Creeper’s Sex, Death & the Infinite Void is available via Roadrunner Records UK / Warner Records UK.
Vicky Greer
Featured image courtesy of Namroud Gorguis on Unsplash.
Vicky Greer
Vicky is a freelance entertainment journalist and modern languages student from Northern Ireland. Her greatest love is alternative music in all its heavy forms, and spends more time at gigs than anywhere else.