If you consider yourself an old-soul rock fan, then you probably roll your eyes and let out a sigh when you see what types of songs and artists gain the most notoriety in the 2020s. We get it, we are far past the days of bands being at No. 1 and having concerts where there aren’t superfluous theatrics that distract from the music—the good ole’ days, in other words.
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In light of the “downfall” of tried-and-true rock, here are three albums from the 2020s that prove the genre is not dead, not in the slightest.
‘Made by These Moments’ by The Red Clay Strays
The Red Clay Strays are one of the best things to happen to country music in the 2020s. But they are far from just a country band. They are a hard-nosed, down-to-earth, and real-as-it-gets Southern rock band that carries on the tradition of bands like The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and ZZ Top.
The album that has solidified The Red Clay Strays’ place as both preservers of tradition and contemporary rock innovators is their 2024 sophomore album, Made by These Moments. We aren’t going to name the tracks on the album, because you just need to listen to it yourself. Trust us, your nostalgic urge will be satisfied.
‘Phantom Island’ King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Just this last June, the world of rock ‘n’ roll got a mighty fine new album. That album was King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard‘s 27th studio album, Phantom Island. The Australian rock band is a refreshing reminder that there are musicians who still push the boundaries and deliver unexpected sounds. Nowadays, finding bands and musicians like this gets harder and harder by the day.
As stated previously, Phantom Island is the band’s 27th studio album, so they’ve been at this for a while now. That being said, you have loads of material to sort through if you so wish. However, this is a great start and will surely entice you to explore King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard in full.
‘Young Blood’ by Marcus King
Marcus King is one of the best things to happen to rock music in the 2020s. Like The Strays, he is far from just a country musician. With King, it’s not what he can play, but what he can’t play. Blues, soul, metal, country, you name it, he plays it, and he features all of it on his 2022 album, Young Blood.
If you are the type of music fan we described in the intro, then you will be scoring a cheek-to-cheek smile when you listen to this album. King instills hope in the old school thought, a hope that we hope materializes into more albums like Young Blood.
Fletcher Moore/Courtesy of Big Feat PR
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