Bands like the Strokes, the Psychedelic Furs, and Duran Duran were planning to deliver long-awaited studio albums, with tours likely to follow. By March, around the time COVID-19 took hold in the U.S., there were already tours announced by the likes of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and dates by the reunited Bauhaus (we had tickets for both). Early in the year, I’d already seen two concerts, one by 69 Eyes and another by The Reverend Horton Heat with the Buttertones.
But live music soon came to a screeching halt amid the global pandemic. Bands like Duran Duran shelved their albums. Others went ahead with their releases, giving music fans much-needed hope during a dark time.
These are some of the great albums of 2020:
The Psychedelic Furs could have waited another year; after all, the band’s previous studio album came out nearly 30 years ago. But the Furs finally delivered “Made of Rain.” The band couldn’t back the critically lauded album with live shows, but the music will be just as fresh when a return to the stage is possible. Read the review.
The Strokes ended a seven-year hiatus with “The New Abnormal,” and there wasn’t a more fitting album for its time. The New York band combined all its classic sound with a dose of ’80s flair: the track listing included writing credits for Billy Idol and the brothers Butler (of the Furs). The Strokes released a batch of stunning videos, launched a Zoom series, performed on “Saturday Night Live,” and earned their first Grammy nomination. Read the review.
The Buttertones released ”Jazzhound,” showing all the promise that had propelled them to their status as perpetual up-and-comers. About three months later, the Los Angeles band imploded amid allegations of sexual abuse (Read more). Some fans declared the band unfairly canceled, but the silence of lead singer Richard Araiza only raised questions. After more than a month, he and guitarist Modeste Cobian released a video statement on Instagram. The duo’s denial of wrongdoing and promise of a comeback in 2021 mostly failed to resonate with the band’s core fans.
Also in 2020: Muzz, a “supergroup” led by Interpol vocalist Paul Banks, released a self-titled effort, its debut no less. When he couldn’t tour, Nick Cave recorded the haunting “Idiot Prayer,” alone with a piano at Alexandra Palace. The Damned tided fans over with “The Rockfield Files” EP. Read the review.
As for Duran, the band wants to support any new release with live shows. While that’s not possible now, at least in a conventional way, Duran opted to largely stay quiet in 2020. John Taylor delivered an entertaining round of bass tutorials and interviews after recovering from COVID. Simon Le Bon also endured a bout with the virus and carried on with his Spotify podcast. Optimistically, the band has announced live shows for next summer.
Along with an annual list of top live shows, I also won’t be compiling Duran Duran’s top moments of the year for the first time since 2011. If Duran's 2021 concerts are able to take place, its 15th studio album may finally materialize. But it appears that a true 40th anniversary celebration for the band may be falling by the wayside due to COVID.
True, there are more important things than music in these times. But it sure would have been nice to have had one more bright spot during a dismal 2020.
