''0202'' is the fourth studio album by Australian

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...

group

the Rubens The Rubens are an Australian alternative rock band from Menangle, New South Wales. The band comprises the three Margin brothers, Zaac, Sam and Elliott, and friends Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis. Their debut self-titled album '' The Rubens' ...

, released on 12 February 2021 by

Ivy League Records Ivy League Records is a record label based in Sydney, Australia. History Ivy League Records is an Australian-based record label established in 1997 by three ex-musician friends: Pete Lusty (John Reed Club) (RIP), Andy Cassell (Youth Group) an ...

. The album was announced on 15 October 2020, alongside the release of the video for the album's third single, "Time of My Life". After releasing "Live in Life" in November 2019, the group were looking towards a release date of mid-2020 for the album, however, due to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

restrictions, progress and the postponed Live in Life Tour from March 2020, the album was delayed. The title ''0202'' refers to a "forward-thinking album for a backward year". In a press statement, the band said "We're so bloody proud of this album and the way we created it, and we can't believe how lucky we are to have made it this far." The album will be supported by an Australian tour commencing in April 2021. At the 2021 ARIA Music Awards,

Konstantin Kersting Konstantin Kersting, is a multi ARIA award winning producer, songwriter and sound engineer. He has worked with a diverse range of artists, including Tones and I, Milky Chance, Mallrat, Spacey Jane, Amy Shark, The Jungle Giants, The Rubens, R3HA ...

was nominated for

Producer of the Year The Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical is an honor presented to record producers for quality non- classical music at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors i ...

and Engineer of the Year for work on this album. Eric J Dubowsky was also nominated for Engineer of the Year for work on this album.

Critical reception

Josh Leeson from ''

The Newcastle Herald The ''Newcastle Herald'' (formerly branded as ''The Herald'') is a local tabloid newspaper published daily, Monday to Saturday, in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It is the only local newspaper that serves the greater Hunter Region and ...

'' said the group have "...taken significant steps towards pop and R'n'B... and the Rubens sound all the better for it"; concluding with "''0202'' might be named after the most horrible year in recent memory for most people, but the Rubens have delivered an upbeat slice of pop sweetness." Zoë Radas from ''Stack Magazine'' said the Rubens are "emerging with a classy collection of tunes that document a topsy-turvy year. Self-produced, the songs have a distinct pop sheen, though the cruisy vibe often belies a darker edge."

Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broad ...

said "The Rubens have come out of 2020—the backward year—with a body of work which sees the band continue to push and expand themselves creatively and sonically. Self-producing their own work for the very first time, The Rubens bring to life their infectious energy in a 12-track

alt-pop Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...

RnB Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

, pop and hip hop infused record."

Track listing

Personnel

The Rubens * Sam Margin – vocals, guitar * Scott Baldwin – drums * Elliott Margin – keyboards, vocals * Izaac Margin – lead guitar * William Zeglis – bass guitar

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control 2021 albums The Rubens albums Ivy League Records albums Albums postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic