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

alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...

group

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

, released on 12 February 2021 by

Ivy League Records Ivy League Records was an Australian record label based in Sydney. It was founded in 1997 by Pete Lusty, Andy Cassell and Andy Kelly. In 2024, the label was merged into Mushroom Music. In the past, the label released music from the likes of ...

. 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 the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

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 was supported by an Australian tour commencing in April 2021. At the 2021 ARIA Music Awards, Konstantin Kersting 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 in ...

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. At the

AIR Awards of 2022 The 2022 AIR Awards is the sixteenth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards ceremony (generally known as the AIR Awards). It took place on 4 August 2022 in Adelaide. The nominations were revealed on 18 May 2022 w ...

, the album was nominated for Best Independent Pop Album or EP.

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 is an Australian government-funded national radio station founded in 1975 as a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It aims to appeal to young listeners of alternative music, and plays far more Australian conten ...

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 (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...

RnB RNB may refer to: * Nankai Broadcasting (''R''adio ''N''ankai ''B''roadcasting), a broadcasting station in Ehime Prefecture, Japan * Russian National Library * RNB Global University, in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India * "RNB" (song), a song by Young Dol ...

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

and

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

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