In 1985 Alfred Jaklitsch aka ER delivered and international hit from Austria with two school friends in a band called JOY. Thirty years later, Jaklitsch is part of the Austrian band SEER, who have 11 No. 1 albums, and 16 platinum awards tucked firmly under their belts. Now a fully mature musician, Jaklitsch is not content to rest on his laurels, and returns as ER, dealing out 16 tracks, awash with his rock ‘n’ roll and blues roots, in the album “2020 2.0”. Complete with German lyrics, ER weaves flavors of electro, rap and dubstep into the album, hence the ultra-modern title.

A born storyteller, Jaklitsch alias ER, lays down narratives that run from autobiographical to fictitious, and anywhere in-between. True or not, the key of these tales, is bringing out the emotion of each story, connecting with the audience, and convincingly describing the dreams, desires and fears behind them, which in the end, is something we all can relate to.

But even if you don’t understand a single word of German, the music and performances all across “2020 2.0”, will take you on an unforgettable, rollicking ride. As accessible and cohesive as it is rocking and adventurous, “2020 2.0” is a triumphant 55 minute blast that, musically, lyrically, and emotionally delivers on every level. It’s always nice to hear an album with such quality and excellent production.

ER and the band’s talent and versatility overflows throughout the album, especially on songs like the opener “WER IST ER”, the lusciously harmonized slow burners “WENN NICHT DU DANN NIEMAND” and “GEBOREN UM MENSCH ZU SEIN”, as well as the raw bluesy groove of “DAS NÄCHSTE GROSSE DING” and “AUF DER DUNKLEN SEITE VOM PARADIES”.

All these songs are absolutely amazing, and offer a real unpredictable journey. Listen to the urgent drive of “DAS LEBEN F***T” and the upbeat bounce “DER LETZTE MACHT DAS LICHT AUS”, which also features a fiery guitar solo. Things just get better, as ER’s powerfully resonating vocal cords continue to dominate tracks like “GRAB MICH AUS” and the gospel-blues styled sweep of “IDIOTIE”.

Moving forward through “RAD AB”, “BETTVORLEGER”, REITEN IN DEN SONNENAUFGANG”, “LETZTE WORTE”, these songs continue to shine a spotlight on the virtuosity and intelligence that has made Alfred Jaklitsch aka ER so extraordinary over the past few decades. He threads together moments of blues, soul, and tried-and-true, vibrant, vital rock n’ roll, which all make for a huge listening experience.

ER is a rare rock ‘n’ roll artist with a raw and raucous heartbeat, a quality that distinguishes the finest rock and blues recordings of our time. If you love the dirty, gritty, satisfying rock and blues sound, this album is for you. Moreover, the arrangements and production is highly polished, for a top tier listening experience.

Throughout the record, Alfred Jaklitsch aka ER’s dynamic vocals sound as strong and rich as ever. This whole recording, is a ‘play as loud as you can’ album, windows or roof down in the car, and volume turned right up. Do this now, before the summer goes away, or they put you back in quarantine again!

OFFICIAL LINKS: WEBSITE – FACEBOOK @Er.musik – INSTAGRAM @Er.musik

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