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October 2015
The turning of the seasons means cooler weather, pumpkin beers — and more time to listen to new records. And whether its Deerhunter’s new psychedelic pop record or Adele’s eagerly-awaited follow-up to her smash hit debut, there’s a lot to take in. As such, we’ve outlined a few of our most highly-anticipated new albums coming out this Fall, as well as a few favorites that have already dropped this month to keep your ears warm and cozy as the weather takes a turn.
Follow us below as we dive into our 10 most anticipated upcoming records this fall, and follow further on for a few top releases that are already making their way up the charts.
October 2015
10/16: Fading Frontier – Deerhunter ($8.91)
Two years since the self-proclaimed “ambient punk” musicians released the dark and enveloping Monomania, Fading Frontier is being billed as more upbeat, and the band’s most “accessible work.” Lead single Snakeskin has the band exploring a lively, ‘70s-tinged jam — before devolving into swirls of psychedelia. While certainly a jam, Bradford Cox’s lyrics like “I was born already nailed to the cross / I was born with the feeling I was lost” signal that the 33 year-old musician hasn’t strayed too far from his musical past.
10/23: Divers – Joanna Newsom ($9)
This experimental singer/songwriter, who will release her first album in five years this month, has made harps cool again. Don’t get us wrong: the California-born artist should certainly be known just as much for her colorful, psych folk melodies and angelic vocals as the proficiency on her instrument of choice. But Newsom’s artistry isn’t complete without her harp. According to the New York Times, the artist called her fourth full-length LP “the closest I’ve come to a concept record.”
10/30: Return to the Moon – El Vy ($9.50)
This new side project from The National frontman Matt Berninger and experimental folk multi-instrumentalist Brent Knopf (formerly of Menomena) melds the intricacies of the two with grace. “[The record]’s written in the voices of a few invented characters, composites of different people—myself, my wife, and other people I was thinking about,” explained Berninger. While Return to the Moon attracts fans of the brooding rocker’s main project, it also explores the artists’ more playful side.
10/30: Kill the One You Love – GEMS ($9.50)
This LA-via-DC dream pop group — who open for Autre Ne Veut on their October dates stateside — are on the verge of greater success. The guy-girl group composed of Lindsay Pitts and Clifford John Usher create a full-yet-introspective synth-laden sound reminiscent of Cocteau Twins and Slowdive. The band is calling their sophomore record “an album of hurt, longing, and the beauty found in that space between.”
TBA: Album Four – Grimes
Aside from confirmation that the follow-up to the Canadian experimental pop artist’s 2012 record Visions will drop this month, we don’t know much about it. And that’s how Claire Boucher, 27, likes to work. After touring with fellow pop crossover Lana Del Rey this summer, she recently told Dazed that she’ll make the album announcement the day before it hits iTunes. “I think my music used to be more escapist,” she says. “Visions didn’t really acknowledge reality, but this record is more about looking reality in the face.” Listen to REALiTi, a track she nixed from the upcoming album which she self-released in March, above.
Next page: Our picks for the most anticipated albums of November 2015
November 2015
11/6: Damn Country Music – Tim McGraw ($14)
It’s probably best that Tim McGraw’s lead single Top of the World off of his upcoming 14th record, doesn’t push boundaries. Yes, his lyrics about love, heaven, and “sittin’ on top of the world” may be a bit on the trite side, but the sound is definitely preferable to some of his past trials at pushing into new musical territory, and the new song even features guest spots from his 18 year-old daughter Gracie McGraw (as well as Nashville duo Big and Rich). “[The record] speaks to a passion and being at a crossroads in your life when you make that decision to pursue it knowing you might pay a heavy price,” according to Billboard. While it might not be groundbreaking, it (likely) has the Damn Country Music soul that helped make him a superstar in the first place.
11/6: Delirium – Ellie Goulding ($16.50)
The English synthpop singer hopes her third album, with the help from star producer Max Martin (Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Taylor Swift), will bring her bigger pop stardom. “I call it ‘sub-Ibiza,’” she said to Billboard regarding the new record, “where it’s a kind of rave but it’s a euphoric, ethereal kind of thing.” Lead single On My Mind has Goulding crafting her version of Swift’s Blank Space — and it’s certainly hard to knock the melody out of your head.
11/13: Purpose – Justin Bieber
Bieber got a little love (and some much-needed humanizing) as he performed at this year’s VMAs, and broke down crying afterwords. His fourth studio record, on which he collaborated with none other than Kanye West and legendary hip hop producer Rick Rubin (Beastie Boys, Run D.M.C.), is being billed as “more mature-sounding,” according to Rolling Stone. That’s in line with his recent push to turnaround his image. His first two singles, Where Are U Now and What Do You Mean? (the latter of which beat out One Direction for a Spotify-record 21 million plays in five days), are surprisingly well-received, EDM-laced cuts but we’re not sure what’s in store for the rest of the record.
11/20: 25 – Adele
This fall’s biggest release will likely be the third record from 27 year-old soul diva, full name Adele Laurie Blue Adkins. It’s also the follow up to the 11-time platinum, six Grammy Award-winning 21 so we shouldn’t have to explain to you how great she is. She worked with some new faces on the record, including producer Danger Mouse (Gorillaz, The Black Keys) and Max Martin. For whatever it’s worth, Blur frontman Damon Albarn, who she also worked with, wasn’t a fan, recently calling the record “very middle of the road.” We’ll get a taste in early November, when the album’s lead single is expected to drop. In the meantime, listen to a track co-written by Adele and Sia which was cut from 25.
Download Alive by Sia from:
TBA: Views From the 6 – Drake
Toronto rapper Drake has already made his imprint on 2015 with two mixtapes (If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late and What A Time to Be Alive) with Atlanta rapper Future, but he says that a studio record is also coming this year. He told Fader that If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late (featuring Energy, above), which was streamed 17.3 million times in three days on Spotify, was more of a mixtape. “There’s corners cut, in the sense of fluidity and song transition,” he says. He returned to his hometown to record the new tracks and — even if you’re not a rap fan — Drake may be worth a listen for his ubiquitous pop culture influence alone.
Next page: Our picks for the best Fall albums available now
Out now
Don’t have the patience to wait any longer for some shiny new music? No worries. Here’s a shortlist of our favorite albums already out and burning up the runway of your favorite streaming sites to keep you company until the new ones drop.
Every Open Eye – Chvrches ($11.50)
Chvrches sophomore album continues their reign of home-baked elegance and extends it even further. The new album pours in a heaping spoonful of pop to the indie mix, lead by Laura Mayberry’s emotional vocals, and melodies that have an almost Abba-esque ability to get stuck in your head like an earwig — and that’s a good thing. Add in cleaner production with an ’80s kick that recalls Depeche Mode sensibilities, and you’ve got yourself a hit record.
Zipper Down – Eagles of Death Metal ($9.50)
The garage rockers with a whimsical twist, featuring Jesse Hughes and Queens of the Stone Age founder Josh Homme, are back with another tongue-in-cheek slice of foot-stompin’ fun. Homme described lead single Complexity as “the musical equivalent of holding a lucky rabbit’s foot with the unlucky rabbit still attached,” and it’s about as foolhardy as the description sounds. (If you’re wondering, their unusual band name comes from Homme calling a Polish band like “the Eagles of death metal,” liking the sound of the phrase and, later, using it for his own band.) Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen Complexity hit the charts. Hughes recorded a decidedly more polished version of the tune with his project Boots Electric in 2011. Give them both a listen and see which one jives best.
Unbreakable – Janet Jackson ($12)
“It’s been awhile,” says Jackson on the title track. “I’m glad you’re still here. I hope you enjoy.” It’s a 17-track comeback — and her first LP since her brother Michael died — for the now 49 year old diva Janet Jackson. The record features new R&B cuts (No Sleeep feat. J. Cole, 2 B Love) and club-ready electro burners (BURNITUP! feat. Missy Elliott) that mirror her musical legacy, but it also dives into adult contemporary (Lessons Learned, Take Me Away) for an interesting mix-mash.
Age of Transparency – Autre Ne Veut ($9.50)
R&B has had a recent revival in indie rock circles — from FKA twigs to the can’t-escape-that-voice-or-haircut hitmaker The Weeknd — and North Carolina-born singer Arthur Ashin (aka Autre Ne Veut) put out a well-regarded 2013 record that embodied much of that trend in Anxiety. His follow-up is described as “the second step in a trilogy exploring the difficulty of making personal connections in an impersonal time.” Regardless of the genre, though, lead single World War Pt. 2 is an intricately-delivered jam.
In the works
A handful of other big-name artists are rumored to have new releases coming before the end of the year. There’s been talk in the deepest corners that Frank Ocean’s long-delayed follow up to channel ORANGE (which he had said would come by the end of July) may be on its way sooner than later. Second to a Frank Ocean follow-up, the most monumental “surprise” album to rock music critics’ year-end list is the possibility of Radiohead releasing the follow-up to 2011’s King of Limbs, though we aren’t holding our breath just yet.
Other new fall releases that could be in the works include Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams, a new Macklemore record, a new Beyonce album (note that she did surprise drop her 2013 record in December) … and maybe even a new Kanye record? We’ll have to wait to find out.
