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[2017 Fall A&E Guide]

2017 Fall A&E Guide: Albums

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The National, Sleep Well Beast (September 8) As the indie rockers near the 20-year mark, they continue to innovate. Album No. 7 maintains the band’s penchant for dusky, velvet-draped meditations while incorporating digital elements to add color and introspection.

Neil Young, Hitchhiker (September 8) The rangy guitar god has been raiding his archives for reissues, but Hitchhiker is special. The unreleased album captures a 1976 studio session in which Young recorded 10 acoustic songs, including two that surface here for the very first time.

The Killers, Wonderful Wonderful (September 22) Las Vegas’ hometown heroes reach back to their effervescent electro-rock roots on LP No. 5, judging from the icy synth-pop hopscotch “Run for Cover” and the seething disco-funk epic “The Man.”

Wolf Parade, Cry Cry Cry (October 6) On their first album in seven years, the theatrical Canadian indie-rock luminaries show no signs of rust—layering glammy piano, perforated electro swirls and scorching guitars.

Converge, The Dusk in Us (November 3) The post-hardcore heavyweights are back with their first album in five years—and, unsurprisingly, songs like metallic punk jab “Under Duress” and pounding mosh-fomenter “I Can Tell You About Pain” are moments of satisfying catharsis.

Ted Leo, The Hanged Man (September 8) The latest solo album from the insightful power-punk songwriter celebrates ’70s rock ’n’ roll. Wiry, Elvis Costello-esque New Wave, fuzzed-out power-pop and even ornate AM Gold combine for one emotional sucker punch after another.

Foo Fighters, Concrete and Gold (September 15) The Foos worked with pop kingpin Greg Kurstin on their latest LP, but the band isn’t going soft. Lead single “Run” nods to wicked metal, while “The Sky Is a Neighborhood” is a Zeppelin-esque rocker with gargantuan riffs and string arrangements.

Miley Cyrus, Younger Now (September 29) After a Flaming Lips-led detour through music’s weirder nooks and crannies, Cyrus embraces her pure-pop heart. The twang-kissed, change-celebrating title track recalls Cyndi Lauper’s ’80s sugar rushes.

DJ Mathematics, Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues (October 13) This isn’t a Wu-Tang Clan record per se—it’s being billed as a record “crafted by” the group’s DJ/producer—but it was executive-produced by the RZA, and features Method Man, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Ghostface Killah and even the late ODB.

Taylor Swift, Reputation (November 10) T-Swift’s latest sonic reinvention is still revealing itself, though judging by the electro-heavy “Look What You Made Me Do”—the already ubiquitous, Right Said Fred-interpolating single—expect her sixth album to veer in an even brasher pop direction.

Plus!

Tori Amos, Native Invader (September 8); Prophets of Rage, Prophets of Rage (September 15); Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Luciferian Towers (September 22); Luna, A Sentimental Education (September 22); Chelsea Wolfe, Hiss Spun (September 22); Shania Twain, Now (September 29); Liam Gallagher, As You Were (October 6); Courtney Barrett & Kurt Vile, Lotta Sea Lice (October 13); Beck, Colors (October 13); Robert Plant, Carry Fire (October 13); St. Vincent, Masseduction (October 13); Destroyer, Ken (October 20); Weezer, Pacific Daydream (October 27); Morrissey, Low in High School (November 17).

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