Fall Music Preview 2017: From Foo Fighters’ Latest to Gregg Allman’s Last EP
Here's all the album information you need to get you through the season
August 31, 2017
Fall is on the horizon, which means the weather will cool, the leaves might change colors, fantasy football will pick back up, and many of the world’s best musicians and bands will soon be releasing new albums and kicking off massive, multi-continent tours.
From deceased rock legends like Gregg Allman and Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister to recent Stern Show guests like Oasis great Liam Gallagher, the next few months promise massive amounts of quality music from a variety of talented sources. Check out what’s in store (below).
Motörhead “Under Cöver”
Release date: Sept. 1
Motörhead’s new EP is a compilation of some of the British rock band’s most beloved cover songs, including a cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes” that was one of the last songs Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister recorded before succumbing to a battle with cancer in 2015 at the age of 70. Other tracks on the album include covers of Metallica, Ted Nugent, Judas Priest, and the Ramones. There’s also a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” which Howard has praised in the past.
Check out the Bowie tribute (above) and pick up a copy of Motörhead’s “Under Cöver” here.
Gregg Allman “Southern Blood”
Release date: Sept. 8
“Southern Blood,” Gregg Allman’s final studio album, is the late Southern rocker’s first EP since 2011. Among the songs included on his posthumous release are “My Only True Friend,” an introspective, guitar-driven cut written during Gregg’s final years battling liver cancer. “I hope you’re haunted by the music of my soul, when I’m gone,” he sings at one point.
Howard paid tribute to the 69-year-old icon on-air in June after his passing, saying “Gregg Allman was a legend.”
Listen to “My Only True Friend” (below) and grab a copy of “Southern Blood” here.
Neil Young “Hitchhiker”
Release date: Sept. 8
The Godfather of Grunge’s forthcoming acoustic album is 41 years in the making. Neil Young recorded “Hitchhiker” in a single night in 1976 at Indigo Ranch Recording Studio in Malibu, Calif., and finally it’s about to get released. In addition to offering raw guitar and harmonica-only versions of several songs which made their way to his later albums (“Pocahontas,” “Powderfinger”), “Hitchhiker” also contains two previously unreleased tracks.
Neil, who joined the Stern Show in 2014 to discuss his career and music-writing process, has also recently shared the story of how “Hitchhiker” came to be in a Facebook Live video. To grab a copy of the album here.
Foo Fighters “Concrete and Gold”
Release date: Sept. 15
After taking six months off to record some new tracks under the radar, the Foo Fighters are set to release their ninth studio album entitled “Concrete and Gold.” Working for the first time with pop songwriter and producer Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia), Dave Grohl and the band put together an 11-track project where “hard rock extremes and pop sensibilities collide.”
Touting a slew of special guests, the album even features legendary Beatle Paul McCartney performing drums on one song.
Ringo Starr “Give More Love”
Release date: Sept. 15
Rock legend and former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr used his 77th birthday in July to announce the upcoming release of his 19th solo album, “Give More Love.” The big reveal came months after he had first teased the material, including a glimpse at a studio collaboration between him, Sir Paul McCartney, and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh for the track “We’re on the Road Again.” That’s not McCartney’s only appearance on “Give More Love,” either—the Beatles great and former Stern Show guest also lends his talents on the track “Show Me the Way.” Other featured performers on “Give More Love” include Glen Ballard, Richard Marx, and 2016 Stern Show guest Peter Frampton.
Listen to “We’re on the Road Again” (above) and pre-order a copy of Ringo’s forthcoming album here.
Wyclef Jean “Carnival III: The Rise and Fall of a Refugee”
Release date: Sept. 15
Haitian-born rapper, musician, and former Stern Show guest Wyclef Jean returns with “Carnival III: The Fall and Rise of a Refugee,” a 12-song effort and his first full-length album in eight years. Arriving just after the 20th anniversary of his seminal solo album “The Carnival,” the former Fugees member’s new EP features collaborators like Lunch Money Lewis, the Knocks, and Emeli Sandé. “’Carnival III’ is more than just an album,” Wyclef said in a statement. “It’s a celebration of what I love about music: discovery, diversity and artistry for art’s sake.”
Click here to check out Wyclef’s music video for “What Happened to Love” and grab a copy of his album “Carnival III” here.
The Killers “Wonderful Wonderful”
Release date: Sept. 22
After a five-year hiatus, the Killers are finally ready to release “Wonderful Wonderful,” the band’s fifth studio album. Recorded at the band’s own Battle Born Studios in Nevada, the 10-song effort includes three recently dropped singles—”The Man,” “Run for Cover,” and title track “Wonderful Wonderful”—and enlists guitar great Mark Knoplfer of Dire Straits on the song “Have All the Songs Been Written?” Sadly, there’s no sign of Sir Paul McCartney, who recently teamed up with Killers frontman Brandon Flowers to deliver a deadly version of the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” at a private New Years’ Eve concert in St. Barts.
Watch the “Run for Cover” video here and pre-order “Wonderful Wonderful” here.
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers “The Long-Awaited Album”
Release date: Sept. 22
Legendary actor, comedian, and banjo player Steve Martin has reunited with the Steep Canyon Rangers for a brand-new album. In addition to dropping a faux infomercial for the album (above)—including impressions of Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars—he teamed up with “Saturday Night Live” veterans Bill Hader and Cecily Strong on a video for the album’s first single “Caroline.”
Order a copy of the 2016 Stern Show guest’s new EP, “The Long-Awaited Album,” here.
Van Morrison “Roll with the Punches”
Release date: Sept. 22
The Irish singer-songwriter behind hits like “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Moondance” is on the verge of dropping his 37th studio album, “Roll with the Punches.” The 15-track album contains five Van Morrison originals and 10 covers of classic blues and soul songs penned by the likes of Bo Diddley, T-Bone Walker, Sam Cooke, and more. “Each song is like a story and I’m performing that story,” he said in a statement. “That’s been forgotten over years because people over-analyze things. I was a performer before I started writing songs, and I’ve always felt like that’s what I do.” Speaking of performing, Van Morrison heads out on tour in September.
Watch his rendition of Cooke’s “Bring It on Home to Me” (above) and pre-order “Roll with the Punches” here.
David Crosby “Sky Trails”
Release date: Sept. 29
David Crosby might be best known for his work with the Byrds and Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young, but the folk-rock legend has also been releasing well-received solo albums for decades. “Sky Trails,” his sixth solo studio effort, hits store shelves soon. The two-time Stern Show guest and two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has already released two tracks from the forthcoming album, including “Sell Me a Diamond,” which he wrote with his son James Raymond. Additionally, he’ll be hitting the road for a North American tour at the end of October. Take a listen to “Sell Me a Diamond” (below).
Get more information on “Sky Trails” here and Crosby’s upcoming tour here.
Marilyn Manson “Heaven Upside Down”
Release date (tentative): Sept. 29
Musician, past Stern Show guest, and occasional on-screen hitman Marilyn Manson is poised to drop his 10th studio album, “Heaven Upside Down” in late September. While much about the album is still unknown, Manson has said his new material is being compared to the stuff of his earlier albums “Antichrist Superstar” and “Mechanical Animals.” “It’s pretty violent in its nature for some reason, and it’s not emotional in the same way. It’s got a chip on its shoulder,” he told Rolling Stone in 2016. He hasn’t released any of the songs yet, but he recently teased the track “We Know Where You Fucking Live” with a creepy Twitter video (below).
WE KNOW WHERE YOU FU(KING) LIVE… pic.twitter.com/1LbxTOzW6p
—
Marilyn Manson (@marilynmanson) August
29, 2017
Manson will be kicking off a month-long U.S. tour on Sept. 27. Get more information here.
Miley Cyrus “Younger Now”
Release date: Sept. 29
Change is a thing you can count on, per a lyric in Miley Cyrus’s title track “Younger Now.” The pop star’s sixth studio album, due out in late September, promises to embrace much of her well-publicized past — from her days starring as Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel to her more risqué performances and music videos.
“Now I can be proud of all the Mileys that I’ve ever been instead of trying to run away from the 11-year-old one or feel like I’m not Hannah Montana. I am stoked that that was a part of my life,” Miley told MTV in August.
The theme of going back in order to move forward is alive and well in Miley’s music video for “Younger Now” (above) which features the 24-year-old singer in several retro outfits and settings, accompanied by backup dancers that range from toddler to octogenarian.
Perhaps the one thing Cyrus cannot change is her draw for the spotlight. In June, Jimmy Fallon told Howard about an impromptu performance he and Miley did at a New York City subway stop that produced a massive crowd almost immediately. “Everyone went nuts,” Fallon said of the experience. Miley will also return as a judge on “The Voice” when the show returns to NBC this fall.
Shania Twain “Now”
Release date: Sept. 29
Pop-country sensation Shania Twain went on a hiatus of sorts after selling over 10 million copies of her 2002 album “Up!” Fifteen years later—after a divorce, vocal injuries, and more changes to the music industry than anyone could imagine—she’s making her comeback with “Now,” an album tackling everything from soured romances to new beginnings.
“I cried a lot when I wrote. I never cried when I wrote a song ever before in my life,” the 51-year-old musician told the New York Times. “My songwriting is my diary and it is my best friend … It’s a place I can go to where it’s not expecting anything from me. There’s just no inhibitions there. It’s a complete free place to say whatever I want to say.”
Watch the video for the album’s first single “Life’s About to Get Good” (above) and pre-order “Now” here.
Liam Gallagher “As You Were”
Release date: Oct. 6
Oasis co-founder and recent Stern Show guest Liam Gallagher will soon be dropping his debut solo studio album “As You Were.” In addition to “Wall of Glass,” the debut single he performed live on-air from the Stern Show studios (above), the 12-track album includes songs like “Chinatown” and “For What It’s Worth.” Liam, who will be kicking off a solo U.S. tour on Nov. 13 at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco, also told Howard he’d be open to getting Oasis back together under the right circumstances. Listen to their conversation (below).
Check out “As You Were” here and see Liam’s full list of tour dates here.
Beck “Colors”
Release date: Oct. 13
Beck is back with a brand-new album in October. “Colors,” the alternative hip-hop cowboy’s 13th studio effort, was recorded in Los Angeles with the help of prolific pop and rock producer Greg Kurstin (also credited on Liam Gallagher’s “As You Were” and Foo Fighters’ “Concrete and Gold”). Kurstin and Beck played all of the instruments themselves in the studio and, according to Beck, the first year of the recording process contained experimentation aplenty and “a lot of trial and error.” The 11-track offering has already produced three singles: “Dreams,” “Wow,” and “Dear Life.”
Pre-order a copy of Beck’s “Colors” here.
William Patrick Corgan “Ogilala”
Release date: Oct. 13
Rock legend Billy Corgan has a new album, a new tour, and even a new name. The former Stern Show guest and Smashing Pumpkins frontman—now going by William Patrick Corgan—has teamed up with producer Rick Rubin on “Ogilala,” Corgan’s forthcoming second solo EP. In August he released the somber ballad “Aeronaut” and on Oct. 14, the day after the album debuts, he’ll hit the road for a month long tour.
Check out dates and locations for Corgan’s tour here.
Robert Plant “Carry Fire”
Release date: Oct. 13
Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant is set to return with “Carry Fire,” his 11th solo album and his first in over three years. Robert will once again be accompanied by his backing band the Sensational Space Shifters. He’ll also be welcoming several guests, including Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde, who joined him for a duet cover of Ersel Hickey’s rockabilly tune “Bluebirds Over the Mountain.”
GWAR “The Blood of Gods”
Release date: Oct. 20
“The Blood of Gods,” the 14th album from heavy metal band Gwar, is due out in October. It is the first record the band has released since the passing of founding member and lead vocalist Dave Brockie. Now, it’s the voice of bassist Michael Bishop (aka Blöthar) that will rock out on the band’s new album, arriving just in time for Halloween 2017.
John Carpenter “Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998”
Release date: Oct. 20
Horror movie master John Carpenter is set to release an album worth of “lost themes” from some of his most iconic films. The director of “Halloween” and “The Thing” also famously composed much of the music heard in his horror flicks. “Anthology: Movie Themes 1974 – 1998” will offer a collection of 13 works from Carpenter, starting with his 1974 debut “Dark Star” and carrying through to 1998’s “Vampires.”
Check out “In the Mouth of Madness” in the video (above).
Kelly Clarkson “Meaning of Life”
Release date: Oct. 27
She’s come a long way since winning the premiere season of “American Idol” in 2002. This fall, Kelly Clarkson is not only putting out a new studio album (her eighth) she’ll be doing it with a new record label, making the switch from RCA to Atlantic in a new long-term deal. Her fans have already gotten a taste of “Meaning of Life” with her two lead-off singles “Love So Soft” and “Move You,” both released in early September. Check out the official music video for “Love So Soft” (above).
Weezer “Pacific Daydream”
Release date: Oct. 27
Weezer, believe it or not, has been making music for over 25 years. The Rivers Cuomo-fronted rock band’s next album “Pacific Daydream” will be its 11th. The guys, who visited the Stern Show back in 2005, have already released two singles from the forthcoming album, “Feels Like Summer” and “Mexican Fender,” with the latter inspiring a seagull-filled music video about a summer fling gone horribly awry.
Taylor Swift “Reputation”
Release date: Nov. 10
Looking to become one music’s biggest commercial successes of 2017, Taylor Swift’s sixth studio album “Reputation” is already off to a record-breaking start. After its release in August, the album’s first single “Look What You Made Me Do” hit the highest first-day streaming total ever with over 8 million listens.
“Look What You Made Me Do” was co-written and produced by Jack Antonoff who also worked with Swift on previous songs “Out of the Woods” and “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever,” the latter appearing on the “Fifty Shades Darker” soundtrack.
Check out the video for “Look What You Made Me Do” (above).
