Autumn: Bringing More Than Falling Leaves.

If cooler temperatures, turning leaves, warm cider and Halloween weren’t enough to get you excited about autumn 2013, then the number of highly anticipated albums being released during this fall season should. Fall has always been my favorite time of the year and this year even more it cannot arrive quickly enough. I know the fall equinox is technically not until September 22, but to me fall starts once I tear the month of August off of the calendar.

Before writing this, I tried to think of a bigger powerhouse collection of new albums being released around the same time in recent years but I drew a blank. If you can think of another time in modern music history (the last 5 years) that this happened, let me know. Now I’m probably a tad biased when I say that these releases are as anticipated as I think they are, but if you consider yourself a fan of alternative rock & indie music, then you have to agree with me a little bit. I'll concede that besides maybe Kings of Leon,  Lady GaGa and Justin Timberlake (both have fall releases) will probably outsell all the artists on my list and if I enjoyed that type of music then they would definitely make the list, but I don’t, so here is mine.

September 10

Arctic Monkeys                                                                    AM

The first song from the album 'R U Mine?' was actually released as a single during the winter of 2012. It’s bad ass and because of it my expectations for this album are through the roof. The second single, 'Do I Wanna Know?' was released earlier this summer, accompanied by a very creative but simple video. It's a slow sludgy jam that doesn't disappoint. They released a third single, a B-side called '2013'. It's not going to be on the album, but the diehard Arctic Monkeys fan will want it.  I’ve preordered the deluxe edition vinyl for this bad boy so there will be a reason to rush home on the 10th.

J. Roddy Walston & The Business                                    Essential Tremors 

I missed my opportunity to see this band at the Shaky Knees Festival, but I won't miss the chance to preview and hopefully buy a track or two or maybe the entire album. The first single, 'Heavy Bells' is a rocker indeed. Some of you might not like the hard stuff so this one might not be for you, but I for one really dig it and already purchased it. I'm new to J. Roddy & The Business but I look forward to hearing the rest of the album.

Kings of Leon                                                                        Mechanical Bull

The lead single 'Supersoaker' was released July 18. It’s a safe song for the Followill clan, who are working their way back after all of the turmoil surrounding the band. I read band members quoted as saying that the album was going to be a "combination of Youth & Young Manhood and Because of the Times", but in my opinion 'Supersoaker' sounds like a continuation of Come Around Sundown. I gave that album a lot of shit, but I've since come around myself. It's still not the Kings of Leon I want to hear and I will still despise 'Beachside' until I die, but the second Mechanical Bull single 'Wait For Me' has me excited once more for a KoL album.

October  1

Dr. Dog                                                                                  B Room

First single, 'The Truth' was released on July 22nd. It’s a soulful piece that could be mistaken for something released back in the summer of 1966. Like AM, I’ve preordered this one too. And while I'm talking about one of the most underrated bands playing music today, let me say something about this The Lumineers shit. I'll preface this with I understand the music industry. It's pure economics. The more mainstream and popular a band is the more it makes for the record company, but it's a fucking shame that Dr. Dog is opening for a commercial sell out like The Lumineers, who are nothing more than a Mumford & Sons knock off with a girl. Hey more power to them, they went the same route as The Black Keys and it's worked out for them. If you'd like to hear a band that just makes great music and doesn't have more songs in commercials than they do albums, then take a listen to B Room on 10/1. For fun and comparisons, I've included a link to a rough draft version of 'The Truth' as performed by Scott McMicken at a solo gig.

October  15

Pearl Jam                                                                            Lightning Bolt
After 20 plus years, the grunge gods are still pumping out music. Their first single 'Mind Your Manners' has a slight punk sound to it and if you listen closely, it even sounds a little like 'Overkill' from Motorhead. I didn't think they had this fast paced sound still in them. I know I'll never get 'Once', 'Alive' or 'Even Flow' again, but 'Mind Your Manners' definitely encourages me to pay attention to the rest of the album.

October 29

Arcade Fire                                                                          Reflektor    (Not Official)

Besides Mechanical Bull, this album will probably be the most commercially anticipated in the bunch. I'm not saying it will challenge for the #1 spot this week, because it all depends on what other releases come out, but I am saying that it will be an album to get your hands on. The Canadian indie band hasn't released an album since August 2010 and fans are clamoring. They teased us with a single from the Hunger Games soundtrack, but besides that they've been very quiet. Parenthood might have something to do with that. Lead singer Win Butler and his wife/band mate Regine Chassagne had a son in April. The band is supposed to release a new single from the album on September 10 so keep your ears open.

There's quite a bit of new music to look forward to, but until then take a listen to some of these bands The Weeks, Phosphorescent, Cave Singers & Cayucas. Here's a video from The Weeks called 'The House We Grew Up In' from the album Gutter Gaunt Gangster. If they look and sound a little like the Kings, it's no coincidence, they're on their label, Serpents and Snakes Records.