7 Autumn Albums We're Dying To Hear

• by Melissa Bobbitt
• Sep 22, 2014

Pumpkin Spice Lattes, sweaters and sweet, sweet tunes from some big names. It’s fall, and we’re jazzed for these 7 upcoming albums. From jazz to freak-folk, there’s something for everyone. (Even grandma gets a new Barbra Streisand collection. Go, Gran!)

Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga – Cheek to Cheek (Sept. 23, Interscope)
Momma Monster and the long-reigning king of cool come together officially on this album of standards. It’s not the first time the odd couple have collaborated— they sang “The Lady Is a Tramp” on Bennett’s Grammy-winning Duets II in 2011. But this throwback, gorgeously mellow shindig will woo jazz fans and Artpop purists alike.

Gerard Way – Hesitant Alien (Sept. 30, Warner Bros.)
What does the front man of one of the most successful pop-punk bands of the aughts do after it breaks up? He goes Britpop, of course! Gerard Way wears his Pulp appreciation on his sleeve for his solo debut, a foray into glam and psychedelia that My Chemical Romance never quite touched. The former Warped Tour warrior cleans up nicely.

Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright in the End (Oct. 7, Republic)
It’s back to the drawing board for L.A.’s favorite sons after a string of maligned records. The power-pop quartet once again called up the Cars’ Ric Ocasek to produce, and the result so far on singles like “Back to the Shack” is bombastic riffing with charming, self-effacing lyrics. Now that’s the Weezer we know and love.

Foxygen - …And Star Power (Oct. 14, Jagjaguwar)
Just when the cleverly named psych-folk outfit were on the brink of destruction, they pulled themselves back from the edge and garnered Star Power. Sounding a bit like Of Montreal and MGMT, Foxygen further hoist their freak flags on this double album. Sam France and Jonathan Rado promise songs of “cartoon fantasia,” so brace yourself for an aural trip on par with the Flaming Lips.

OK Go – Hungry Ghosts (Oct. 14, self-released)
Another year, another spellbinding OK Go music video. This time, it’s the optical illusion-heavy “The Writing’s on the Wall,” a bouncy New Wave number. Good on OK Go for going the truly independent route, especially after Damian Kulash’s very public feuds with the record industry. The band members’ spirits haven’t fallen, and they seem hungrier than ever to pen memorable tunes with a strong heart.

She & Him – Classics (Oct. 28, Columbia)
Covers have long been the forte of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward’s joint project— they’ve done justice to everyone from Blondie to the Beatles. Now they’re stringing along a 20-piece orchestra and trying their hand at a full-length tribute album. The tracklisting is not yet available, but a video preview has Deschanel cooing out her version of Maxine Brown’s “Oh No Not My Baby.” We can’t wait to hear what else is in store for these two.

Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways (Nov. 10, RCA)
They took the ultimate musical road trip, stopping in major cities such as New Orleans and Chicago, to piece together this testament to American heritage. Its personnel includes legends like Joan Jett and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick. And its accompanying HBO series will feature pretty much every living artist chatting about what music means to them. On Sonic Highways, Foo Fighters are shooting for the moon.