The Ten Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2009

Usually at the beginning of each quarter I list what albums are coming out chronologically, instead, this time I am counting down the ten albums I am most looking forward to listen to this fall. Then the rest I sorted by release date. If you are interested in pre-ordering the record from Amazon, click the album name (or the album cover where available). Click the artist name to be taken to their iTunes page to grab their current work. And as always, all dates subject to change.

1. Battle Studies – John Mayer (November 17): When I get around to making the Greatest Albums of the 00’s list, you could make an argument for any of his first three albums to land near the top of the list. Hopefully he goes four for four with Battle Studies.

2. Kamaal the Abstract – Q-Tip (September 15): This should have been on the Most Anticipated Albums of Spring 2002, but the album got shelved by Arista. The record takes the jazz samples of A Tribe Called Quest to the extreme of live instrumentation and even sees Tip sing long before Andre 3000 or Kanye with production from the late J Dilla.

3. Draw the Line – David Gray (September 22): Even though he hasn’t gotten the mainstream following after striking it big with Babylon, Gray has put out consistently good music since. And from the signs of the first single Fugitive, it looks to continue.

4. Everything Comes and Goes – Michelle Branch (November 10): Branch started off her career by making what may end up being the greatest pop album of the decade. Like many other artists this decade, she went country with her duo The Wreckers. Now back with her first solo album in six years, it sounds like she will continue straddling the pop / rock / country fence.

5. Kiss and Tell – Selena Gomez and The Scene (September 29): Just kidding, making sure you are paying attention. But seriously, their first single is disturbingly catchy. Don’t tell Chris Hansen I said that though please.

6. The Seventh Seal – Rakim (September 22): Another rap album that has been taking too long to be released. I have been anxiously waiting for this album ever since Dr. Dre signed him to his Aftermath label back in 2000. He left three years later to sign with Dreamworks that folded shortly after. Hopefully there are no more snags between now and the 22nd.

7. I and Love and You – The Avett Brothers (September 29): I was first introduced to the band when Friday Night Lights used it as the soundtrack to the Landy/Tyra coupling. Now with a Rick Rubin produced, they are posed to be the breakout rock act of the year.

8. Play On – Carrie Underwood (November 3): Unlike #5, this is no joke. Her debut was the guiltiest of guilty pleasures and the follow was exactly what you expect, save the last track Wheel that pushed her boundaries outward. From the sound of the first single Cowboy Cassanova she might be pushing further with the song co-written by Mike Elizondo, one of Dr. Dre’s co-producers.

9. Man on the Moon: The End of Day – Kid Cudi (September 15): Consider me skeptic about a five act rap concept album, the recent three acts from Green Day was heavy-handed. But Make Her Say may go down as the best hip-hop track of year. And bonus points for being from Cleveland.

10. How I Got Over – The Roots (October 20): You would think after agreeing to be Jimmy Fallon’s house band, The Roots would rest on their laurels, but just a year after releasing their last album comes a new one.

Here are some other albums you can expect to drop sometime before Christmas. If I missed anything, let me know in the comments or tell me what fall release you are looking forward to:

September 15
The Resistance – Muse
So Far Gone - Drake

September 22
Backspacer – Pearl Jam
Attention Deficit – Wale
Monsters Of Folk – Monsters of Folk
Last Train To Paris – Sean “Diddy” Combs

September 29
Black Gives Way To Blue – Alice in Chains
Brand New Eyes – Paramore
Memoirs of an imperfect Angel – Mariah Carey
Can't Slow Down – Foreigner

October 6
Do What You Want, Be What You Are:The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates (Box Set)
Hello Hurricane – Switchfoot
Escape Route – Joe Budden
Is and Always Was – Daniel Johnston
Have Guitar, Will Travel – Joe Perry
The Listening - Lights

October 13
Christmas In the Heart – Bob Dylan
She Wolf – Shakira
Evolution of a Man – Brian McKnight
Dead by Sunrise – Chester Bennington
Slice – Five for Fighting

October 20
Til the Casket Drops – Clipse
Colour Me Free - Joss Stone

October 27
Raditude – Weezer
Strict Joy – The Swell Session
Save Me San Francisco – Train
If On A Winter's Night... – Sting
Live At The O2 - Kings of Leon
Live At The Olympia – R.E.M.
The Essential Weird Al Yankovic
Halford III – Winter Songs – Rob Halford (this is a Christmas album. No, seriously.)

November 3
Before I Self Destruct – 50 Cent
In Love & War – Amerie

November 10
Untitled – Avril Lavigne

November 17
The Fall – Norah Jones

November 24
Stronger – Mary J. Blige

Date Not Yet Announced
Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 – Beastie Boys
TBA - Alicia Keys
Lasers – Lupe Fiasco (December)
TBA - Vampire Weekend
Malice in Wonderland – Snoop Dogg
Light and Darkness - Christina Aguilera (November)
Relapse 2 – Eminem
TBA - Barenaked Ladies
Rise Up – Cypress Hill

And now for the obligatory, this may be the season that Dr. Dre releases Detox. Hey, we got Chinese Democracy last year so maybe it is possible.