LITTLE ROCK — Poor Santa Claus. It seems everyone counts on the hardest working man in the gift business to have a little (or big) something in the bag for them. Music lovers will find plenty of both this fall, from single albums to boxed sets, in the run-up to the ever-longer Christmas shopping season. Recent arrivals generating buzz include Robert Plant’s Band of Joy (Rounder), his follow-up to Raising Sand, the hit collaboration with Alison Krauss; R&B star Trey Songz’s Passion, Pain & Pleasure (Atlantic); Mavis Staples’ collaboration with Jeff Tweedy, You Are Not Alone (Anti-); Zac Brown Band’s You Get What You Give (Atlantic); the cool teaming of John Legend and the Roots on Wake Up! (Columbia); and Maroon 5’s Hands All Over (A&M/Octone), which was three years in the making. In the next few months, fans of acts such as Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Ne-Yo, Eric Clapton, Young Jeezy, Cassandra Wilson, No Age, Sugarland, Gucci Mane, Neil Young and many more will get new music. If you’ve got green to burn, Miles Davis: The Genius of Miles Davis
(Sony Legacy) is a boxed set of 43 CDs of the jazz legend’s music. Packaged to resemble a trumpet case, the set includes a T-shirt and a Davis lithograph. Better have some deep pockets; this set is $1,199.99 and available only at GeniusOfMilesDavis.com. It is due Oct. 26.
Fans of John Lennon can celebrate his 70th birthday with a batch of reissues and new compilations, ranging in price from $16.99 to $189.99 on Oct. 5.
And, if you’re a fan of historic country music, one of the coolest boxed sets is Hank Williams’ Complete Mothers Best Recordings (Time Life, $199.99), 15 CDs and one DVD in a box shaped like a vintage radio. It has 72 of Williams’ radio shows from 1951. It’s due for release Tuesday and available only at
hankwilliamsmothersbest.com.
All release dates are subject to change.
TUESDAY
Eric Clapton, Clapton (Reprise). The guitarist’s first studio album since 2005 includes standards such as “Autumn Leaves” along with the blues.
No Age, Everything in Between (Sub Pop). Second album from the much-praised Los Angeles garage-punk duo.
T.I., King Uncaged (Atlantic). Rapper’s first studio album since being released from prison.
Mark Ronson & The Business Intl., Record Collection (RCA). Retro disc jockey/producer Ronson has new songs with Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters, Jonathan Pierce of The Drums and others. Guests include Boy George, Simon LeBon (Duran Duran), Q-Tip and D’Angelo.
Gucci Mane, The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted (Asylum). The rapper was behind bars when his last album became a hit. Released from prison in May, Gucci’s latest looks like a monster.
Soundtrack Treme (Geffen). The HBO series set in the New Orleans neighborhood is loaded with great music, including Dr. John, Irma Thomas and more.
Ice Cube, I Am the West (Lench Mob). He may be huggable in the movies, but the Cube is a gangsta in the recording studio.
Phil Collins, Going Back (Atlantic). Collins taps the Motown songbook. It worked for Michael McDonald.
Ben Folds and Nick Hornby, Lonely Avenue (Nonesuch). Writer Hornby (High Fidelity) teams with pianist Folds.
Nellie McKay, Home Sweet Mobile Home (Verve Forecast). After recording a tribute to Doris Day, McKay is back with her well-written and often tart tunes.
Hank Williams’ Complete Mothers Best Recordings
(Time Life, $199.99). The set has 72 15-minute radio shows from 1951.
Lizz Wright, Fellowship (Verve Forecast). Collaborations with Meshell Ndegeocello, Angelique Kidjo and Bernie Reagon.
Seal, 6: Commitment (Reprise). British singer’s followup to covers set Soul.
Neil Young, Le Noise (Reprise). Daniel Lanois produced this loud and noisy work.
Young Jeezy, TM 103 (Def Jam). Young rapper’s latest. Raul Malo, Sinners & Saints (Fantasy). Former Mavericks singer’s latest continues his rich Latin, soul and country sound.
Ryuchi Sakomoto, Playing the Piano/Out of Noise (Decca). Composer of The Last Emperor soundtrack looks at his soundtrack themes; second disc is electronic.
Rudresh Mahanthappa, Apex (Pi). Alto saxophonist Mahanthappa mixes South India music with jazz. Guests include pianist Jason Moran and drummer Jack DeJohnette.
Kenny Chesney, Hemingway’s Whiskey (Sony): The stadium-filling country singer’s new album rocks a bit more.
King Sunny Ade, Baba Mo Tunde (IndigeDisc). Influential Nigerian bandleader’s first album in a decade.
Rahim Al Haj, Little Earth (UR). Al Haj is joined by guitarist Bill Frisell, R.E.M.’s Peter Buck and Cape Verde’s Maria de Barros in an exploration of Iraq’s maqam musical tradition.
Yaz, Reconnected Live, Mute. Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet’s reunion tour.
OCT. 5
John Lennon reissues (Capitol). Remastered editions of the eight solo albums, including a special edition of Double Fantasy ($18.99), a two-CD package of the original album and a stripped down version. Also: a new compilation, Power to the People: The Hits ($16.99); an 11-CD boxed set, The John Lennon Signature Box ($189.99); a four-CD set of themed discs, Gimme Some Truth ($38.99).
Toby Keith, Bullets in the Gun (Show Dog). Keith seems ready to brawl.
Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble, Officium Novum (ECM). A work by Arvo Part plus music of Armenia, Spain and more.
Die Antwoord, $O$ (Interscope). South African hip-hop act is an Internet sensation.
Bruno Mars, Doo-wops & Hooligans (Atlantic). Singer, songwriter and producer who boosted B.o.B. and Travie Mc-Coy steps out solo.
David Archuleta, The Other Side of Down (Jive). American Idol’s 2008 runnerup, now 19, goes for a more mature sound.
Marnie Stern, Marnie Stern (Kill Rock Stars). Guitar goddess shreds songs with high energy.
Corin Tucker Band, 1,000 Years (Kill Rock Stars). Sleater-Kinney member steps out solo.
OCT. 12
Darius Rucker, Charleston, S.C., 1966 (Capitol). Thirteen new songs from one of country’s biggest new acts.
Shelby Lynne, Merry Christmas (Everso). Standards and two original songs.
Indigo Girls, Holly Happy Days (I.G./Vangurd). Bluegrass-tinged Christmas album features guests Janis Ian and Mary Gautier.
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Pierre Boulez, Ravel: Piano Concertos/Miroirs (Deutsche Grammophon). Boulez revisits the Ravel concertos with pianist Aimard and the Cleveland Orchestra.
Various artists, Rounder Records Story (Rounder). Four-CD set gives overview of label from folk singer Ola Belle Reed to the Grammywinning Robert Plant and Alison Krauss collaboration Raising Sand.
Antony & the Johnsons, Swanlights (Secretly Canadian). Antony explores his connection to the natural world with a fuller sound for this song cycle.
Canadian Tenors, The Perfect Gift (Decca). Christmas songs.
Jazz Passengers, Reunited (Justin Time). A dozen years since their last album, the JP’s return with Elvis Costello and Debbie Harry.
Cali Swag District, The Kickback (Capitol). Dancerappers had a hit “Teach Me How to Dougie.”
Dave Koz, Hello Tomorrow (Concord). Smooth jazz saxophonist is joined by keyboardist Jeff Lorber and saxophonist Boney James.
Yann Tiersen, Dustlane (Anti-). The composer of the Amalie soundtrack crafts edgy classical with folk and post-punk flourishes.
Kelly Stoltz, To Dreamers (SubPop). Pop edging into post-punk.
Sister Hazel, Heartland Highway (Rock Ridge). Florida rockers’ eighth album.
OCT. 19
Bob Dylan, The Witmark Demos: 1962-64 (The Bootleg Series Vol. 9) (Sony Legacy). Forty-seven solo recordings and 15 demos. Also, Dylan’s first eight albums, from Bob Dylan to John Wesley Harding, are being reissued as a boxed set, The Original Mono Recordings ($129.99 on CD, $264.98 on vinyl records).
Ne-Yo, Libra Scale (Def Jam). Dapper singer-songwriter’s concept work is a morality tale involving superheroes and a lover turned villain.
Elton John and Leon Russell, The Union (Decca). On his first American tour, John opened for Russell. Payback time.
Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown (RCA). Grammy winners return with new tunes.
Sugarland, The Incredible Machine (Mercury). Eleven new tunes from the country duo.
Shakira, Sale el Sol (Columbia). All-Spanish album with guests Calle 13 and Pitbull.
Paul Winter Consort, Miho: Journey to the Mountain
(Living Music). Saxophonist’s latest, inspired by the I.M. Pei-designed Miho Museum in Japan.
Rod Stewart, Fly Me to the Moon: Great American Standards, Vol. 5 (Arista). Will the fifth time charm?
Calle 13, Entren los Que Quieran (Sony). Collaboration with Omar Rodriquez-Lopez from Mars Volta.
Ravi Shankar and George Harrison, Collaborations (Dark Horse). Three CDs and a DVD.
OCT. 25
Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Big Machine). The Fearless follow-up includes the No. 1 hit “Mine.”
OCT. 26
Bryan Ferry, Olympia (AstraWerks). The suave crooner collaborates with David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead and his Roxy Music colleagues Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay.
Kid Kudi, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (Motown). The muchreworked album finally has a release date.
Rye Rye, Go! Pop! Bang! (N.E.E.T.). The Baltimore club rapper and M.I.A. protege.
Salome, Terminal (Profound Lore). Doom-metal rock.
Marshall Chapman, Big Lonesome (Tallgirl). Chapman has her fans: Kris Kristofferson says “The songs are heart-breaking and beautiful and exhilarating and absolutely honest.”
NOV. 2
Elvis Costello, National Ransom (Hear/Concord). Omnipresent producer T Bone Burnett helms a rootsy set Costello says is about “the bankrupt times.”
Frank Sinatra, Concert Collection (Shout Factory). Seven-DVD set of concert and television performances includes four never-released specials, A Man and His Music and more.
Cecilia Bartoli, Sospiri (Decca). Selections by Bach, Mozart, Handel, Vivaldi, others.
Brian Eno, Small Craft on a Milk Sea (Warp). Eno teams with producer Jon Hopkins and guitarist Leo Abrahams.
The Priests, Noel (RCA). Christmas favorites.
NOV. 9
Cassandra Wilson, Silver Pony (Blue Note). A mix of standards such as “Lover Come Back to Me” and originals such as “A Night in Seville.” Guests include saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and singer-songwriter John Legend.
Ciara, Basic Instinct (La-Face). Ciara seeks to recapture her previous successes.
Anita Baker, 21st Century Love (Blue Note). A still-stirring, cool singer, Baker’s latest features rapper Snoop Dogg.
Reba McEntire, All the Women I Am (Valory). The great country singer can wring every drop of emotion from a lyric — or add it, if it’s lacking.
Various Artists, Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn (Sony). Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow, Lucinda Williams and others honor Lynn.
NOV. 16
Bruce Springsteen, The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story (Columbia Legacy). Regarded as one of Springsteen’s best, this 1978 album gets the three-CD, three-DVD boxed set treatment with 21 previously unreleased songs, outtakes, rarities and live performances.
Rascal Flatts, Nothing Like This (Big Machine). The more this band works, the better it gets.
Josh Groban, Illuminations (Warner Bros.). The versatile Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Metallica) produced Groban’s latest.
Kid Rock, Born Free (Atlantic). Rocker teams with rapper T.I. and singer Martina McBride on one of the songs.
Jimi Hendrix, West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology (Legacy). More than four hours of rare and previously unreleased Hendrix music on four CDs and one DVD.
Lee Dewyze, untitled (19/ RCA). Current American Idol champ’s debut. Faun Fables, Light of a Vaster Dark (Drag City). The sixth release by songwriter Dawn McCarthy and Nils Frykdahl of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.
NOV. 23
Alan Jackson, 34 Number Ones (Arista). Two-CD set also includes new single “As She’s Walking Away” with the Zac Brown Band.
DEC. 7
Cee-Lo Green, The Lady Killer (Elektra). His singular vision of vintage soul.
Juanes, untitled (Universal). Includes the hit “Yerbatero.”
NO FIRM DATE
Kanye West’s next studio album is tentatively scheduled for release in November.
The first release of songs from the Michael Jackson archives, the first of as many as 10 potential albums, is due in November.
NEXT YEAR
Lady Gaga, who cleaned up at the Video Music Awards, has reportedly finished an album she describes on her website as “angrier.” But, don’t look for it until the first quarter of 2011.
Rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson’s The Party Ain’t Over Yet is due Jan. 25, produced by Jack White. Jackson recently was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Americana Music Association.
Style, Pages 53 on 09/26/2010