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12 Albums We're Looking Forward To In September & October

IPR/Tony Dehner

We add new music to our library at Studio One almost every week, and we're getting ready to enter one of the busiest times of year for new releases. Here are 12 albums coming in the next two months from some high-profile artists that we're especially excited about, and that you can pretty much count on hearing on Studio One Tracks. (Some of the songs included below include language that some listeners may find objectionable.)

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree - September 9th

Skeleton Tree will be the 16th album from the Australian musician/composer Nick Cave and his longtime band The Bad Seeds. The album will be played in its entirety for the first time in public on September 8th, at a one-night only screening of the upcoming documentary One More Time With Feeling. This film was originally going to be performance-based, but evolved into its documentary form following the tragic death of Cave's teenage son in July 2015.

(Updated 9/1/16: there is now a video available for the albums's first single.)

The Head And The Heart - Signs Of Light - September 9th

After releasing two albums and touring extensively for four years, Seattle-based indie folk band The Head And The Heart went on hiatus for a while, but have resurfaced in 2016. They collaborated with Mavis Staples on her album Livin' On A High Note and appeared in two episodes of Cameron Crowe's Showtime series Roadies. Signs Of Light is The Head And The Heart's third album.

Okkervil River - Away - September 9th

It's been three years since the last Okkervil River album, The Silver Gymnasium, but we did get a nice gift in 2015 in the form of the 10th Anniversary Edition of the album Black Sheep Boy. Now the band returns with a full album of new songs featuring guest performances by Marissa Nadler and Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg (formerly of Okkervil River), among others. Away is Okkervil River's eighth full-length album.

Wilco - Schmilco - September 9th

Schmilco is Wilco's tenth album, and their first since last year's Star Wars. Unlike with that album, Schmilco will not be available as a free download prior to its official release. However, Wilco will be holding in-store listening parties at record stores across the country (find out more here - more stores will be added). Wilco also recently made history as the first band to ever be invited by NPR Music to perform a second Tiny Desk Concert.

Dawes - We're All Gonna Die - September 16th

Another band putting out its second album in two years, Dawes has built up a strong following in Iowa with two appearances at the annual 80/35 Music Festival in Des Moines, and also at the 2015 Gentlemen Of The Road stopover in Waverly. We're All Gonna Die is the fifth album from Dawes, and includes guest contributions from Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Holly Laessig & Jess Wolfe (Lucius).

Kishi Bashi - Sonderlust - September 16th

Kishi Bashi is the solo project of violinist/electronic musician Karou Ishibashi, who has also worked with Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche & Of Montreal. He is also the founder of Jupiter One, and was one of the first artists to perform as part of the Handpicked series, presented by the University of Northern Iowa's Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Kishi Bashi has already released two studio albums and one live album, as well as his own line of coffee.

Drive-By Truckers - American Band - September 30th

Drive-by Truckers have been a band for 20 years now, although there have been many lineup changes in that time: only Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley have been with the band since its inception. In fact, the band's official website takes pride in pointing out the band's current lineup is its longest-lasting to date. American Band is the 11th studio album by Drive-By Truckers and is the band's mostly blatantly political work to date.

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Bon Iver - 22, A Million - September 30th

Justin Vernon is in heavy demand these days as a producer, composer and engineer: he's worked with Mavis Staples, James Blake, Lizzo, The Staves, Amy Ray and Pieta Brown in recent years, among many others. However, he has finally gotten back to Bon Iver, his own personal music project. Bon Iver premiered 22, A Million in full at Vernon's own Eaux Claires Music Festival in Wisconsin earlier in August. The full tracklist has been made available, and the song titles should prove an interesting challenge for public radio hosts.

Pixies - Head Carrier - September 30th

Head Carrier is the Pixies' follow-up to 2014's Indie Cindy, which was a collection of three EPs: the Pixies haven't released a full-length album since 1991's Trompe Le Monde. Head Carrier also marks the first time they've recorded new material with bassist Paz Lenchantin, who had been touring with the band following Kim Deal's permanent departure (Kim Shattuck had previously filled in as well). Now a full-time member of the Pixies, Lenchantin will sing lead vocals on a yet-to-be-released song about Deal.

Norah Jones - Day Breaks - October 7th

A favorite among fans and critics since her 2002 debut album, Norah Jones has always created jazzy and root-based music on her solo efforts and with her side projects The Little Willies and Puss n Boots. Her new album is a return to her piano-based beginnings and boasts an all-star group of musicians: drummer Brian Blade, saxophonist Wayne Shorter and organist Dr. Lonnie Smith.

SIRES - Soul For Sale - October 21st

Formerly known as Dylan Sires And Neighbors, the Iowa band SIRES have a new album coming to go along with the shorter name. Regular listeners ought to be familiar with this band, who have performed live many times on IPR's Studio One Tracks and on Java Blend. SIRES' latest music video is actually a short film, directed by Dylan Sires himself.

Beck - currently untitled - October 21st

Rumored since the release of the 2015 single "Dreams", Beck's long-awaited follow-up to Morning Phase now has a release date, but still no title. It's the 13th album from the now 45-year-old Beck, and both tracks released so far indicate this will be a return to the more "danceable" version of Beck heard on Odelay and Midnite Vultures.

Tony Dehner is a Studio One Host