Chilling out
Bend an ear toward autumn's cool new CDs

Fergie (above) and Lady Sovereign (below) both have debut CDs coming this fall.
Beyoncé (above, at the 2006 MTV Music Video Awards) and Justin Timberlake (below) are among the pop superstars with new releases.
Billie Holliday-like chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux has a new disc.
St. Louis rapper Chingy will release his sophomore CD.
Cult favorite Aimee Mann is coming out with an album of holiday music.
Belated comebacks and promising debuts, quirks from cultists and blockbusters from superstars: All these scenarios and situations crowd this year's fall onslaught. Timed with the start of every school year, September begins music's most densely populated sprint of releases, sparking a marathon that doesn't end until Christmas.

As usual, hundreds of releases will vie for attention. Several of the most intriguing, daring or just plain daft entries headed our way include the first new songs from the Who in nearly 25 years, a fresh disk from Sting comprised entirely of 16th-century lute music, plus a joyous holiday CD from one of pop's most glum grinches: Aimee Mann.

The most provocative new song title headed our way? Pere Ubu's "Why I Hate Women." The runner-up: Nas' "Hip Hop Is Dead."

The most chilling album on the way? A disk of Barry Manilow singing '60s classics, in a dead heat with Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell III."

Below, we skip through the fall's most interesting and/or alarming releases, categorized by plot:

(One caveat: All release dates are subject to change.)

Debuts to be reckoned with:

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The female eye candy of the Black Eyed Peas, Fergie uncorks her first solo album, "The Duchess," Sept. 19. Already its kickoff single, "London Bridge," has become the hottest radio hit since Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous."

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Long a collaborator with OutKast, singer/producer Sleepy Brown has been incubating his first solo bow for seemingly eons. The result - titled "Mr. Brown" -finally arrives Sept. 26.

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Lady Sovereign is the independent-minded name of this bold new rapper from England. British hip-hop stars have a history of bombing here (from the Streets to Goldie Lookin' Chain). Hopefully, this time stateside types will have a hipper reaction to "Public Warning" on Oct. 3.

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He's the son of the guy who wrote "It Never Rains in Southern California," and the guitarist in the Strokes. Does this qualify Albert Hammond Jr. to release a solo CD? We'll find out when "Yours to Keep" drops Oct. 10.

First-time hit makers trying to stay in the game

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Scissor Sisters: The debut from this New York glamtastic band bombed over here. But it sold a zillion copies in the U.K. and Europe. Now it's time for the Sisters' own country to play catch-up on the delightfully titled "Ta-Dah," on Sept. 26. Features guest spots from fans like Elton John and Bryan Ferry.

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Evanescence: Key member Ben Moody bolted from this Goth pop band two years ago. But luckily singer Amy Lee is the draw. Also, the group has already done something no other band has managed of late: get a female singer onto hard rock radio. Last time they sold 5 million copies in the process. So don't bet against them maintaining the commercial edge for CD No. 2, "The Open Door," out Oct. 3.

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Jet: They helped revive '70s rock with their super-catchy debut. If the new CD, "Shine On," out Oct. 3, is only half as appealing as their first shot, it will still be twice as good as most other rock records out there now.

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The Killers: The most successful of the zillion '80s redo bands returns with its follow-through - "Sam's Town" - on Oct. 3.

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JoJo: She was only 15 when she recorded her debut. Now, at the doddering age of 17, JoJo is trying to prove she has staying power - or at least enough to last through her teens. The R&B singer takes "The High Road" on Oct. 17.

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Pitbull: This Cuban-American rapper became the best-selling bilingual MC since Cypress Hill on his debut disk. On Oct. 17, Pitbull releases the followup "El Mariel," on which he lets loose on the state of the Caribbean island in the waning days of Fidel Castro.

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John Legend: The man too-often referred to as "the male Alicia Keys" made a near perfect debut two years ago. With the help of producer will.i.am, he'll try to match that with "Once Again" on Oct. 24.

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My Chemical Romance: Are they punk? Goth? Emo? Regardless, these heavily madeup, and too artificial sounding, rockers return with "Welcome to the Black Parade" on Oct. 24.

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The Game: No longer fighting with mentors 50 Cent and Dr. Dre (this week anyway), the biggest breakout rapper of last year cut his new album with a host of top-name producers from Dre to Kanye to Timbaland. "The Doctor's Advocate" arrives Nov. 7.

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Ciara: Sometime in November, the one named, small-voiced queen of "Crunk & B" will try to follow up her inexplicably huge debut, "Goodies." With crunk past its prime, it'll be no mean feat.

Big deal stars

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Beyoncé "B'day" (The title refers to her birth, not the thing you wash your unmentionables with.) Sept. 5.

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Audioslave "Revelations" (No, they're not breaking up just because singer Chris Cornell is cutting a solo CD - not to mention warbling the next Bond theme song.) Here's proof you can pound your head to. Sept. 5

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John Mayer "Continuum" (his return to pop after fronting a hot power trio). Sept. 12

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Justin Timberlake "FutureSex/LoveSounds" (featuring the super-cool single "SexyBack"). Sept. 12

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Young Jeezy "The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102" (one of the hottest hip- hop soundmen of the South). Sept. 12

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Clay Aiken "A Thousand Different Ways" (mostly comprised of '60s covers). Sept. 19

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Elton John "The Captain and the Kid" (a sequel to "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" from 31 years ago). Sept. 19

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Diana Krall "From This Moment On" (back to standards, happy ones this time) Sept. 19

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Nas "Hip-Hop Is Dead" (featuring the wordsmith's return to more commercial sounds) Sept. 19

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Tony Bennett "Duets" (pairing the 80-year-old with everyone from Elton, Bono and Sting to McCartney, Elvis Costello and Streisand) Sept. 26

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Ludicris "Release Therapy" (in which the jokey rapper wipes the smirk off his face and tries to reveal his - gasp! - true self) Sept. 26

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Janet Jackson "20 YO" (the title refers to the 20 years since she declared herself in "Control") Sept. 26

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Ruben Studdard "The Return" (from gospel back to R&B) Sept. 26

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Lloyd Banks "The Rotten Apple (the second CD from 50 Cent's right-hand man) Oct. 10

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Rod Stewart "Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time" (in which the veteran singer murders rock standards as he once did standard standards) Oct. 10

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Sting "Songs From the Labyrinth" (straight outta the 16th century, El Stingo performs these songs on a lute) Oct. 10

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Diddy "Press Play" (the impresario again tries to impersonate an artist, with help from everyone from Christina Aguilera to Busta Rhymes) Oct. 17

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Snoop Dogg "Blue Carpet Treatment" (whatever that means) Oct. 17

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Barry Manilow "The Greatest Songs of the Sixties" (last time he massacred the songs of the '50s; why stop there?) Oct. 31

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Maroon 5 (their yet-to-be-titled sophomore CD) Nov. 14

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"American Idol" week: Taylor Hicks and Kathryn McPhee put out their not-yet-titled debuts. So does ditz-queen runnerup Kelly Pickler. Nov. 14

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Chris Daughtry, the guy who should have won "A.I.," issues his solo first. Nov. 21

Choice cult acts:

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Black Ice "The Death of Willie Lynch," starring one of hip hop's most forward-thinking poets. Sept. 5

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Joe Grushecky "A Good Life." Featuring a guest spot from his good friend and fellow blue-collar hero Bruce Springsteen. Sept. 5

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Kinky "Riena," the third album from one of Mexico's coolest bands. Hailing from Monterey, Kinky mixes electro-pop with stoked dance-rock. Sept. 5

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Los Amigos Invisibles "Superpop Venezuela," the richest thing to come from Caracas since oil. Sept. 5

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Tony Joe White "Uncovered," featuring cameos by admirers of White's deadpan folk-blues, from J.J. Cale to Eric Clapton. Sept. 5

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The Black Keys "Magic Potion." The great Ohio blues-rock band returning to original material after an EP of covers. Sept. 12

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Shawn Colvin "These Four Walls" has more thoughtful ballads from the singer who won a Grammy with a song about a woman who killed her husband. Sept. 12

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The Rapture "Pieces of the People We Love." Brooklyn's '80s-tinged art-funksters get funkier. Sept. 12

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Madeleine Peyroux "Half the Perfect World," the second album from the Billie Holiday-like singer, featuring covers of two songs from the recent Anjani Thomas/Leonard Cohen CD, "Blue Alert." Sept. 12

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Roger Manning Jr. "The Land of Pure Imagination," a solo work from a guy who used to toil in smart pop bands like Jellyfish and Imperial Drag. Sept. 12

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The Mars Volta "Amputechture." Rock's most progressive freakout band is back with a third studio CD, and fourth release overall, in less than three years. Sept. 12

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TV on the Radio "Return to Cookie Mountain," super-strange art rock from these unclassifiable Brooklynites. Sept. 12

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Basement Jaxx "Crazy Itch Radio," the latest from one England's most propulsive dance acts. Sept. 12

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Kasey Chambers "Carnival." Country music, right out of the Outback. Sept. 12

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Ornette Coleman "Sound Grammar," extending more than 40 years of avant-jazz. Sept. 12

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Everclear "Welcome to the Drama Club," a return from the missing-in-action L.A. alterna-rockers. Sept. 12

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Stephen Marley "Mind Control" continues the reggae dynasty. Sept. 12

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Swollen Members "Black Magic." Great name, eh? Sept. 12

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Yo La Tengo "I'm Not Araid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass." An unlikely title from these Hoboken boho types. Sept. 12

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Bonnie Prince Billy "The Letting Go." The latest pseudonymous release from alterna-singer/songwriter Will Oldham. Sept. 19

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Chingy "Hoodstar," the second album from the young St. Louis rapper. Sept. 19

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Guy Clark "Workbench Songs." Another effort from the godfather of alterna-country. Sept. 19

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The Datsons "Smoke & Mirrors." The garage rockers try to reverse the trend of their last disappointing effort. Sept. 19

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Jesse McCartney "Right Where You Want Me." The sweet-faced teen star tries to retain his quickly aging audience. Sept. 19

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Rodrigo Y Gabriela "Rodrigo Y Gabriela." A Mexican duo who play heavy metal songs on acoustic instruments. A smash in Ireland. Go figure. Sept. 19

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Jim Lauderdale "Bluegrass." A double set from one of alt-country's finest. Sept. 19

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Pere Ubu "Why I Hate Women." With a name like that, you're not going to pay attention? Sept. 19

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The Zutons "Tired of Hanging Around." The third album from a band good enough to put Liverpool on the musical map, for reasons other than some previous band who hailed from there. Sept. 19

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Solomon Burke "Nashville." The soul veteran tackles country music. Hey, it worked for Ray Charles. Sept. 26

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Robert Randolf and The Family Band "Colorblind." The world's hottest slide guitar player again lets it rip. Sept. 26

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Brooke Hogan "Undiscovered." The debut from the daughter of Hulk Hogan. Is this being released just to make Paris Hilton look talented? Sept. 26

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Medeski, Martin & Wood and John Scofield "Out Louder." The jazz trio MMW take on a new partner (Scofield). For one album, anyway. Sept. 26

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My Morning Jacket "Double Live Album." Like the title says, a twin concert disc from the neo-Southern rockers. How '70s. Sept. 26

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Mos Def "Tru3 Magic." The prog-rapper returns - from acting. Oct. 3

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The Decembrists "The Crane Wife." Alt-rock's wordiest bards put out another album crammed with arcane lyrics and odd scenerios. Oct. 3

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Gladys Knight "Before Me." With everyone doing the standards, why shouldn't one of soul's best, and most underrated, belters? Oct. 3

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Beck "The Information." The prolific avatar of pop collage has been on a roll lately. His last official studio album appeared just over a year ago, quickly followed by another disc of outtakes. Now here's something new again. Oct. 3

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The Dears "Gang of Losers." One of Montreal's most intriguing acts, The Dears make probing mood music for moderns, reinventing lounge pop as they go. Oct. 3

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Omarion "21." The R&B smoothie and former member of boy band B2K advertises his age (which is probably meant to make him sound mature) on his second solo album. Oct. 3

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Hi-Tek "Hi-Teknology 2." The latest from one of progressive hip hop's best wordsmiths. Oct. 10

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Nelly McKay "Pretty Little Head." The album Columbia Records refused to release comes out on an indie imprint this time. Better, it's in its full double-disk glory, as the eccentric singer originally intended. Oct. 10

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Sparta "Threes." They're the other guys from At the Drive In (who didn't form The Mars Volta). Though Mars may have the creative advantage, Sparta can also squeeze out some arty sparks. Oct. 10

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Clinic "Visitations." The too-cool Liverpudlian band returns with its fourth effort. Oct. 10

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Lloyd Cole "Antidepressant." A great album title from the longtime British singer-songwriter. Oct. 10

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Deftones "Saturday Night Wrist." One of the last, and best, of the rap rock bands stays in the game. Oct. 10

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Mindy Smith "Long Island Shores." Not all great country singers come from the South. This local girl combines down-home sentiments with sophisticated vocals on her second CD. Oct. 10

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Pernice Brothers "Live a Little." Call it alt country or just smart power pop, the Pernice Brothers always deliver quality stuff. Oct. 17

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Fat Joe "My, Myself & I." The big man from the South Bronx has his cult and his hot singles. But will he finally break out with a real album smash this time? Oct. 17

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Project Pat "Crook By Da Book: The Fed Story." The first solo album from the one-time Three 6 Mafia rapper since that act won its unlikely Academy Award (for the track from "Hustle & Flow"). Oct. 24

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Bright Eyes "Noise Floor." A rarities collection of castoffs from the wordy and earnest star, otherwise known as Conor Oberst. Oct. 24

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Aimee Mann "One More Drifter in Snow." Holiday songs from a notorious Debbie Downer? Must be heard to be believed. Oct. 31

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Meatloaf "Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose." The franchise that keeps fattening its catalogue continues to chow down. Oct.31

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Megadeth "United Abominations." Not just a metal album. An attack on the United Nations. In terms of its politics, this should land just to the right of Ted Nugent (if not Ghengis Khan). Oct.31

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Lucinda Williams "The Knowing." It used to be we couldn't get an album out of alt country's best female writer/singer. Now she's pumpin' 'em out like Britney Spears does babies. Nov. 7

Call it a comeback

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As American as Chevrolets or Velveeta, Bob Seger releases "Face the Promise," his first album of new material in more than a decade. Sept. 12

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Seminal rocker Jerry Lee Lewis puts out "Last Man Standing," the first CD of new songs from the icon in 11 years. Finessing it into the market are a host of big-name guest performers, including Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Little Richard, Rod Stewart and even that basher of The Dixie Chicks, Toby Keith. Sept. 26

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After years of personal struggle, alt rock's oldest pinup boy, Evan Dando, reunites his band The Lemonheads for its first CD in a decade, titled after the group. Sept. 26

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Fleetwood Mac's lightning-fingered guitarist Lindsay Buckingham issues his first solo album in 14 years, an acoustic work dubbed "Under the Skin." Oct. 3

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It's been more than 20 years since that cheesy folk-rock trio America issued any new material. On Oct. 17, it'll put out a two-CD project (one half new, the other consisting of older material, cut live). Oddly, the double set, "Here and Now," was produced by ex-Smashing Pumpkin James Iha and includes guest appearances from Ryan Adams and members of My Morning Jacket. Does this mean we're finally going to have to take these schmos seriously?

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On The Who's "Endless Wire," the venerable British band issues its first new songs together since "It's Hard" way back in 1982. After all this time, it had better be hard. Oct. 31

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Yusuf Islam: That's Cat Stevens to you. On Nov. 14, the former "Peace Train" conductor issues "An Other Cup," his first album of nonreligious pop songs in a whopping 28 years.

I think it's interesting that Chris has a separate release date then the others...
they are all signed by the same label, aren't they?
You know, they get the others out of the way before the BIG GUN comes out !

I think it's interesting that Chris has a separate release date then the others...
they are all signed by the same label, aren't they?
You know, they get the others out of the way before the BIG GUN comes out !