Summer music preview

July 15
John Mellencamp, “Life, Death Love and Freedom”
The Hold Steady, “Stay Positive”
Randy Travis, “Around the Bend”

July 22
Dr. Dog, “Fate”
Sugarland, “Love on the Inside”
CSS, “Donkey”
Miley Cyrus, “Breakout”

Aug. 5
Conor Oberst, Self-titled
Ne-Yo, “Year of the Gentleman”

Aug. 12
Jonas Brothers, “A Little Bit Longer”
T.I., “Paper Trail”

TBA
Common, “Invincible Summer”
Beck, “Modern Guilt”

Compiled by Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Photo: Jonas Brothers
All release dates subject to change  (Bryan Bedder / Getty Images)

June 10

My Morning Jacket “Evil Urges”

Over the course of its career, My Morning Jacket has grown from a band with a classic rock bent to one that’s become increasingly more experimental. It all comes to a head in “Evil Urges,” a genre-busting record that rockets from Southern rock anthems (“I’m Amazed’) to funky, hip-hop-inspired grooves (“Highly Suspicious”) to majestic space rock (“Smokin From Shootin”) and everything in between. Rolling Stone has already declared the album a creative leap on par with Wilco’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.”  (Steve C. Mitchell / EPA)

June 10

N.E.R.D. “Seeing Sounds”

In the midst of a gig opening for Kanye West, N.E.R.D. will release its third full-length album, “Seeing Sounds.” A recent Times feature offered a preview: On “Seeing Sounds” there are political manifestos and odes to voyeurism (the Curtis Mayfield-esque “Love Bomb” and the ‘60s-tinged “Window,” respectively), a funk banger called “Kill Joy” that’s reminiscent of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even a seven-minute opus, “Sooner or Later,” that features Williams singing in his trademark falsetto and rapping over crescendos of guitar, synthesizers and crashing beats  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

June 10

Lil Wayne “The Carter III”

The undisputed rapper of the moment – his “Lollipop” has hit No. 1, and Lil Wayne can be heard on Usher’s “Love in This Club – finally drops his much-anticipated “The Carter III,” an album delayed after an earlier Internet leak. The raspy, theatrical rapper has been on a hot streak of late – name a popular hip-hop or R&B star over the past two years, and Lil Wayne’s name is probably nearby – and the performance of early singles off “The Carter III” show no signs of slowing him down.  (Gary He / Associated Press)

June 17

Coldplay “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends”

The latest album from one of the world’s largest and most-respected rock bands is a result of the group’s pairing with famed ambient musician/producer Brian Eno, the artist who has manned the production boards on such albums as U2’s “Achtung Baby” and the Talking Heads’ “Fear of Music,” among many, many others. Two songs have surfaced, “Violet Hill” and the title track, both of which see Coldplay moving away from its Grammy-approved piano-driven ballads.  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

June 17

The Offspring “Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace”

Southern California skate punks return with their first album in nearly 4 1/2 years. If lead-off single “Hammerhead” is any indication, the four-piece group is keeping things simple this time around, sticking to more of a hardcore punk sound. The militaristic number, with some sing-along, gun-in-the-air chants, was given away for free by the band.  (Kiko Huesca / EPA)

July 1

Nas Untitled

Thus far, Nas’ ninth studio album has mostly garnered press for its title. Originally, the veteran rapper announced the album would bear the name of a racist epithet, but he apparently has since relented. But the follow-up to his “Hip-Hop Is Dead” sees a very alive Nas working with the likes of hit-maker Polow da Don and members of Dead Prez.  (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

July 1

Vanessa Hudgens “Identified”

“Identified” is the second album from the “High School Musical” star. But whereas her debut, “V,” was a mix of family-friendly pop and ballads, “Identified” sees Hudgens moving into pure dance territory. Check the handclap-laden debut single, “Sneakernight,” which sounds like it escaped from a dance breakout on Broadway.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

July 8

The Game “L.A.X.”

Top-selling gangster rapper The Game returns with “L.A.X.” Word is that this will be his last, but where have we heard that before in hip-hop? Advance hype was that Dr. Dre had lent a beat or two to the album. Time will tell. This is much known: Keyshia Cole guests on lead single “Game’s Pain.”  (Peter Kramer / Getty Images)

July 15

The Hold Steady “Stay Positive”

The indie rockers established themselves as one of America’s favorite bar bands with 2006’s “Boys and Girls in America.” Through the band’s first three albums, the Hold Steady won a loyal cult following for some highly literate lyrics about girls, booze, the Midwest and Catholic school. Expect more of the same.  (Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images)

July 15

John Mellencamp “Life, Death, Love and Freedom”

Working with acclaimed producer T. Bone Burnett, John Mellencamp has characterized “Life, Death, Love and Freedom” as “modern electric folk songs,” according to an early press release. Making an unfair snap judgment based solely on leaked song “Jena,” expect a more political, nuanced album than Mellencamp’s 2007 album “Freedom’s Road,” which spawned patriotic hit “Our Country.”  (John Sommers II / EPA)

July 22

CSS “Donkey”

The indie rock dance crew CSS hails from Brazil, but the act’s influences are all over map. A little bit techno and a little bit rock ’n’ roll, the act’s clubby “Music Is My Hot Hot Sex” snared some commercial play, and helped put CSS on the map in the U.S. The lead single of the new album, “Rat Is Dead (Rage),” sees CSS bringing the guitars to the forefront.  (Graham Denholm / Getty Images)

July 22

Miley Cyrus “Breakout”

Miley’s latest single, “7 Steps,” is no “See You Again,” but the song is still an oddly compelling slice of teen pop, schizophrenically moving from a cheesy ballad to a burst of mall punk. But have the kids moved on to the Jonas Brothers? And if they have, can Miley win over an adult fan base?  (Gus Ruelas / AP)

July 22

Sugarland “Love On the Inside”

The heartache ballad “Stay” became an unlikely country hit in 2007, and gave Sugarland one of its biggest crossover hits (witness Sugarland performing with Beyonce at the American Music Awards last winter). New single “All I Want To Do” is much lighter – a bouncy little pop ditty – and debuted inside the top-30 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.  (Mark J. Terrill / AP)

Aug. 5

Conor Oberst Self-titled

The man behind Bright Eyes will release his first solo album in 12 years (the last one was issued on cassette), and it’s his first CD to not be released on Saddle Creek Records. Oberst inked with Merge, and recorded with friends (aka the Mystic Valley Band). Advance word has the album being more stripped down and bare than last year’s alt-country-leaning “Cassadega,” which was released under the Bright Eyes moniker.  (Scott Gries / Getty Images)

Aug. 12

T.I. Paper Trails

The Southern rapper had quite a bit of time to work on his sixth full-length, having been under house arrest for about a half year. He’ll begin serving a year-long prison sentence stemming from weapons charges in 2009, but not before getting an album (and a MTV reality series) out into the marketplace. Expect “Paper Trails” to pick up on the reflection of last year’s “T.I. Vs. T.I.P.”  (Jeff Fusco / Getty Images)

Aug. 12

Jonas Brothers “A Little Bit Longer”

New album. Teen idols. This is shaping up to be the summer of Jonas, what with “Camp Rock” out in June and a brand new album out in August. Expect a string of peppy, catchy tunes, if you can hear the guitar strings about the sound of screaming girls. First single “Burning Up” got a James Bond-like video treatment.  (Mark Mainz / AP . Fox)

TBA

Common “Invincible Summer”

Tipped to be out in mid-July, with the Chicago rapper returning after one of his most successful efforts of his career, last year’s “Finding Forever.” The artist told Entertainment Weekly that he was “in the mood to make music that makes you feel good.” The magazine also reported that the album would probably feature collaborations with Santogold and Gnarls Barkley’s Cee-Lo.



FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this item misspelled the name of singer Santogold as Santigold.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

TBA

Beck “Modern Guilt”

Due any week now, the enigmatic Los Angeles-based artist worked with Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, the Black Keys) on “Modern Guilt,” and first single “Chemtrails” is a dreamy, psychedelic number. Rolling Stone reported that the album has a 1960s vibe, and compared the title track to garage rockers the Zombies.  (Stefano Paltera / For The Times)