“Blue Rev” by Alvvays 

Fans of the dream pop band Alvvays have waited for a follow-up ever since their second 2017 album, “Antisocialites.”  

After the band debuted some new music onstage about a year ago, it became clear that the wait was nearly over. Now, with four singles already out, Alvvays dropped their new album “Blue Rev” on Friday, Oct. 7. Although the new songs are a departure from their earlier sound, the band is proving that they can do shoegaze — an alternative genre featuring loud, psychedelic pop songs — just as well as they did indie pop on their first two albums. 

“Component System With the Auto Reverse” by Open Mike Eagle  

Art rapper Open Mike Eagle first broke into mainstream success with his 2017 album “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream,” which was written about the Robert Taylor Homes, a public housing project in Chicago that was demolished in 2007. His next project, “Component System With the Auto Reverse,” dropped Sunday, Oct. 2.  

Based on the latest single “I’ll Fight You,” fans can expect more of the same insightful storytelling that they’ve come to expect. Additionally, this project features collaborations with Madlib and Aesop Rock. 

“Break!” by Fazerdaze (EP) 

Since the album “Morningside” and the breakthrough song “Lucky Girl”, New Zealand performer Amelia Murray, also known by her stage name Fazerdaze, has taken a five year hiatus from releasing music. In the meantime, fans waited for occasional Instagram posts and, in one case, a hidden SoundCloud song released via a link sent out by email.  

Based on recent singles “Come Apart” and “Break!” Murray has made the most of this extended time in the studio, perfecting the catchy dream pop that initially caught the attention of many music fans. Fazerdaze’s new EP “Break!” is expected to be released on Oct. 14.
 

“Being Funny In A Foreign Language” by The 1975 

Frontman Matty Healy has rarely shown any desire to leave the spotlight, and he’s already given several interviews to promote The 1975’s new album “Being Funny In A Foreign Language.” Based on public statements, the band will likely delve further into its version of social commentary on this album.  

At the beginning of September, Healy told the Guardian, “Being 17 now must be terrifying. You must look at the state of the economy and the world and you don’t know if there’s going to be a future.” If that kind of existential angst isn’t enough to get you interested, the single “I’m In Love With You” has both a massive 80s-inspired chorus and a music video featuring Phoebe Bridgers.  

“Being Funny In A Foreign Language” is expected to be released on Oct. 14.

“The Car” by Arctic Monkeys 

Britain’s slickest rock band is back and as ambitious as ever on the spiraling lead single “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball.” Between “Mirrorball” and “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am,” this album’s hazy vibe seems very close in spirit to the group’s 2018 record “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino,” which was a psychedelic pop album about a space resort on the moon. 

While this might disappoint fans of the group’s raw-sounding first album, it seems like the Arctic Monkeys have never been interested in looking backward. In an interview with The Big Issue and Martin Compston, lead singer Alex Turner explained that this album feels more “cinematic.” Meanwhile, Compston said it gives him “Bond Villain undertones.” We’ll find out what that means on Oct. 21. 

“Midnights” by Taylor Swift 

Taylor Swift surely must be one of the hardest working recording artists out there.  

In the past few years alone, Swift has re-recorded two of her Big Machine albums, released two singer-songwriter records in the same year and announced her next project, “Midnights,” which is expected to drop on Oct. 21. In her Instagram post announcing the album, Swift described it as “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [her] life.” In the meantime, she’s been revealing the names of some of the songs via TikTok.