With tracks like “Northern Wind” diving deep into the meaning of changing seasons and describing cool autumn nights, Little Hell by City and Colour is an essential fall listen. After nine years, the album has proven itself to be a timeless classic and earns a rightful spot on everyone’s fall playlist.
Dallas Green, the man behind City and Colour, has always been a pioneer in conveying vulnerability and heartache through his lyrics, and this album is no exception. His words offer a time of reflection that guides the listener into shorter autumn days as the trees wither into a symphony of reds and yellows. It’s also perfect to take a long stress-drive to, which is necessary during the Fall Semester. Here are the two top tracks off this fall staple of an album:
“We Found Each Other in the Dark”
As the album’s first song, it does a great job in setting the theme that details hard times and struggle. At the forefront of the song is a steel guitar-like sound that almost sets up the rest of the album to be borderline country. However, Green’s high range takes it to a softer place.
The repeated line “we’re gonna live” gives the listener time to dig into the lyrics and contemplate its true meaning. The track then repeats the first lines: “I heard the church bells from afar / But we found each other in the dark,” which reiterates its core message of hope.
“Little Hell”
The album’s title track, “Little Hell,” is a fast-paced song about living in a state of past trauma. It combines acoustic and electric themes that sets the tone for the rest of the album.
The first line of the song’s chorus, “There’s a degree of difficulty in dealing with me,” is a constant issue that Green struggles with throughout the whole album. He clearly deals with a lot of trauma, and this is his way of getting through it. As the fall season can bring in a lot of emotions, this is a great listen to reflect on life.
