As the seasons change and the leaves turn, it’s tempting to want to spend more time cozying up indoors. This is the perfect time to catch up on some albums that capture the essence and overall feeling of the season.
Here are six albums to listen to this fall:
“Rumours”- Fleetwood Mac
The witchy, rock-infused style of Fleetwood Mac comes together in its 1977 album, “Rumours.” The piece essentially serves as a breakup album, highlighting tensions between John and Christine McVie, as well as Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Many of the songs such as “Dreams” and “The Chain” carry a certain mystic autumnal feel, while others like “Don’t Stop” and “Go Your Own Way” are brighter in tone, much like a warm, autumn afternoon.
“Strange Trails”- Lord Huron
Lord Huron’s concept album tells the story of Buck Vernon, a washed-up singer dealing with stories of love and loss, both in life and in death. However, the album feels like the changing of the seasons, progressively growing less upbeat and more melancholic as it goes, starting with the composed sounds of “Love Like Ghosts” and ending with the heartbreaking song “The Night We Met.” With songs like the autumnal cold “Frozen Pines,” the slightly spooky “Meet Me in the Woods” and the very spooky “Way Out There,” it is a fantastic fall album.
“Melophobia”- Cage the Elephant
Cage the Elephant’s 2013 album “Melophobia” has two very distinct moods: relaxed and spooky. The former includes tunes like “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Telescope,” which feel like cool autumn days where the air is crisp and cool. The latter includes grungy, rock-infused songs like “Spiderhead” and “It’s Just Forever ft. Alison Mosshart,” which feel more like the days leading up to Halloween.
“Stick Season”- Noah Kahan
No one gets the sad side of fall quite like Noah Kahan. The whole album feels like an ode to the inevitable seasonal depression that comes with the turning of the leaves and the changing of the seasons, with tracks like the titular “Stick Season” and “Halloween,” paying homage to the melancholy of autumn.
“Waiting for the Sun”- The Doors
Released in 1968, “Waiting for the Sun” is the oldest album on the list, but also one of the most representative of the season. Some are gentle and light, like “Love Street” and “Wintertime Love.” However, many of them are dark and set a spooky mood, like "Summer's Almost Gone," “Spanish Caravan,” and “Not to Touch the Earth,” painting a cold picture of coming days for the listeners.
“Unreal Unearth”- Hozier
“Unreal Unearth” has a song for every kind of fall weather. Some like “Damage Gets Done ft. Brandi Carlisle” and “Anything But” feel like a sunny, fall afternoon. Others like “Son of Nyx” and “To Someone from a Warm Climate” feel like a cold, dreary evening. Still, tracks like “De Selby Part 2” and “Francesca” feel like those autumn thunderstorms that cause downpours out of nowhere.
