This Is What Fall Sounds Like

I love the seasons. I know some people wish it were summer all year round, but not me. Living in Philly, you get to see all four seasons, and I relish the beauty each one brings. For instance, you only really get that crisp-smelling air when fall rolls around. And the way all creation appears to be waking from a deep sleep in spring is incredible to behold. I love this dynamic in part because it always keeps things feeling fresh, but also because I think it mirrors the way our lives are constantly in flux, always moving from one "season" of life to the next. Something about the seasons just seems right.


Going along with that, I tend to think of music in terms of seasons as well. I like to imagine the seasons as movements in a musical, where each act has its own feel and rhythm to it, wholly unique from the other three. If that were the case, the musical score would likely differ depending on the act, right? This is why you like certain songs in the summertime driving with the top down, but not so much in the dead of winter. It fits the vibe of one season but feels out of place in the other. Just as life is constantly changing, so also the soundtrack of our life changes as we move from one season to another.


With that in mind, here’s my submission for a fall playlist. A scouring of my iTunes library turned up about twenty songs that I think play really well against a fall backdrop. For me, changing leaves and declining temperatures = jangly guitars and raspy vocals, with a touch of alt-rock to mix things up. Have a look-see.

—————————————————————————————————————

Freelance Whales – Generator (First Floor)
The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
Monsters of Folk – Dear God
Alexi Murdoch – Orange Sky
Matt Pond PA – So Much Trouble
Jon Foreman – The Cure for Pain
M. Ward - For Beginners
Ray LaMontagne - Hold You In My Arms
Lisa Hannigan – I Don’t Know
Sufjan Stevens – Chicago
The Welcome Wagon – I Am Not Skilled To Understand
Athlete - Tourist
Mute Math – Spotlight
Paper Route – Are We All Forgotten
Death Cab for Cutie – Marching Bands Of Manhattan
Andrew Bird – Oh No
Mat Kearney – Poor Boy
Glen Hansard – Falling Slowly
Joel Howard – Here's to the Journey
The Republic Tigers – Buildings & Mountains
Andy McKee – For My Father