The leaves are changing color, the days seem shorter, and the nights are chilly. It’s a time for a fall playlist. We each selected four of our favorite tracks for a perfect fall day and wrote a bit about why.
Want to trade records or start a project? Hit us up if you’d like to collaborate on more than a playlist, we’d be happy chat.
I like to listen to the Billie Holiday blues stuff on lazy, gloomy days like the ones we’ve been having. It’s a very intimate sound so I’m usually alone when I do. Its velvety sway is a great soundtrack for the cold, gentle pace of fall.
When I hear this song I immediately see awkward, creepy vignettes in grainy sepia, unfold in my minds eye. Usually from another time and place. Simple yet disturbing. This song feels warm at its core but you can almost feel the chill just outside an old farmhouse door.
This song is pure destruction and slow, unyielding chaos. It somehow feels responsible for the dead leaves that crunch beneath your boots. It steels the warm, satisfying smells of summer and obliterates them with a bone freezing death that can only be from the icy tundras of Pluto. Amazing cold weather mayhem!
This song feels like Mother Nature’s lament for what she was before fall stole her flowers. A tale of what once was, that is slowly but surely interrupted by the oncoming onslaught of the season. Listen to this one outside in late fall with your headphones on and you will notice the cracks in the pavement, the aging paint on your neighbor’s door and the creeping mortality that you share with all living things.
Say Sue Me, a surf-inspired indie-rock band from South Korea, writes songs about young love, travel, feeling underwhelmed and overwhelmed, often at the same time… this song is perfect for a cold windy fall day inside.
“Now shivering, now singing about the chill of youth leaving” … Lay Low’s lyrics speak on the passing of time, being so busy you don’t notice yourself aging. The heartache of realizing you don’t live in the now. No season makes me think of time passing by quite like fall. It’s a season for reflection.
Take Offense dropped their newest LP in October and it has been on repeat since then. Above No One is a track all about the meaning of life, taking stock of where you are and making sure you are happy with your choices. It’s a serious track with some serious riffs.
Half-Empty: It’s a song about reflection, about taking stock of where you are, about recognizing privilege, and helping others. With the emotional story-telling power of Neil Young and the solo chops of Stevie Ray Vaughn, Brother Hawk writes songs about life that should be played at a campfire surrounded by loved ones.
A classic; you can never go wrong with Fleetwood Mac anything but Gypsy is the type of song that can seriously make any day better. If this song is ever on in my car, I’m singing it at the top of my lungs — Just FYI.
I love 6black; he’s super sultry and his albums are perfect music to play during sweater weather. Though, I stick with this song the most because of J.Cole’s verse. Hands down, one of my favorites verses ever.
Simple song but I love the lyrics and it’s versatility — I play it while driving, running, cooking, etc. I definitely appreciate good, easy-listening music.
I love this song! I actually prefer to run and workout harder in the colder months than I do in the summer and this is my go-to song to get any workout or run started.
These first two songs are more nostalgic for me than anything else.
Ah, the good ole days.
Rush is one of my favorite bands, love the drums, love their overall sound and energy.
I like Chris Stapleton, and this is when he was part of this band. Its just good ole’ toe tappin music.
Reminds me of Roadtrips deep into the Shenandoah Mountains.
The best song to attempt a harmonized sing-a-long with friends around a campfire
The thought of my electric bill going up – the musical version.
A classic throwback to listen at home while the maniacs are out on Black Friday.
It’s pure hype music. If I had to go to war with anything playing in the background it’d likely be this. But give me earbuds; I wouldn’t want my opponents to benefit from the adrenaline rush. This track isn’t available on Spotify so it’s not on the playlist but you can listen to it here:
I was originally introduced to this song when I heard the rendition by TLC on their ultra-successful Crazysexycool album. I thought it was pretty cool then. But then I heard the original by Prince and instantly fell in love. Admittedly, it’s not for children—even more true of the original. Tack on a super sexy video … straight chills.
I work out to Electronic music regularly. I like to imagine that I’m a robot and that the tempo serves as a cadence for repetitions. It makes me feel prepared for whatever post-apocalyptic fate lies ahead. Is it corny? Yeah—but it’s surprisingly effective! That aside, I find the lyrics of this song simple and powerful.
You’d be surprised to learn that, behind the beard and rugged appearance, I’m likely one of the biggest saps you’ll ever know. My favorite movie genre is tear-jerk Drama—anyone up for another viewing of Good Will Hunting? In music, I enjoy a genuine heartfelt love song. Couple it with a powerful voice and you’ve got me.
I love listening to this song sitting by the fire, overlooking the water, reflecting back on the day.
My 4-year-old daughter’s favorite song. We sing it at the top of our lungs in the car.
The movie, the song. It makes me think of when I was younger and the relationship I had with my older sister.
Because who doesn’t love Banana Pancakes?
I tend to associate this song with fall in my hometown, and spending time in the parks on Jacksonville’s Riverside. The weather cools enough in fall to complement the music.
I keep a CD of Traffic’s Greatest Hits in my car. It’s great driving music, especially during the late holidays to see family.
When I lived in Athens, Georgia, I loved the fall weather there best. This song brings memories of our fall nature walks and late nights drinking coffee at a nearby 24-hr. diner.
Fall and Winter is all about slowing down from the bustle and vibrance of the summer. This is a perfect slow jam for brushing off the chill of raking leaves, sipping warm rum as the approaching night sets in.
Adieu means “goodbye,” which makes it the perfect song for saying goodbye to the year. The muted bass is punctuated by shimmering chimes and xylophones, which reminds me of falling leaves and the scurry of small animals collecting food for winter.
Doing what Tool does best, taking the shrill sounds of a metal guitar and turning it into a lullaby. Maynard writes this song as a warning for humanity to not remain stagnant on our current course.
I’ve been listening to a lot Shostakovich lately. His works are pretty easy to listen to and provide great background music while developing. This piece was the last one I heard.
This album has been on heavy rotation for me since its release a couple months ago. I’ve been anticipating it for a while. Their music has a lot of layers to it, and unraveling it is always pleasant.
I give all of Caspian’s stuff a 10/10. The album really has more of spring-time theme, but the fall it was released I listened to it daily so it always sounds like fall to me.
Here’s a fun spooky weather track. This is more Halloween fun house than orchard walk. The next track on the album is titled “Autumn”, so it’s quite fitting. And it’s not too often you get to hear banjo in this genre.
Want to take these songs with you on your holiday road trip? Follow the full playlist here.