Fall Soundtrack

Sometimes  you just need to drive. It know, its not great for the environment, and with gas prices what they are, its not great for my budget… I’m not sure where it stems from… maybe living in the middle of nowhere for a good chunk of my life… but I find driving to be rather soothing. Today was a perfect fall day, crisp, dry… the colors are finally starting to pop on the trees… and I found myself with a two hour commute to a meeting. Blissful. The sunroof was open… the playlist was set, and I spent the entire time singing to myself and clearing my head.

I have a very distinct fall soundtrack… I’m not exactly sure why, but every year around this time I am drawn to the same few albums. I also have a stellar autumn play list, that is filled with sort of haunting and cozy music… every time I play it I am tempted just to start cooking stews and curling up with a pile of knitting. All the songs really resonate, and are somewhat haunting. I realized after playing it all of last fall that there is a really interesting mix of love songs, and breakup songs intermixed throughout… sort of perfect for the Fall of 2010… maybe it was a bit of foreshadowing. Either way, it is deliciously moody… and I kind of love it.

If I don’t have my playlist handy… here are a list of albums than I’m constantly returning to this time of year.

She & Him Volume I & II.

This has nothing to do with my ridiculously huge girl crush on Zooey Dechanel. (has anyone watched The New Girl?  I’m pretty sure we would be best friends.) I think her voice is fantastic, and kind of vintagey sounding. Truth be told, I listen to these albums in all seasons… but they seem to fit in with the fall particularly well.  I saw She & Him in concert last October…and I loved their overall energy… 

Dave Matthews: Some Devil

Ok I know, I know… its his solo album… and the whole thing is a little whiney sounding. That being said it has that wonderful moody quality that I love in my music this time of year. I mean come on, doesn’t “Stay or Leave” just break your heart a little? It also has my all time favorite line “Wake up naked, drinking coffee. Making plans to change the world, while the world is changing us. You used to laugh under the covers, maybe not so often now… the way I used to laugh with you was loud and hard.” 

Ray Lamontagne : Till the Sun Turns Black  & Gossip in the Grain

These might actually be my dessert island cds…  These are the type of albums that make me want to curl up next to the fire with a snifter of brandy (and I don’t even drink brandy) and just write poems. Barfly gets repeated over and over again on my morning commute, and “I still care for you” gives me chills every time I listen to it. 

The Decemberists: The Crane Wife

I don’t know why, but “Sons and Daughters” just makes me want to go to an orchard and pick apples. 

KT Tunstall: Acoustic Extravaganza

I love this album. It is playful, and irreverent, and beautiful. Great belt it out in the car songs… and every time I listen to this, it makes me with I could play the guitar. 

John Mayer :Heavier Things

This album came out the fall of my Freshman year of college and I still adore it. As douchy as John Mayer can be, this is one of my all time favorite cds. The only song I tend to skip over is Daughter’s, and that is only because it was overplayed on the radio. Clarity is often on my yoga playlist, as it has the perfect rhythm for Sun Salutations, as does Split Screen Sadness… and hello once again with the perfect mix of moodiness. “I called… because… I just…. need to feel you on the line… don’t hang up this time.”

It might not be the perfect fall line up… but its my perfect fall line up. (haha, maybe this is why I’m in such a funk… my music is too mellow and whiny…. But I dig it)