Fall-coded albums to add to your rotation

Jewel Ogungbamigbe

Music Journalist

With the arrival of October, fall is finally here, despite it still being very hot the past few weeks because let’s face it, does Texas ever really experience fall weather? Although I can’t control the weather, I do have an alternative solution to help us make the most of this beloved season and that’s to recommend some albums that coincide with the exact feel and atmosphere of autumn. 

I Could Live In Hope by Low

The sluggish and melancholic tones of slowcore’s Low album I Could Live In Hope remind me of the more nostalgic and lonely side that can sometimes be present in the fall season. Imagine taking an evening walk, the sky is getting dark and the weather is 70 degrees with a nice windy breeze. This is a perfect album to be listening to when this scene happens. 

Recommended songs: Words, Fear, Lazy, Down

Just Another Diamond Day by Vashti Bunyan

This folk album is hauntingly beautiful and has a peaceful, solitary charm. Just Another Diamond Day, reminds me of taking a long walk on a cool early fall morning while watching the sunrise. If you need an album to listen to once your day starts or while getting ready, I recommend giving this a listen as Vashti Bunyan’s enchanting vocals make a perfect soundtrack to accompany your fall experience.

Recommended songs: Diamond Day, Glow Worms, Rose Hip November, I’d Like To Walk Around In Your Mind

Blind by The Sundays

This album is best listened to with a scarf wrapped around your neck and a warm beverage in hand while standing outside with crispy leaves crunching under your shoes. The band’s jangle and dream pop characteristics encapsulate the excitement of fall perfectly. I highly suggest listening to this album and anything else by The Sundays this fall!

Recommended songs: I Feel, Goodbye, 24 Hours, Blood On My Hands, Wild Horses

Red House Painters I by Red House Painters

Red House Painters is another slowcore band. This album gives me many of the nostalgic melancholy yet warm characteristics that I associate with fall and the visuals of the season. The music evokes the feeling of experiencing fall in a small suburban neighborhood; the sidewalks are lined with foliage and jack-o’-lanterns line the steps of homes. 

Recommended songs: Katy Song, Mistress, Dragonflies, New Jersey

Evol by Sonic Youth

Evol, evil? Coincidence? I think not, as Sonic Youth embraces the dark alternative post-punk genre so well that a lot of their albums can work for the Halloween aspects of fall Evol being one of the many. Whether it’s this album, Sonic Nurse, Rather Ripped or Goo, Sonic Youth must secure a spot on that Halloween or Fall playlist.

Recommended songs: Shadow of a Doubt, Green Light, Death to Our Friends

Garlands by Cocteau Twins

To emphasize more of the spooky spirits of fall, I’m adding Garlands to my list which is one of the Cocteau Twins’, more underrated, darker and gothic albums. If you need some songs to put on that “Halloween Party” playlist, I highly recommend adding some songs from this album especially if you want your friends secretly “shazaming” or straight up asking what the song playing is because this album is just that good. 

Recommended songs: Wax and Wane, Blind Dumb Deaf, Shallow Then Halo

Juju by Siouxsie and the Banshees

Another dark and gothic album for the scary festivities is Juju by Siouxsie and the Banshees. They definitely had October in mind when they made this due to one of their tracks being titled “Halloween”. If you needed even more clarification than that, their most popular track is also a song off this album titled Spellbound.

Recommended Songs: Spellbound, Into the Light, Arabian Knights, Halloween, Voodoo Doll

If you are interested in finding even more songs to add to your fall playlist or rotation, I’ve included a playlist of what will be on my rotation for this month and the next. These tracks summarize all the aspects of fall perfectly whether it be the light fall nostalgia or the darker creepiness of the season.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gJmM5M7xi0fuXahyKoEtv?si=a01bf88ff23b49f7