Halloween is approaching us faster than a zombie chasing its mortal prey. What better time to dive into the sounds of fall? Check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 as well.
Let us know what records help you vibe with the aura of autumn, and enjoy three more of our favorites below.
Bill Graham
Major: Journalism
Favorite fall activity: Walking around campus with good music playing in my ears
Favorite fall album: All Delighted People EP by Sufjan Stevens
Written as “a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s Sound of Silence”, the first and only EP from Sufjan has everything you could look for in a fall album.
Stevens released the All Delighted People EP in 2013 to criminally lukewarm reviews. Although given the “extended play” title, the album comes in at 59 minutes, a run time that rivals some full- length LP’s. But don’t let the poor remarks dissuade you from giving this forgotten work a listen.
The title track is argument enough for this album. The 11 minute piece employs a contrast between the pounding beat of a full orchestra and Sufjan’s soft- spoken vocals, creating an electricity that is nearly impossible to replicate.
The rest of the tracks are primarily acoustic, with hints of electronica thrown in. The hour long album then culminates in the 17 minute grand finale, “Djohariah”. On this track, we see an artist who is holding nothing back. Stevens tears into his guitar, releasing riffs that sound as if they have been created on the spot.
Emanating of resigned, yet ever alive energy, this EP is a must listen for the fall. As the weather changes from warm to cold, so does our taste in music. Gone are the summer days of artists like Mac Demarco and Real Estate. As the wind begins to breathe down the back of our necks, and we find ourselves traipsing across the crunch of orange leaves, there is none better than Sufjan to accompany our feelings of listlessness and tedium.
Camisha McClair
Major: Professional Writing
Favorite fall activity: Preparing for my winter hibernation
Favorite fall album: Leaves in The River by Sea Wolf
Sea Wolf couldn’t have made a more perfect fall album. Even if they personified pumpkins and sung about turkeys, it wouldn’t beat their 2007 debut album Leaves in The River in terms of pure atmosphere and style. The only thing it’s missing is a fitting song for Thanksgiving, but let’s face it: most attempts at writing a Thanksgiving song, or any song about food for that matter are either comical, or so bad they go from hysterically funny to just plain sad – so you can’t blame them for not pushing their luck.
Aside from the absence of a feast-themed ditty, the album features cozily crisp songs like “Leaves in The River“, “Middle Distance Runner“, and “The Rose Capitan“ that have the sort of breezy, serene vibe you’d look for while walking amongst the shedding trees or warming up by the fireside, sipping some cider. On the other side of things, “Song for the Dead“ and “The Cold, The Dark, & The Silence“ are perfect for your Halloween-themed kickback complete with chilling lyrics and a number of not-so-subtle references to the dead.
With a varying sound style, Sea Wolf created the perfect album for your favorite Fall activities.
Bridie McBride
Major: Arts & Humanities, English
Favorite fall activity: Eating the cider mill donuts that my roommate brings back from the market
Favorite fall album: Sounds of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel
https://youtu.be/XgbBLKet14E?list=PL2FE39D328A071DDB
Simon and Garfunkel weave their signature themes of love, longing and isolation throughout the quintessential fall album, Sounds of Silence. Even the cover is reminiscent of that certain nostalgia we all feel once the “leaves that are green turn to brown”. The album opens and closes with perhaps two of the duo’s most popular songs (“The Sound of Silence” and “I Am a Rock”, respectively). After all, who doesn’t love a good ode to solitude and loneliness—especially one that’s scattered with skepticism and satire?
Between those classics lie plenty of gems, from “Kathy’s Song” all the way to “April Come She Will”. Paul Simon uses this second studio album to prove himself a true poet. The album’s lyrics highlight the fact that change is a part of life, whether we like it or not. Possibly my favorite from Simon & Garfunkel, this album is perfect for fall.
