WMSC Music Picks: Autumn Vibes 2022

Welcome back to another Music Picks, a collaborative collection of WMSC’s music recommendations and reviews. This installment’s theme is Autumn Vibes! Read more to see what songs give our members the feel for pumpkin spice, cool weather, and the urge to jump into a pile of leaves!

“Scott Street” – Phoebe Bridgers

Review by Maya Stolper

When I think of Autumn, the first instrument that comes to mind is always an acoustic guitar; Phoebe Bridgers’ song “Scott Street” is led by an acoustic guitar that pulls at my heart strings with each pluck. The beautiful harmonies in this song have the same warm feeling as drinking a black cup of coffee while looking out of a pretty window. Bridgers is known to wear skeleton themed outfits quite often, which definitely equates to her Halloween-esque, Autumnal presence as an artist. The track is from her debut album Stranger in the Alps (2017) which reads to me like the transition from Fall to Winter, but the nostalgia brought out by the train horn and backing strings makes this specific song stand out to me. 

“Snowbank Blues” – The Backseat Lovers

Review by Maya Stolper

“Snowbank Blues” is a wonderful track off of The Backseat Lovers most recent release, Waiting to Spill. To be honest, this is a no skip album for me; I’m a relatively new fan of The Backseat Lovers, but was already searching for tickets after hearing this Lumineers and Hozier reminiscent album. “Snowbank Blues” feels like getting into the backseat of my parents car after a sweaty soccer practice at around ten years old, not exactly sure how else to describe the nostalgia of it. I feel as though nostalgia often lines up with Autumn for me; lots of introspection and apples. Regardless, I sincerely recommend this album to anyone who’s been in a music slump and is looking for something new!

“Summertime” – My Chemical Romance

Review by Lara Ziccardi 

While the song title is the opposite of autumn vibes, the actual song differs. I love to listen to this song when I’m driving through the beautiful mountains of Upstate New York. This song has a playful free spirited vibe that goes well with an iced pumpkin spice latte, a cool breeze, a full tank of gas and an adventure that has no plan. In the song, Gerard Way sings, “You can run away with me anytime you want,” and to me it represents the free spirit I feel for when I go for long drives. 

“S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W” – My Chemical Romance

Review by Lara Ziccardi 

Two songs off of Danger Days? How unlike Lara! Danger Days has been my staple fall album for seven years now. “S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W” is dreamy to me, I have a soft spot for this song in particular. Whenever I listen to this song it makes my heart swell. The lyrics in this song feel like a loving punch to the gut, they’re impactful yet so beautiful at the same time. The guitar solo shows how incredibly talented the band’s music ability is, especially the lead guitar player, Ray Toro. This song will always remind me of when I was a younger teen, listening to this song with her broken headphones, and now as an adult, blasting this in my car in scenic drives.

I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One – Yo La Tengo

Review by Katarina Nikolic

I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One is the quintessential soundtrack for staring wistfully out the window of a train car as changing leaves pass you by. Released in 1997 by Hoboken-native indie-rock-outfit Yo La Tengo, the record combines the band’s usual soft-pop melodies and guitar rock with experimental, electronic, and even bossa-nova stylings. Highlights include “Little Honda,” “Sugarcube,” and “My Little Corner of the World,” which you may recognize from the Gilmore Girls soundtrack (how fitting for fall)! However, “Autumn Sweater” is the album’s magnum opus. At five minutes and 18 seconds, this whirlwind of a song is as dreamy and nostalgic as that beloved autumn sweater you lost years ago. 

Red (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift

Review by Katarina Nikolic

Is it truly Fall if you haven’t cried to all ten minutes of  “All Too Well” at least once? Red is a journey through the season, a time capsule looking back on new love (“Begin Again,” “Holy Ground”), and reeling from heartbreak (“Red,” “I Almost Do,” “All Too Well”). A seminal album for Taylor Swift, she’s referred to the record as “very patchwork-quilty” due to its (supposedly incohesive) mixture of pop and country. Regardless, comparing Red to a patchwork quilt is appropriate; the album is a puzzle of emotional highs and lows, wrapped in comfort, familiarity, and relatability. It truly is the best companion to keep you warm as the temperatures lower.

“Fade Into You” – Mazzy Star

Review by Katarina Nikolic

Nothing suits the subtle romanticism of autumn, the days getting shorter, and the trees becoming bare, better than Hope Sandoval gently crooning over a folksy, dream-pop instrumental. “Fade Into You” sounds both lonely and like an idyllic love affair, just like how fall feels. Consider checking it out, and if you enjoy the hazy acoustic vibe you might as well listen to the full album the song belongs to, So Tonight That I Might See (1993).

“Sweet November” – SZA*

Review by Katarina Nikolic

Before Solána Imani Rowe became an R&B titan with 2017’s Ctrl, there was Z. Off Z, there was “Sweet November,” a slow, jazzy tune the singer wrote about a brush with death she experienced. Overcome by sudden and severe illness, SZA contemplated the relationships in her life and the effect she would leave on people if she had died at that moment. A bit misleading, “Sweet November” isn’t actually referring to the month, but the 2001 movie with the same title. Nonetheless, the understated and introspective R&B track is the perfect listen for a late-autumn study session, paired with a warm cup of coffee.

“Harvest Fair” by Summer Salt

Review by Jessica Lilly

“Harvest Fair” is an alternative rock song that was released on December 8, 2018. It is a moody song about a person planning to meet their ex lover to confess their feelings about wanting a second chance. The ending of the song is open ended and up for interpretation if the singer was successful, or if their ex even met with them. “Harvest Fair” is a very somber song but it isn’t as slow or long as other songs about broken relationships. Instead, it would fit perfectly as the last song played at a dance. Additionally, it completely fits the melancholy vibe of a chilly late November evening.

“The Last Day of Summer” by The Cure

Review by Jessica Lilly

“The Last Day of Summer” was released on February 2, 2000 in The Cure’s album Bloodflowers. It has a masterful combination of keyboards, bass guitar riffs and percussion. When it was released, its album was slammed by critics for being too “self-conscious,” unlike The Cure previous work. However, I think the song’s self-conscious moodiness fits the setting of a cold day in late fall. The song is about regret and reminiscing of a time when life was easier. Since we’re nearing the end of the year, it can be easy to look back and regret any missed opportunities we had. I think “The Last Day of Summer” moody lyrics perfectly encapsulate these random or prolonged bouts of sadness about the past.

“This Is Halloween” – Marilyn Manson

Reviewed by Luke Cirianni

I found this song on Spotify under the “Halloween” category. The artist of this song is Marilyn Manson, and this song played in the movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas” from 1993. It was a specific request for the movie. This song gives me every feeling about autumn. The creepy voices that symbolize Halloween make the song interesting. You hear a hypothetical beast sing lyrics, and then the corus in the background repeats it, almost like a group of ghosts. A song like this one is a good example to get you in the Halloween spirit. It reminds me of a song my elementary school teachers would play at our class Halloween parties. For younger kids especially, I think this song gets kids excited for the fall holidays.

“When The Sun Goes Down” – Phonics Song

Reviewed by Luke Cirianni

This song relates directly to Halloween, specifically the younger generation. The lyrics read, “When the sun goes down, all the creatures come around.” The tone of this song is in a more playful tone, rather than a scary one, and sounds like a song that would be on a kids Halloween track. I like the music video with all the animated monsters and Halloween props.  This is a good first Halloween song for a newborn, to make it as fun and less scary for them.  “When The Sun Goes Down” could also teach younger kids what Halloween is really about. I was reminded of my younger Halloween memories listening to this song.

“Maroon” by Taylor Swift*

Review by Leslie Gallagher

“Maroon” is an iconic color of autumn, which is what compelled me to choose it for this article, but in this song, “Maroon” has a lot of different meanings. Nodding to her previous album and song “Red,” Taylor uses various shades of the color to describe different aspects of a past relationship including maroon, rust, rosé, burgundy, wine, blood, scarlet, lips and roses. All of this warm imagery with cold heartbreak creates for a strong juxtaposition and addicting chorus:

“Looked up at the sky and it was (Maroon) / The burgundy on my t-shirt / When you splashed your wine into me / And how the blood rushed into my cheeks / So scarlet, it was (Maroon) / The mark they saw on my collarbone / The rust that grew between telephones / The lips I used to call home / So scarlet, it was maroon.”

Red is a fiery, vivid color, often associated with autumn for its vibrancy in the leaves as they change shade throughout the season. In her previous song “Red,” Swift said, “Loving him was red,” as in it was passionate, thrilling, and exciting. In a song later in her career called “Daylight,” she recounts this statement by saying, “I once believed love would be burning red, but it’s golden like daylight.” As she settles into maturity, she realizes love should be comfortable and sweet; she rejects the chaos of love she expresses in songs from her younger years.

Maroon is a deeper red with more purple mixed in. It leads me to think “Maroon” is about a past love from years ago, one that was similar in passion to “Red,” but maybe even darker and more heartbreaking for the shade of red she chose to describe it with for its title. If you’ve ever been heartbroken and felt all of these shades of red, this song is worth a listen as the leaves change. 

“Sweater Weather” – The Neighbourhood

Review by Emily McCormack

This song is one that I have always been drawn to ever since I first heard it back in 2013 (I can’t believe it’s been nearly ten years since this song was released…). I think the title speaks for itself when I explain why I chose this track for our “Autumn Vibes” edition of Music Picks – on the surface, the lyrics are talking about the weather growing colder, the coziness of warmth found indoors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to wear a nice, comfortable sweater (even if it has some holes in it).

I’ve always particularly liked the chorus: “’Cause it’s too cold / For you here / And now, so let me hold / Both your hands in the holes of my sweater.” Often, if a loved one’s hands are freezing cold, and I’ve been in the warmth indoors, I allow them to hold onto my arms and hold my hands while they warm down- and often, a friend will do the same for me. There’s a sweet sort of moment when this happens, because you’re ultimately showing someone that you care for their safety and well-being, even if that takes away your own comfort for just a moment.

Above all else, I honestly find myself most happy when I get to wear some sort of sweater. I don’t have to deal with the uncertainty of taking a sweatshirt on and off indoors, I don’t have to worry about sweating while I refuse to take off a long sleeves shirt in the heat of summer – sweater weather is truly where it’s at, and I can’t say there is any other time of the year I rather chill out in.

“All Too Well” –  Taylor Swift

Review by Nicole Passero

This hit song has been number one on my fall playlist ever since last year! Taylor Swift’s recording of the Red Taylor’s Version album was released on November 12, 2021. The song “All Too Well” hit multiple Billboard charts sitting at number one. There are many versions of this song, but the most popular version is the “All Too Well 10 Minute Version.” This version was the extended length of the original song, which also was released with the “All Too Well” Short Film. Produced by Saul Projects and Taylor Swift Productions, the emotional short film won multiple awards, including Video of the Year, Best Longform Video, and Best Direction.

“Heather” – Conan Gray

Review by Nicole Passero

Get into that comfy sweater weather, with the autumn tune “Heather.” This song was on Conan Gray’s first album Kid Krow which was released on March 20, 2020. The single was the hit song from Gray’s album and went viral on TikTok. Gray explains the song is about unrequited love, and his own personal romantic experience in high school. “Heather” is Gray’s most known song.

“Brooklyn Baby” – Lana Del Rey*

Review by Natalie Escobar

This is one of her better known songs perhaps, but it’s one of my absolute fall favorites. It’s romantic and perfectly encapsulates the dreary, yet comforting aspects of the changing seasons. This song is the fourth single from the album Ultraviolence, which debuted in 2014. The alt-pop artist tells the story of a girl and her musician boyfriend as she boasts about his band and her jazz collection, amongst other things she believes represent Brooklyn. Del Rey mentions how Lou Reed of the Velvet Underground was supposed to be on the track., however, he died the day they were supposed to record. She pays homage to him in the lyric, “He plays guitar while I sing Lou Reed.” 

“Everlong” – Foo Fighters

Review by Natalie Escobar

My parents are the ones who showed me this song and I grew up with it. “Everlong” definitely holds a special place in my heart, and I’ve had it on repeat this fall. The second track from their second album The Colour and the Shape, the band’s founder Dave Grohl wrote this song in 45 minutes when he was home for Christmas. He had just been through a divorce, and, on top of this, the band was having issues. They were going to split up, yet this song kept them together. Grohl talks about how “it was basically about being connected to someone so much, that not only do you love them physically and spiritually, but when you sing along with them you harmonize perfectly.” This is one of their most iconic songs and how the band wraps up their shows. It perfectly captures the strength in connections we make with people we meet throughout our lives.

*These songs contain explicit lyrics

Photos from Amazon.com

You can check out WMSC Halloween 2022 Music Picks article here!