Even though winter doesn’t officially begin until Dec. 21, it’s peak transition season. So as you adapt your lifestyle according to the colder weather, transition your music too!
- Folklore by Taylor Swift
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This one is obvious. We were all thinking it the second it came out. This is the quintessential acoustic pop fall album. Released in July 2020, this album has songs to guide listeners through love, heartbreak and nostalgia all season long.
- Without Fear by Dermot Kennedy
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This album is meant for cold days. Kennedy’s voice holds so much raw power – he has mastered his own sound. Without Fear contrasts acoustic songs, like “Dancing Under Red Skies”, with more heavily engineered songs, such as “Moments Passed”, featuring backup voice modulation and an electric sound.
- If We Were by Arthur Lewis
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This EP was released in 2008 and is a soft and easy listen. It’s perfect for times of solitude or background in close conversations. The layered vocals and soulfulness of tracks like “If We Were” and “La Da Da Dee” are especially mellow.
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“Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart
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Any acoustic song sung in rounds and harmonies makes its way onto my cold weather playlist. There’s something so warm about this song, and it ends with strong a capella harmonies.
- “Where You Lead” by Carole King
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Autumn is the time to listen to the classics, and this is just one of many. The electric guitar and backing vocals make this the perfect pick-me-up song.
- “Morning Sun” by Melody Gardot
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This is a great song for any season but it sounds that much better when there’s frost on the windows. Gardot’s voice fills the entire room with its rich, full-bodied timbre.
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“Wading In Waist-High Water” by Fleet Foxes
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A slow, airy melody blended with childlike voices, this song is calming and easy on the ears.
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“Everything Happens To Me” by Lisa Lugar
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This dreamy instrumental song begs the listener to relax, and features a solo electric guitar and subtle drums.
- “The Oil Slick” by Frightened Rabbit
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Funky sliding on an electric guitar with a consistent drumbeat gives this song a lighthearted, unmatched character.
- “Zorbing” by Stornoway
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This song starts with simple instrumentation, a clear solo vocal and strong backup vocals that gradually build to a climax with trumpet and tambourine, which makes for a fun piece, especially to blast in the car.
- The National
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The National has been making cold weather hits for years. The songs are soft and grey, perfect for the beginning of winter. With their electro-rock instrumentation and cold, slow vocals, their songs build the soundtrack for moody isolation. Some highlights are “I Should Live in Salt”, “Dark Side of the Gym”, and “Carin at the Liquor Store”.
- alt-J
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alt-J takes song progression to another level. Relying mostly on electric instruments and mixing, the band has a unique grasp on music. Their songs are unpredictable and can be overcoming or a quiet, acoustic song, though many of their songs include elements of both. Some favourites include “Ms”, “Pleader”, and “3WW”.
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The funk base of Vulfpeck’s music makes for a strong sound that stays with you. Somehow, their songs just sound better in low light, so take advantage of the lack of sunlight this time of year with the band’s interesting mixes and rich vocals like in “Game Winner” and “1612”.
A playlist including these recommendations as well as others is available on Spotify! Happy listening!