1- Passenger, Young as the Morning Old as the Sea
Listening to Passenger’s songs is like getting a feel-good lesson from a kind, hilarious elderly person who tells you: “You’re still young, life is short, fuck all the expectations, but be grateful for everything you’ve been given.” When I’m lost in my thoughts and need some grounding sense of peace and belonging, I turn to this band, and this new album is exceptional.
2 – Ryan Adams, 1989
If you liked Taylor Swift’s album 1989, you’re gonna fall in love with this cover album. What was already a fun, catchy, romantic, and powerful album turns into a thirst-quenching bitter, sweet drink. Ryan Adams’ voice can portray anger just as it can portray longing, fear, and happiness. I would feel only half-complete if this album didn’t follow up the original.
3 – U2, No Line on the Horizon
Any album from this iconic rock band is amazing, but I always turn back to this album as the air gets chillier and I feel more at home as candles flicker and family comes together. Typical of the band, they have some slower, beautiful songs mixed in with their harder rock songs. It’s an album that wades through lots of tones, but you wouldn’t notice the journey you’ve been on because it feels so natural.
These acoustic versions of some of Lights’ hit songs give it a completely different feel. Slowed down, these lyrics hit you in a way that the originals don’t. Instead of fun dancing, it creeps into the bits of your soul that remembers your childhood, the dark days you’ve overcome, and your future fears and excitement.
5 – Tom Rosenthal, The Pleasant Trees
Tom Rosenthal’s voice is probably reason enough to get the album, but his simplistic yet heart-felt lyrics and the beautiful piano instrumentals really make the album. At this point of life, where we are figuring out who we are and who we want to spend most of our days with, this album helps define what we want and what to feel. “For You To Be Here” is by far my favourite song on the album.
6 – Kodaline, Coming Up for Air
This album has a good mix of the feel-good, upbeat tracks and the mournful, nostalgic songs that are so necessary for the Fall. Overall, the album gives a good sense of moving on from what you used to be, who you used to love, and what you used to want. As the leaves fall, we discover more of who we are and we grow to become those people. This album is the soundtrack of such growth.
7 – Tom Odell, Long Way Down
Tom Odell’s lyrics describe the beauty in the ordinary, the love in the everyday, and the soul in the inanimate. The album includes songs about love and life. The upbeat music and the bouncy piano keep the album fun to listen to. It’s great to listen to while walking, running, or on the bus. One of those gently-rock-your-head-to-while-listening kind of albums.
8 – Florence + the Machine, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
This is one of the most beautiful modern albums out there. Filled with angst, anger, pain, hopelessness, confusion, and all those good feelings, when you feel too much, when you feel too little, this is an amazing journey of an album to go through. The instrumentals, lyrics, and Florence’s voice blend together to give this album a breath of life. This is an album for anybody at any point of life feeling any kind of mood. This is a MUST! Also check out her video album, The Odyssey.