Songs To Curl Up With This Fall

By Maggie Mancini

Fall is here, and it’s time for everyone’s favorite season: pumpkins, apple cider, Halloween, and the kind of songs that make you feel like you’re in the middle of the woods. (Even if you’re just sitting in your dorm room).

Whatever your favorite fall activity is, music is a way to set the mood for the season, even when it’s still too hot to pull out the sweaters and boots. No matter the weather, here are some songs to get you ready for fall.

“Darkest Hour” by Joy Crookes

Best paired with a cold, early morning and a fresh mug of coffee, Joy Crookes’ soft and raspy voice is the perfect cure for midterm stress. “Darkest Hour,” which is part of her EP, “Perception,” is one of many tracks Crookes has released this year, and her sound keeps getting better and better.

“Syrup & Honey” by Duffy

By nearly all accounts, Duffy is a one-hit-wonder. While she hasn’t released any new music since her debut album “Rockferry” in 2008, the album is beautiful and distinct. “Syrup & Honey” is a simple love song: easy to follow along, impassioned, and almost instantly relatable (at least to 10-year-old me). The way it fades out, never fully ending, but rather blending into whatever song comes next, makes it a great song to cozy up with.

“River” by Leon Bridges

On first listen, it may seem as though you’re listening to oldies music in your grandmother’s living room on a chilly day in 2006, but in reality, Leon Bridges didn’t release his debut album “Coming Home” until 2015. His blend of soul and R&B instantly transports listeners to a place of comfort.

“Stay Flo” by Solange

In an age of genreless music, Solange is an absolute gem. Constantly bridging the gaps between R&B, soul, and jazz fusion, her latest album includes some amazing slow jams, including “Stay Flo,” which is great for a long commute home or a weekend away from the noise of the city. It’s soft and warm, but still really fun to listen to.

“Silver” by Nic Nim

It’s finally October, which means it’s officially spooky season. Everything feels dipped in black and orange. This song is no different. It starts out subtle, just a song about a scorned girl, but it has this witchy backing track that gets louder and louder as the song progresses. There is something about listening to “Silver” that makes me want to wear all black and stand in a salt circle like a character from “The Craft.”

“Harlem” by Cathedrals

The best kinds of songs are ones you can fall into, ones that can both relax you and make you want to sway to the melody. Though definitely more upbeat than the majority of the songs on this list, “Harlem” starts and ends in a similar place, perfect for an early night when all you can bring yourself to do is relax. Cathedrals, which consists of Brodie Jenkins and Johnny Hwin, have collaborated to create a signature sound: dreamy and repetitive–an almost lullaby.

“(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” by Sampha

Some songs are simply made for sitting in a car on a rainy fall afternoon with your head against the window, pretending you’re starring in the movie version of your life. This is one of those songs. There is something absolutely beautiful about a simple piano ballad with a lot of heart. Written and performed by Sampha Sisay as part of his debut album “Process” from 2017, “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” is a deeply personal, ultimately immersive experience in musical storytelling.

“A Case of You” by Joni Mitchell

A crucial track in Joni Mitchell’s achingly beautiful 1971 album “Blue,” “A Case of You” is a perfect fall ballad. Angelic and melancholic, the song almost requires its listener to sit with her for a while, to truly hear the words as if she’s confessing her love for them.

Whether you love or dread cold mornings and sunsets in the early evening, there is something about fall music that makes everyone either want to fall in love, fall asleep, or cry. Take a listen to some of these tracks as you choose your Halloween costume, make hot chocolate, or run to a farmers market to pick out a pumpkin or decorative gourd.

Happy fall, and happy listening.