When pumpkin-themed drinks and snacks start being restocked on the shelves and flare pants are once again a reasonable clothing option to wear, it’s safe to say that summer is on its way out. Fall has slowly taken over with its slight breezes and cooler mornings, and with it comes a change of attitude.
Disclosure and Drake are essentials for summer vacations and fun in the sun, but they don’t fit the theme of warm-toned turtlenecks and leaves crunching under your shoes. As autumn has started to come to FSU, I’ve compiled a list of songs that capture this feeling of fall and the epitome of Gilmore Girls’ famous aesthetic of cold air whipping through your hair and past your neck, feelings of hope and loneliness, layers upon layers, and warm beverages.
“ALTOGETHER” BY SLOWDIVE
Although this is a song I have only recently discovered, Slowdive has been around for decades. This record is slower than their usual heavy-on-the-punk commonality and has a soothing, entrancing rhythm that immediately called to me. It offers a headspace of mindlessness and introspection that is perfect for getting lost in the big oak trees Tallahassee is home to.
“Fade into you” by inhaler
A cover of Mazzy Star’s popular top hit, Inhaler delivers this tune like a blast from the past. Although released in this decade, it sounds just like something you’d hear in the 2000s from a punk rock band at the time. It’s a more rugged, crooning version of the song that I find speaks to the more heart-wrenching lyrics. It’d be perfect at the end of a 2000s teen movie when the guy finally gets the girl, like in that Gilmore Girls scene with Dean and Rory at the dance.
“GRAVEYARD GIRL” BY TEEN BLUSH
Teen Blush has a way of making songs that evoke feelings of nostalgia, and “Graveyard Girl” is no different. Albeit a shorter song, the guitar riff and the singer’s voice seem sheathed in a way that reminds me of those wispy, fall-overcast days.
“I WANNA BE ADORED” BY THE STONE ROSES
One of the most memorable records from the My Mad Fat Diary soundtrack, The Stone Roses were ahead of their time with this rock hit that could pass for a song produced by a modern indie band. The uncommonly long intro is a song in itself with celestial-like sound production and a guitar riff that makes for a unique record, one that ultimately enhances the atmosphere around you — hopefully, a cold one that requires a chunky knit sweater.
“TROUBLE SLEEPING” BY CORINNE BAILEY RAE
It was hard to choose from Corinne Bailey Rae’s self-titled album, as the entirety of it reminds me of the slow and melodic season of fall. “Trouble Sleeping” seemed to teeter that thin line that speaks on love, while also generating a feel-good song that would hint at the experience of cool air passing through your hair. I recommend the rest of the album because the other songs are just as terrific.
“PRETTY WHEN YOU CRY” BY LANA DEL REY
Ultraviolence is Lana’s top album for the colder seasons as they explore more melancholic, introspective emotions. “Pretty When You Cry” is one of the more heart-wrenching records off the album that parallels some of the hopelessness that can arrive with the fall season. “Sad Girl” was a close second for me to choose from, but I find the chords and language of “Pretty When You Cry” align more with the themes of fall that I imagine.
“TEENAGE DREAM” BY OLIVIA RODRIGO
I found this track from Olivia Rodrigo’s new album to be one of the more captivating records because of the feelings of nostalgia, guilt, and hopelessness that it invoked. Fall brings waves of colder weather and with it, often more introspective time inside that can be spent reminiscing on the past.
Other notable songs that didn’t make the list are “I Know” by Fiona Apple, “A Sunday Kind of Love” by Etta James, and “Snooze” by Vivienne Eastwood. What are your favorite songs that are your top picks for Gilmore Girls season?
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