The Fall Effect
Fall is equal parts quiet contemplation and emphatic declaration. The changing of the seasons feels profoundly important. I watch the summer leaves warm up, then dim, then fall. Time passes in such an explicit way, its symbolism clearer than ever. And in this, fall encourages me to remain present, rather than drifting off to thoughts about the past, the future, or—admittedly too often—nothing at all. Fall is a revolution, and it is impossible to be passive. And so, my aforementioned fall recipe: equal parts quiet contemplation and emphatic declaration.
With my new, heightened awareness of life and its finitude, it’s impossible not to indulge in a contemplative fall. As I watch my scenery crescendo into a colourful display of vibrancy, I can’t help but feel a sense of impending doom. Soon, the warmth I’ve grown accustomed to will be placed on mute, substituted for a sullen, brooding atmosphere that seems to only ever be characterised by a generous mix of seasonal depression and icy—quickly turned slushy—pavements. In my anticipation of this turn for the worse, I think about all the time I’ve wasted. Balancing out my pessimistic thinking, though, is the sentimental quality of leaving summer’s residual heat behind to greet the unkindness of winter. I become thankful for a world livened by warmth, and, though I try to brood, fall has a way of favouring my sweeter sentiments. I am grateful to understand that change is imminent and inevitable. Because if I didn’t, how would I know to savour the present?
Fall also embodies aggression: the increasing saturation of the leaves’ colour feels like a final, emphatic declaration of life and spirit. It is a temperamental thrashing, fighting back against the deadening of the environment. We act in accordance with our surroundings, and so, fall is for yelling. Fall is for acting rash and making bold declarations of the self, of the things we have learned during summer. Fall is one last kick and punch before the sedative of winter.
These two opposing, yet complimentary characteristics of autumn are what I look for in the music which soundtracks this season. I hope that my preamble provides context for the list of albums that I deem quintessentially, necessarily fall. All these albums, in varying degrees, embody both the season’s quiet reflection and aggressive rashness.
Anyway, in no particular order, here is the list of my top five fall albums:
“When the Pawn...” by Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple’s sophomore album combines her thoughtful and poetic lyricism with explosions of sound and emotion. In songs like “Love Ridden” and “I Know”, Apple reflects on her position to others and what that means for herself. And in the quiet contemplation of her words, there is a building pressure which erupts on tracks like “To Your Love” and “A Mistake”. The most fall-ish song on the album is “On The Bound”. Apple’s vocals are wailing yet intentional, the instrumentals swell into a meandering explosion; it’s perfect.
2. “Faking The Books” by Lali Puna
Lali Puna’s 2004 album is a mixture of soft-sung, introspective lyrics and blasts of sonic aggression. Throughout the album, Valeria Trebeljahr, the band’s lead vocalist, sorrowfully hums repetitive lyrics, only to be interrupted by intense bursts of distorted bass and synth. It contains exactly the kind of thoughtfulness and rashness that I associate with this season. I find the most fall-ish song on the album to be “B-movie” with its quivering, distinctly Halloween-y synth. This is one of my favourite albums ever and I cannot recommend it enough.
3. “Work And Non Work” by Broadcast
I would associate Broadcast’s 1997 album more with the contemplative quality of fall, although its instrumentals feel somewhat biting, in an antagonistic way. The lyrics in this album contain an auditing of the world and the self that is both cynical and optimistic. Its sound is hypnotic, like watching a leaf slowly fall from a tree in a zig-zagging motion. The song on the album that best captures fall’s essence is “Message From Home”, and not just because it makes explicit references to the season. The track’s ‘spooky’ air is complemented by Broadcast’s lyricism. As she sings of her inability to contain her thoughts, I am immediately drawn to my feelings of compulsive self-expression during the fall season.
4. “Live Through This” by Hole
If fall is for yelling, then this must be the fall album. Courtney Love is a gifted vocalist, and the insight of her lyrics is too often overlooked. This album feels like a rageful resistance against some impending smothering; it is a sonic representation of saturating leaves. The most fall-ish song on the album is “Violet”, which perfectly packages the themes of the project that, I believe, make it an autumn essential.
5. “The Turning Wheel” by Spellling
Oh my god, this album is so good. It’s theatrical, it’s pensive, and every time I listen to it I am shocked by how much emotion is concentrated within this one project. Spellling’s enchanting voice sounds like a witch hypnotising you; the dynamic instrumentals reflect the transitional nature of fall, and when they’re combined, this album feels like it is guiding you toward a new phase of your life. My favourite song on the album, and the song which is most appropriate for fall is “Revolution”, in which Spellling, accompanied by some hopeful instrumentals, sings of being “in a permanent revolution”. That, to me, embodies the spirit of fall. We understand that, just like our environment, we are engaged in constant change. We become aware of the moments that shaped us and look forward to the moments yet to come. Spellling allows us to become conscious of our consequential nature, somehow making it easier to focus on the present.
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This list of albums is tentative. It will have surely changed by next year, and possibly even before the end of the season. But fall is a time of quiet contemplation and emphatic declaration, and my thoughts and expressions are not fixed. Fall teaches me that nothing is permanent, nor should I want it to be. If change looks like saturating leaves, then I will embrace its beauty. And if growth sometimes looks like decay, so be it. My autumnal albums will adapt as I do; I’m excited for what’s to come!
Header by: Aliya Conrad
Written by: Will Grimes, External Contributor
