The Somber Sounds Of Fall Pt. 2
Posted: by Mitch
Fall is here and for me that means the beginning of a few things- strong, hot coffee, argyle sweaters, bonfires, but most of all, sad music. My feelings change with the seasons, and while autumn is my favorite, there’s something about the weather and overall atmosphere that makes me feel a bit detached from my surroundings. With that in mind, I’ve started to develop a list of my favorite sad tunes that are perfect for lonely walks home across sidewalks strewn with dead leaves. This is part 2, for part 1 go here.
‘Options’ by Pedro the Lion
“So I told her I loved her, and she told me she loved me. And I mostly believed her, and she mostly believed me.”
For a handful of good friends and I, fall is easily be deemed “Pedro the Lion season.” The band, who was creatively propelled by singer-songwriter David Bazan during their years of activity, tended to produce tracks with gloomy undertones and poetic lyrics written in first person narrative. Something about the way Bazan writes has a way of consuming the listener, and creates vivid imagery consistently from track to track. “Options” is the first track off the bands’ 2002 record, Control.
‘Separate Bedrooms’ by Run Forever
“You say that you’re still angry you just hate the sound of fighting now. And a heart can only hate someone so much before it burns out.”
Having just recently discovered Run Forever, I need do some serious binge listening of their discography. Every song I’ve heard is powerful and extremely well crafted. “Separate Bedrooms,” my favorite tune from the group, is a track off their recently released, self-titled LP, which came out this month via No Sleep Records. It tells the story of failed relationships and the tendency to hold onto keepsakes from lost love.
‘Left and Leaving’ by The Weakerthans
“I’m back with scars to show. Back with the streets I know will never take me anywhere but here.”
John K. Samson may be the greatest songwriter I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. If you haven’t looked into The Weakerthans discoggraphy or Samson’s solo music, you need to do yourself a favor and dive deep. Somewhere between introspective poetry and catchy melodies, Samson and The Weakerthans have found just the right blend to create approachable yet heavily emotive music for listeners of all kinds. “Left and Leaving” is the title track off their 2000 record, put out by G7 Welcoming Committee Records, and rereleased by Epitaph in 2007.
‘Three Years’ by Hodera
“I can feel my love was not enough of October. High school football be over. Because that was where we met. And that was where we sat.”
I have some incredibly talented friends who do pretty astonishing things and create amazing art every single day. The boys in Hodera are no exception, and have been putting out substantial music for the past few years. From living room shows, to national festivals, Matthew Ryan Smith and his rotating live line up have put on some legendary performances, and it isn’t going unnoticed. Hodera is on the road as often as possible and has plans to venture Europe in the near future. Check out my favorite song from their new record United by Birdcalls, an intimate acoustic track titled “Three Years.”
‘Happy Alone’ by Saintseneca
“Guilty pleasures at best, gouge the floors of our chests. This the only vestige left. Next time will be better I guess.”
Hailing from the small Appalachian town of Noble County, Ohio, Zac Little (the singer and songwriter of the project) brought his childhood inspiration and musical roots to the table when forming the indie folk rock super-group, Saintseneca. Now consisting of members from bands like The Sidekicks, Yowler, and All Dogs, Saintseneca has released 2 EP’s and 3 full-length albums since their inception in 2007. Finding home with ANTI- records, the band continues to grow and tour regularly on their modern-folk twang, and recently put out their most successful release, Such Things. The track below, titled ‘Happy Alone,’ is off their Sophomore LP Dark Arc, and though doleful, may be one of the more upbeat songs I put on my revolving playlist.
