Most music, to me, has a particular season with it. Some songs are inherently wintery, others belong to summer, and others to fall.

(Most music to me also is linked to weather — for example, there is rain music and sun music — and sometimes a particular time of day as well. For example, I only listen to electronica at night. Perhaps this is somewhat akin to synaesthesia? Only experienced by many more people, I’d guess.)

Anyways, every year I make a mix of good autumn music, from the stuff that I’m currently listening to. I got around to it a little bit late this year, but I finally made one today and I thought I’d share my playlist here.

1. Cobra Starship - “Snakes on a Plane”
   (Because it’s good to begin with something that makes you smile.)
2. Sleater-Kinney - “Light Rail Coyote”
3. The Long Winters - “Fire Island, AK”
4. Dropkick Murphys - “Worker’s Song”
5. Ani DiFranco - “Shroud”
6. Radiohead - “The Gloaming”
7. Greg Graffin - “Cease”
8. Amadou et Mariam - “M’Bife”
9. Indigo Girls - “All That We Let In”
10. Green and Root - “Not So Thick”
11. U2 - “The Unforgettable Fire”
12. Greg Laswell - “Sing, Theresa Says”
13. The Bees - “Imaginary Girl”
14. Indigo Girls - “Dirt and Dead Ends”
15. Lindsay Mac - “Turn Me Away”
16. Danielle Rosa - “Unseen Ways”
17. Mano Negra - “Noir Desir”
18. U2 - “Miss Sarajevo”
19. Indigo Girls - “Pendulum Swinger”

It may be a little bit heavy on the Indigo Girls, but I’ve always found them to be very autumnal. I’ve really been listening to them a lot, especially after seeing them in concert last week. (It was a good show. I didn’t really like their new album before that.)

Looking at the playlist, I realize that it starts out happy and energetic, and becomes more and more dreamy and melancholy as it goes on, finally ending with another energetic rock song. That tends to mirror the pattern of my days lately, I think. I start out each new day optimistic and ready to take on whatever comes up, but by the train ride home I’m generally off in my own little world. Then I get another burst of energy from my walk home, after which I scurry around and clean and want to change everything. Unfortunately, this doesn’t usually stretch as far as making dinner.