10 Great Songs About Autumn

Yes it's official. Summer is over for another year. If you've been to Google at all today you'd have seen that it's the first day of Autumn, which I thought was always the 21st. Fall Equinox shit....who knew. It's not as bad as it seems folks, there is plenty of good things about Summer being behind us. Basketball and Hockey seasons are about to begin, Oktober (the best month) finds it's home in the Fall and there is always the comfort of great music. Here are 10 Great Songs About Autumn.

1. "Autumnsong" - Manic Street Preachers

I'm a huge Manic Street Preachers fan, I just haven't haven't heard a song by them that I haven't enjoyed. "Autumnsong" was taken from the album Send Away The Tigers and was released in 2007. Whether this song is actually about Autumn or not, it's the first one that popped in my head when I thought up the theme...so it's the first on this list

2. "Autumn Sweater" - Yo La Tengo

I know what you're saying...did I just search for songs with "Autumn" in it's title? Well no I didn't, dinkhole. Yo La Tengo are another one of those great 90's groups that didn't receive the credit they deserved. "Autumn Sweater" was the first song I heard by them. I love the vibe and slow, crawling vocal style of Ira Kaplan and it was one of the first times the band experimented with a techno influence. I'd say it was successful.

3. "Indian Summer" - Beat Happening

Indian Summer is the name given to that time of year when it gets unseasonably warm in the Fall months from September to November. It's notable because it often happens after we've already been scraping frost off of our cars. The song by Beat Happening has been called the "Knocking on Heaven's Door" of indie rock, because of all the different cover versions that have been released by bands in the scene, like Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and Luna to name a few.

4. "In September" - Hayden

Hayden is one of Canada's finest folk-oriented singer/songwriters. A career spanning three decades and 7 albums, he's earned accolades and praise from almost every Canadian media outlet. I am proud to have shaken his hand and given him a copy of my shitty demo CD. Hayden's demo CD, well tape I guess back them, was called In September where the title track closely resembled a grungy alt-rock anthem, far from his current folk style.

5.  "Harvest Breed" - Nick Drake

Almost all of Nick Drake's songs have that feel. Walking through a small, quiet English town. A tweed jacket buttoned up to your chin. A little chill on your nose. The sky is grey and the leaves are painted in colours of orange, red and yellow. While any song on Drake's perfect album Pink Moon could be your soundtrack, "Harvest Breed" is a pretty little ode to the under appreciated Fall season.

6. "Season Of The Witch" - Donovan

Often viewed as the first psychedelic songs released, "Season Of The Witch" was a bit of a departure for the usually folk-infused Donovan. The song featured Jimmy Page on guitar, "Fast" Eddie Hoh on drums and rumours swirled that John Paul Jones played the organ. Simply adding to the mystique of this already intriguing song.

7. "Yer Fall" - Hey Rosetta!

Hey Rosetta! is a Indie Rock group from the East coast of Canada. St. John's Newfoundland to be more specific. Though they've been releasing music since 2007 they didn't get nationwide exposure until Seeds was released in 2011. "Yer Fall" is a pretty, love song painted against the backdrop of a textbook Autumn day.

8. "Halloweenhead" - Ryan Adams

Hey Halloween falls at the end of October and what season is October in? Fall! The song describes all the typical things someone would be seeing around that time of year even if it's actually describing someone's struggle with addiction. It comes off of Adams' critically acclaimed album Easy Tiger released in 2007, which in my opinion is a must own for any serious music lover.

9. "October" - Broken Bells

Broken Bells are an Indie-Techno supergroup featuring Brian Burton (Danger Mouse) and James Mercer (Lead singer of The Shins). Their song "October" is a perfect fit for the not-too-hot not-too-cold season of Autumn.

10. "Autumn's Here" - Hawksley Workman

Another famed Canadian, Workman got his start in the Muskoka region of Ontario before moving south to Toronto to take his career to new heights. Almost an indescribable sound and no real genre distinction makes Hawksley Workman a refreshing artist on today's sometimes pale landscape. "Autumn's Here" describes perfectly the feeling of those Summer lovers who wish it's warm embrace would never retreat from the Northern territories. Hawksley is great at lamenting universal emotions.

Thanks for reading!

Look for a big list coming up soon and let's all enjoy ROCKTOBER!!!

JZ