Just like a change in weather, a change in music can evoke an emotional response. When a cold front rolled through Yellow Springs on the first day of fall, September 22, bringing the balmy daytime temperature of eighty degrees down to a chilly sixty, I felt a corresponding shift in my mood. I found myself turning inward and thinking about the past. Most of all, I felt transported to the crisp autumn days of my childhood in the village.
I also found myself craving a different sound in the music I listen to, to match the mood of the seasons. For the WYSO Fall playlist, I selected songs that “feel” like fall—subdued, reflective, nostalgic. While the last few tracks–Cocteau twins, Womack & Womack, and Tupac–pick up in tempo and energy, most are laid back and gentle. Songs by independent rock artists like Yo La Tengo, Deerhunter, and Magnetic Fields make up the core of the playlist, though the detours to ambient on Gigi Masin’s “Tears of Clown,” or to jazz for Nina Simone’s “I Loves you Porgy” (my personal favorite on the playlist) add variety.
Make a cup of tea, curl up in your favorite sweater, and listen to the sounds of fall here on WYSO.
Miami Valley Music Focus explores the places and people behind the music of Southwest, Ohio. This series is made possible by support from Ohio Arts Council.
