Fall 2023 Playlist: Annotated
Just in time for this weekend’s autumnal equinox, I give you my Fall 2023 Playlist. I genuinely don’t know how I got this one to work, but I did. Power ballads? Rap? Céline Dion? All there. You’re welcome.
1) “Paint the Town Red” by Doja Cat - This may be the catchiest song I’ve ever heard. I never really got into to Doja Cat, but after this one crept into my life via social media, I went back and listened to more of her catalog. Overall I like it!
2) “Egyptian Cadillac” by Alex Izenberg - How to connect Doja Cat to anything else on this playlist? Muted horns, that’s how. Spotify popped this song into one of my Discover Weekly playlists, and I was hooked.
3) “Nature Boy” by Grace Slick and The Great Society - I love Grace Slick’s voice—Jefferson Airplane is one of my karaoke go-to artists. I was positively enchanted by this cover.
4) “Do You Need My Love” by Weyes Blood - I spontaneously went to see Weyes Blood when she played at a venue near my house a few weeks ago, and I wept through most of it? So cathartic. Also: tired of feeling so bad / giving away everything / gonna learn to take the pain. Way to sum up my year.
5) “Muse” by Lucius - Those harmonies? Autumn. They figured out how to vocally convey autumn. Science should study this.
6) “The Longing” by Tamino - I put one of his songs on my summer playlist this year, too—he’s that artist I almost went to see when I was in Stockholm, but the show sold out. A lovely, haunting acoustic number.
7) “Greyhounds” by DM Stith - When I am looking for autumnal music, I frequently turn to DM Stith. This one off his latest album fit the bill.
8) “Daddy’s Car” by Sir Chloe - I can’t thank Spotify enough for putting Sir Chloe on my Discover Weekly playlist because now I’m obsessed. Somehow the chord progression in the chorus makes this song seem gigantic, open—like a loud, forceful yawn. I love it.
9) “Naive” by Kalandra - When I went to Sweden, Spotify decided that meant I only wanted to listen to Swedish bands for a while. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world! I’ve been saving this one for fall.
10) “Darkness at the Heart of My Love” by Ghost - So here’s what happened: I was supposed to see Ghost in Chicago in August, but then I caught COVID and I had to miss the show. Misery ensued. An internet friend suggested I come visit LA and catch their show at the Forum. I figured this would be too expensive—but then I found a $100 round-trip plane ticket. Triumph! I had to celebrate by putting a Ghost song on the fall playlist—but their most recent album is full of 80s-style arena metal, so it was a bit of a challenge. That said, I think I nailed it.
11) “Just Like U Said It Would B” by Sinéad O’Connor - When the great ones die, we honor them on the playlist. Them’s the rules. I don’t understand how this works so well after the Ghost song, but it does. Maybe they’re both on par in terms of dramatics? I mean that as a compliment.
12) “De Selby (Part 2)” by Hozier - I had such a tough time picking which Hozier song to include. I like some of Hozier’s songs, but I’ve never been enthralled by a whole album of his—until Unreal Unearth, which is excellent. Don’t worry, I’ve already decided which songs from the album I’ll include on my upcoming winter and spring playlists. (Also, I just realized I put the two Swedish acts and the two Irish acts right next to each other on this playlist. Weird?)
13) “oblivion” by Noname, featuring Common & Ayoni - And lo, she connected two wildly different songs via the single commonality of a funky bassline. Very excited about Noname’s new album—I’m hoping to see her when she plays Louisville next month.
14) “If I Loved You” by Vagabon - I was watching the charming film adaptation of Red, White & Royal Blue on Amazon, and out of nowhere the soundtrack ATTACKED me with Vagabon’s gorgeous cover of this song from the musical Carousel. How are my emotions supposed to recover?! I demand compensation.
15) “vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo - Yeah, I’m 35 years old—but we’ve all been 19. I liked Olivia Rodrigo’s first album, and I like this new one just as much if not more. I heard she’s touring with The Breeders soon, and if that’s true, I will absolutely be there. Iconic double bill. Bringing the generations together.
16) “How I Love” by King Tuff - I feel like this could have been a late Beatles song—it would fit in on Let It Be. Or maybe Wings? Anyway, the vintage vibes are perfect for fall.
17) “Wicked Game” by Céline Dion and Chris Isaak - I guess it’s not a cover if the original artist is still on the track, but Céline was born to sing this one. A killer duet.
18) “Buffalo Replaced” by Mitski - I’m enjoying the new Mitski album—I think it’ll be better for winter than for fall. But this one has a sort of…Western tone to it? Like cowboys? Maybe I only think that because the word “buffalo” is in the title. Anyway, I thought it went well after “Wicked Game.”
19) “Echolalia” by Yves Tumor - Haven’t included an Yves Tumor song on my playlists in a minute, but they have a new album, too. Good year for new music! I like how frantic this one is, the swirling of dead leaves.
20) “Guanaco” by Kiltro - Another Discover Weekly discovery. Thanks, Spotify! This song gallops. It simultaneously makes me want to dance and ride a horse.
21) “no,no” by Temps, featuring Quelle Chris, Xenia Rubinos, NNAMDI & Shamir - I looked it up, and I guess Temps is just…comedian James Acaster plus a billion musicians? I don’t understand it, but I like it.
22) “Ushers of the New World” by Santigold - God, I hope we are the ushers of the new world.
23) “Never Ending” by BENEE - When this song came up on Spotify, I was trying to figure out why I knew the artist’s name. After a quick Google search, I remembered she released this pandemic banger. Anyway, “Never Ending” sounds like a lo-fi pop take on Radiohead’s “Creep”?
24) “A Night at the Roses” by The Dresden Dolls - If you were to make a soundtrack for my high school existence, The Dresden Dolls would be prominently featured. Recently I had the privilege of seeing them reunite at Riot Fest—I totally lost myself in nostalgia. It was wonderful.
25) “Natural Anthem” by The Postal Service - 20 years of Give Up!! I am old. The Postal Service also played an anniversary show at Riot Fest, and I still knew all the words. Though I try to shake up positioning on my playlists—that is, if it’s the last song on an album, I try not to use it as the last song on my playlist—I had to go with it here. “Natural Anthem” is such a perfect ending note.
Need more fall music?