Sink into these gentle tunes.
There are a lot of things I love about Fall. The weather, the clothes, Halloween. The thing I love most of all is being cozy. Sitting by a roaring fire or scented candles, drinking a hot cup of coffee, listening to nice music. If your playlist needs a revamp this Fall, these six songs might just help you capture that cozy feeling, too.
Wasteland, Baby! - Hozier
A song about loving someone even through the end of the world, Wasteland, Baby! is perhaps particularly relevant this year. The steady guitar pattern almost sounds like a flickering flame, and although the lyrics describe things like the "death of the sun" and the "absence of green" in a dying landscape, the song isn't sad, but instead feels safe and comforting.
Other songs to listen to if you like this one: Lots of other Hozier songs, notably Work Song, Cherry Wine, and Shrike.
Autumn Sweater - Yo La Tengo
A synth-filled song about "slipping away" with a lover, this track is sure to get your head bobbing and your foot tapping. While not specifically "cozy", this song gets a special mention for being named after one of the coziest pieces of clothing (and having Autumn in the title).
Other songs to listen to if you like this one: One Life Stand by Hot Chip, When You Were Young by The Killers, The Adults Are Talking by The Strokes.
Vor í Vaglaskógi - Kaleo
The lyrics to this song are in Icelandic, but the melody is soft and melancholy. The guitar starts slow and isolated, accompanied in the video by the sound of waves. The song gives the feeling of going on a journey, or surveying a great landscape on a misty day.
Other songs to listen to if you like this one: Kaleo's other work, particularly I Can't Go On Without You or All The Pretty Girls.
Cool Girl - Dodie
This song, describing the struggle of trying to appear "cool" and compliant without losing your identity, is not so much sad as just tired. It's a demo, and the instrumentation and melody are simple. The power of this song comes from the lyrics: the verses describing how much the singer has sacrificed and gotten hurt in her attempts to fit in and how unhealthy it is, contrasted with the chorus, where she promises she "won't be like them", and that she can be a "cool girl".
Other songs to listen to if you like this one: Dodie's other songs, especially 6/10, Burned Out, and Secret For The Mad.
It's Hard To Be Human - Kina Grannis
This song alternates between full, swelling background vocals and stripped down sections. It describes the difficulties of everyday life, concluding that it's "hard to be human".
Other songs to listen to if you like this one: Saturn by Sleeping At Last, Heart And Mind by Kina Grannis
Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
You probably already know and love this song. It describes the life of a woman growing up in a poor area with an alcoholic father, searching for some escape, and eventually ending up in a dead end marriage. What makes the song so beloved, however, is the powerful chorus, which keeps the song hopeful no matter how desolate the verses get, describing a time when the singer had a "feeling that (she) belonged".
Other songs to listen to if you like this one: Landslide by Fleetwood Mac, Blackbird by The Beatles.
What are your favourite songs to listen to when you're feeling cozy? Let us know in the comments!
Comments