by, Gabriella DePinho, Editor-In-Chief

As the temperature starts to drop and coffee shops start to bring back their pumpkin spice selections, it’s hard to deny the excitement in the air. Fall officially begins on Sept. 22, making the day this goes into print the first day of fall — how exciting! It’s the perfect season for sweaters, baking, going apple picking with friends, and painting pumpkins. I’m particularly partial to autumn, all it offers and all the good memories I have of raking leaves, just to jump into the pile I created. 

I also consider fall to be a great season for some reflection. Most of the year has passed, but there’s still more to come. It’s a great time to think about all that’s changed, all that’s been good, all the love that’s been surrounding you, all that’s been hard, and all that’s to come. The cool air and rustling leaves fill me with hope and make me feel like anything is possible. 

Yet, one thing that never goes out of season is listening to music. This week’s Jasper Jams are dedicated to the songs that remind me of autumn and get me into the mood for some fresh apple cider donuts. 

State of Grace – Taylor Swift

“RED” is the quintessential fall Swift album, no questions asked. While some people might gravitate towards “All Too Well,” the album’s fifth track as an autumn song, I’m drawn to this song. It’s got a hopeful feel to it, as I believe fall does, so I think it works. Additionally, something about “mosaic broken hearts” and “we are alone with our changing minds” feel like perfect, near-end of the year lines to meditate on. 

Kiss Me Again – Great Caesar 

I think one could argue this might be better suited as a winter song, but I categorize it as an end of fall song. It’s got a perfect mellow vibe to ride out the shortening days on the subway and it’s lyrics are about longing for a repeated experience, much like how I long for autumn to be longer. 

Young Blood – Noah Kahan 

In general, Kahan has a solid acoustic and therefore, autumn-y, vibe to his music. In an interview with The AU Review, Kahan said he wrote this song “as kind of mantra to myself just to keep myself grounded and to keep my head on straight and always believe in what I was doing.” To me, it works as an autumn song in the sense that it’s a great song for autumn as a time of self reflection. 

She’s Casual – The Hunna 

This song solely works as a fall song for me because one of my roommates introduced me to it last October or November. It became my end of semester study song that I would leave on a loop as I wrote paper after paper, so now I associate it with an excessive amount of cups of tea from Locke’s, my army green jacket, and going out of my way to crunch leaves under my beat-up black boots. 

Best Laid Plans – Harmony Woods

Though I don’t frequently listen to Harmony Woods, the band’s mellow yet emotionally vulnerable vibes are perfect for fall songs. There are too many good ones to pick from, but I am partial to “Best Laid Plans” because of the line “Seasons change, feelings stay the same” — perfectly cliché and perfect for a season-themed playlist. 

Like Real People Do – Hozier

Hozier’s use of earthy images of “the bugs and the dirt” and “digging” makes it the perfect fall song. In sound and images, it reminds me of falling leaves and fading life at the end of the fall season, yet it is full of tenderness and love. Hozier’s music is for every season, but this song particularly makes me want to grab a cup of tea and look out the window. 

Red Flag – The Moth and The Flame 

I feel like it might be the word “red” in the title of this song that makes me associate it with fall color palettes, or the largely grey-ish skies and sunsets featured in the music video, but this song just reminds me of fall. It’s a perfectly nostalgic song for a nostalgic season, as well. 

Too High – Anna Shoemaker 

I don’t have any particular memory attached to this song and I find that it’s good for any season, but I like walking around to it during colder weather. However, I’ll say the overall coloring and lighting of the music video for the song scream “fall” to me, even though Shoemaker is depicted wearing a tank top for most of the video. 

Beloved – Mumford and Sons 

Nearly every Mumford and Sons song makes a perfect autumn song, so choosing just one was nearly impossible. I am particularly partial to their 2018 album, “Delta,” though; I find the whole album incredibly moving and lyrically powerful. If you’re looking for other solid autumn-y options from Mumford and Sons, I also recommend “October Skies,” “Believe” and “Lover of the Light.” 

Silhouettes – Colony House

This song was one of the few songs that made up the soundtrack to my entire senior year of high school and yes, I first found it during the fall. It was a chaotic time for me, as it is for most high schoolers, and yet this song was so full of hope and promise and the possibility of escape, so it became a classic fall song for me. It would also become a perfect driving playlist song, but I didn’t get my license until December of senior year.