As the final days of classes in the fall semester come to a close and winter holidays approach, finding the best music to play during the transition from autumn to winter can be difficult. Luckily, I have five wintery album picks that are guaranteed to be perfect for walking through the glistening snow or getting cozy by the fire.
“Grace” by Jeff Buckley is my personal favorite album on this list and is the album I most associate with winter weather. “Grace” displays an array of songs in the rock and indie alternative genres, with both jazz and singer-songwriter elements. Buckley’s lyrics are pure poetry, and his beautiful but intense vocals and instrumentals carry themes of heartbreak and yearning throughout the album. From popular hits like “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” to covers like “Hallelujah,” the album is diverse and contains a few hidden gems that most may not know about.
“Mojo Pin” is in my opinion, the most winter-inspired song on the album, and is incredibly underrated. The song changes tempo and dynamic frequently, with its slower parts sounding whimsical and airy, like light snow landing on the ground. However, as “Mojo Pin” picks up speed, the song reaches a climax that sounds nothing short of a powerful storm. Other underrated hits on the album that I associate with winter are the mellow, eerie “Dream Brother” and “Eternal Life,” a more intense punk rock song.
Moving on to another unique artist from the 1990s, I recommend “Love Deluxe” by Sade. The album is short, totaling 45 minutes, but is incredibly smooth and romantic. Sade’s slow, seductive vocals blend perfectly with the jazz and R&B instrumentals showcased throughout the album. “Love Deluxe” is perfect for any night of any season, but with early sunsets on their way, there is no better way to enjoy melancholic sensual hits like “No Ordinary Love” and “Like A Tattoo” than by lighting a candle and getting lost in the album.
Continuing with the ‘90s theme, albums “So Tonight That I Might See” and “Among My Swan” by the soft alternative rock band Mazzy Star are amazing choices. While “Fade Into You” off “So Tonight That I Might See” may be a champion hit of late summer and autumn, the remainder of the album, featuring “Five String Serenade” and “Blue Light,” is suited for winter with Hope Sandoval’s soft vocals and acoustic backgrounds. To me, “Blue Light” sounds like a sister song to “Fade Into You,” in the sense that the instrumentals follow similar patterns, but the thematic content of the lyrics and Sandoval’s vocals are a little more blue.
To close my suggestions on a more modern and energetic note: “Pop 2” by Charli xcx. The album was released in 2017 and encapsulates Charli’s typical hyperpop sound but is noticeably dreamier than her other work. Many of the tracks contain features by similar artists, and despite being a pop album, standout songs like the opener “Backseat” and the closer “Track 10” portray feelings of loneliness and heartbreak that are not as noticeable in works like “Brat.”
Be sure to check whichever albums grab your attention if you are looking for new music to add to your playlists as winter begins to unfold, with flurries in the air and early, vivid sunsets taking over the sky.