Fall is a time where we as people go one way, and nature goes another. School starts back up, clubs and church programs are back in full swing, a full fall TV slate kicks in, football dominates the airwaves, and everyone seems to fill their calendars and pick up the pace. I am as guilty as anyone with this, and have found myself feeling overwhelmed and exhausted just a couple weeks into October. I’m convinced that’s why God gives us the fall, where vegetation slows to a near halt, animals move towards hibernation, the weather cools down, and the leaves change colours before gracefully falling to the ground. God whispers to us through nature to slow down, and take in the colours around us.
Fall music does something similar for me; it helps me to rest, reflect, and absorb the beauty around me. Here are 10 songs that remind you to slow down and exhale this season. Folk, country, and heartland rock seem to capture this spirit the best, which is why this playlist leans heavily on those genres. That’s not to say everything moves at a snail’s pace: there are some hearty rockers thrown in for good measure, but on the whole, this mix is calm, colourful, and reflective like the natural world around us.
Slowing Down For Fall Playlist:
Counting Crows: “Round Here”
Blitzen Trapper: “Furr”
Cat Power: “The Greatest”
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals: “Cold Roses”
Damien Jurado: “Metallic Cloud”
Tom Waits: “Hold On”
White Stripes: “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground”
Jens Lekman: “Maple Leaves”
Neil Young: “Harvest Moon”
Joanna Newsom: “Autumn”
Photo (Flickr CC) by Liz.
