2022 albums from Alvvays, Death Cab for Cutie form a perfect fall soundtrack

Aarik Danielsen, Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read

Fall yields so many delights, among them settling into a favorite chair, burrowing into a blanket or zipping up that hoodie, then pressing play on music that matches the season.

No less than five records released this year are up to the task, vying for a spot in your autumn rotation. Check these out as you dive deeper into the comforts of a changing calendar.

Alvvays, "Blue Rev"

On their third record, this Canadian band fashions another dreamy pop gem. Molly Rankin's voice sounds a cooler siren song, framed by guitars that storm much like the gusts of autumn themselves. The record never burns too hot, yet comes around the listener to cloak and protect them from loneliness. In these 14 songs, you feel known.

Bonny Light Horseman, "Rolling Golden Holy"

This indie-folk supergroup of sorts — songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, Fruit Bats leader Eric Johnson and the multi-talented Josh Kaufman — surpasses its excellent 2020 debut with a record that musically evokes the gilded tint of its title and cover. Gentle reverb, tender harmonies and a steady forward motion, forever inching toward the true heart of a song, make "Rolling Golden Holy" a perfect set for the season.

Death Cab for Cutie, "Asphalt Meadows"

The Seattle stalwarts' excellent new record travels the fence line between autumn and winter as Ben Gibbard and Co. deal in themes of nostalgia, innocence and recovering the little things that light a spark. The album is marked by a cool remove and the feel of a landscape turning over, yet is shot through with enough warm light and sound to keep the band — and listeners — from losing heart.

Rhett Miller, "The Misfit"

The Old 97s leader perpetually brings a twist to his superlative solo catalog, leaning into the pop side of his musical influence. "The Misfit," Miller's eighth record on his own, twines the sonic language of power pop, indie-rock and classic songwriter albums to form songs that practically float, commending both his writing and the album's arrangements. The fading light and grasping for more that characterize these songs seem inherent to fall, fitting for late afternoons in the space between warmth and chill.

Beth Orton, "Weather Alive"

Could there be a better title for an autumn record? The veteran British songwriter fulfills the two-word phrase with songs that gradually, gracefully awaken. Orton's work here often opens in quiet, atmospheric terms before building to a climax — relatively speaking, against the softer sound of the album — with instrumental flourishes, swirling rhythms and a masterful use of dynamics.

Old favorites for a fresh season:

Other, older records just perfect for autumn listening include:

  • Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago" (2008)

  • A.A. Bondy, "American Hearts" (2007)

  • Counting Crows, "Hard Candy" (2002)

  • Fleet Foxes, self-titled (2008)

  • Frontier Ruckus, "Deadmalls and Nightfalls" (2010)

  • Hiss Golden Messenger, "Lateness of Dancers" (2014)

  • Elliott Smith, "XO" (1998)

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. Find him on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: These 2022 albums form a perfect fall soundtrack