As the days get darker and colder, the leaves start to change and the air gets crisper, Edinburgh comes alive. While living in the quintessential moody city, it’s only right that you have the music to match your surroundings. As someone who averages 230,228 minutes on Spotify each year—as well as someone who’s been banned from aux at every social event I’ve ever attended (apparently the music I play is “too sad”)—I’d like to say I’m relatively qualified to give semi-decent “moody” music recommendations. So, happy autumn! I’m thriving, but you would NEVER guess that from my Spotify activity.
Nobody does fall the way that Phoebe Bridgers does. Maybe I’m biased because I’m in the top 0.0001% of Phoebe Bridgers listeners, but the second I feel a slight chill in the air it becomes peak Stranger in the Alps season. The song “Smoke Signals” perfectly encapsulates the vibe of a cool, crisp day—so much so that you can almost smell the slightly decaying leaves. The baritone guitar that carries the song’s melody is one very similar in tone to the iconic theme song of Twin Peaks, a show that shares the same moody vibe of Bridgers’ discography, as well as Edinburgh itself.
Additionally, Bridgers’ Punisher is another perfect autumn album, opening with “DVD Menu”, an instrumental piece with a haunting melody, which sets the album’s tone. The atmospheric sound of Punisher’s opener is continued throughout the rest of the album, especially in the songs “Savior Complex” and “Halloween”. The darker tones found both lyrically and musically in these songs create a haunting and melancholic atmosphere that is perfect for contemplative strolls around the city.
However, despite the fact that I spent 120,503 out of 230,228 minutes listening to Phoebe Bridgers last year (numbers that are likely to be about the same this year), I promise I also listen to other artists. Jeff Buckley is one of them; I believe that he is God’s apology to womankind for inventing men. It takes just a skim through the lyrics of his song titled “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” to see that—the pure emotion and yearning that Buckley conveys both lyrically and vocally throughout the song is so raw that it’s haunting. If you’re like me and some of your favourite hobbies include yearning without even knowing what you’re yearning for, Jeff Buckley is the artist for you.
Now, I’m not a crier when it comes to music, but Buckley’s voice never fails to bring me to tears. Genuinely, there have been multiple times where I’ve been in public and have had to take a moment to compose myself listening to “Morning Theft”. If you have ever seen me crying in a Tesco aisle—no you haven’t. When Buckley sings he doesn’t hold a single thing back. His vocals are so raw and vulnerable that his emotions become your own. It honestly makes me feel miserable, but in the best way.
When I want to feel really miserable, sometimes I’ll be brave enough to turn on Elliot Smith. His music is devastating, but like Phoebe Bridgers—who has cited him as the biggest influence on her music (I’m sensing a theme in my taste) and even wrote the song “Punisher” about what it would be like to meet him—it’s perfect for fall. His songs “Say Yes”, “No Name #3”, and “Miss Misery” are among my personal favourites, but pretty much the entirety of the Good Will Hunting soundtrack has become my own personal autumn score.
Another artist that I listen to to perfect the vibe I’ve deemed as “insufferable girl autumn” is Radiohead, who, like Jeff Buckley, convey so many raw emotions through their work. My favourite song of theirs, “Fake Plastic Trees”, continues my musical multiverse of madness, as the lead singer, Thom Yorke, revealed that he took vocal inspiration from Jeff Buckley after seeing him perform. “(Nice Dream)”, “Let Down”, and “Nude” have all also been playing on repeat for me recently, as I’ve become increasingly more enchanted by Yorke’s voice every time I listen. I once saw someone on Reddit describe Radiohead’s music as contemplative and sombre, but “always beautiful”—which I believe is the most perfect way to describe it.
Autumn in Edinburgh is a magical time of year and always looks like something out of a film. I have dedicated hours upon hours of my time to perfecting the ultimate autumn playlist to ensure that what is playing in my headphones matches my surroundings. Thus, these four artists have been on repeat for me as they perfectly capture the season and the city’s haunting beauty. Their melancholic melodies and incredible lyrical depth resonate deeply, creating the perfect soundtrack to my life.
“Well I heard there was a secret chord” by The Travelling Bum is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.