Cobblestone & Cardigans Mix

By: Neva Mellow

Hello, reader. Go ahead and take a moment to step outside and look around. Do you see the fall leaves? Do you feel the change of the seasons? The change you’ve gone through from the year before? If you can relate to loving pumpkin spice, being open to trying new things, and embracing the strange, beautiful ache of autumn- this playlist is for you. Combining 60’s folk rock with alternative R&B and underground indie artists, there’s something here for everyone. This soundtrack is for walking back to your dorm a little bit slower, for catching your reflection in windows and not quite recognizing yourself. It’s nostalgic, melancholic, timeless, and cozy. (And it only takes a total of 27 minutes to listen to.) So let’s unwrap it. 

• Don’t Fear the Reaper by the Blue Öyster Cult is a cult favorite. I saw this band in concert back in July of 2024. Seeing them perform this song live healed something inside of me. The spookiness of fall isn’t just about Halloween. It’s about letting go, and this song says it best. 

• Oh, Klahoma by Jack Stauber is a whimsical song that is somehow just right for listening to while strolling through the cemetery.

• Je te laisserai des mots by Patrick Watson is dreamy, melancholic, and perfect for those misty mornings when everything feels cloudy and slightly out of place.

• Dark Red by Steve Lacy shows us that sometimes fall isn’t slow and sad – it can be dreamy, and passionate. “Dark Red” captures that feeling of wanting someone all too much. 

• California Dreamin by The Mamas and The Papas is ironically not at all about fall- it’s about missing warmth in the dead of winter. But that’s what makes it perfect. It’s for when you’re walking through the leaves but your heart’s still stuck on the beach.

• Hopelessly Devoted To You, sung by Olivia Newton-John, may sound familiar to those of you who have seen the 1978 movie Grease. This ’70s pop song manages to make you feel like the main character of a tragic romance film.

• Wasted Gold by Don West is the kind of song that screams you have good music taste. I’ll leave it at that, so make sure you give this one a listen.
• St. James Infirmary by The Bridge City Sinners is a blues/soul song reserved for those of you who romanticise the macabre. It is the ultimate fall funeral waltz.

Whether you’re raking leaves, crying in your car, or searching for the Great Pumpkin like Charlie Brown, may these songs keep you company this autumn.