Fall Favorites
The weather’s getting cold, the rain is coming down, and it’s time to turn down the uptempo jams in favor of something a little more cozy. Grab your favorite beverage, smoke a little somethin’, and get toasty with my favorite chill albums and singles for this fall.
Albums
Wolf Alice, “Visions of a Life”
Indie darling Wolf Alice is back. While lead single “Yuk Foo” was underwhelming (that title alone is worth an enormous eye-roll), the album as a whole delivers the band’s familiar mix of angsty punk-rock and mellow-ish indie alt-rock-pop. If it sounds like an odd mix, that’s because it is — but it works.
Jhené Aiko, “Trip”
Where do I even start? Jhené excels at melodic slow-burn R&B that defies expectations, and this album is more of the same, in the best way possible. It’s also a lesson in experimentation, grief and healing, as Jhené takes listeners along for her personal journey of discovery, crafted while she took both physical and metaphorical trips after the death of her brother. Tracks like “LSD” and “Psilocybin (Love in Full Effect)” are clear references to the hallucinogenic trips she took, while also featuring the sounds of nature (namely Hawaii) that allude to her road trips and meditative solo journeys. The result is an atmospheric and deeply emotional experience that shouldn’t be missed. There’s a lot of great R&B coming out right now, and Jhené deserves more attention amidst all the noise.
Michael Kiwanuka, “Love & Hate”
I know it wasn’t released this year, but who says these selections have to be brand new? I just discovered this album a couple months ago (thanks in no small part to the use of “Cold Little Heart” as the theme song for HBO’s “Big Little Lies”), and it does not disappoint. From start to finish, this album is track after track of incredible and refreshing soul music. Highlights include title track “Love & Hate,” a searing plea for “ No more pain and no more shame and misery,” as well as the album’s bold second track, “Black Man in a White World,” which sees Kiwanuka struggling with his place in a world built for and around white men. It’s simultaneously confident and melancholy, with an upbeat tempo and stomping beat, that cleverly belies the song’s disappointment in the way things are.
Singles
Lissie, “Boyfriend”
Lissie is an underrated singer-songwriter who often draws comparisons to Stevie Nicks, and it’s been fascinating to watch her personal discovery play out over the course of her three full-length albums and various EPs. “Boyfriend,” the lead single from an as-yet-unnamed fourth album, features a new sound for Lissie as she ditches the acoustic guitar in favor of more electronic production. Don’t sleep on this wildly talented artist.
Jessie Ware, “Selfish Love”
I don’t know why Jessie Ware decided to play with Spanish guitar on her new single, but I definitely don’t hate it. Her first album was pure ’80s new-wave nostalgia, her second album was harder to categorize, and if this single is any indication, her upcoming third album will be just as unexpected as the others.
Fergie, “Just Like You”
As I mentioned in my review of “Double Dutchess,” this track is a standout from an otherwise underwhelming album. It’s simple, it’s clean, and it’s catchy as hell. What more do you want?
SZA, “Prom”
Picking a favorite track from SZA’s phenomenal debut album is nearly impossible, but “Prom” is a fairly easy choice. It reverberates with self-doubt, which most people can relate to — especially anyone who, like SZA herself, is a 20-something trying to figure out all this “life” nonsense. Particularly great is her plea to a lover to wait for her to get better and do better. It’s so dreamy and melancholy and hopeful… and it ends too soon.
Keyshia Cole, “Incapable”
Speaking of growing up, Keyshia Cole’s newest single opens with a call for her lover to grow up and learn how to love her right. The rich, soulful track is the kind of R&B that doesn’t get much airplay anymore, which is a shame. While most of the songs here are low-key, this one has a little more oomph, and you just might find yourself getting up out of your seat to sing along.
JAWS, “Fruit”
A healthy dose of ’90s drums, guitars and synths brings this bright alt-rock track to life so that maybe, just maybe, you’ll break free of the cold-weather blues for three minutes. It oozes sunshine but also bears a passing resemblance to Sky Ferreira’s “Everything Is Embarrassing.”
