Now that I’m officially past the daze of Christmas and New Year, and getting readjusted to work and classes, I wanted to make a nice playlist for walking/driving around in this chilly January and February air. I do a lot of walking in between my classes on campus, and I always appreciate having the perfect song to awkwardly walk on beat to.
Some of these songs are new, some of them are old and they’re on here because they remind me of winter. If you’re looking to add something interesting to your music library, have a listen!
Honey by TRACE
TRACE is gonna be the next indie it-girl, I see it. I love this piano and harmony-heavy ballad. Perfect for depressing weather.
Amsterdam by Gregory Alan Isakov and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra
I’ve enjoyed Gregory Alan Isakov for a couple of years now, and had the privilege of seeing an intimate show of his at Bonnaroo in 2015. He teamed up with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra to take his collection to a whole other level.
Drive by Oh Wonder
A really strong duo that makes break ups sound sophisticated and prettier than they usually are. Their voices are silky smooth together.
Burn the Witch by Radiohead
Noel Gallagher of Oasis once said “I reckon if Thom Yorke f**king s**t into a light bulb and started blowing it like an empty beer bottle it’d probably get 9 out of 10.” And I believe that to be true. So here’s one of Thom Yorke’s nicest poo-lightbulbs yet.
Painting Greys by Emmit Fenn
To be honest, I don’t know anything about this artist. I had this song recommended to me on Spotify and I liked it, so I think I’ll listen to more of his stuff. This song is like Game of Thrones meets Nintendo. In the best weird way possible!
Sister Winter by Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan is one of my all time favorites, and honestly I could’ve put several albums of his on this particular list, but I decided to stick with this one song. I like bracing for the cold and stepping out into the gray sky with this song.
Like The Dawn by The Oh Hellos
The Oh Hellos blessed Tallahassee with their presence last April (maybe May…) and I’ve been stuck on them since. They have really big, grandiose endings to their songs with lots of vocal riffs (think Of Monsters and Men) which I love. And everyone knows winter sunrises are the best, so this is my go to sunrise song.
Master & a Hound by Gregory Alan Isakov and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra
See #2. I had to put another one on here; it’s just a fantastic collaboration. Also, I have the cutest basset hound and this is my dog walking song, SUE ME.
Mountain At My Gates by Foals
This song is the most radio-friendly, pop-rock that Foals has ever been, but I don’t really mind. This song holds a lot of personal meaning to me and it feels powerful.
Don’t Let Them by Other Lives
So the frontman of Other Lives, Jesse Tabish, was actually the guitarist (I think) for All-American Rejects. Other Lives is a HUGE departure from that and just goes to show how much AAR was holding him back. I encourage you to dive in to their more recent album, Rituals, and just let it take you. This particular song reminds me of older Coldplay.
Certainty by Temples
Temples is another band that was brought to my attention because of Bonnaroo, and they are easily one of my favorites. They have elements of a groovy 70’s rock sound (and they look the part, too) but they mix it with their own unique sound. I think it’s rare to find truly unique (and good) music these days so I really appreciate what these guys do.
Wow by Beck
I’ve known about Beck almost my whole life and never really listened to him. This song sounds like sarcastic Kanye (not that I think that was the intention of the song) and I LOVE IT. This song makes me not care about anything. Just throw up my hands like ‘oh well’
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Let Me Love You by DJ Snake and Justin Bieber
2016 made me a Belieber. BITE ME!
Pink + White by Frank Ocean
The most solid R&B jam I’ve heard in a looooongtime. This song talks about summer but I couldn’t wait 6 months to put it on a playlist. So think of it as a dose of warm sun during these cold months.
Something To Believe In by Young the Giant
This song is from their best album yet, and definitely their most alternative. This song draws a lot of well deserved comparisons to the Arctic Monkeys. I think Young the Giant out-monkied the Monkeys!
Move by Saint Motel
I don’t know much about Saint Motel, but I’ve heard good things. This groovy song is a pretty damn good reminder of how busy I am this semester and that I have to get up and MOVE. I don’t think this song is about productivity or exercise based on the lyrics, but that’s what I’m using it for.
Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins) by Father John Misty
For those that don’t know, Father John Misty was a member of Fleet Foxes. I love Fleet Foxes. I think I love Father John Misty even more. This whole album feels dreamy, either love songs or faded memories. I can dig it.
Drop the Game by Flume and Chet Faker
The non-verbal chorus of this song feels significant to me. This song is how I feel at the end of a long day of work/class. It sounds like dusk. Same slick beats from Flume and soulful vocals from Chet Faker.
Buzzcut Season by Lorde
LORDE IS COMING OUT WITH A NEW ALBUM THIS YEAR AND I AM SO READY FOR IT! Also she is going to be performing at Bonnaroo, which almost convinces me to buy a ticket (almost…we’ll see). Yes, this song is about summer. Buzzcut season. But something about this song is chilly and muted. It’s wintry to me.
Hunger Of The Pine by Alt-J
I know I say this a lot, but Alt-J is another one on my favorite’s list. Again, they are truly unique without sacrificing too many main components of what makes a song enjoyable. So many great picks on this album, but this one is the most ‘on theme’ with winter, so here it is. And yes, that is Miley Cyrus saying “I’m a female rebel”.
Crystalised by The xx
This song has been a longtime winter song for me. I don’t know when it came out, but it is not new. This song has personal meaning to me and is a perennial favorite of mine. Enjoy!
Milk and Honey 