In this feature, a different LEO staff member will share 7–10 of the songs they've got on repeat right now. (Songs by Louisville artists are marked with an asterisk.) Got a track that you think we'd like? Let us know at [email protected] or at the author's email below. You can also keep up with our Tuesday Tracklist and Listen Local picks on our LEO Weekly Spotify account.
It ain’t spooky season yet but we’re testing the waters. This summer has been so hot that we’re playing around with the idea of fall and Halloween because we’re ready. Don’t worry, we’ll have a proper Halloween list when the time rolls around but let’s watch the leaves fall together and get ready for snuggle season even though summer is still teasing us.
Knocked Loose - Blinding Faith*
The leaves on the trees have given up, and if you’ve noticed, they are falling off in pretty big batches these days. So many trees were scorched by the summer heat that it seems the maples and oaks said, ‘Fuck it,’ and started dropping their leaves early. If the trees have faith that cool air is coming, I guess we should too.
New York transplant Willow Avalon explores her own ability to alienate herself from others and asks, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ It’s a question that many of us have asked of ourselves when we don’t understand how we fit or relate to others. ‘Everyone is gonna run,’ she says later as if she’s become something of a monster to others around her. Fall and winter are the seasons when becoming alienated from others is too easy and probably to our detriment. Stay connected folks.
Bonnie Prince Billy - I See A Darkness*
Have you noticed the days are growing shorter? The darkness of the year is coming and it’s a good time to tuck in and finish some projects or to stay in and catch up on your rest. If you find the shorter days hard, start making plans to keep yourself occupied and motivated through these days. Reach out to friends, family, and probably find ways to connect with others in this season.
Britti’s voice is perfectly bewitching in this song. It’s at once spooky, and irresistible. I’m waiting for the day this song appears in a horror movie. I don’t think it’s intentionally scary but it gives a siren-esque quality that reminds me of the fantastical sea creatures calling sailors to their deaths.
One of my favorite trees will soon turn into a bright yellow unmatched by any tree around. Gingko trees are perfect for setting a fall mood and this gentle rolling song by Joan Shelley is a good complement to the season.
With the fall comes the inevitability of walking into spider webs. Not my favorite but it’s nice to see the webs beginning and knowing that soon after the cooler temps. Esther Rose’s “Spider” is about the spinning creature and, of course, it is also not. The tangle of relationships certainly seems to grow more complicated as we huddle in for the winter.
Living Colour - Cult of Personality
Personally, nothing in this season is scarier than the giant American cult we see following the orange Voldemort running for the presidency. It’s like nearly half of the country is under a spell and I imagine the day the bubble bursts and a lot of his flock is wandering around in a country they no longer understand because they spent so much time trapped in his crazy rhetoric. It’s terrifying.
