It’s amazing how much we, as students, cling onto the fanciful idea of an endless summer at the end of May. However, by the time school begrudgingly rolls around in mid-August, we long for sleepytime teas, sweater weather and leaves that show off their carotene pigments. (I hope you are impressed, Mr. Heffernan).
To me, autumn is synonymous with visits to the pumpkin patch, carpets of orange leaves, everyone’s favorite spooky holiday and, of course, bands like Belle and Sebastian and Yo La Tengo.
Now, you don’t have to know those bands to understand the relationship I associate between them and this beautiful season. Part of what makes certain music so poignant are the places, people and things associated with it.
As abundant are the genres of music are the variables which affect these music coefficients. That’s the great thing about music association: our perception of a song is not solely influenced by its sonic footprint, but the imagery connected to it and the ability of memories to mold that song as well. These images may be subconsciously created, triggering our brain to remember a location where we first heard a song or a warm color that makes us want to curl up in a blanket with tea.
This is why all albums have a cover; this connection. Try to think of your favorite album without associating it to the album cover. Does that image express the feel of the album? Instantaneously, when I think about “summer” music, The Drums pop into my mind; as well as their jean shorts and their “beachy” sound, but most of all, their sun-yellow band name type splayed across their album cover. Consequently, this image will forever be paired with the band’s skeletal-structured.
Sounds summon colors, colors conjure emotions, emotions uncover places and people. All songs have a feel. And that articulated feel can cerebrally fall in love with an image, a location, a memory, you name it. Music is magical because it has the overarching ability to combine all parts of one’s life.
One album that immediately stands out for me as an “autumn album” is Belle and Sebastian’s “Dear Catastrophe Waitress,” a starry-eyed collection of piercing yet airy and light-hearted cafe music. None of that description shouts September through November, but to me, it retains that certain autumn feel. The season strengthens the listenability and the meaning of the song, while the song illuminates seasonal synonyms as well.
Why does it remind me of autumn? Well, I’m not quite sure, but when I thought of writing an article about autumn, this Scottish band immediately popped into my head. Maybe it’s the warm fuzzy feeling I get when listening to their music that reminds me of sweaters. Maybe its their sepiatone album covers, matted with warm colors like the falling leaves. Whatever it is, the fact that music can create such a strong presence in other fields of communication, connectivity and our life is amazing.
When nostalgia settles in, when favorite seasons commence, when late night drives take place, a song is connected to that thing, that memory, that moment. And that’s what I love about music. Unlike any other art form, it allows for the marriage of sound, intellectuality and emotion. Because of this, music will always remain the most powerful form of art that exists, enhancing ways of life and connecting the dots to each aspect of our life. And in doing so, music becomes more universal, a language with no barriers, globally spoken and celebrated.
Replace the lemonade with apple cider. Switch on those over-valued car stereos and take a drive; play your favorite album and listen with your friends. Who knows, you may just be creating some everlasting memories.
