Happy end-of-October Lasso readers! I hope that you all are getting into the spirit of this spooky month. With Halloween coming up, I’m sure the average reader is looking for a soundtrack for the days leading up to it, so I’m here, with a little slice of music history to add as well. I think release dates are definitely more important than people give them credit for, and really set the seasonal tone for the record. So without further ado, enjoy this roundup of my favorite albums released in October.

When I think of fall, I think of soft guitar and even softer vocals on top of it. Maybe the lyrics convey a bittersweet longing for summer gone by, or the tracks have a minor-key ambiance, set for as one takes shelter from the chill. All this is to say that “White Sky” by Archer Prewitt is a very autumnal album. Released in 1999, I see this as one of the first signs of the 2000’s indie-folk wave that came along. You can draw a lot of parallels to the biggest mainstays of it (Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes even), but “White Sky” retains a bit more of a 90s alternative edge. This is a great album that definitely meshes very well with the feel of the season. 

Moose Blood’s “I’ll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time” is a relatively laid-back indie rock record released in 2014. The vocalist does veer dangerously into “being annoying” territory, with a tendency to be winey, but mostly manages to steer clear. This record may definitely not be my top pick even out of these, but it’s still worth a listen. The album cover features a fireplace, and that’s what I would consider the feel of this album; desperately grabbing for the last of the summer. 

“Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven” by Godspeed You! Black Emperor is the most post-rock band I think I’ll talk about in this column. It’s a long listen, but a rewarding one, for sure. The soft atmosphere with building tension and anticipation is perfect, and each song is constructed beautifully. 

Though she may be most recognized for her modeling career or appearance on The Velvet Underground’s “The Velvet Underground and Nico,” I think that Nico’s solo album “Chelsea Girl” deserves as much, if not more, acclaim. Nico, the alias and music project of Christa Päffgen, has a unique and androgynous voice, adding a layer of depth to the already-incredible lyrics. The warm guitar riffs and low vocals fuse together to create an awesome autumnal atmosphere. It’s a record you can sway to, with “These Days” and “Fairest Season” being some of my favorites of the album.

Blue Tide Lounge’s “Lowercase” only has 5 tracks, but clocks in at about 44 minutes long. In slowcore fashion, it has downtempo and depressive vocals accompanied by a barebones band. It sounds almost skeletal in its tone, really—but despite the sparseness, it’s oddly comforting. A few of these tracks are on my sleepytime playlist—I especially enjoy the tracks “Wriding” and “Gm.”

Antarctigo Vespucci’s album “Love In The Time Of E-Mail” is an emo/power pop project by known musician Jeff Rosenstock. The melodies and hooks on this album are infectious, as anyone familiar with Rosenstock can expect. “Breathless on DVD” is one of my favorite songs and has wholly earned its place on my numerous playlists. It’s energetic and fun, with poppy vocals and groovy guitar licks that make for a more fun atmosphere than any of the other albums on this list. 

Mazzy Star’s album “So Tonight That I Might See” came out on October 5th, 29 years ago, and it has aged spectacularly. Hope Sandoval might be one of my favorite vocalists, as her low and delicate voice places beautifully with the mostly acoustic instrumental backdrop. We all know that “Fade Into You” is an alternative classic, but others like “Five String Serenade” and “Flowers In December” deserve a place on your playlist too. This is a perfect album to put on on a crisp October evening, as the leaves fall down.