First Frost Josh

During the Halloween season, atmosphere is everything. Every mundane activity must be transformed into a dark undertaking befitting the season. Taking out the garbage at dusk transforms into a perilous journey spent dodging shadowy corners and imagining escaped lunatics lying in wait behind every tree. Washing the dishes becomes an exercise in inescapability as you watch bleak clouds of grey slowly overcome the bone-white sun. Interlocking scattered puzzle pieces turns into solving a ghostly mystery concealing deeply buried secrets of yore. In my opinion, there is no better way to evoke atmosphere in otherwise ordinary situations than by listening to music. And what music is better to elicit a spooky mood than a good horror movie soundtrack? 

It’s been a mild autumn in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) this year. Two weeks into October and twenty-plus degree temperatures persist—it breaks my heart. Nevertheless, if I waited on the weather to begin my fall activities, I would miss out on weeks of exploration. In my first real autumn escapade of the year, on Canadian Thanksgiving, I decided to travel to Victoria Falls. 

Who can resist the sounds of autumn? Leaves crunching underfoot, whispering winds gusting through half-naked trees, the sharp cracks and hisses of an evening bonfire, and the dulcet tones of Taylor Swift. It’s undeniable that certain songs resonate deeper with us during specific times of the year, and, for whatever reason, large parts of Taylor’s discography tend to cut deeper (in a good way) during the fall season. I know that not all of Taylor’s music is “autumn music”—don't worry, I’m not trying to convince you that Cruel Summer or 22 are fall songs. I also understand that associating songs with seasons is very subjective. Honestly, 99% of it can probably be attributed to where and when we heard the song first. However, I maintain that there are specific criteria for classifying "autumn songs" and that large parts of Taylor's discography fit within that criterion.