Mel Griffith
A&E Editor
To Pimp a Butterfly (hip hop)
To Pimp a Butterfly is a political, musically genius work of art. A modern classic party banger, “King Kunta” is perhaps the most referenced song from this album — but every single song is deliberately assembled in this incredible hip hop album. Not an album to put on and zone out, To Pimp a Butterfly will keep you alert and entertained behind the wheel.
Kendrick Lamar has reached terrific heights with this album. Why am I recommending it for a fall road trip? One thing I have learned throughout my life is that during long car rides, musical variety is key. You don’t want nine alternative rock albums in your arsenal – you need at least three distinct genres represented if you don’t want to catch yourself and your passengers in a stagnant, musical monotony.
Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (neo-psychadelia, electronic, cool tunes)
While this album came out in January, I am still counting it as relevant. I have no idea what Panda Bear is saying most of the time in his work with Animal Collective, and I can decipher even less of his speech in this solo album. This makes for an enjoyable experience of sound, however — something that this album has quite a lot of.
Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is, at times, a busy wall of noise. At other times, songs are repetitive samples. Eventually, however, a beat is placed amidst the clutter and melodies emerge. This is, simply, a fun album to listen to when you’re sick of talking to who you’re next to in the car. My personal favorite track to blast in the car is “Crosswords.”
Carrie & Lowell (indie folk)
The rain-streaked windows surrounding my carrel as I write this article bring me back to my experiences of listening to this album during similarly rainy car rides this summer. Fall has fallen, rain is here, and leaves are leaving. Many have praised this album before me, but I still want to include it on this list.
The soft, sad, soulful acoustic album by Sufjan Stevens will translate well to autumn landscapes. I can vividly imagine driving through mountains with my friends (or alone) and hearing the gently whispered, “every road leads to an end,” from the track “Death with Dignity.” Subtle critiques on our perceptions of time, experience and relationships aside, Carrie & Lowell is a solid choice of soundtrack for any of your driving needs this fall.
Made in the A.M. (pop)
I was going to start this snippet by saying, “Hear me out: I love One Direction.” I’m changing my tune, however, because honestly, if you have yet to hear a One Direction song you enjoy, you can skip this portion of the article.
From crying alone at breakfast while listening to “Night Changes” in Lowry last week to inflicting various other tracks on the entire Voice office every Tuesday night, One Direction has been there for me. Late-night driving pairs beautifully with pop music, I always say — so make sure you have some in your “driving music” collection. Made in the A.M. will be One Direction’s first release since Zayn Malik’s departure from the band earlier this year. While the album will not be released until November, you can check out singles “Drag Me Down” and “Infinity.”