Top five Albums to spice up your
holiday season
By Josie Martinez, Reporter & Gus Mcsheehy, Reporter
“Songs of Hers” – Hers Rating: 10/10
Hers has done an excellent job at making an indie album that captures the essence of winter. “Medieval,” “Marcel” and “What Once Was” are songs that give off those melancholic and chilly vibes. “Songs of Hers” has songs that will make you feel like you’re in astonishment just because of how well you can feel it in your bones. You will feel like you’re simply drifting through time with no thoughts or worries to bother you. The instrumentals of this album are the strongest parts, and there’s a lot of it—for good reason too. Not only is it a beautiful album, it definitely fits into the frosty feeling of this season.
“Stratosphere” – Duster Rating: 9.5/10
Nothing says the cold like the slowcore genre, and “Stratosphere” fits into that perfectly. Putting this album on, you are immediately teleported to a cold winter night where the stars are at their brightest. The wistful instrumentals and vocals create a sense of bittersweet solitude that mirrors a winter night. Songs “Inside Out” and “Constellations” off the album capture this essence best in my opinion. Sink into the slow bass lines and spacey synths as you float through “Stratosphere.” While it can be slow-paced and hard to follow at times, the album is still worth the listen.
“Hatful of Hollow” – The Smiths Rating: 9/10
“Hatful of Hollow” is an album that is almost the definition of winter vibes. The instruments used and the softer, more drawn out vocals gives it a feeling of comfort similar to the feeling of winter. Everything in this album works nicely together like a record that you would keep replaying. The downfall of this album is that a couple of the songs like “This Charming Man” and “Reel Around the Fountain” give off autumn ambiance. While still close to winter, it’s not exactly what we’re looking for. Our personal favorites on this album are “Back to the Old House” and “How Soon Is Now.” These two give off the best wintery vibes, as well as just being great songs that you could listen to any time of the year.
“French Exit” – TV Girl Rating: 9/10
“TV Girl” is a big contender for best winter album, and there’s a good reason why. “Louise” gives off that dancey and yearning feeling that perfectly describes winter. The high notes give off that bouncy and bright feeling, yet the lower notes give the somber atmosphere. The nemesis of this album is the fact that all the songs sound the same. While they’re all wonderful songs, some difference in the sounds would be great. If you’re a fan of alternative and indie pop, I definitely recommend checking out “Louise,” “Come When You Call” and “Daughter of a Cop” and adding them to your playlists. Although those are my top three, “Talk to Strangers” is an honorary mention.
“Punisher” – Phoebe Bridgers Rating: 9/10
For us, sad girl music is a staple for the winter time, and Bridgers is a quintessential pillar of that subgenre. Bridgers’ sadly beautiful songs and heart wrenching lyrics make you feel like you’re watching your younger self grow up in front of you, which matches the nostalgic feel of the wintertime perfectly. While listening to “Punisher,” wrap yourself in a warm blanket and pour some hot chocolate in your favorite mug and stare out the window at the snow solemnly. You could also cry your heart out to “Moon Song,” or “I Know The End” in the middle of night piled underneath your bed sheets. Your choice! “Punisher” has astonishing storytelling all the way through, and if you love sad indie pop that stabs you in the heart and twists the knife, “Punisher” is the perfect listen for you.