I might be outside, shivering in the sharp, frigid arctic winds during the winter season. I might be inside, cuddled and bundled inside a fleece blanket next to a warm fireplace. In either case, my headphones are flooded with the comforting melodies of three albums: Radiohead’s OK Computer, American Football’s self-titled album, and Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. These collections soothe my winter blues, bring me back to life, and help me cope with the malaise of these frost-ridden months.
Radiohead’s acclaimed OK Computer pacifies the chill and breathes fresh air into my late-night walks around town. As I stroll past the powder-covered side streets and see the houses smothered in softness, the tracks clear my mind. The electric resonance from the guitar tracks in “Let Down,” “Subterranean Homesick Alien,” and “Paranoid Android” make me feel more collected as a person. Altogether, the songs incite me to wallow in melancholiness and isolation and spark visions of summer where bright, cordial weather welcomes me outdoors.
American Football’s self-titled album feels amply bittersweet, as I turn a corner. Snowflakes powerfully swirl into the air and onto the ground, as elements of loud bass and raw vocals meet layers of canorous tonality. The harmonics of “For Sure” evoke within me a drive for adventure. I pick up my pace. “Never Meant”, “The Summer Ends”, and “Honestly?” reflect the obscure beauty of the distant barren landscape.
Back inside, I feel the wholeness of the Smashing Pumpkins album Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. The dreamy and heartfelt lyrics of “Galapagos” and “Pennies” help me accept the constant shifting of the frigid world around me. The song “By Starlight” highlights the calmness outside the window – the stillness of the winter night filling the air.
Winter forces me to make sense of myself and who I am as a person; the music reminds me that time will pass, and a new season will appear soon. Among the leafless trees, the barren cold, and the glacial atmosphere, these collections bring me back to life. These three albums stop me from being too wistful and help me to accept the past and live in the moment again. Listening to these songs, I feel the hope for spring at the start of this new year.
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