December was one of those months that seemed to be about three months long. I have no idea why. I drove to and from LA two weekends in a row, trying (and failing) to put a holiday mix CD together, spent Christmas happily alone and tried to control myself from reading too many year-end top 10 album lists.

A lot of this month’s interesting tidbits came from listening to albums on other people’s lists, though, so I can’t really knock them that much. It’s a great way to figure out what I missed over the course of the year. That’s where Benea Reach, Shearwater, Okkervil River and Frightened Rabbit all came from.

Happy new year, everyone!

1. Adam Pasion – “Schoolhouse Virginia” (O Hear the Rattling)
2. Johnny Cash – “It Ain’t Me, Babe” (Greatest Hits, Vol. 1)
3. Akon – “Right Now (Na Na Na)” (Freedom)
4. Akon – “I’m So Paid” (Freedom)
5. Horse Feathers – “Curs in the Weeds” (House With No Home)
6. MGMT – “Electric Feel” (Oracular Spectacular)
7. Caroline – “Winter” (Murmurs)
8. Starflyer 59 – “My Name” (Everybody Makes Mistakes)
9. Justice – “Genesis” (A Cross the Universe)
10. Common – “Universal Mind Control” (Universal Mind Control)
11. Horse Feathers – “Father” (House With No Home)
12. Fleet Foxes – “Oliver James” (Fleet Foxes)
13. Okkervil River – “Calling and Not Calling My Ex” (The Stand Ins)
14. Shearwater – “Home Life” (Rook)
15. Benea Reach – “Awakening” (Alleviat)
16. Neko Case – “Look for Me (I’ll Be Around)” (Blacklisted)
17. Benea Reach – “New Waters” (Alleviat)
18. Stars of the Lid – “Even If You’re Never Awake” (And Their Refinement of the Decline)
19. Kanye West – “Say You Will” (808s & Heartbreak)
20. Kanye West – “Paranoid” (808s & Heartbreak)
21. Frightened Rabbit – “Head Rolls Off” (The Midnight Organ Fight)

You know autumn is on its way when reverb and ambient textures start to float back into the soundscape, especially in the form of Neko Case, Fleet Foxes and This Will Destroy You. This year they’re accentuated with some of those warm, 80s-esque synths that M83 and MGMT bring to the table.

Autumn has finally become a season that I can appreciate. Now that I’m beyond school and life is fairly constant aside from the natural seasons, I’m able to enjoy what each season brings, in both the emotional and natural senses. I look forward to the sense of calm darkness and satisfied sadness that reminds me to take comfort as I sit back and watch a year come to a close.

1. Stars of the Lid – “Apreludes (in C sharp major)” (and Their Refinement of the Decline)
2. Spain – “Our Love is Going to Live Forever” (She Haunts My Dreams)
3. Norma Jean – “Death of the Anti Mother” (The Anti Mother)
4. Ponytail – “Celebrate the Body Electric (It Came From an Angel)” (Ice Cream Spiritual)
5. Santogold – “Creator” (Santogold)
6. The Faint – “The Geeks Were Right” (Fasciinatiion)
7. edIT – “Laundry” (Crying Over Pros For No Reason)
8. The Cool Kids – “A Little Bit Cooler” (The Bake Sale)
9. M83 – “Midnight Souls Still Remain” (Saturdays = Youth)
10. Anathallo – “Dokkoise House (With Face Covered)” (Floating World)
11. MGMT – “Time to Pretend” (Oracular Spectacular)
12. This Will Destroy You – “A Three-Legged Workhorse” (This Will Destroy You)
13. Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal” (Fleet Foxes)
14. Neko Case – “Maybe Sparrow” (Fox Confessor Brings the Flood)
15. Delta Spirit – “People, Turn Around” (Ode to Sunshine)
16. Lil Wayne – “Got Money” (Tha Carter III)