It's getting to be that time of year again. Fall has finally begun, and for many people, their favorite time of year has kicked off. If it wasn't already obvious, music is probably the biggest part of my life, and I listen to a wide variety of genres. With that being said, I always have my go-to artists, but there are specific albums I listen to a greater number of times depending on the season. With that being said, I bring you my list of my top ten albums (or EPs) to listen to during fall (in no particular order).

1. Casey Bolles - "Freshman"

Casey Bolles is an artist who has been around since 2013, and his latest effort, "Freshman," is nothing short of amazing. On top of the motif heard throughout the album, "I found peace in a parking lot," you will often find yourself in the midst of relatable, emotional lyrics about life, relationships, self-worth, and even death. An acoustic EP, this release does nothing short of blow my mind every time I listen to it.

Genre: Acoustic

2. Brand New - "The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me"

While this album has been around since 2006, it's timeless. Reaching its ninth year anniversary this November, the album has been referred to by many as Brand New's best release. It has a lot of notoriety in the Tumblr community and is often the album that gets people into Brand New. Almost every song on this record is a slow buildup to an eventual loud, epic, climactic ending tied with Jesse Lacey's genius lyrical skills to make the listener feel as if they are a part of the story in each song. This is the perfect album to listen to while on long drives under cloudy skies or when you're in your room reading a book with all the lights off except for the plugin Christmas lights that you never take down.

Genre: Indie / Alternative / Emo

3. Lydia - "Illuminate"

Referred to by many as their best album, Lydia's "Illuminate" is very much a "fall album." Before I go any further, I need to preface this description with the fact that Lydia is my second favorite band of all time. I've met them twice, and I'm going to meet them for the third time at their show on Oct. 8 at Musica in Akron, Ohio. This seamless (meaning every song fades into the next without a second of silence between each other) album, to some, is life changing. Each song is beautifully crafted with vocals from Leighton Antelman and Mindy White. Quite simply put, this album sounds gentle and pretty. With a perfect mixture of ups and downs, this album is a release that anyone can easily fall in love with from the first listen.

Genre: Indie

4. Death Cab For Cutie - "The Photo Album"

"The Photo Album" is Death Cab For Cutie's third album and their first before they dropped their emo, lo-fi sound for a new, polished indie sound. A somewhat confessional album, vocalist Ben Gibbard talks about love and his relationship with his father on top of other songs jam-packed with slowed-down, melodies that show the band's maturation from the previous two releases. Paired with a general lonely vibe, this album generally has a "careless" feel in that not every song is perfect, but the band knows that they don't have to be and that's okay.

Genre: Lo-fi / Emo / Indie

5. American Football - "American Football"

American Football's self-titled album from 1999 is one that paved the way for modern emo and pop-punk bands such as Real Friends, Foxing, The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, Balance and Composure, Into It. Over It., Touché Amoré... the list goes on. This release has a somewhat bittersweet feel to it. With beautiful guitar work and somewhat apathetic vocal delivery, this is very much a fall album. Unfortunately, American Football has yet to come out with anything since 1999, but we can hope for a new album in the coming years because they came out of retirement in 2014 and started playing shows again.

Genre: Emo

6. The Weeknd - "Echoes of Silence"

"Echoes of Silence" is the first release I heard by Abel Tesfaye, more formally known as The Weeknd. This tape is nothing short of amazing. It has a much more lonely vibe than the first two releases of the trilogy, "House of Balloons" and "Thursday." The mixtape kicks off with a cover of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana" that draws the singer in until the last song, "Echoes of Silence," which has a hollow, chilling feel. The production in this release is much fuller and, in my opinion, makes it the best of the trilogy. This is the perfect album to listen to any time, but it gets the most plays for me during fall especially.

Genre: R&B

7. Manchester Orchestra - "Mean Everything To Nothing"

Manchester Orchestra is an alternative / indie rock band founded in 2004. Their sophomore album, "Mean Everything To Nothing," is nothing short of ambitious. Paired with very emotional lyrics is Andy Hull's unique, comforting voice that only increases the raw feeling of the entire album. While this release is very loud and full of instrumentation and sound, it is very much straight from the heart. One song, in particular, "I Can Feel a Hot One," retells a dream Hull had about his wife dying in a car crash. This is by far the most emotional song on the album. In an interview, Hull had this to say: "...I dreamed my wife was pregnant at the time and I lost her. But this life was inside her, and in some weird way I was able to celebrate that there was some new life coming with one ending." Simply put, this album delivers from start to end.

Genre: Indie / Alternative

8. Owl City - "Of June"

Adam Young's first release as Owl City, "Of June," is one that I will never stop listening to. This EP was written for the summer, but it's meant to be heard during the fall. Each song is reminiscent of rainy days, nighttime, and even snow, and this is because of the chords and lyrics delivered throughout. Some of Adam Young's best works lie within this album, like "Designer Skyline," "Fuzzy Blue Lights," and "Captains and Cruise Ships." This EP is the epitome of sweater weather.

Genre: Electronic / Pop

9. Pianos Become The Teeth - "Keep You"

Pianos Become The Teeth is a very unique band in that before this release, they were entirely post-hardcore. A now-emo band, their third full-length album, "Keep You," is refreshing and sweet. Though vocalist Kyle Durfey still delivers his vocals with a slight rasp, this album is comprised entirely of clean vocals. Met with melancholy lyrics and a beautiful singing voice come finger-picked guitars and a relaxing tone. Most of the songs on this release start out quiet and build up to a crescendo of softly hit drumheads and strummed guitar chords. If a more perfect album than this 2014 release lies out there, please let me know.

Genre: Emo

10. The Shins - "Port of Morrow"

Last, but not least, we have "Port of Morrow" by The Shins. This album is their fourth effort since 2001. To put it simply, this album always reminds me of skating through streets on cold, windy days. Each song on this album has its own unique feel, and that has come to be somewhat of a standard for The Shins to hold up to. Vocalist James Mercer is another singer with a very unique voice in the music scene. The title track, "Port Of Morrow," serves as a reminder that life is precious. In an interview with Magnet Magazine, Mercer had this to say: "...The song sort is sort of a summing up of this whole idea that life is at once beautiful and grotesque, and we live in a state of ignorance and a state of terror." Although this album has no central idea, that may be for the best. James Mercer is known best for being himself and writing what he likes to write, and, therefore, this album does not fall into any specific niche that could categorize or even compare it to other albums or bands. You just have to listen to it to understand it.

Genre: Indie

This top ten list was meant to be a way for the reader to find new music to listen to. Although I wrote what genre each album falls into, I would not recommend going by that description. I encourage each reader to listen to at least one song from each album to decide for themselves if they like that specific artist. There were also many albums I wanted to include in this list, but it would have been far too long. All in all, if you are looking for new music to listen to, this is the list for you. All of these albums have a very autumn feel to them, in my opinion, and get the most listens during this specific time of year from myself. If you have anything to say about the list I chose, or would like to make some suggestions, leave a comment below. I am always open to listening to new music!