Ahh, September. With it comes shorter days, cooler nights, and a return to classes. It’s also prime season for new record releases; here are 6 albums that should be required listening this fall.

St. Vincent: Strange Mercy

 Annie Clark, the magical, mystical pixie known as St. Vincent, returns with her 3rd full-length and a lush, twinkling record of warm synths and quirky instrumentation. From the slippery, dreamy pulse of “Cruel” to the unsettled calm of “Surgeon” and hushed confessions of “Champagne Year” this may well be her most intimate and inventive record yet.

Best time to listen: the hazy hours between late-late-night and early-early morning; any time you need an aural escape

Stream it for free: at NPR

See her live: November 2 at Union Transfer

Girls: Father, Son, Holy Ghost

The easy-going sophomore album from Pitchfork darlings Girls is a low-key collection of vintage-inspired grooves that resonate musically AND emotionally, thanks to unforgettable riffs and front man Christopher Owens’s sardonic delivery. Opener “Hunny Bunny” bobs along with a peppy folk bounce, while “Magic”’s classic rock drums and slide guitar feel instantly familiar. Lead single and woozy 6-minute droner “Vomit” recollects Dark Side of the Moon-era Pink Floyd in a truly epic fashion.

Best time to listen: after a bad break-up; when you’re feeling down and need a pick-me-up

Stream it for free: at the Fader

See them live: September 20 at the TLA

Grouplove: Never Trust a Happy Song

Breakout rockers Grouplove debut their first album, an exuberant collection of radio-ready singles that seem made for beach parties, the open road, and drinking games. Opener “Itchin’ on a Photograph” is rousing, clappy, and bombastic (in an Arcade Fire kinda way), while “Tongue Tied” is funky, danceable, and retardedly catchy. “Naked Kids” is an inane, half-sung, half-rapped account of smoking weed and heading to the beach…which is precisely the conditions under which one might enjoy Grouplove.

Best time to listen: driving to the beach with the windows open; Friday after class to kick off the weekend

Stream it for free: at Spin

See them live: No Philly dates on the current tour, but they play NYC’s Bowery Ballroom tonight! (September 14) 

WILD FLAG: WILD FLAG

Before there was Vivian Girls or Dum Dum Girls, there was Sleater-Kinney. And Helium. And the Breeders. And other sweet, riotous, girl-fronted punk groups who made some serious noise back in the ‘90s. WILD FLAG is the recent collaboration between Sleater Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, Helium’s Mary Timony, and The Minders’ Rebecca Cole—and a fiery collection of brash vocals, volatile guitars, and goddamn balls (except like, the female kind.) Opener “Romance” is raw, punchy and inspires destruction, while “Glass Tambourine” matches complex melody with fractured drumming and ethereal vocals.

Best time to listen: while drinking forties on your stoop; while hanging with your girlfriends talking smack about doodz

Stream it for free: at NPR

See them live: October 19 at Union Transfer

The Rapture: In the Grace of Your Love

A capricious and theatrical journey through pulsing beats and addictive rhythms from NYC dance-punk royalty, In the Grace of Your Love finds front man Luke Jenner diving deep into the emotional well, and pulling out tense, powerful and redemptive anthems. But don’t worry; there are dancefloor ragers too, like horn-laced wailer ”Never Die Again” and infinitely re-mixable single “In the Grace of Your Love.”

Best time to listen: somewhere dark, with flashing lights and lots of bodies; while blitzed and sitting on your bed, belting along to lines like “ARE WE ALL CHILDREN?”

Stream it for free: at The Guardian

See them live: October 21 at Making Time at Voyeur

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Hysterical

The third record from the biggest name in 2005; Hysterical sees Clap Your Hands Say Yeah in full repentance for 2007’s meh Some Loud Thunder with a synth-y record of quirky, jangly gems. The title track is urgent, twitching, and vibrant (as we’ve come to expect), while “Misspent Youth” delves into dark, piano-tinged catharsis, Alec Ounsworth’s twangy vocals sounding impressively impassioned. The band’s inaugural show at Union Transfer will be the event of the fall.

Best time to listen: at a backyard bbq; on your headphones or car stereo, cruisin’ around the city

Stream it for free: at NPR

See them live: September 21 at Union Transfer