Lizzy McAlpine is Bringing Back Sad Girl Fall.

Graphics by Kylie Adedeji

Last week, Lizzy McAlpine announced the release of the deluxe version of her third studio album, Older (and Wiser), and the sad girls are so ready. 

We’ve had an amazing summer of pop and house hits from Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Clairo and the one and only Charli xcx. However, now that the autumn weather is finally rolling in, it’s time for us low-serotonin girls to return to our roots. We’re ready to stop bumpin’ that and start betting on losing dogs. 

In April, McAlpine released Older, a raw, poignant indie pop album that narrates the ups and downs of a 4-year-long situationship. The record is beautiful, complex and a little too relatable (seriously, Lizzy, give me one song that’s not about me). 

Older (and Wiser) will drop on Oct. 4 and feature five new songs: Method Acting (demo), Soccer Practice, Force of Nature, Spring Into Summer, and the lead single, titled Pushing It Down and Praying, which was released on Sep. 20. The alternative pop song and its music video – the first for any song on Older – take us through Lizzy’s internal conflict of having a successful physical relationship, but fighting the urge to search for something deeper with someone else. The song’s compelling lyricism and moving chords only enhance the emotion displayed in the lyrics. If it’s any indication of what the rest of the releases will be like, we cannot possibly be normal about any of these songs. 

During her Older tour this year, McAlpine told crowds of fans that an earlier version of Force of Nature was originally a part of the album’s tracklist, but was replaced by the title track Older and rewritten later.

I was lucky enough to hear Force of Nature live in June during the East Coast leg of the tour. The adrenaline may have made the experience a bit blurry, but from what I remember, the song is mesmerizing and devastating in the best possible way. Finally having the ability to stream it non-stop will ruin me. 

Spring Into Summer and Soccer Practice were also played on the tour and teased on Instagram, respectively. With subjects regarding fantasies of domestic bliss and reeling from the finality of a breakup, we literally can’t wait to stream these songs over and over (and over and over). 

The original album included singles I Guess and title track Older, both of which reflect the album’s central themes of living with the notions of what changes and what remains the same as time goes on. She even throws a few upbeat indie pop tracks amongst the acoustic and piano songs;  All Falls Down exploring the inevitable expiration of “hotness” in women and Come Down Soon, which reminds us that if he seems too good to be true, he 100% is. 

The album ends with Vortex, a reflective and ultimately hopeful ballad about letting go and moving on which I – a person who desperately needs to learn how to do both of those things – mayyy have had on repeat these past six months. 

McAlpine’s continuation of these themes, reflections, and overall vibes on Older (and Wiser) is sure to complete our Sad Girl Fall. Alongside staples like Funeral, Scott Street and Savior Complex by Phoebe Bridgers, Francis Forever, My Love Mine All Mine and Once More to See You by Mitski and Northern Attitude and Halloween by Noah Kahan, her new releases will makes us feel at home in the pensive atmosphere we’ll be feeling during these chilly days and long nights.