Ain't dead yet

The latest from Lord Huron, with spring menswear & whiskey to match

Put on any song by California-by-way-of-Michigan folk rockers Lord Huron (like the jaunty “Not Dead Yet,” today’s featured track), and you really are entering another world, another time, another place. It’s a welcome respite any day of the week, much less Tuesday as we power through another week, book vaccine appointments, make travel plans — hello, Outside Lands 2021! — and perhaps, do some seasonal shopping. It’s all wrapped up into one handy dispatch here at The Style Guide In Brief, your twice-weekly guide to the best music, menswear and craft beer (or in this case, whiskey) for the season ahead. If you’re not yet familiar with my regular style blog, The Style Guide (get the connection between the names??), you should know I publish over there seven days a week.

Let’s keep it tuned towards music & more today, though. On Saturday, I talked about the latest track from the forthcoming Modest Mouse album, and today, we’ll keep our ear to the ground with just over a week until Lord Huron releases its new album “Long Lost,” led by enigmatic and stylish frontman Ben Schneider. It’s an album I’ve been waiting for since it was announced earlier this year, and there’s no better way to ring in springtime than with tracks that remind you of wide open spaces and fresh air, as the music of Lord Huron so often does (just check out my take on the Lord Huron classic “Way Out There,” in fact). And that’s not all: I talked about them in the very first edition of this newsletter last summer, too. Today, we’re looking both ahead and behind, pretty similar to how Schneider & co. craft some standout tunes. Plug in and take a journey with me.

What To Listen To This Week: “Not Dead Yet” By Lord Huron

Ben Schneider and the gentlemen of Lord Huron make music that’s both fresh and timeless, difficult to pin down and yet universal, yearning and searching. A song like “Not Dead Yet” captures the Lord Huron sound perfectly, with twangy guitar interplay, sturdy drums and a strange sort of hardy optimism that you might find in a wild West gunslinger or an explorer. Or better still, the unique viewpoint of Tubbs Tarbell, the mysterious narrator of the band’s “Alive At Whispering Pines” variety show, which featured new music from the band in four installments this past winter and spring.

When Lord Huron dives into a new album, the band creates its own world. Call it a welcome escape from the day-to-day grind (and the pandemic has definitely been a grind!), but I find that when I sit back and listen to Lord Huron, I go on a pretty neat journey. If you feel the same way, be sure to leave a note in the comments. And oh, yes: Stay tuned for “Long Lost” to release on May 21st — you know I’ll have more to say on it then. In the meantime, stock up on some new vinyl below.

What To Shop This Week: Taylor Stitch Ojai Jacket via UNCRATE

Any newsletter featuring Lord Huron has to get into the band’s equally timeless style, including looks worn by Ben Schneider on stage (from Western shirting to Stetson hats and more). So, here’s my recommended shopping pick, in keeping with the theme of the day. The Taylor Stitch Ojai Jacket is part workwear jacket, part blazer and part travel jacket, all rolled up into one. And I’d wager it’ll look mighty stylish for the season ahead, even if you’re not a famed folk rocker. Plus, when the going gets cold or breezy — I’m already thinking ahead to my fall music festival in San Francisco — this rugged workwear jacket will come in mighty handy. Wear yours this season when it gets breezy, ideally alongside your favorite Taylor Stitch shirt.

What To Sip This Week: Bib & Tucker 6-Year Small Batch Bourbon via Drizly

Whether you’re enjoying the energetic and transcendent live show of Lord Huron at The National’s Homecoming Festival or you just so happen to catch the band in rare form at Brooklyn Steel (as I did — on both occasions!), a good, stiff drink is never bad a call. And although I can’t deny the perfect pairing that is a folk rock show and a flavorful, fresh craft beer, I’m equally enthralled by the prospect of enjoying some seriously cool bourbon at an outdoor festival or at a music venue-adjacent whiskey bar.

So, while we wait for live shows to return, head on over to Drizly, place your delivery order and then get ready to sip on Bib & Tucker 6-Year Small Batch Bourbon , a change of pace if you’ve found yourself imbibing Irish whiskey (for St. Patrick’s Day) or another bar cart staple like Bulleit. It’s double-distilled using American white oak barrels, and what that means is that, kind of like Lord Huron, Bib & Tucker is doing things differently, and that’s perfectly alright in my book.

The Final Pick: Red Wing Heritage Black Prairie Moc Boots via UNCRATE

If you’ve read this newsletter day in and day out, you know that I’m a big advocate for simple pairings in life that go a long, long way. Take the ideal mix of bourbon, folk rock, a new favorite jacket and now, your new favorite leather boots. In fact, I love the fact that, as I so often say, I can wear my Red Wing Heritage boots all around Brooklyn, then to a favorite restaurant, then out to a rock show, all without missing a beat. I’ve already got some concert tickets in the mix for fall shows, and of course, I really can’t think of a better pair of boots to wear to a concert than these sleek-yet-rugged Red Wing Heritage boots. If you agree, you know where to shop ‘em.

What’s not to love about using this newsletter as a fresh way to start (or end, or power through) your Tuesday? I’ve already got my daily lineup sorted for the day as far as style wish list items are concerned — like the Red Wing Heritage boots and the Taylor Stitch Ojai Jacket as shown above — and I know what I’m going to be sipping on later (if you guessed Bib & Tucker 6-Year Small Batch Bourbon, you’re correct!). To top it all off, do yourself a favor and join me by playing “Not Dead Yet” By Lord Huron on, well, possibly your Bluetooth speaker set-up. Above all else, thanks for reading and supporting The Style Guide In Brief — tell all your friends!