Everything but the kitchen sink

A huge indie music Friday, weekend craft beer & summer menswear

My friends, welcome to Saturday. The headline of today’s music-menswear-craft beer newsletter is a pretty apt one, with an emphasis on the music portion of today’s activities (note the amp above, yes?). I usually highlight one stellar new music release, be it from The Killers and Bruce Springsteen, Chicago indie rockers Moontype or Scottish synth pop trio CHVRCHES (to name but a few). You’ll then get menswear to shop and beer to drink, of course. But as I listened to a dearth of new music releases on Friday — dozens dropped across the board in the indie world — I couldn’t pick out just one favorite. Believe me when I say that doesn’t happen very often, but it did indeed this time.

So, well, I’m offering up everything but the kitchen sink. Head to my Spotify WFH playlist and check out a few choice favorites at the bottom of said playlist — I’ll offer a few specific picks in mere moments, but it really is a remarkable thing when everyone from Lucy Dacus to Brooklyn rockers Lightning Bug and Pom Pom Squad deliver stellar albums for a day full of writing and editing (on my end, at least). Heck, even one of my favorite bands of the moment, Wild Pink, released a new EP.

Now, if you found this newsletter on Twitter or elsewhere online, hit Subscribe above — I send out two free dispatches every week, with a featured song and more. I also write daily on my style blog, and I cover everything from watches to craft beer for Maxim, AskMen and others (I’m currently staying plenty busy, despite working from Florida). But music is what gets me through the day, along with the promise of live shows on the horizon — here’s to celebrating the latest and greatest out there. Your summer listening is nearly all set. Nearly — just keep scrolling.

What To Listen To This Weekend: Lightning Bug, Pom Pom Squad and Wild Pink

As I mentioned above, I put a selected track from each of the highlighted releases into my own Spotify WFH playlist, which I’ve built into 200 tracks and counting over about the past year of, well, working from home. And as you might have gathered if you’ve kept up with new music releases this week, there’s a ton out there. In the interest of time, I’m calling out three that struck a chord with me (pun intended) particularly. Brooklyn rockers Pom Pom Squad, behind the emotive frontperson Mia Berrin, deliver gritty, grungy rock that’s a bit punk-ish and a whole lot of fun to listen to, yet these are also deeply personal, emotional songs seemingly ripped from the pages of Berrin’s diary. And then there’s Lightning Bug’s new album, “A Color of the Sky” — it’s a distinctive, arresting record with one of the prettiest songs I’ve heard in some time, “Wings of Desire.” It’s a lovely listen if you’re a fan of shoegaze bands. And to wrap up this overview, it’s worth your time to listen to the new “3 Songs EP” from Wild Pink, featuring — you guessed it — three tracks recorded separately from the band’s most recent, excellent album, “A Billion Little Lights”, and I’m already a big fan. I’d say that’s more than enough music to get the weekend rolling, right? Now about your summer wardrobe…

What To Shop This Weekend: Flint and Tinder Denim Trucker Jacket

If you think about Friday’s slate of new releases as “everything but the kitchen sink,” think of this rugged light wash denim jacket as the piece you’ll wear as you trek around this weekend and catch up on some new tunes. Or think of it like the jacket you’ll wear to see some of these bands on the road (finally!) this fall. Or think of it like the jacket you’ll wear on a road trip… with your soundtrack already set up. Any way you slice it, the Flint and Tinder Denim Trucker Jacket is one high-quality, throwback-inspired piece with just a bit of that “indie rock” edge thrown in the mix. It’s your new favorite jacket for summer weekends, cold beer in hand as you turn up the volume on that Pom Pom Squad release.

What To Sip This Weekend: Cigar City Brewing Tampa-Style Lager

I mentioned above that it was tough to sort through this week’s new music releases. It’s been just about as difficult to sort through the best new seasonal beer, although I attempted to do so for Maxim — and here’s one of my more recent favorites, in an homage to the time I’ve been spending down in the Sunshine State. When you want an easy yet flavorful sipper, the kind you can easily crack open on a hot summer day with the subtle sounds of Wild Pink playing in the background, reach for a fresh Cigar City Brewing Tampa-Style Lager. It’s a quick and easy way to lift your mood and accent some stellar summer listening. Even better? Get beer delivered to your door with Drizly. Cheers, my friends.

The Final Pick: Veja Nova Sneakers

If you’ve kept up with this newsletter since it debuted last July, you know that I’m all about the proper pairings, especially indie rock, casual-yet-cool menswear and the footwear to match. Some things just work together seamlessly, and that’s how I feel about the Veja Nova Sneakers. If you want to think about it like an A-to-Z approach, which you certainly should, then the Veja Nova Sneakers are the shoes to wear as you hit the road to catch one of today’s featured bands, and the Flint and Tinder Denim Trucker Jacket is the jacket you’re wearing along the way. It’s all related, in my book. Regardless of that, they’re just a cool-as-can-be pair of high-top sneakers for summer. Act quickly to make them yours.

Hopefully, in the process of checking out today’s newsletter, you got hip to some new tracks, or revisited a band or two that had been on your radar (like Wild Pink). That’s the beauty of brand-new releases every week — there’s always something coming down the pipeline, whether it’s nuanced rock music, fresh craft beer or standout menswear. Lace up your Veja Nova Sneakers, grab that Flint and Tinder Denim Trucker Jacket, crack open a cold one from Cigar City and spin the wheel that is this week’s new music releases. There’s no wrong way to go. Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you back here on Tuesday.