I wanna take the ferry to Michigan

On Chicago indie rock, spring craft beer and a new spring jacket

I’ll head this one off early, because I know what you might be thinking after reading that headline: How the heck am I going to take the ferry to Michigan if I’m in Brooklyn?? Not so fast, my well-read friends and fans of The Style Guide In Brief, music-menswear-craft beer dispatch. We’re kicking things off today with some proper Midwest indie rock from Chicago’s Moontype, and the excellent song “Ferry,” off the trio’s just-released new album “Bodies of Water,” already one of my favorite releases of the year. The trio makes music that’s at times quiet and introspective, at times bold and made to be played loud (like “Ferry,” for instance!) and that sentiment, as discussed here by Stereogum, is a pretty fitting one. Heck, as I write this newsletter dispatch, the chilly Brooklyn air even reminds me of an unexpected Midwest cold front. I’ll be bundled up and listening to Moontype to lead into the weekend, with a side helping of menswear and craft beer to match (as is custom here at The Style Guide In Brief). Be sure to read and subscribe, be sure to tell all your friends and be sure to enjoy that weekend!

What To Listen To This Weekend: “Ferry” By Moontype

Any time I get wind of a rock band making what you might call capital-I Indie Rock, especially out of the Midwest (like Ohio rockers Citizen), I’m inclined to sit up and listen. And when that band makes a really balanced debut record, with short songs that fly by under 2 minutes as well as quiet ballads and lo-fi rockers in equal measure, well, you can certainly count on my vote. Lead singer Margaret McCarthy teams with Emerson Hunton on drums and Ben Cruz on guitar to create Moontype and to craft deeply emotional songs like “Ferry,” which, as McCarthy describes here in talking to The FADER, isn’t so much about looking forward to a new destination as it is needing to get away somewhere else. Of course, when hearing this song, I thought, first and foremost, about the ferry to Mackinac Island in the north of Michigan, which is definitely a bit of a contrast to this track. That being said, I always appreciate a band willing to go out on a limb and deliver bold new tracks out of the Midwest, and they’ve got a newfound fan in me. How about you? With that spirit in mind — a fresh track for a fresh weekend — keep scrolling to see what should be new and next in your shopping cart.

What To Shop This Weekend: Flint and Tinder Unlined Waxed Trucker Jacket

For a spring weekend filled with indie rock, Brooklyn strolls, hearty craft beer (more on that in a moment) and breezy days, you simply can’t go wrong with the Flint and Tinder Unlined Waxed Trucker Jacket. If you read my regular style blog, you know that Flint and Tinder, as sold by San Francisco-based retailers Huckberry, is a stone-cold classic and a personal favorite of mine. This rugged waxed trucker jacket is new into the Huckberry New Arrivals section, as if you needed more reason to pick it up. With those front button chest pockets, tough waxed canvas fabric and a nice range of color options, think of it like a stylish and utilitarian jacket to carry you through spring and to serve you well as live music starts to heat back up (after all, you need a place to store your earplugs, right?). As ever, it’s a crucial addition to any spring style rotation.

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What To Sip This Weekend: BrewDog Lost Lager via Drizly

If you read this newsletter as often as you should (twice a week, folks!), then you know that I’m all about the significance of a finely crafted beer and the nuance of a delicately balanced indie rock track. They’re more closely related than you might think, and that’s why it’s fitting that Scottish craft beer purveyors BrewDog have taken what you might call a “punk rock” approach to beer. For starters: Have you seen the amazing BrewDog DogHouse Craft Beer Hotel?? I covered it for GearMoose, and it’s a sight to behold. As to BrewDog: Its fans are stakeholders in the operation, its brewpubs in the likes of Edinburgh and London (two favorites of mine!) are carefully designed and cool as heck to while away the day in with a pint, and the overall approach is much more nuanced than macro beers.

The same could be said of an innovative indie rock band, I think — right? That’s where the BrewDog Lost Lager comes into play, a beer I’ve had the pleasure of trying out this week as welcome spring. It’s light, it’s refreshing, it’s branded as a 21st-century pilsner, and I agree with all of the above — and then some. Get it delivered to you via Drizly ASAP.

The Final Pick: Wolverine 1000 Mile Evans Leather Boots

Let’s close this thing out with an homage to the Midwest and Moontype’s Chicago roots, shall we? In the song “Ferry” off the aforementioned excellent debut album, lead singer Margaret McCarthy sings of taking the ferry to Michigan — in the most literal sense, that’s where you’ll find (among other things), today’s final pick. I’m talking, of course, about a pair of rock show-ready Wolverine boots, the kind you can beat up on daily walks and brewery visits and summer adventures in and around the Mitten State (and just about anywhere, for that matter). The Wolverine 1000 Mile Collection is a favorite of mine, as suited for Chicago and New York winter as it is for exploring Beer City U.S.A back in Michigan. Buy these rugged leather boots now, lace ‘em up and thank me later, will ya?

If I can discover new music (like Chicago’s Moontype) and new craft beer, menswear and gear in a week or a weekend, that counts as a win in my book. The combination of a powerful indie rock track, enjoyed alongside a fresh craft beer like the BrewDog Lost Lager while shopping for, say, some rugged leather boots? That’s an ideal combination, one that I can’t get enough of any day of the week. If you end up listening to Moontype, let me know in the comments. And of course, if you want a full dose of men’s style on the daily, you can check out my style blog or read my bylines at Maxim.com and more.