Maybe I'm living proof

The new single from The War On Drugs, and a side of summer gear and cold beer

Monday dawned bright and early after a busy weekend trip to Washington D.C. for yours truly (on behalf of Maxim, visiting the Riggs Hotel!), but motivation was easy to come by: We were greeted by not one, but two huge news items. If you’ve listened to the new single from The War On Drugs, “Living Proof,” perhaps the lyric in today’s headline has been swirling around in your mind for hours on end. So, there’s the first batch of news: A new album and tour from Philly-founded heartland rockers The War On Drugs! I couldn’t be more thrilled. It’s the piece of news that’s most relevant to today’s music-menswear-craft beer newsletter, but I was equally thrilled to hear that The Killers (as you’ve read about here by yours truly on Esquire.com) are back in business with new album “Pressure Machine,” due out August 13th.

Could it get any better?? Well, the only thing that might improve the state of affairs would be live shows prior to 2022 by both bands — but each group is set to mount extensive U.S. and European tours next year. That being said, you’re going to have some new songs to brush up on, starting with today’s featured single, and I reckon you’re also going to want to wear some new gear and sip on some ice-cold beer to celebrate the return of live music. That’s what I’m looking forward to most — to get things headed in the right direction, I’ve already written about some beers you should drink now over at Fatherly. But back to the task at hand: The rest of today’s newsletter, and your guide to the rest of this week, awaits below.

What To Listen To This Week: “Living Proof” By The War On Drugs

Be it early 2010s throwback classics from The War On Drugs or a favorite track from one of the decade’s most acclaimed albums, I can’t get enough of the perspective-shifting, genre-bending, propulsive rock music that lead singer Adam Granduciel and co. come up with, time after time. Heartland rock is the most common moniker that sticks to the band, founded more than a decade ago by Granduciel and bandmate-turned-solo-rocker Kurt Vile, but there are larger forces at play here (including the use of saxophone on the band’s albums and in their excellent live shows). “Living Proof” is as fine an example of the band’s versatility as any: It’s soft and slow, with a searing guitar run at the end, and it’s beautifully written. The video features a solitary Granduciel against a backdrop of wavy fields, driving a yellow pick-up truck — classic iconography that the band pulls off without feeling dated. Fans have noted the tempo is a notch down from War On Drugs classics like “Red Eyes,” making it a curious choice for a single, but to me, it fits well within the new sonic universe the band is building. If you agree, let me know in the comments. And before you fall in love with this song and gear up to see the band live, you’re going to need something to wear. I’ve got you covered.

What To Shop This Week: Flint and Tinder Selvage Architect Shirt

Now, I talked in my Saturday newsletter about the perfect lightweight cotton shirt to wear during hot summer days, so it’s only fitting we keep that theme rolling. After all, the subject of Saturday’s newsletter was the folk rock side project Big Red Machine — that’d be Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner, two guys who know their way around a flannel shirt. Adam Granduciel’s shirt of choice onstage? You guessed it: A flannel shirt. This Huckberry long-sleeve shirt is a bit more summer-friendly, but no less wearable when layered properly through fall and winter (it helps that The War On Drugs start their tour next year in January here in the States). Shop now, listen to some War On Drugs rock music on a loop, and get yourself ready to get back in “tour form,” as it were.

What To Sip This Week: Threes Brewing Vliet + Logical Conclusion IPA 24-Pack — Get 10% Off Your First Order with the Code BEAU10

Both in this newsletter and on my blog, I’ve been spreading the word about the stellar discount you can get on your first order (of $50 or more) at Brooklyn’s Threes Brewing. It’s hot out there and good beer can be tough to come by if you don’t want to leave the house, which is why you should take advantage of this Threes Brewing 24-pack right now. Again, that code BEAU10 gets you a nice discount, but it’s the variety that’s the real winner here. Call it an even split between 12 of the brewery’s famed pilsners, and 12 excellent IPAs. The Logical Conclusion is perfectly balanced, and the Vliet Pilsner is eminently crushable. It’s a winning situation all the way around. Plus, I tend to find that a cold beer pairs especially well with some ethereal rock music from The War On Drugs on a hot summer’s night.

The Final Pick: Nicks Boots Falcon Boots

Just as we started this newsletter off with a look at the new single from The War On Drugs, let’s say we finish it off — per tradition — with a pair of leather boots that might not look out of place when worn by Mr. Adam Granduciel. One only need look at the cover of the band’s forthcoming album (due out October 29th!) to see that Granduciel is in full-on rock mode, from the red flannel shirt to the black jeans and the broken-in boots. You aren’t going to quite be able to pull off that same look in the middle of summer, but it’s worth planning ahead and investing in the best leather boots right now all the same. You can buy these rugged leather boots at Huckberry (a site I write about all the time on my daily style blog), so you know they’re a safe (and likely rock star-approved!) bet.

Whenever a band I love comes out with a new single, it immediately sends me on something of a marathon “sprint,” jumping right back into the band’s discography and rediscovering what I love about them. I’ve been doing that with The War On Drugs since yesterday, and maybe today’s newsletter will spur you on in a similar direction. Hopefully, the supporting cast of my weekly picks does the same thing, be it the rock n’roll-ready rugged leather boots at Huckberry in our Final Pick, or the rock star-approved Huckberry long-sleeve shirt shown above. With the promise of live shows on the way and songs like “Living Proof” By The War On Drugs on the horizon, I can’t wait to see the journey on which this next album will take me. Listen closely, and you might start to feel the same way.