Waiting for my words

To catch like I'm trying to strike a match that's soaking wet

If you caught onto the headline right away, you’re in good company — perhaps you, like me, recognize this as the opening line (famous in my mind!) from the excellent Local Natives song “Breakers,” the lead single off the SoCal indie band’s second album “Hummingbird,” released … eight years ago this month. Can you believe how quickly time flies? In fact, that record came out nearly eight years ago to the day (January 29th, to be exact), so it makes for a bit of a fitting music and menswear homage today.

I remember hearing that song for the first time vividly in my college bedroom, almost as well as I remember what I wore to see Local Natives play a fall 2013 concert in Royal Oak (more on both of those in a moment) — and I always recall that “Hummingbird” was released in the frigid cold of a Michigan winter. Fast-forward now to a bitterly cold Brooklyn Tuesday, throw on this song and you’ve got much the same recipe for some introspective listening. As we always do at The Style Guide In Brief, we’ll tie it all together with a throwback track and some inspired menswear — thanks for starting your Tuesday here, folks. Tell all your friends!

What To Listen To This Week: “Breakers” By Local Natives

The soulful stylings of Local Natives (my second favorite band, lest we forget) sure did take a turn on “Hummingbird,” owing in no small part to the departure of founding member Andy Hamm and other personal struggles, and that’s how you get rushing, darker tracks like “Breakers" in the mix. That, and production by one Mr. Aaron Dessner of The National lends itself to striking tracks like this one, a memorable song about internal struggles that hits pretty close to home in these pandemic days.

The song is always propulsive in a live setting, and I’ve had the chance to see the band open with it not once, but twice: Once in Royal Oak on a Friday night trip down from college — my trusty denim jacket and black leather boots accompanying me — and once years later (a May 2019 show in Portland!), and both times, I was blown away. It’s one of those songs that can either lift you off the ground, or give pause for quiet reflection (as this acoustic version proves). The point is, it’s a track that, as I said before, definitely holds up. It was among my favorite songs of the past decade, and whenever I play it, I can’t help but think of throwing on my denim jacket to take a mini-road trip to see ‘em play “back in the day.” Luckily, the same menswear inspiration holds up just as well today. Keep on reading to see why …

What To Wear This Week: Bespoke Post Rogue Box

Alright, so this classic denim jacket from Bespoke Post isn’t a carbon copy of the denim jacket I wore to see Local Natives for the first time (nor during subsequent shows in Brooklyn, for instance!) but it’s a darn fine substitute. When you sign up for Bespoke Post subscription boxes, you can even snag it for under $50. Now, a denim jacket can be worn over a favorite T-shirt in warmer weather as reliably as it can be layered up atop your favorite winter gear when it’s cold out, and on a day like today, you could even team it with a classic navy peacoat. Either way, it’s a classic style staple that’s ideal for an indie rock show in post-pandemic times, and you’ve got the right idea if you team it with some Local Natives in your Bluetooth headphones for a winter stroll.

Shop Bespoke Post

What To Sip This Week: House Beer Lager via Drizly

Let’s head west in an homage to, of course, the origins of today’s featured band. So yes, we’re trucking on out to California for some House Beer, the simply named, deliciously brewed lager hailing from the Golden State (Venice, to be exact). Of course, you can get this fine lager delivered via alcohol delivery service Drizly, an ideal way to enjoy a cold beer at home as you catch up on Local Natives concert videos on YouTube (maybe that’s just me?). And if you’d like to read more about House Beer, you can always check out my blog post featuring ‘em — preferably while sipping a cold one for happy hour, of course.

The Final Pick: Red Wing Iron Ranger Boots in Charcoal

I’ll send you back to Bespoke Post today to shop a pair of classic leather boots that are about as rock n’roll as it gets these days, when there are no shows to be had anymore but via your laptop. There’s hope, though: If you just want a darn fine pair of rugged leather boots that’ll break in wonderfully over time, then you need the iconic Red Wing Heritage Iron Ranger Boots, especially in this unique shade of Charcoal. Wear them with light wash jeans and a a favorite T-shirt in the spring later this year, and lace ‘em up right now with the best jeans for winter, plus a new henley, in the meantime. They won’t let you down, and here’s hoping they’ll be put to good use at a rock sometime in the next … few years?

Join me, if you will, in running through a perfect winter checklist, starting from the ground up. You won’t misstep this season if you’re wearing the Red Wing Heritage Iron Ranger Boots, and the introspective and well-crafted songs of Local Natives, especially off of 2013’s “Hummingbird,” assuredly won’t steer you wrong, either. Throw on a classic denim jacket from Bespoke Post, accessorize accordingly and then stock your fridge with House Beer and … I’d say you’ve set yourself on a path to success this week, yes? To really cap it off the right way, join me back here on Saturday for a winter weekend dispatch. Until then: Stay safe, happy listening, happy shopping.