We are the only heirs

Spring music from Local Natives and more for the weekend

In my last newsletter, we talked about NYC rock legends The Strokes, but it’s to the sunny coast of California we’re looking today. And of course, we’re all about sunny optimism and equally sunny music in recent weeks, and that’s where Los Angeles indie rockers Local Natives (shown above!) come into play. I’ve talked about the harmonious group quite a few times in my newsletter (here and here, for starters), and I always find myself returning to their bright and easy-listening tunes (like “The Only Heirs,” a prime weekend listen and a fun 2017 throwback track) when I need a pick-me-up. It helps that they’ve been one of my favorite bands for nearly a decade, so it’s not exactly too much of a leap to throw ‘em on for a Saturday soundtrack. To accessorize and round out today’s post properly, you’ll find a rugged spring jacket, a California craft beer and some fun shopping tips. Start checking off that weekend to-do list, because the weekend starts, well, now.

What To Listen To This Weekend: “The Only Heirs” By Local Natives

As I called out above, today’s featured track is a really lovely, bright and shimmering 2017 track, a favorite from that year (and from the band’s appearance at 2017’s Governors Ball), and a favorite still. Now, Local Natives released a stellar new EP last fall, and they’ve definitely got a penchant for working nearly around the clock even when not preparing for a full-length album. That’s important, because “The Only Heirs” was released in between the group’s excellent 2019 album “Violet Street,” and 2016’s equally stunning “Sunlit Youth,” and it’s nothing to slouch at. It’s, to me, an instantly recognizable song that reminds me of sunlit days and the promise of future Local Natives shows. If you’re not familiar with these SoCal indie rockers, here’s a nice place to start. As ever, it doesn’t hurt that the band are pretty stylish dressers themselves. And on that note …

What To Shop This Weekend: Alex Mill Garment-Dyed Work Jacket

Between this newsletter and my style blog, Alex Mill, out of New York, is a brand getting a lot of attention from yours truly, and for all the right reasons as we roll into spring. The brand makes some of the best new menswear I’ve seen in some time, the kind to wear for spring weekend brewery outings and eventually, socially distanced outdoor shows (one day!). Take this rugged spring jacket, the kind of functional piece that’s going to look great, perform all day long and blend in stylishly at an outdoor concert (here’s hoping we get shows at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park this summer!). It’s also a sustainable jacket, made from upcycled material. And hey, it doesn’t hurt that it looks like the kind of jacket you might find Local Natives’ lead singer Taylor Rice wearing on stage.

Shop Alex Mill

What To Sip This Weekend: Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale via Drizly

If you read this newsletter or my regular style blog, you know that the old standbys — in matters of menswear and craft beer — are always welcome and in fact, encouraged. They’re classics for a reason (much like today’s featured track, ehh?), and Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale is in good company as far as underrated, yet reliable, performers on the beer front in particular. DBA was the first beer ever brewed by the erstwhile California brewery, and it’s got the unique chops to match. This is the brewery’s take on the English pale ale, partially fermented in its oak-barrel brewing system, and it’s the perfect beer to enjoy just about any time of year (it’s a very agreeable 5 percent ABV). Oh, and it’s even better to enjoy it this year, as Firestone Walker celebrates 25 years of brewing. I’ll drink to that this weekend.

The Final Pick: Dehen 1920 Pocket Tee via UNCRATE

From a deal on the best men’s henley to plenty of the best men’s gear picks for spring, UNCRATE is a one-stop shop for classic essentials. It’s fitting, then, that you can find the Dehen 1920 Pocket Tee within its well-stocked digital shelves. It’s the kind of reliable standby that fits with the theme of today’s newsletter dispatch, after all, and it’s the kind of tee you can wear on its own or underneath a denim shirt to stop by your favorite brewery or (one day, at least), head to a stunning indie rock show. That makes it darn near the perfect men’s T-shirt, in my book.

Talk about a jam-packed weekend to-do list, ehh? You’ve got to start shopping for your rugged spring jacket while listening to a new favorite band (thanks to Local Natives for “The Only Heirs”!) and you’ve also got to stock up on other classics, like the spring-minded and festival-ready Dehen 1920 Pocket Tee. Of course, it’s not the weekend without a new favorite beer, the classic Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale. Alright, do you have all that down? Let’s make it a great weekend.