16. The Dirty Projectors - 'Swing Lo Magellan' + Greyhound

The Dirty Projectors - ‘Swing Lo Magellan' + Greyhound

Ingredients: Vodka, grapefruit juice

Mixing instruction: Pour vodka and grapefruit juice on top of ice in a cocktail glass. Stir well.

General instructions: Get ready, friends, this album is going to change the momentum of your summer for the better.  You could find the album streaming online, but we recommend pre-ordering the vinyl (it’s released on Tuesday July 10, 2012) and waiting to get the full experience.  Streaming from your computer with a can of coke zero won’t make you feel nearly as good as unwrapping your record for the first time, dropping the needle, and slipping back in your lounger to hear this album for the first time at the end of your day… and every day following for the foreseeable future.

Purchase Vinyl:  Amazon  ||  Insound

15. The Long Winters - 'Putting the Days to Bed' + Root Beer Float

The Long Winters - ‘Putting the Days to Bed' + Root Beer Float

Ingredients:  Root Beer, Vanilla Ice cream, Whipped Cream, cherry

Mixing instructions: Large glass, match ice cream quantity to appetite, enough root beer to fill your large glass (plus extra for reloads).  Whipped cream on top and cherry to garnish.  We recommend a long spoon for when your straw isn’t enough (it never is).

Listening Instructions:  There is literally no wrong way to do this.  John Roderick might recommend you draw a bath and light some candles as a pre listening checklist… but let the album and the Root Beer float help you appreciate life’s greatest pleasures in whatever way you choose.

Bonus points for the roast beef sandwich anywhere in the equation.

Thanks John!

Purchase Vinyl:  Amazon 

14. Heartless Bastards - 'Arrow' + Whiskey Sour

Heartless Bastards - ‘Arrow' + Whiskey Sour

Ingredients: 2 oz whiskey, 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 cherry, lemon slice

Mixing Instructions:  Put all the ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice.  Strain into highball glass.  Add lemon slice and cherry to garnish.

Listening Instructions:  Erika Wennerstrom and crew waste no time getting this album going with Marathon, and you should waste no time getting into your whiskey sour(s).  You’ve got 4 sides of excellent music to keep pace with… so no matter how you get there, we recommend a fresh drink for the closer, Down in the Canyon.

Purchase Vinyl:  Amazon  ||  Insound

13. The Black Keys - 'El Camino' + Rosita Cocktail

The Black Keys - ‘El Camino’ + Rosita Cocktail

Ingredients:  1 1/2 oz reposado tequila, 1/2 oz sweet vermouth, 1/2 oz dry vermouth, 1/2 oz Campari, 1 dash bitters, cracked ice, lemon twist

Mixing Instructions:  stir ingredients in a shaker with ice cubes, strain into glass filled with cracked ice and garnish with lemon twist.

Listening Instructions:  volume moderately high to start for the opening track “Lonely Boy.”  Let the beat propel you as you organize ingredients for your drink.  Use track 2, “Dead and Gone” to mix your cocktail and situate yourself for an evening of Black Keys’ bliss.  Crank the volume up for track 3, “Gold on the Ceiling” as you slink into your favorite chair, sip, close your eyes….by the time you hit “Mind Eraser” you should be crunching down on your last piece of tequila-soaked ice, fully satisfied.

12. Bon Iver - 'Bon Iver' + Old Fashioned

Bon Iver - ‘Bon Iver' + Old Fashioned

Ingredients: 2 dashes aromatic bitters, 1/2 tsp sugar dissolved with water and bitters, 1.5 oz of bourbon, 1 cherry, 1 orange slice, 1 lemon wedge

Mixing Instructions: Fill glass with ice.  Add cherry, orange slice, and lemon wedge.  Pour in bourbon.  Serve in a rocks glass over ice.

Listening Instructions: Volume at a moderately audible level, turn up 50% more for track 6 (Hinnom, Tx).  Be finished with your Old Fashioned by the tracks end, pour yourself another to round out the end of the album… know happiness.

Purchase Vinyl:  Amazon  ||  Insound

11. Daniel Rossen - 'Silent Hour / Golden Mile' + Improved Gin Cocktail

Daniel Rossen - ‘Silent Hour / Golden Mile' + Improved Gin Cocktail

Ingredients: 2oz gin (preferably Genever), 1tsp simple syrup (made by dissolving 2 parts sugar in 1 part water over low heat and letting cool), 1tsp Grand Marinier, Cointreau or Maraschino liqueur, 2 dashes bitters, 1 lemon (for the rind twist).

Mixing Instructions: Stir ingredients together in a glass 1/3 full of cracked ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon rind twist. 

9. Jack White - 'Blunderbuss' + Jack's Chocolate Malt

Jack White - ‘Blunderbuss' + Jack’s Chocolate Malt

Ingredients: 1.5oz chocolate syrup, 3 scoops vanilla ice cream (not chocolate…Jack White would insist), 5.5oz cold milk, 1 heaping tbsp malted milk powder + 1tsp for the wife and kids, whipped cream for topping (optional)….and since this is a cocktail blog, 2oz Kahlua (optional)

Mixing Instructions: place all ingredients in a blender (except whipped cream) and blend until smooth…don’t overmix.  Pour into a chilled tall glass and top with whipped cream.

source: Jack’s malt recipe

8. Japandroids - 'Celebration Rock' + Rye and Ginger

Japandroids - ‘Celebration Rock’ + Rye and Ginger

Ingredients: 2oz rye whiskey, 4oz ginger ale, 1 dash of bitters, lime wedge

Mixing Instructions: pour the whiskey into a highball glass, fill 3/4 with ice, add ginger ale and dash of bitters.  Garnish with lime wedge.

7. Alabama Shakes - 'Boys & Girls' + Bourbon Slush

Alabama Shakes - ‘Boys & Girls' + Bourbon Slush

Ingredients: 6 cups water, 2 cups strong tea, 2 cups bourbon, 1 cup sugar, 1 six-ounce container frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed), 1 six-ounce container frozen lemon juice concentrate (thawed), mint sprigs OR lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Mixing Instructions: Combine the water, tea, bourbon, sugar, orange and lemon juice concentrate in a large container or bowl, and mix until sugar dissolves.  Pour into two gallon-size freezer bags.  Freeze until an hour before serving.  Place the frozen punch in a large bowl and let thaw, breaking up every 15 minutes.  When punch is melted, add more ice or water to taste.  Serve in punch cups and garnish if you like.

Strong Tea: 2 cups of water, 4 regular tea bags - boil the water, add the tea bags and let steep until cool, discard tea bags.

source: Garden & Gun ‘Knockout Punch’

4. Fiona Apple - 'The Idler Wheel...' + Bloody Mary

Fiona Apple - ‘The Idler Wheel…’+ Bloody Mary

Ingredients: Vodka, Tomato Juice, red hot sauce, green hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Lemon Juice, salt, pepper, celery

Mixing Instructions: 1 part Vodka to 3 parts tomato juice, add red and green hot sauce to desired spiciness, dash of worcestershire, dash of lemon juice, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper.  Mix between two glasses, pour over ice in a Highball glass, garnish with celery.

Purchase Vinyl:  Amazon  ||  Insound

3. The Mates of State - 'Mountaintops' + The Yerba Mates of State

The Mates of State - ‘Mountaintops' + The Yerba Mates of State

Ingredients: 4 Yerba Mate tea bags, 4 cups of boiling water, 1/3 cup condensed milk, vodka to taste

Mixing Instructions: Steep the Yerba Mate in the water until it cools to room temperature.  Squeeze tea bags out when removing them.  Pour in condensed milk and mix until combined.  In a coffee mug, pour a shot of vodka, then fill it nearly to the rim with the cooled tea mixture.  Add a few ice cubes and enjoy!  

source: Twitter convo with @bandofthedayapp + Yerba cocktail inspiration here