76. Pearl Jam - ‘Ten’ + Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam - ‘Ten’ + Pearl Jam

Ingredients: 1 ounce orange vodka, 4 ounces club soda, 1 ounce orange juice

Mixing Instructions: Pour orange vodka into an ice-filled high-ball glass.  Add club soda, top with orange juice, serve.

Notes: In 1990, Eddie Vedder was working part-time as a night attendant at a local gas station in San Diego when he was given a demo tape containing the music of a band in Seattle, Washington who was looking for a singer.  He listened to the tape just before going surfing where he would get the inspiration for the lyrics of what would become, “Alive”, “Once”, and “Footsteps”.  Vedder was flown out to Seattle the next month where he joined Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready and Dave Krusen.  Ten months later they released, ‘Ten’, their debut studio album and one of the greatest rock albums of all-time.  Pearl Jam was born and music listeners have been blessed ever since.

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75. Mumford & Sons - ‘Babel’ + Bobby Burns

Mumford & Sons - ‘Babel’ + Bobby Burns

Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces Scotch whisky, 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, 1 1/4 teaspoon Benedictine, lemon peel twist for garnish.

Mixing Instructions: Shake the Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth and benedictine with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lemon peel twist and serve.

Notes:  Fans of Mumford & Sons debut album, Sigh No More, will find a lot to be happy about with their latest release, Babel.  The band takes the same elements that tickled the ears of millions over the past two years and magnifies them - higher highs, lower lows (both emotionally and musically), drums that sound like a small marching band stomping together in unison on an old wooden stage, blustery banjo licks and of course the powerful, nostalgic voice of Marcus Mumford.  

Mumford allows himself a slightly broader emotional palette this time around with many songs riffing on themes of melancholy, regret and anger.  Yet, sprouting forth through each effort is a green shoot of hope and triumph, like a preacher shifting his gaze to Heaven at the end of a tough sermon - a subtle current that likely draws many to the band.  That and the fact that the music is quite simply beautiful to listen to.  One can only hope they will view the success that will inevitably come from this release as currency to spend on some bold artistic exploration and risk-taking…they’ve earned it and they might just be surprised how many fans would be there to welcome it.

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74. The National - ‘Boxer’ + Viognier

The National - ‘Boxer’ + Viognier

Ingredients: 1 bottle Viognier (white wine)

Mixing Instructions: It’s wine, just pour it and enjoy

Notes:  One might raise a brow at pairing an album entitled, Boxer with a floral white wine, but the sparring taking place over the course of The National’s fourth studio album is less about the TKO variety than it is the inner struggles and malaise of thirty-something white-collar America.  Matt Beringer’s baritone voice works both musically and metaphorically, it’s melancholy timbre reflecting the very real anxiety that comes along with waking up to find the idealism of your twenties dried up with anyone’s guess as to what will replace it.  While all of this may sound rather depressing, The National proves with this album that facing the awkward and even ugly moments of life is the stuff of real depth  and character…and the tinder from which a beautiful album can arise.

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73. Van Morrison - ‘Veedon Fleece’ + Highland Fling

Van Morrison - ‘Veedon Fleece’ + Highland Fling

Ingredients:  1.5oz Scotch, 3/4oz sweet vermouth, 2 dashes orange bitters, 1 olive

Mixing instructions:  Stir ingredients with ice and a strain into a cocktail glass.  Add the olive and serve. 

Notes:  On a lazy Sunday afternoon, what could you possibly find better to do with your day than reacquaint yourself with a classic artist?  Van Morrison’s Veedon Fleece is an album you won’t regret getting to know.  Although he has other albums that many would say are easier classics, Veedon Fleece is a largely overlooked and certainly under-appreciated album you should know intimately.  Kick back this afternoon, let yourself be taken back to a moment in history that you haven’t reflected on in a while, and listen closely for the excellence in this album both in the casual stream-of-conscious lyrics as well as the strings and woodwind instruments over a mostly acoustic album.  Remember what it feels like to lazily enjoy the passing of a day?—Veedon Fleece is the perfect compliment and all the better with a Highland Fling.  

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72. Menomena - ‘Moms’ + Jack Rose

Menomena - ‘Moms’ + Jack Rose

Ingredients:  1.5oz Apple Brandy, 1/2oz Grenadine, 1/2oz Lime Juice

Mixing Instructions:  Combine apple brandy, grenadine, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker.  Shake with ice.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Notes:  What better way could you spend your weekend than putting on an album the caliber of Moms, the latest release from Menomena?—We submit that there are few.  Whatever it is you’re doing, at some point make yourself (and some friends) a few drinks of the Jack Rose variety and enjoy an album that will tastefully awaken you to music and a sound that you didn’t know you were missing in your life.  Despite the high bar set by their past albums, Moms is a big step in raising the standard.   Enjoy.

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71. Chromatics - ‘Kill For Love’ + Sgroppino

Chromatics - ‘Kill For Love’ + Sgroppino

Ingredients: 1/3 cup lemon sorbet, 3 ounces prosecco, 1 ounce vodka

Mixing Instructions: In a cocktail shaker whisk together the sorbet and a splash of prosecco until fully mixed.  While whisking, slowly add in the vodka and rest of the prosecco.  Serve in a cocktail glass.

Notes: If you liked the Drive Soundtrack (through which the group gained much deserved attention for their song “Tick of the Clock), buy this album.  Following up their 2007 release of Night Drive, the Pacific Northwest-based quartet pulls off an ambitious 90-min dark ambient album with the cool expansiveness of an Italian Noir film.  Despite the largeness of the landscape covered by the album there are plenty of catchy synth-pop way points for listeners to grab onto throughout.  A perfect lazy weekend listen that pairs well with a boozy lemon Italian cocktail.  

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70. Kid Koala - ‘12 Bit Blues’ + The Bobby Boucher

Kid Koala - ‘12 Bit Blues’ + The Bobby Boucher

Ingredients: 1/2oz Sweet Vermouth, 1/4oz Benedictine, 2oz overproof bourbon, 1/4 oz cherry Heering, Ice, Orange twist

Mixing Instructions: Fill a chilled pint glass with ice.  Add all the remaining ingredients except the garnish and stir well.  Strain into an ice-filled glass, pinch the orange twist over the drink and drop it in.  

Notes:  Ever since I saw Kid Koala live in 2004 I swore I would always be a fan of his talent. What I didn’t know was how difficult it would be for me to sell others on what he does.  12 Bit Blues is 12 tracks of blues greatness expertly mixed by a master of the craft.  Imagine a record bin full of old blues LPs that nobody pays attention to snatched up by Kid Koala and turned into very listenable tracks.  In my opinion, this is his most accessible album—especially if you understand what Kid Koala is doing to put it together.  You should be blown away by how he makes it sound like something so new and fresh.  Please, I beg of you, buy a copy of 12 Bit Blues… you’ll be happy you did.  Added Bonus, if you buy the album on vinyl, it comes with a kit to play the vinyl record out of the materials in the packaging.  You absolutely need to hear this album and we recommend it with The Bobby Boucher—a drink suited for some blues that won’t get you down.

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69. Wye Oak - ‘Civilian’ + Rusty Nail

Wye Oak - ‘Civilian’ + Rusty Nail

Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces Scotch whisky, 1/2 ounce Drambuie Scotch whisky, 1 lemon peel twist for garnish.

Mixing Instructions: Pour the Scotch and Drambuie into an old-fashioned glass half-filled with ice cubes.  Stir well.  Garnish with a lemon twist and serve.

Notes: We often reach out to bands whose albums we’re pairing to find out if they have any favorite drinks.  Many do not respond, but Wye Oak was kind enough to offer up that, “Andy grew up on a steady flow of G&Ts.  Jenn is a Scotch woman.”  While gin and tonics are classic, Scotch seemed a more fitting pairing for the duo’s third studio album Civilian.  The grittiness of Wye Oak’s sound layered with the enchanting, almost soothing vocals are fascinating and grow on you throughout the album.  By the end you feel like the girl in the album cover, willingly sinking slowly into the depths of an endlessly enthralling musical mystery.      

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68. Radiohead - ‘In Rainbows’ + Dubonnet Cocktail

Radiohead - ‘In Rainbows’ + Dubonnet Cocktail

Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces Dubonnet, 1/2 ounce London dry gin, lemon slice for garnish.

Mixing Instructions: Combine in cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, shake, strain into cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lemon slice.

Notes: If OK Computer and Kid A were the band pushing the envelope of experimental rock and succeeding in every way, In Rainbows was a step back from the ledge to more accessible territory.  What makes the album remarkable, however, is that this shift to more traditional sounds wasn’t some kind of deflation, but rather a perfect envelopment pulling you back into the heart of the band, both lyrically and instrumentally.  The sound feels more intimate and relaxed, as if you’re sitting in the studio along with Yorke and company as they spill their musical guts to each other.  All you can do is shut up and enjoy.

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67. Vampire Weekend - ‘Vampire Weekend’ + Cape Cod

Vampire Weekend - ‘Vampire Weekend’ + Cape Cod

Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces vodka, 4 ounces cranberry juice

Mixing Instructions: Combine in a highball glass with ice.  Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.

Notes: In 2008 Vampire Weekend debuted with a style of music that filled a need we didn’t know we had — bright, African-infused, prep-pop.  Their album could only come from a college dorm room as no one else would be crazy enough to try it, the irony would be too overwhelming.  

Collegiate themes percolate throughout, but not shallow party trash.  Listening to this album is akin to reading a short story in The Atlantic, one set on an Ivy League campus that, though you went to State, makes you feel a strange amount of warm reminiscing, as if you were there along with the characters, laughing at the same jokes, boating together on the weekend, cramming for finals.  Of course, you weren’t, but that’s the magic of Vampire Weekend…you want to write the whole thing off as a preppy self-indulgence, but it’s all too smart and so absurdly good.

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66. Eddie Vedder - ‘Into the Wild’ + Vera Rush

Eddie Vedder - ‘Into the Wild’ + Vera Rush

Ingredients: 2 ounces dark rum, 1/2 ounce pineapple juice

Mixing Instructions: Pour the rum in an old-fashioned glass with a couple cubes of ice, float the pineapple juice on top.

Notes: To understand this album one must begin with Chris McCandless, the conflicted young adventurer who was the subject of Jon Krakauer’s 1996 non-fiction book Into the Wild and the 2007 movie adaptation of the same name.

"In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley.  His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless.  He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new identity for himself.  Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter." - Into the Wild (book cover)

Eddie Vedder took what was already a poetic story and quietly and respectfully enhanced it in a way that only he could do, with 11 songs of deep personal and societal examination, angst, fury and ultimately hope.  Make yourself a drink and listen with a good friend.

purchase vinyl:   Amazon

65. Band of Horses - ‘Mirage Rock' + Ciderhouse Whiskey Cocktail

Band of Horses - ‘Mirage Rock' + Ciderhouse Whiskey Cocktail 

Ingredients:  2oz Bourbon, 1oz Cider Syrup, 1 strip of lemon zest

Mixing Instructions:  Combine Bourbon and cider syrup over ice and stir gently.  Twist lemon zest and drop into drink, stir again, and serve.  To make cider syrup at home- gently boil a gallon of apple cider in a heavy-bottomed pot, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to 1/8 (2 cups) syrup.

Notes:  What better way to welcome the fall this weekend than with an instantly accessible album from Band of Horses?  Ben Bridwell and crew get right back to what they do best on  Mirage Rock and give us 11 tracks of their indie-Americana that we’ve come to expect.  

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64. Grizzly Bear - ‘Shields’ + Japanese Cocktail

Grizzly Bear - ‘Shields’ + Japanese Cocktail

Ingredients: 2 ounces cognac, 1/2 ounce orgeat syrup, 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Mixing Instructions: Stir ingredients well with cracked ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lemon peel twist.

Notes: In The Book of Five Rings, 17th-century Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi used the five elements of Japanese philosophy (earth, water, fire, wind, void) to describe the various elements of battle.  Listening to Shields, it becomes evident that this may be a fitting lens through which to experience Grizzly Bear’s fourth album, their top effort to date.  The band takes the best from their first three albums and strips their instrumentation down to the most essential elements that make them so head-shakingly good…and so, well…Grizzly Bear.

There is a minimalism that most might not catch on first listen.  It’s not that there isn’t a lot going on throughout the album, it’s that even when they’re throwing seven different kinds of smoke in terms of sheer sound complexity you can clearly hear each element, perfectly separate and unique from its musical surroundings, situated in harmony with the whole.  

It’s hard to find any real weak spots from start to finish because even in the down moments you get the sense that it is all very intentional…even the void.  And then there’s “Sun In Your Eyes” the album’s final track…*moment of silence*…a song that starts with the closing of a door (you’re in the inner chambers) and puts on a seven-minute master class.  A song that David Longstreth of Dirty Projectors described as, “…the song I (have) been hoping Grizzly Bear would write.”  Make yourself a perfectly-balanced cocktail and spin this album….the album we’ve all been hoping Grizzly Bear would create.    

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63. Aloe Blacc - ‘Good Things’ + Amaretto Sour

Aloe Blacc - ‘Good Things’ + Amaretto Sour

Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces amaretto almond liqueur, 1-2 splashes sweet and sour mix

Mixing Instructions: Pour amaretto into a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add a splash or two of sweet and sour mix, and shake well.  Strain into an old-fashioned glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry and a slice of orange, and serve.

Notes: I first heard Aloe Blacc via La Blogotheque’s A Take Away Show and was blown away by the voice and warm, vintage r&b sound of Blacc and his gang.  Blacc, a California native, is far better known in Europe, but this album helped launch him to a larger audience.  There’s really not a whole lot to say other than this is flat out great music.  Timeless, cool, collected and endlessly soothing.  Mix yourself an Amaretto Sour and find a comfy chair, kick band and enjoy!

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62. The XX - ‘Coexist’ + Sloe Gin Fizz

The XX - ‘Coexist’ + Sloe Gin Fizz

Ingredients:  2oz Sloe Gin, 1/2oz fresh lemon juice, 1/2tsp sugar, soda water

Mixing Instructions:  Put Sloe Gin, Lemon Juice, and sugar into a cocktail shaker. Shake briskly then pour into a chilled highball glass.  Fill glass with soda water and stir lightly.

Notes:  The XX came out of the gate strong with their debut in 2009 and gave us a proper follow-up by further refining what they did so well out of the gate.  Coexist puts the focus right where it should be…  on the simplicity of singers Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, something fans should appreciate.  Production by Jamie Smith (Jamie XX… an incredible talent on his own account) might leave some super fans of his wanting… these tracks are beautifully well done but don’t yet capitalize on his adventurous side of his solo work.  Instead, the sound is hauntingly full with occasional glimmers of his unique capabilities.  Throw this album on with a Sloe Gin Fizz and by the time you reach “Swept Away,” you might just be.  

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61. My Morning Jacket - ‘Evil Urges’ + Moscow Mule

My Morning Jacket - ‘Evil Urges’ + Moscow Mule

Ingredients:  1.5oz Vodka, 1.5oz lime Juice, 4oz Ginger Beer, Lime, Mint sprig

Mixing instructions:  Pour Vodka and lime juice into a highball glass with ice.  Top with ginger beer.  Garnish with a lime wedge and mint sprig.

Notes:  Much love and respect to My Morning Jacket.  Evil Urges was a departure of their well respected catalog in a lot of ways, but served as a refreshing display of their reach and capabilities as a band.  We won’t tell you that it was the best album they’ve ever made… but if you haven’t heard these tracks on vinyl on a stereo bigger than your laptop speakers, we suggest you give Evil Urges the attention it deserves.

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60. Angel Olsen - ‘Half Way Home’ + Maker’s Mark

Angel Olsen - ‘Half Way Home’ + Maker’s Mark

Ingredients: 2 ounces Maker’s Mark whiskey neat (2 cubes of ice if you must).

Mixing Instructions:  pour whiskey in a glass, ponder life

Notes: The reason I say to only add ice to your whiskey “if you must” is that some things just shouldn’t be diluted.  Maker’s Mark is one.  The voice of Angel Olsen is another.  A voice so unique, chilling and beautiful that additions to it do nothing to enhance its stomach-warming flavor.  Listen to this album and have your Maker’s Mark on hand to help shake off your goosebumps.

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59. Stars - ‘The North’ + Cayo Romano Cocktail

Stars - ‘The North’ + Cayo Romano Cocktail

Ingredients:  1 ounce dark aged rum, 1 ounce silver rum, 1 ounce ginger liqueur (Canton), 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice, 3/4 ounce fresh orange juice, 1 dash allspice pimento dram (optional), 1 dash Angostura bitters, freshly grated nutmeg and superfine sugar to taste.

Mixing Instructions: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Add all ingredients and give a good shake for 10-15 seconds.  Strain into a chilled glass.

Notes: Music is often attached to time.  A specific day or year, a band you obsessed with in middle school, an album that got you through the first semester of college, etc.  In the case of The North, the music is perfectly suited for a season. Specifically, the transition from Summer to Fall.  Summer is for backyard dinners, staying out light and freedom, while Fall calls us back to productivity, contemplation and turtlenecks (the antithesis of freedom).  This album seems to situate itself snugly in between the two.  Fun, but chilled…indie pop, yet incredibly elegant, substantial and beautiful.  The back-and-forth vocals between Campbell and Millan constantly lull you into your own head and memories.  This album gets a lot right, but more than just the musicality, it is the perfect album to kick back with a nice cocktail and welcome the Fall.   

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58. The Avett Brothers - ‘The Carpenter’ + Seven and Seven

The Avett Brothers - ‘The Carpenter’ + Seven and Seven

Ingredients:  Specifically—Seagram’s 7 whiskey, 7up, lemon wedge

Mixing Instructions:  Mix 2oz of Seagram’s 7 in a glass with ice, top with 7up to taste. Add lemon wedge to garnish.

Notes:  I am reluctant to say this only because it has the potential to be unnecessarily divisive, but—I’m glad I knew who the Avett Brothers were before Mumford and Sons ever appeared.  Similarly, I couldn’t be happier that their new album The Carpenter came out a couple weeks before Mumford and Sons drop Babel later this month.  It’s not that I don’t like Mumford and Sons, we’ll feature them here (again) when their time comes… but, if you’ve ever described an intense appreciation for Mumford and Sons and don’t know anything about the Avett Brothers, you have an education to seek.  It’s not about comparison, really, there are plenty of music lovers in the world to go around… but I just think a disconnect exists.  (And maybe it’s just me, feel free to comment.)

In short, I don’t know why more people don’t like the Avett Brothers… but it’s not my fight to fight.

The Avett Brothers have been perfecting their craft more artistically, and more passionately, for longer than many many other bands.  With Rick Rubin production for a second time, you’ll hear a crisper album with the same heart you should come to expect—and you’ll probably like it.  Seven albums into their catalog, you owe it to yourself to hear this album on vinyl. 

Whenever you start a discussion as I have here, it has the potential to come off with awkward loyalty from the writer or the reader to either side.  Forget it, know that The Carpenter is authentic music from an honest group of people… and enjoy this release with a 7&7.  You’ll be glad you did.

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57. Swans - ‘The Seer’ + Cabernet Sauvignon

Swans - ‘The Seer’ + Cabernet Sauvignon

Notes:  The new Swans album The Seer will be a challenge to your attention span, no doubt.  Ringing in at just under 2 hours, you are right to ask yourself how you could possibly dedicate that much time to a single album.  Start by removing all your everyday distractions, putting this album on, and pouring yourself a glass of your favorite Cab one evening.  We’re not saying you have to sit in a chair and watch your vinyl spin for two hours (although, good on you if that’s how you roll)… but if you’re constantly checking your twitter feed you probably won’t every really get what this album has to give you.  Give it a shot (or a glass, in this instance), we think you’ll be surprised.

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