Phosphorescent - ‘Pride’ + Oskar’s Key
Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey, 1/2 ounce St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram, 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice, 1/2 ounce brown sugar simple syrup, orange bitters.
Mixing Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into an old-fashioned glass. Top with 2 dashes of orange bitters. (via Saveur)
Notes: The first time I heard about this album was from a 2009 interview with then Fleet Foxes’ drummer, Josh Tillman, who was asked to organize a fictional music festival (he called it “Tillmania”) on the spot with any artists dead or alive. He chose Nick Drake, John Lee Hooker, Maurice Ravel, Neil Young, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Phosphorescent. There might have been more, but I stopped watching at that point intrigued by this shirtless gentleman being thrown in with the legends. **Pro tip: If a musician lists a largely unknown contemporary artist alongside names like Hooker, Ravel and Young as inspiration for his current work it’s ok to be suspicious…but still track it down. I soon discovered Tillman was right, the album being sparse, beautiful and full of blood and guts. If your only contact with Phosphorescent thus far has been “Song For Zula” the epic single from his latest album, 'Muchacho' then take a quiet evening, make a whiskey cocktail and respect a piece of art that can carry its weight right alongside the big boys.
