SUMMERTIME, AND THE LISTENIN’ IS EASY
SUMMERTIME, AND THE LISTENIN’ IS EASY
Great new music to pair with great new beer and weed on the beach
WORDS / CYNDLE PLAISTED RIALS
Summer comes with a lot of wonderful things in Maine. The ice cream stands are open and stacking the scoops higher than you can probably manage, even when you order a small. A lobster roll with a fresh squeeze of lemon, always delicious, is especially perfect when consumed while overlooking the ocean on a sweltering afternoon. Pier fries fill the air with their crispy, salty goodness, and Maine’s many beautiful beaches teem with locals and tourists alike, ready to brave the slightly less-than-frigid waves when the sand starts scorching.
And what goes better with a glorious beach day than a bangin’ playlist full of hot new music? Not much!
To help you out with finding it, we’ve gathered some recent releases from Maine and beyond and paired some selections with beer or weed products to enhance your summer listening pleasure. Sure, you’re not really supposed to imbibe or partake on a public beach, but we won’t tell.
The Ballroom Thieves, from the album Unlovely
Every road trip needs the right soundtrack, and this tune’s ethereal harmonies and full-sunshine sound is just right for the first leg of the journey, when the morning is new and anything is possible. Snag a bag of Highbrow/Rock City Coffee “Espresso” grounds from Mainely Medical in Scarborough and brew yourself a nice big thermos before heading out on the road to your fave beach. Two tablespoons deliver 10mg of THC, and the rich, spicy butter rum flavor of those medium roasted South American beans will make you a popular traveling companion — if you’re willing to share, that is.
Find it at Mainely Medical (Medical), 137 Pleasant Hill Rd., Scarborough, ME
Call: 207-747-9192
Visit: www.MainelyMedical.com
Enjoy it at Scarborough Beach State Park, 418 Black Point Rd, Scarborough, ME
Lifeguards, snack shack, ample parking? What more could you want. While state park passes won’t get you in here, it’s still worth the price of admission. Make sure you check out the Cliff Trail.
Beggars, from the album Elephant
Summer is a great time for a throwback — even though this song is a fresh release, it comes with loads of earnest indie nostalgia that will have you feeling like you’re 15 again (well, if you’re in your 40s). Another throwback? A chocolate bar jammed with rainbow-hued cereal. Pick up the renowned Fruity Pebbles Bar (300mg), featuring whole milk white chocolate, at Kind Farms Reserve in Berwick and take a trip back in time to when feelings were deliciously sweet and always heavy.
Find it at Kind Farms Reserve (Medical), 357 Portland St., Berwick, ME
Call: 207-715-3200
Visit: www.KindFarmsReserve.com
Enjoy it at Ogunquit Beach, Ogunquit, ME
Have you never been here? This is among Maine’s most classic beach spots — it’s huge, with white sand that seems to go on forever and you even get free parking after 6 p.m. Many people say it’s the best beach in the state.
“Sticky”
The Maine, from the album XOXO: From Love and Anxiety in Real Time
As the heat builds toward afternoon, you might need a stompy anthemic track to get you moving, and some refreshment to pair with it. Hit up North Country Cider (just barely over the state line in Rollinsford, NH) for a four-pack of Pineapple Thunder, a cider made with pineapple, lime zest, and cilantro. Sticky for sure, and a great one to sip while you fling a frisbee or hurl a beanbag, you cornhole champ. Lawn Darts not recommended.
Find it at North Country Cider, 3 Front St., Rollinsford, NH
Call: 603-834-9915
Visti: www.NorthCountryCider.com
Enjoy it at Odiorne Point State Park, 570 Ocean Blvd, Rye, NH 03870
Okay, so it’s not a beach-beach, but there are miles and miles of rocky coastline to walk and a Seacoast Science Center right there, to boot. It’s also wheelchair accessible.
Custardpaws & Mr. Freezy, from the album Window Weather
This cut feels like the lovechild of Interpol and The Vines, with precisely clipped vocals backed by raucous, fuzzy guitars. One thing any garage rager needs is a straightforward, easy-drinking beer, but maybe you’re past the Heineken stage of things. Enter Happy Hour Pilsner by Peak Organic Brewing Co. in Portland — crisp and clean, and so crushable you’ll be ready to reach for another before it’s time to shout the next catchy chorus.
Find it at Peak Organic Brewing Co., 110 Marginal Way, Portland, ME
Call: 207-586-5586
Visit: www.PeakBrewing.com
Enjoy it at East End Beach, Eastern Promenade Trail, Portland, ME 04101
Oddly, even some long-time Portlanders have never found themselves on this little stretch of sandy beach. Just start walking along the train tracks from the bottom of India Street, and you can’t miss it. It’s cleaner than you’d think.
Genevieve Stokes, from the album Swimming Lessons
A leisurely afternoon bike ride sounds like quintessential summer, and so does this song. Laid back, doe-eyed, and heart-on-its-sleeve, it’s a fitting companion to the slow shifting of light through trees and two wheels eating up a quiet road. Equally fitting would be an ice cream cone, and Lit Girl Goodies has you covered with StoneCones, adorable 75-150mg mini cones filled with edible cookie dough and toppings that will have your inner child giddy with excitement. Flavors are always changing, and a visit to Beach Boys Cannabis Co. in South Portland will give you the chance to make the perfect selection to suit your sweet tooth.
Find it at Beach Boys Cannabis Co. (Medical), 818 Main St., South Portland, ME
Call: 207-835-0036
Visit: www.BeachBoysCannabis.com
Enjoy it at Willard Beach, Willow St., South Portland, ME
Park on Willow Street and walk down to one of South Portland’s most popular spots, summer or winter. It’s a dog walker’s dream and generally a great place to catch up with people you forgot you knew.
“Sunshine”
Awon, Phoniks, Blu, from the album Nothing Less
This track is a long slow carve on a longboard — skate or surf, or maybe even just watching — and its chill vibes deserve an equally dreamy partner. Unwrap a Maine-made High Tide 100mg Orange Creamsicle Lollipop, available at Above and Beyond Cannabis in Damariscotta, and enjoy the slow, easy melt into sunny relaxation. Let those waves roll in and those wheels roll on.
Find it at Above and Beyond Cannabis (Medical), 464 Main St., Damariscotta, ME
Call: 207-563-2100
Visit: www.AboveAndBeyond.wm.store
Enjoy it at Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site, 535 Main St, Damariscotta, ME 04543
So, “beach” might be stretching things, but this is a well-kept state park with some cool indigenous history lessons and just a scoche of sandiness that’s great for setting up a picnic.
Superorder, from the album Excellent Systems
The synthy goodness and spare vocals (just a super deep robotic voice periodically stating his desire for a beach body) make this the perfect track for bridging the gap between a chilled out day and a hyped up night that might even see you out dancing, if that’s a thing we can finally do again. To enhance the galactic mood, we recommend adding some Squier’s 400mg Maine Blueberry-Lemon Drink Mixer/Elixir to kick up your favorite lemonade, alcoholic or non. You can pick up the elixir at dispensaries all over the state, including Elevated Remedies of Brunswick.
Find it at Elevated Remedies (Medical), 14 Industrial Parkway, Brunswick, ME
Call: 207-406-4720
Visit: www.ElevatedRemedies.me
Enjoy it at Popham Beach, Phippsburg, ME
Yeah, it’s another 45 minutes past Brunswick, but dang if it ain’t worth it. This beach goes on forever, and if you catch it at low tide there’s a lot you can do walking out to islands and playing in the tide pools. Check the charts before you go.
“Sky/Clap”
Mosart 212 & Myles Bullen, from the album Looking for a Body
The moon has fully risen and it’s time to get deep. This track, with its classical strings and shuffling percussion, is for the highly introspective portion of the evening, and Myles Bullen is ready to get the conversation rolling when they posit that “we are nothing but our choices.” Consider the philosophical possibilities and sink into the balmy late night with the help of a 1g Bubba Kush Super Joint from 207THC in Lewiston.
Find it at 207THC (Medical), 25 Lisbon St., Lewiston, ME
Call: 207-740-9053
Visit: www.207THC.com
Enjoy it at Lake Auburn, Auburn, ME
Game changer, folks: They’ve just decided you can swim in Lake Auburn. Head out Route 4, find the boat launch, strip down to your skivvies, and get in the water. It’s some of the most pristine swimming you’ll find — hopefully, they don’t change their minds.
Kurt Baker, from the album After Party
A good summer night ideally ends in a little romance, and this dose of groovy, mid-century cool calls to mind a sunken living room and making eyes across a room of hep young beatniks. After a day in the sun, it’s time to get close, dim the lights and invite the night in through windows flung wide. We suggest the light, refreshing flavors of Oh-J, Lone Pine’s seltzer take on their popular DIPA of the same name. The tangerine puree and subtle hops offer excellent lubrication for a night that goes oh-so-right.
Find it at Lone Pine Brewing, 219 Anderson St., Portland, ME
Call: 207-536-4952
Visit: www.LonePineBrewery.com
Enjoy it at Andrews Beach, Long Island, ME
Sure, you have to take a ferry to get there, but, believe us, it’s worth it. Isolated from the crowds, with a view that’s to die for, there’s basically no way to have a bad time here.
Get the Whole Playlist!
Want to hear all of these tunes and a whole lot more? Cyndle’s got you covered. Click here to pull up a much longer curated playlist of some of the best new music being made here in New England. We’re sure you can figure out what to pair the extra songs with all by yourselves.
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