Necktie Optional episode 14 (7/16/2026)

Twelve tracks of guitar-forward indie rock this week, bookended by wistfulness and wit. Opened with Ben Folds Five's "Underground - Shelved First Attempt," a rarity-flavored curveball before settling into the show's usual melodic terrain. California Wives and Yumi Zouma brought the dream-pop shimmer, while Stolen Gin and Cold War Kids leaned into moodier, hookier rock. The Brook & The Bluff and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart closed things out with jangly, sun-faded melancholy. Antarctigo Vespucci and Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun added a couple of oddball, genre-blurring detours to round out the hour.Handpicked, as always. Neckties remain optional.