Brian and Scott are back and kick things off with cocktails, a quick catch-up on the show’s return, and a detour into a 1999 album by American Football. From there, Scott breaks down a memorable golf trip to Ocean City, Maryland, including random playing partners, a contested lost ball, a hotel air conditioner from hell, and a final-hole finish that came down to a single stroke. They also touch on opening weekend of the NFL, a fantasy football naming mix-up, and a few TV shout-outs before ending with a new album pick for next week: Death Cab for Cutie’s I Built You a Tower.

Key topics

• Brian opens with a cherry maple old fashioned made with Bowman single barrel, maple syrup, cherry bitters, and a cherry.
• Scott goes with an “Emergen-C breeze,” a mocktail of orange juice and Emergen-C because he is recovering from the golf trip.
• Brian’s pick of American Football is framed as a 1999 “emo darling” album, but Scott argues it is better described as post-rock or math rock.
• They compare the band’s sound to post-rock acts like Sparta and the early sound of Death Cab for Cutie.
• Brian notes the novelty of a band named American Football having a difficult-to-search identity, with all four of the band’s albums sharing the same name.
• Scott recaps his annual golf trip with friends, including a 54-hole competition and a memorable first round paired with two strangers, Emma and Terri.
• A lost ball creates a scoring controversy after Scott stops to help his playing partners search, then cannot find his own ball.
• The trip is nearly derailed by a hotel air conditioner that sounds like a horror-movie stabbing scene and keeps them awake for hours.
• Scott describes Ocean City bike week, with loud motorcycles, metal music, and a nightlife scene that felt like being out of place in Sons of Anarchy.
• The episode closes with Scott’s next album pick, Death Cab for Cutie’s I Built You a Tower.

Brian and Scott kick things off with a post-Labor Day catch-up, then spend most of the episode debating Phoebe Bridgers’ album Lost Weekend, especially whether it’s a grower, a little too long, or just not Brian’s thing. They also get into football season, including Super Bowl picks, halftime show predictions, streaming frustration, and why September TV is about to disappear behind the NFL.

Key topics

• Brian and Scott recap a low-key Labor Day weekend, including pool parties, a family fantasy football draft, and the return to work.
• Scott shares his cocktail of the week using Eagle Rare, DelMarVa syrup, chocolate bitters, and a large cube.
• Brian talks through his Kentucky buck, made with Old Forester barrel proof, ginger syrup, lemon, grenadine, and orange liqueur.
• The album discussion centers on Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Weekend, which Brian finds lonely, sad, atmospheric, and sometimes boring, while Scott calls it a grower.
• Scott argues the album has repeat-listen value, especially on tracks like “The Outside,” “The Lost Boys,” and “Haunted.”
• Brian notices recurring lyrical themes like lost, sleep, blood, death, and Bobby, and says he did more homework on this album than any previous pick.
• They talk about how much context matters in music, including the album’s references to her father, ex-boyfriend, and current boyfriend.
• Football season takes over the second half of the episode, with Super Bowl predictions, surprise playoff picks, and concerns about streaming fragmentation.
• They discuss whether their kids would ever play tackle football, with both leaning toward flag football or safer alternatives.
• The show closes with TV recommendations, shout-outs to golf, Aerosmith, s’mores, and a concert-streaming platform called Volta.

Brian and Scott are back in their home studios with cocktails in hand, catching up on music, football, food, and a few deeply specific side quests. The episode moves from a review of Billy Strings’ latest album to college football kickoff, neighborhood burger rankings, bowling expectations, and a wildly memorable babysitter story.

In this episode:

• Brian and Scott open with the return to their regular setup after recording in a car, plus a discussion of what they’re drinking
• They review Billy Strings’ album So Much for Goodbyes, including the bluegrass/Americana sound, the length of the record, and standout tracks like “I Like Train Songs,” “Wish I Was Wanted,” and “Still I Crash”
• They talk about the challenge of listening to long albums when you are also trying to keep up with a separate daily album project
• They recap Jason Isbell at Wolf Trap, including the venue’s seated crowd, an opener who ran long, and the impact of curfew on the set
• Brian shares being recognized in the wild by Scott’s mother-in-law at a bus stop
• They debate the best mass-market burger, with Fuddruckers and Outback all entering the conversation
• They revisit the nostalgia of late-night bowling in Atlanta, Waffle House runs, and Krystal burgers
• They shift into college football, with UVA’s season outlook, NIL and transfer portal frustration, and a prediction that the Cavaliers could land anywhere from 7-5 to 10-2
• They compare college football culture to the NFL, including dress codes, tailgating, rivalry week, and the appeal of opening weekend spectacle
• They agree to continue the album exchange tradition with Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Weekend and set up a future halftime-show prediction bet
• They close with a shoutout to tomatoes, freeze-dried Pop Rocks M&Ms, and Oreo’s experimental flavors, especially chicken and waffles Oreo
• Scott finishes with an unforgettable babysitter story involving Oreos, tequila, and a suspicious Coors Light