While the wet rat look works for some, others may want to consider taking a fresh look at the umbrella, as rendered by Finnish company Marimekko. The brand came into the American consciousness with Jackie O’s unofficial endorsement in the 1960s and made our radar in 2006. Now as we head into springtime, and May showers, you can pick up a Marimekko umbrella that will protect you from the elements and preserve your sense of style. New to OAK’s menswear line are four umbrellas in black and white stripes, polka dots, and red and navy designs. Each is made from durable teflon-coated polyester, measures approximately 40” in diameter open and 13” in length closed.

As the 16-bit skirmish raged on in the late 80’s/early 90’s you either remained a tried and true Nintendo devotee or swore by your Sega Genesis. Sure there were precious few TurboGrafix 16 mercenaries, but they eventually had to choose between the big boys. Whether Sonic The Hedgehog was your homeboy or you’ve always been a Super Mario fan, you’ll want to make your allegiance official with the latest pins from the Supermandolini Console Wars Collection. The third and fourth installments feature the controllers of that bygone era. Place them in the correct spot — just above your heart.

Synth-pop wasn’t a retro fad when the Pet Shop Boys first hit the scene. And there’s something about sugary, yet well-written songs that are more appealing when you know it’s not just an ironic throwback. Yes, the tenth studio LP from this electronic duo is due out in a week, but today we get a grand package in their first single, “Love etc.” Along with the track and the otherwise unreleased b-side, the boys are dropping a remix EP that takes on “Love etc.” from various prominent producers. The Pet Shop Boys themselves describe it as “‘a post-lifestyle anthem which sounds like nothing we’ve done before.” They’re right.

Since the band ended their legendary run, the sound of Primus has been kept alive by iconic frontman Les Claypool, king of the low farty bass tone and master of the slap. There have been a number of projects since then, including supergroup Oysterhead, Les’s own Holy Mackerel, and the excercise in insanity which was Colonel Claypool’s Bucket of Bernie Brains. The everpresent musicianship and a certain unidentifiable, twisted quality have kept everything he touches interesting. Since 2006’s Whales of Woe, Claypool has contributed his sonic vision to film, video games, and of course, his live show. Today we get a taste of his return to the studio with Of Fungi and Foe. A little bonus on this one is a nice, long jam session with Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz.

This summer sneakerheads will undoubtedly be lining up at their favorite store awaiting the the first drop of the “Nintendo Wii” pack. Kicking things off is the Blazer, which was designed by the team at Beaverton to resemble, what else, the Nintendo Wii gaming console. I have to admit, Nike did the best they could given their model. Let’s face it, the Wii does not really have many distinctive features that can be captured in a sneaker. What they came up with was the blue gum shoes to match the power light, laces to match the nunchuck wrist strap, and metallic (more like gray) details to match those of the Wii. There’s no word on pricing, but you can expect these sleek hi-tops to drop Summer 2009.

via Weekly Drop