During the long, snowy winter months, most people make some hot chocolate, snuggle by the fire and dream of sunnier, warmer climes. Not Brett Newski. Brett Newski packed his bags and hopped on the first plane to South Africa. He eventually made his way back to his hometown of Milwaukee, but he brought with him an album’s worth of material, inspired by his adventures abroad. Soon, his Hi-Fi D.I.Y. EP came to life, thanks to the help of Victor DeLorenzo, cofounder of seminal indie band the Violent Femmes, who produced his record at Howl Street Recordings.

Today, Newski is premiering the video for “This Will Destroy Me,” a song off his new EP that shows off his penchant for penning witty indie-rock ballads. His tunes are intelligent and eclectic, sprung from the quirky mind of an avid world traveler, featuring lines like, “meet me for coffee by the library, we’ll trade Bukowski monologues.”

In the video, the singer/songwriter strolls down the narrow, cobblestone streets of Zurich with his guitar. The result is raw and spontaneous, with no mic needed to amplify Newski’s voice, which is at once tremulous and confident. You can hear the street sounds and chatter of passersby, drawn in by the huge smile of the wandering, American troubadour.

Always ready to hit the road, Newski will begin his world tour on February 19^th, including a stop at this year’s SXSW. Check out “This Will Destroy Me” below, and follow his full tour here.