Month: May 2021

Modest Mouse haven’t exactly been prolific in recent years. Their latest album, Strangers To Ourselves, came out in 2015. The preceding album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, dropped in 2007. Things are picking up now, though, as they announced a long-awaited new album, The Golden Casket, for this year. Now they’ve shared another preview of the album, a song called “Leave A Light On.”

Press materials describe the lush, lightly psychedelic, mid-tempo rocker of a single, “The song finds Brock navigating the existential threat of losing our humanity — and the interconnectedness that come with it — amidst a constant societal barrage of physical and digital materialism.”

Listen to “Leave A Light On” above. Additionally, the band has also announced a slew of 2021 tour dates, so find those below.

07/29-08/01 — Chicago, IL @ Grant Park (Lollapalooza Music Festival)
07/30 — Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
08/03 — Columbus, OH @ EXPRESS LIVE! @ Indoor Music Hall
08/05 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
08/06 — Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
08/07 — Cooperstown, NY @ Brewery Ommegang
08/09 — New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
08/11 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
08/12 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
08/17 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem
08/18 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
08/20 — Detroit, MI @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
08/21 — Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
08/22 — Minneapolis, MN @ Armory
08/24 — Missoula, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheater
08/27 — Portland, OR @ McMenamins @ Edgefield
08/29 — Bend, OR @ Les Schwab Amphitheater
09/11 — Seattle, WA @ Marymoor Park *
09/16 — San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
09/18 — Las Vegas, NV @ Life Is Beautiful Festival
09/19 — Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre
09/20 — Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre @ Tucson
09/22 — San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
09/24 — Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s
09/25 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel
09/27 — Sandy, UT @ Sandy City Amphitheater
09/28 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
09/30 — Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom *
10/01-10/03 — Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/04 — Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater *
10/05 — Cincinnati, OH @ Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center *
10/08-10/10 — Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/11 — Huntsville, AL @ Mars Music Hall
10/12 — New Orleans, LA @ Fillmore New Orleans
10/14 — Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
10/15 — Miami Beach, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach
10/16 — St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live
10/17 — St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre
10/19 — Richmond, VA @ The National
10/21 — Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
10/22 — Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit

* with Future Islands

The Golden Casket is out 6/25 via Epic Records. Pre-order it here.

Henry Cavill has officially confirmed that he’ll be starring in a Highlander reboot from John Wick director Chad Stahelski. This follows after Deadline‘s initial reported that Cavill was “in talks” with Lionsgate to lead a remake of the ’80s classic starring Christopher Lambert as an immortal Scotsman who’s survived the ages by decapitating others like him because “there can only be one.”

While reports were careful to note that Cavill is eyeing the project, the actor has since confirmed the news on Instagram by posting a screenshot of the initial Deadline report along with a caption detailing his research and a little bit of bragging about how he’s not too shabby with a sword, which fans of Netflix’s The Witcher are very aware of:

Very exciting news today! I’ve been a fan of Highlander since I was lad. From the movies in all of their 80s, Queen slathered glory to the TV show with an actor who looked remarkably like one of my brothers.

Being not shy with swords, and having a director as talented as Chad Stahelski at the helm, this is an opportunity like no other. Deep diving into franchise storytelling with all the tools at our disposal, is going to make this an adventure I (and hopefully all of you) shall never forget.

Cavill also shared a photo of his research into his “Scottish heritage.” Although, the two books he showed had one very specific theme: “So You’re Going to Wear a Kilt,” and “Those Bloody Kilts.” Call it a hunch, but we think Henry Cavill is going to wear a kilt.

(Via Henry Cavill on Instagram)

Gap Inc. is due to release its quarterly report in a few days and the brand says its heavily anticipated Yeezy line is on track to launch by the end of June, according to Business Of Fashion. BOF notes that Gap is relying on the nearly $1 billion partnership with Kanye West to lift its sales, hoping that ravenous Yeezy fans will pull the brand out of a decades-long slump which has led to store closures and cost-cutting across its holdings. The company expects over $150 million in revenue in 2022, according to Bloomberg. Details about the line remain sparse, but let’s be real: A sellout is almost guaranteed.

Although Business Of Fashion notes that the “basics category grows more crowded by the day,” other brands which have collaborated with big music stars, such as Fashion Nova, PrettyLittleThing, and Boohoo, have seen those collections sell out in a matter of hours, while over the course of the last year of lockdowns and working from home, eBay flippers and their trusty armies of bots have become more sophisticated than ever in clearing both digital and physical shelves to drive up demand and turn the secondary market into a de facto monopoly (when people are getting mugged for Pokemon cards at Target, things would seem to be way out of hand). Unfortunately for Gap Inc., there’s no guarantee that those Yeezy fans — who will almost certainly fill stores and create campout lines at what Gap stores remain — will buy anything else from the beleaguered brand, which it’ll need to reverse course after 20 years of declining relevance.

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Olivia Rodrigo formally launch her career with a debut album and Lana Del Rey preview her next full-length effort with a trio of singles. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.

Olivia Rodrigo — “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back”

Sour, the debut album from the biggest rising pop star of 2021, had fans comparing Rodrigo to Taylor Swift. The similarities are perhaps most evident on “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back,” which borrows from Swift’s “New Year’s Day.” Rodrigo didn’t actually sample the song, though, and fans think Rodrigo approaching the track the way she did was a sign of support for Swift.

Lil Nas X — “Sun Goes Down”

While Lil Nas X is usually good for a laugh and a fun single, he gets as vulnerable as he ever has on his latest, “Sun Goes Down,” a reflective tune that looks back on his past. While the track received a positive reception, it has drawn ire from at least one subset of music fans, as the Barbz didn’t care for Nas mentioning Nicki Minaj on the track, for some reason.

Lana Del Rey — “Blue Banisters”

In just a few weeks, Lana Del Rey is dropping a new album, polarizing artwork and all. Ahead of then, she previewed a significant portion of it all at once when she shared a trio of new songs from Blue Banisters. That included the title track, a characteristically melodramatic piano ballad.

Latto — “The Biggest”

In a move that many felt was overdue, the rapper formerly known as Mulatto officially changed her stage name to Latto last week. She decided to introduce her new era by making some noise with a new single, the hard-hitting and self-assured “The Biggest.”

City Girls — “Twerkulator”

“Song of the summer” is perhaps the most sought-after annual, unofficial, honorary title a single can achieve. Now, as the warm months are settling in, City Girls seem to have introduced their submission with “Twerkulator,” an uptempo, Afrika Bambaataa- and Soulsonic Force-sampling tune that’s a real candidate for catching on in a big way.

BTS — “Butter”

City Girls won’t be unchallenged for the song of the summer throne, as BTS have made a strong showing with “Butter.” The Korean group are more adept than most at consistently and regularly busting out top-tier, super-fun pop songs, which they have done yet again here.

Polo G and Lil Wayne — “Gang Gang”

Polo G is a proven star now, as he earned his first No. 1 song this year with “Rapstar.” Now he has teamed up with an established legend, Lil Wayne, on “Gang Gang,” on which the pair work their way through the tried-and-true topics of fame and success.

Fousheé — “Enjoy The Silence”

Fousheé has been turning heads with her own music as she’s become a promising rising R&B star, but she took time last week to honor those who came before her. She did so by transforming Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy The Silence,” taking the synth-pop group’s tune and turning it into sultry contemporary R&B.

Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen — “Like I Used To”

One day, Sharon Van Etten found “the courage to send [Angel Olsen] an unfinished song and ask her to do a duet with me.” Now, the results of that collaboration speak for themselves, as the two shine brightly on the soaring single “Like I Used To.”

Bktherula — “Blue”

The rising Atlanta rapper is a few months removed from her debut album, Nirvana, and she pleased her growing fan base last week with a pair of new songs, “Satanny” and “Blue.” Of the introspective but upbeat latter song, Bktherula says, “This one day I woke up feeling so betrayed. […] It’s not a good mindstate to be in all the time, but weirdly enough, betrayal can be motivating for me.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Yesterday (May 23) marked the tenth anniversary of Lady Gaga’s iconic 2011 album Born This Way. She enjoyed quite the celebration: The City of West Hollywood declared May 23 to be “Born This Way Day” and presented Gaga with a key to the city in a public ceremony.

Accepting the honor from West Hollywood mayor Lindsey P. Horvath, Gaga (who was sporting a new dark-haired look) said, “Thank you for this key, you’ve been… I’m sure this will sound cheesy to some people, not to me, but you’ve been the motherf*cking key to my heart for a long time. I’ll honor this, I’ll cherish this, and I promise that I’ll always be here for this day.”

Following the ceremony, Gaga also posted on social media, writing of Born This Way, “Born This Way, my song and album, were inspired by Carl Bean, a gay black religious activist who preached, sung and wrote about being ‘Born This Way.’ Notably his early work was in 1975, 11 years before I was born. Thank you for decades of relentless love, bravery, and a reason to sing. So we can all feel joy, because we deserve joy. Because we deserve the right to inspire tolerance, acceptance, and freedom for all.”

Lady Gaga has been back in the US for a few weeks now after she finished filming House Of Gucci.

Like sweaty father, like weirdly intense son.

Rudy Giuliani’s offspring, Andrew, is running for governor for New York in an attempt to unseat Andrew Cuomo, despite being dubbed the “failson-in-chief” and never holding elected office (“Golf” is listed higher than “Political Career” on his Wikipedia). His credentials include serving as Donald Trump’s special assistant in the White House and his “five decades in politics” (he’s 35 years old).

“It’s time for change, like my parents before me. New York is in my blood. I’ve been raised from New York. I know who we are, what we can be and where we need to go,” Giuliani said in his first campaign video. “It’s time to stand and honor the great heroes of New York. The greatest chapters of New York are yet to be written. And as your governor, let’s write the greatest comeback story ever. It’s time to bring back New York.”

Giuliani is trying to be inspiring — so why does he look so angry in the video?

At least there’s no mysterious black ooze pouring down his face. Anyway, it’s probably not a great sign for Giuliani’s political ambitions that everyone’s first thought after seeing… whatever that was… is, “Is that Will Ferrell?”

It’s easy to laugh at Andrew Giuliani (I’m doing it right now!), but as John Oliver pointed out during Sunday’s episode of Last Week Tonight, we can’t entirely dismiss him. “Yes, Andrew Giuliani is ridiculous. All these candidates are ridiculous. But if the last years have taught us anything, it’s that ridiculous people can end up getting elected,” he said.

Despite the fact that Spiral: From the Book of Saw is being critically panned and failed to hit its modest box office projections even with the star power of Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson, the attempt at reviving the horror series still managed to pull off a notable feat over the weekend. The Saw franchise now has a total worldwide box office of over $1 billion. Via Variety:

It’s a significant achievement because the “Saw” movies carry modest production budgets — ranging from $1 million to $20 million — making profit margins all the sweeter. Even more notable, the “Saw” films aren’t particularly well received among critics or audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, the nine films usually generate an average around 30%, while its CinemaScore rating from moviegoers tends to range between “B” and “C” grades.

Like most movies just making their way to theaters, Spiral: From the Book of Saw was supposed to be out over a year ago, but saw it’s release date pushed back because of the pandemic. However, Chris Rock has done his part to keep the movie in headlines thanks to his star power and his plans to revive the franchise by adding the one thing he’s best at: comedy.

“I love Saw, but I was like ‘wow, it has almost no humor at all.’ So, it seemed like a good place … good fertile ground,” Rock told IGN. “It’s still Saw … it’s bloody, it’s gory, but there’s like a sprinkling of humor here and there. We’re not revamping it, it’s not Scary Movie, it’s Saw.”

(Via Variety)

It’s impossible to list Seth Rogen’s credits without including “stoner.” Try it. “Actor, writer, director Seth Rogen” doesn’t sound right. But “actor, writer, director, stoner Seth Rogen,” now that’s more like it. The same rule applies for “rapper and stoner Snoop Dogg,” so the weed enthusiast’s pasts were fated to cross. And they have, multiple times.

In his memoir, Yearbook, Rogen recounts the first time that he met the rapper born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. He reached out to Snoop to ask if he could perform “Take To Panties Off,” the song sung by Craig Robinson in This Is the End. Snoop agreed. “I arrived at the studio, and soon after, Snoop comes in with, like, four or five people, one of whom is a blunt roller, as in someone whose only job is to roll blunts,” Rogen wrote. Snoop only expected to provide the hook, but when Rogen asked if he could rap a verse too, the rapper thought about it for a moment and replied, “Bring in the hoes.”

From the Daily Beast:

The guy left, and within thirty seconds he returned with five or six women who were very much dressed like strippers at the start of a routine. The producer blasted the beat, and the women danced and drank while Snoop wrote a rap verse on his BlackBerry.

Twenty minutes later, with the verse written, “the hoes” left. “Where were the hoes up till that point? We were not in a big building, and I hadn’t seen them before that moment,” Rogen wondered, but looking back on the encounter, his biggest question now is: “Why have I been saying ‘hoes’ this whole time? I definitely shouldn’t do that.”

You can purchase a copy of Yearbook here.

(Via the Daily Beast)

Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox have been dating for a while now and they seem to be having a delightful time with each other. Their relationship has been one to behold for outside observers as well. The things the pair say and do have certainly gotten eyeballs focused on them as a couple, and they added to their eyebrow-raising story this weekend at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards.

Ahead of the show, Kelly went for a surprising (or perhaps not) stylistic choice and decided to paint his tongue black, sharing clips of the process on his Instagram Story (as BuzzFeed notes). Later on, Kelly and Fox showed up on the red carpet and decided to really draw attention to Kelly’s look by packing on some tongue-heavy PDA.

When it came to the actual ceremony, Kelly did quite well. He was nominated in three categories and came away with two wins: Top Rock Artist and Top Rock Album (for Tickets To My Downfall). After getting the win, he took to his Instagram Story to celebrate by sharing a video of himself holding one of his trophies… in a bathroom, as Fox exited a stall behind him and was seemingly surprised to discover she was being filmed.

Check out the full list of 2021 Billboard Music Awards winners here.

Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige recently got roasted for marveling at the beauty of shooting outdoors when it came to Oscar winning director Chloé Zhao’s approach to The Eternals. Now, it’s rather easy to see why Feige was taken aback after over a decade of green-screening movies: this movie looks unlike any other Marvel Cinematic Universe project that we’ve ever seen. This film shall be Phase Four’s third movie — following Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — but it will be the first in which we’ll not only see a ripped Kumail Nanjiani but another very important thing.

The Eternals, of course is the first MCU movie for which the director, in Feige’s words (to Variety), stood firm in “fighting for practical locations,” which he dubbed her “signature style.” Well, we’re finally getting a look at that style, and it’s remarkable to behold (those are honest-to-god beach shots, and that’s absurdly unusual in 2021) even in teaser form. Also, there’s a brand new (old) batch of immortal superheroes, who are (via the synopsis) “forced out of the shadows to reunite against mankind’s oldest enemy, The Deviants” in what ends up being a story that spans thousands of years.

The ensemble cast brings more A-list names into the MCU, too. There’s Richard Madden as the omnipotent Ikaris; Angelina Jolie as the intense warrior Thena; Kumail Nanjiani as cosmically-inclined Kingo; Salma Hayek as spiritual leader Ajak; Brian Tyree Henry as the innovative Phastos; and Kit Harington playing a guy named Dane Whitman (who’s also known as the Black Knight). The film also stars Gemma Chan, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Don Lee, and Barry Keoghan.

When it comes to The Eternals, one interesting matter to note is that Thanos, the genocidal villain from the final two Infinity Saga movies, is actually linked in lineage to The Eternals. That might not mean much in the grand scheme of Phase Four, but it’s amusing that Thanos’ nickname, the Mad Titan, in fact refers to him belonging to the Titan species, which makes him, yeah, a relative. Will Thanos even get a mention in The Eternals? We’ve seen no clues yet in that direction, although Feige remains unparalleled at weaving mythology together in ways that make sense, years later (see WandaVision), so we’ll probably see some sort of dot-connecting, eventually.

The Eternals will arrive in theaters on November 5. Here’s a cosmos-filled poster, too.