Month: June 2021

It’s hard to pin down Saphir’s genre. The LA-based vocalist’s work can range from emotive pop to goth-rock-influenced rap-soul, with many, many variations in between. However, for her first UPROXX Sessions appearance, self-described “Jewish girl who never got out of her scene phase,” opts for “Jaded,” a song that reminds me of a more confident, swagger-filled Evanescence. It’d make cool background music for a dystopian cyberpunk thriller — and I mean that as a compliment.

Counting influences such as Avenged Sevenfold, Slipknot, and NeverShoutNever, Saphir’s sound certainly wears those inspirations on its sleeve. Like her late compatriot Lil Peep, Saphir’s songwriting is personal, reflective, and raw; she’s unafraid to expose her issues to public scrutiny, which some fans will undoubtedly find endearing and relatable, and while her genre-hopping style is unconventional, it may very well be the key to a thriving career.

Watch Saphir perform “Jaded” for UPROXX Sessions above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Sweet Tooth makes me feel giddy. I never expected to say that about a post-apocalyptic tale, especially one that uses a virus as a framing device, but here we are. Likewise, Robert Downey Jr. is here. He’s executive producing alongside Susan Downey and Warner Bros., relatively fresh off his Marvel Studios run as Iron Man while taking a stab at a DC Comics/Warner Bros. project; and following a production halt last year due to you-know-what, we’ve got an exciting comic book adaptation that (miraculously) does not involve superpowered beings. This show achieves another sizable feat, too, considering that post-apocalyptic fare has been a tricky thing to introduce during our current times. We’ve seen that already from a misfired Utopia on Amazon, and another uphill battle arrived with the reboot of Stephen King’s The Stand, which was quite good but, still, not exactly what people wanted to watch during a pandemic.

What I’m saying, quite inarticulately, is this: in order for a tale involving a humanity-halting virus to succeed, a finely-threaded needle must weave a story that can justify its existence outside of a virus-framing. Also, goddamn it, we need hope and positivity amid the shadows. With Sweet Tooth, that happens because the microbe didn’t need to be the spark of this dystopian fairy tale. Nor is the virus anywhere near a subject that overrides the show’s vibe. In fact, I nearly hesitated to mention any pathogen at all at the risk of giving anyone a reason to not watch this show because it’s a marvelously rendered tale. Yes, the show has dark moments — it is, after all, based upon a comic that’s been referred to as “Mad Max Meets Bambi” — but it’s also funny and smart and has a touch of satire. Most of all, Sweet Tooth is a series that involves mature themes but is a safe bet for the family, at least for those who can handle PG themes.

Here’s where I also urge you to not let that “family” attribute scare you away if you want a grown-up story. Sweet Tooth first surfaced (as written by Jeff Lemire) under DC’s Vertigo imprint, and comic-book fans damn well know that Vertigo (before these titles were moved under the DC Black Label umbrella) catered to mature audiences. Think The Sandman, Preacher, Transmetropolitan, 100 Bullets, and John Constantine: Hellblazer. As a comic book, Sweet Tooth was actually pretty bleak, but Team Downey and Warner Bros. sought to lighten the mood for the Netflix audience. Thank goodness for this foresight because, again, we need some uplifting material for genre fans who still wish to dance next to their darker proclivities.

With that said, there are a ton of aspects to love about Sweet Tooth. At its core, it’s a story that’s indeed got both Mad Max and Bambi vibes (a hybrid deer-boy suffers a great tragedy after the collapse of society), but the series also feels like The Mandalorian in spirit and the central dynamic (a Protector type and an adorably-eared Child, who gets, uh, hungry sometimes) that forms the soul of the show. There’s some The Walking Dead and The Road flavor up in there, too, along with Pinocchio and Peter Pan. All of those layers come to life through the performances of a wonder-filled Gus/”Sweet Tooth” (Christian Convery) and the gruff Jeppard/”Big Man” (Nonso Anozie) after they come together as strangers. For a decade, Gus has led a sheltered life in Yellowstone Park; it’s now road-trip time after his father figure, portrayed by Will Forte (who’s in serious mode, and it works), hid him away from all close-minded adults, who fear that hybrids unleashed the virus. And if this is sounding too familiar, those aspects of the show that could hit too close to home are skillfully diffused through a satiric lens.

As it turns out, Gus is a bit of a time capsule to those last moments before civilization turned to sh*t. He exists to remind people that there was once plenty of good in the world. He softens Jeppard (their chemistry between Convery and Anozie is outstanding, despite them never having met before their first take), and Gus similarly influences the perspective of a jaded teenage girl, Bear (Stefania LaVie Owen), who leads a group of animal-fur-clad youths that will remind people of The Lost Boys (in the Peter Pan sense, not the vampire flick of the late 1980s) or even Lord of the Flies.

Throughout their journey, Gus and Jeppard must evade a paramilitary group, The Last Men, who want to destroy hybrids, and yeah, it sure looks like fear is the real killer in this dystopia. Fortunately, James Brolin’s baritone narrator reminds us that this is, ultimately, a happy-ish story, and it also feels like a trip to the movies because it was shot in New Zealand, which stands in for Yellowstone and Colorado and looks gorgeous. There’s no need for much CGI here, as the show favors practical effects, and the story’s appeal rests upon its characters. Yes, the focal point of Sweet Tooth is the relationship between Gus and Jeppard, but there’s plenty of background players (from seemingly unconnected perspectives) to add texture and context to what else happens in the world beyond the quest. For example, we see a doctor wrestle with how to save mankind, and a therapist takes up residence at a zoo, where fantastical things happen.

Fearsome presences rear their heads, as well. The Last Men function as the story’s outright big bad, and they’re led by a general (portrayed by a, dare I say, unrecognizable Neil Sandilands). Meanwhile, other hybrids enter the story, the past collides with the present in all sorts of ways. Oh, and the vibes are pleasantly overwhelming. Sweet Tooth isn’t quite arriving in summer, but it’s giving us summer moods: hope and positivity and love and understanding and the healing of nature. It’s the show that the stuck-at-home-too-long audience needs right now, and it’s a big, comic-book-loving blanket of a series. The eight episodes of this first season go heavy into world-building that should lead into future seasons, if the Netflix audience knows what’s good for them.

Netflix’s ‘Sweet Tooth’ streams on June 4.

Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak are still enjoying the success of their sole Silk Sonic single “Leave The Door Open”: The song recently returned to No. 1 on the charts for a second week, and on the latest Billboard Hot 100, it’s still in the top 5. Still, the song was released three months ago now and fans are craving more from the duo. Well, today, they’ve gotten more, albeit in a form they likely weren’t expecting: Mars and .Paak have collaborated on a new jingle for SelvaRey Rum, a rum brand that Mars co-owns.

The duo also got James Fauntleroy on the track, which was produced by “Leave The Door Open” producer Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II. As would be expected from a commercial jingle, it’s a brief and jaunty tune, although it ends with some smooth, Silk Sonic-style soul.

Mars says in a statement, “Rum is really synonymous with joy. Anyone holding a good rum cocktail is exactly where they want to be. That’s what I wanted people to feel with this campaign. And SelvaRey Coconut delivers the ultimate drink every time. It’s hands down the best coconut rum you’ve ever tasted. Who wouldn’t be happy with a SelvaRey Piña Colada in their hand?”

He also wrote on social media, “My friends and I are Co Owners of this delicious rum. Us being all musicians it’s only right that we put together the official jingle for @selvareyrum .This was fun!”

Check out the jingle above.

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

Commemorating the one-year anniversary of her hit single “Dance Alone,” Tayla Parx follows up her Coping Mechanisms album with a short film. The visual includes several songs off the album and follows the singer as she navigates through the ever-changing world around her.

The 17-minute Coping Mechanisms film opens with Parx dancing her way through a whimsical building. As she arrives outside, she suddenly becomes animated and discovers the dark side to greediness.

In a statement about the film Parx says she wanted to give her fans some more context about the album:

“It brings me a tremendous amount of joy to share this film with the world. I wanted to create a visual component to Coping Mechanisms to give fans a deeper understanding of the innerworkings behind this album while providing a bit of a time capsule into my emotions. Big shout out to Parx Studios as well as Bobby and Roxana who helped bring this film to life.”

Watch Parx’s Coping Mechanisms short film above.

Coping Mechanisms is out now via Tayla Made/Atlantic. Get it here.

Tayla Parx is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Colorado always claims a top spot when it comes to summer road travel, and this year, with so much travel focused on drive markets, is no exception. There are four different National Parks in the state, all located in opposite directions — making a National Parks road trip a slam dunk choice. I’ve visited all of the Colorado parks multiple times, and have finally dialed in my perfect itinerary and pit stops.

Here’s my guide to the perfect Colorado National Park Road Trip:

Denver to Great Sand Dunes National Park

I would start in Denver — and depending on when you can snag timed entry tickets for Rocky Mountain National Park — either start or end there. Assuming RMNP is your last stop, begin by heading south from Denver via 285 towards Great Sand Dunes National Park. The drive is 3.5/4 hours, but there is a lot to see along the way. I always stop in Buena Vista (there are great hot springs and a ghost town just outside the city), or even a slightly longer detour to Rye and Bishop’s Castle — a one-man-made castle in the middle of San Isabel National Forest. Then on to the Sand Dunes.

Great Sand Dunes doesn’t have any reservation system to enter this year, but is getting increasingly popular thanks to its towering dunes, mountain backdrop, and proximity to Denver. So if you’re planning on camping, I’d reserve as far in advance as possible (all sites in the park are now reservation only). If you can’t get a spot, there are chain hotels and food in nearby Alamosa.

Great Sand Dunes National Park to Mesa Verde National Park

From Great Sand Dunes, head east towards Mesa Verde National Park. It’s about a four-hour drive via US-160. This route takes you right through Pagosa Springs where you can stop to soak at one of the famous hot springs then stop at nearby Chimney Rock National Monument on your way to Durango. You’ll likely want to stay and explore in Durango for the night before heading to Mesa Verde.

You can buy a ticket for a cliff dwelling tour (the only way to see all but one of the dwellings) starting 14 days before your visit at 8am MST here.

Mesa Verde National Park to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

From Mesa Verde you will head Northwest towards Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Gunnison. This leg will wind through some of the most scenic spots in the United States. The drive is just 3 hours, but you’ll want to make several stops. I recommend stopping in Telluride before driving on to Ridgway. From there — if you have some time — I would absolutely detour to drive the “Million Dollar Highway” from Ouray to Silverton and back. It is some of the most jaw-dropping scenery I’ve ever encountered. Truly takes your breath away.

Once you get to Black Canyon you won’t have to worry about reservations — it is still a fairly underrated park, but I imagine won’t be for long.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument isn’t one of the 63 currently designated “National Parks” in the National Parks system, but it is a National Monument that packs more of a punch than some that do have the designation.

It is a great stop-off on a Colorado NPS trip, just an hour and a half from Black Canyon. Even just a drive-through is worth your time here to see the steep red rock canyon walls.

Colorado National Monument to Rocky Mountain National Park

The drive from Colorado National Monument east to Rocky Mountain National Park could be as short as four hours to over four days, depending on your schedule. There is so much to see and do. I usually recommend stopping/staying in Palisade just outside of Grand Junction — the wine country of Colorado. There are over twenty wineries along with cideries, breweries, and of course hikes.

From there, continue along I-70 and stop at Rifle State Park. It’s just off the highway and just a few steps from the (often very busy) parking lot brings you to a beautiful triple waterfall. You can continue on to three hiking trails through the park before heading back towards your ultimate destination.

Now you have a choice to make — continue on the direct route (continue on I-70 east) — or detour through the purple mountains majesty. If you have the time, I think you know which one to pick.

My favorite detour is to the roaring fork valley. There you have endless options on the road towards Aspen. If you can get a ticket, Maroon Bells is a must and possibly a more iconic view than any of the National Parks in the state. I always lunch at the Aspen Art Museum rooftop cafe or stop at the eclectic Woody Creek Tavern just outside town (Hunter S. Thompson’s favorite bar), then spend some time driving over Independence Pass. It just opened for the season and is truly one of the most breathtaking drives I know of on this planet.

From there, you land in Twin Lakes — another one of my absolute favorite places in the state to hike, wade into the water, and camp. From there, head back down to the interstate, stopping in Silver Plume for a drink at Bread Bar before heading north on 119 where you can stop at in Black Hawk or Brainard Lake Recreation Area (but only with reservations this year) and then on to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Rocky Mountain National Park back to Denver

Rocky Mountain National Park is legendary. It is vast and awe-inspiring and all of the things that you think of when you think of a Colorado road trip. It requires timed entry tickets this season to enter and another for the road to Bear Lake (where many beautiful hikes originate).

You really can’t go wrong here. Drive Trail Ridge Road, hike around Bear Lake, watch for wildlife or just sit and take it all in.

When you’ve picked your jaw up off the floor it’s time to head back to Denver. Drive through Lyons and Boulder to get your last view of the Rockies before heading home, reflecting on the fun you had, and planning your next adventure.

Kate Winslet went full Brad Pitt with her on-screen eating in HBO’s huge hit Mare of Easttown. Winslet’s titular Mare eats so much during the run of the series that it’s a focal point of SNL’s parody of the show. In the second episode, there are three scenes that feature Mare eating in various situations — from downing a cheesesteak to stuffing duck liver in a couch cushion to digging into a hoagie. Each perhaps deserving of a culinary homage, in its own strange way.

It’s that first meal that caught my attention, though. I’m a big cheesesteak fan. Back in college, it was a pretty normal occurrence to drive up to Philly on a day off just to get a cheesesteak (I went to school in Washington, DC). Luckily, I was usually going with a friend or two who actually came from the home of Gritty. So I got turned onto Jim’s South Street early and never really hit up the other famous spots too often (though they were all tested at some point).

Even as my life has changed, my love for this perfect, messy sandwich has endured. So when I eyed Kate Winslet tucking into a quick cheesesteak, I knew I had to make one.

Since Mare of Easttown has sort of become internet famous for being a food-filled show, it wasn’t too hard getting information. Vulture has an episode-by-episode guide of every food scene and what’s being eaten in each one. Turn’s out the cheesesteak in question is from Cocco’s in Aston, PA. After perusing their menu, it became pretty clear that we’re dealing with a classic cheesesteak with no frills. Exactly what I was hoping.

I set out to make a cheesesteak the way I’d always order it, “sweet peppers, onions, whiz.” Look, provolone is fine on a cheesesteak but you’re already going for a gut-bomb. So I always thought you may as well go the whole way and get your neon cheese on. And with that spirit, let’s dive into making a cheesesteak at home for all of us who don’t live near Philly.

Classic Philly Cheesesteak with Whiz

Ingredients:

• 1 12-inch hoagie roll
• 1-lb. ribeye steak
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1/2 cup Cheese Whiz (or equivalent)
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dried oregano
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• Olive Oil

I can’t get Amoroso’s hoagie rolls in Berlin (where I live), obviously. But, I can get a soft sandwich roll that is shockingly close. The main element missing is the dusting of cornmeal. Otherwise, it’s a soft, long sandwich roll and that’s what you need for this.

Next, I’m using rib eye. It’s undeniably the best cut to use for a cheesesteak. I even scored a ribeye from the U.S.A. to make this one extra authentic.

Finally, the cheese sauce is pretty standard. I can’t get the exact Kraft Cheese Whiz but I can get the exact same thing under a different label. Plus, I got a pretty big jar. So I guess I’ll be making movie theater nachos this weekend. Win-win?

What You’ll Need:

• Large saute pan
• Small pot
• Bowl
• Cutting board
• Kitchen knife
• Bread knife
• Heavy metal spatula
• Tongs
• Spoon
• White wrapping paper
• Foil

Method:

• Place the steak in a small Ziplock bag in the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm it up.
• In the meantime, slice the onion and bell pepper.
• Heat the large saute pan on medium-high heat with a thin layer of olive oil.
• Add the onion and bell peppers and saute while moving around with the spatula.
• Once the onions just start to brown, lower heat to medium, and hit the peppers and onions with four or five dashes of Worcestershire, a few cranks of black pepper, a few pinches of dried oregano, and two big pinches of salt. Keep moving everything with the spatula to fully combine.
• Once the onions are brown and the peppers are soft, set them aside. The saute pan should have a nice fond on the bottom — KEEP that.
• Put the cheese into a small pot and place it on low heat.
• Fetch the steak from the freezer.
• Use a very sharp kitchen knife to slice the steak as thin as possible against the grain.
• Turn the heat back onto medium-high under your saute pan and add another thin layer of olive oil.
• Add the steak into the hot pan and hit with two big pinches of salt and a few cranks from the black pepper mill.
• Use the edge of the metal spatula to hit the meat, sort of like you’re tenderizing it in the pan. Be careful as the juices coming out of the steak will splash around.
• Once the meat is browned, move it to one side of the pan and re-add the peppers and onions to rewarm them in all the steak juices in the pan.
• Use the bread knife to cut the hoagie open and place it over the steaming meat, peppers, and onions to warm it up for about a minute (you can also warm it up in a microwave or an oven).
• Open up the warm hoagie without breaking the hinge. Use the tongs to load all the steak into the bread then top with an even layer of peppers and onions.
• Move the sandwich over to a cutting board.
• Using a standard kitchen spoon, drizzle the cheese up and down the sandwich.
• Wrap the sandwich up in white paper, making sure to keep the cheese, steak, peppers, and onions tucked into the sandwich then wrap that in foil and let it rest for five or more minutes to let everything come together.
• Use the bread knife to cut in half and tuck in!

Bottom Line:

This was a f*cking cheesesteak with neon orange cheese on it. Of course, it was amazing. No need to ask, really.

The meat was easy to chew and fell apart without falling out of the sandwich. The green peppers and onions added a really nice sweetness and a touch of crunch. The cheese “whiz” was on point — a gooey umami bomb in neon orange. The juices from the meat really helped the soft and slightly sweet bread become a nostalgia-inducing treat. Every bite was an “ahhh…” moment.

Overall, I got good reviews from my lunch companions. This was a win as a homemade edition. Moving forward, I might pull a little bit of the bread out before I fill in the meat. Trying to stay carb conscious and all that. But maybe not. All that I know is that I want to make this again very soon.

While his dad is holed up in Mar-A-Lago mourning the loss of his blog, Donald Trump Jr. is taking his particular brand of unhinged conservatism to another social media platform: Cameo.

For just over $500, Don Jr. is offering “fans” the opportunity to purchase a personalized video message from him on the site as long as they’re cool with it being delivered within two to seven days. If for some reason, prospective buyers need that video message within 24 hours, they’ll have to shell out $787 for their rush order. (We’d ask why someone would need such a tight deadline for a recorded shoutout from a former president’s child, but that would imply that we understand why people would want to pay for this kind of thing in the first place, which we don’t.)

It’s an unsurprisingly narcissistic move from Don Jr. who, up until this point, was content to unload his disturbing rants and strung-out temper tantrums for free. Now, he wants people to hand over their hard-earned cash for a chance to hear their name amid some tirade over Joe Biden’s workout routine and the liberal left’s war on hamburgers … probably. Honestly, nothing makes sense here.

On his Cameo profile, Don Jr. claims a portion of the proceeds he receives will go to a foundation that supports private military contractors, although Trump charities normally don’t work out too well. Still, at least one person has already made use of Don Jr.’s Cameo offer — a guy from Australia that it seems paid the $525 to have Don Jr. tell him not to worry if his wife is upset that the night of the 2016 election was the “happiest night” of his life.

What is the point of satire anymore?

Prince recorded his final album Welcome 2 America over a decade ago and now, it’s finally about to be released. Prince’s estate first announced the exciting project back in April with the title track, which is a spoken word reflection on the pitfalls of mass media. Now offering another look at the album, Prince’s funk-forward track “Born 2 Die” is officially here.

As noted by Prince’s team, the song was conceived over a decade ago as Prince reflected on issues of racial justice:

“The song was recorded during a flurry of studio activity in the spring of 2010, when President Obama was just a year into his first term and Prince was reflecting deeply on the issues affecting the Black community and the role he hoped to play. As happened countless times throughout his career, Prince ended up shelving the song and the rest of Welcome 2 America in his legendary vault.”

Prince’s collaborator and longtime music director Morris Hayes recalled how the musician wrote “Born 2 Die” after being compared to Curtis Mayfield. “We got to ‘Born 2 Die,’ and Prince said, ‘I’ll tell you how that came about,’” Hayes said. “He had been watching videos of his friend Dr. Cornel West on YouTube, and during one speech Dr. West said, ‘I love my brother Prince, but he’s no Curtis Mayfield.’ So Prince said, “Oh really? We will see.”

Listen to “Born 2 Die” above.

Welcome 2 America is out 7/30 via The Prince Estate/Legacy Recordings. Pre-order it here.

The story of the United States can’t be told without Magic Mike XXL, an American masterpiece (it’s up there with jazz and McDonald’s), so it’s only fitting that Channing Tatum should be in America: The Motion Picture.

Directed by Matt Thompson (Archer) with a script from Dave Callaham (Wonder Woman 1984, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), the animated movie stars Tatum as George Washington, except this ain’t your daddy’s Founding Father. He’s ready to “start a f*cking revolution” and says things like, “Ding dong, it’s America, motherf*cker.” Based on the trailer above, it looks like Clone High meets Archer meets Genndy Tartakovsky, with bonus Jason Mantzoukas and Judy Greer.

Producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were already behind one of the year’s best animated movies in The Mitchells vs. the Machines — can they do it again with America: The Motion Picture? F*ck yeah. Here’s the official plot synopsis:

For, like, thousands of years, the origins of the United States of America have remained shrouded in mystery, lost to the sands of time. Who built this ‘country tis of thee,’ and why? Only the dinosaurs know… until now. For the first time in human history, the incredible, completely true story of America’s origins are revealed in America: The Motion Picture — a once-in-a-lifetime cultural event available the only way the Founding Fathers ever intended their story be told: On Netflix, on your phone, June 30th.

America: The Motion Picture, which also stars Simon Pegg, Bobby Moynihan, Raoul Trujillo, Olivia Munn, Will Forte, and Andy Samberg, premieres on Netflix on June 30.

So there’s this game that a lot of people play, but the reasons everyone plays it are a little different. Some just really want to power trip and make their own experience out of it. Others like to micromanage every aspect of themselves and get the most out of the experience. Some just need something to do after a hard day and it is their way to relax.

Depending on the person, that game can be an MMO like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV, or it could mean a life simulator like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley. These two genres have way more in common than we realize and it’s why the trailer for a new game called Palia looks so incredible: It’s the MMO/life simulator game of our dreams.

This is a really cool trailer because it starts off looking like a standard farm simulator or life simulation game — chopping trees, mining, building out your house/farm. Then, it reveals itself to be an MMO. Other players begin to appear, a world open for exploration is at our fingertips, and a sense of excitement fills the air.

The potential of this game looks amazing and the people behind it have a proven background. They even understand that not everyone wants a multiplayer experience out of their life simulation game. Via IGN:

Palia is being developed by a collective of former developers from Blizzard, Epic, Riot, Zynga, and Sony, and it shows in the overall aesthetic, which can’t help bringing to mind World of Warcraft and Fortnite.

…

As for those who would rather go solo, director Aidan Karabaich says that Singularity 6 is “absolutely focused” on players who don’t want to have what he characterizes as intense social interactions. Solo players who don’t want to collaborate on a village will be able to create their own settlement.

Obviously, the game is still in pre-alpha, but early signs make Palia look like something that could change how we look at life simulation games. Personally, I’ve already signed up for the chance to be a part of it.