Month: November 2021

When Cassandra Jenkins released her An Overview On Phenomenal Nature in early February, it debuted during a time when there were a lot of unknowns in the world. Now, revisiting the work several months later, the singer is set to share a collection of alternative tracks and outtakes from the albums’ recording process. After previewing the project with tantalizing track “Hailey (pRemix),” Jenkins returns with the serene track “American Spirits.”

The new single is a swell of swirling soundcapes brought together by the low hum of Jenkins’ moving vocals. She sings of getting a call from an unknown number, which is actually a real story that she says inspired the emotion behind “American Spirits”:

“I woke up one morning with a voicemail from an unknown number while I was on tour in 2018. The area code was from the Texas border, and I had a sinking feeling my friend had gotten arrested on his way to come see us play in Joshua Tree. I’m fortunate to be close to someone who can speak so candidly about their incarceration, and how the prison system has continuously affected their life. When we spoke recently about the voicemail in this recording, I asked him what he was feeling in that moment. He said ‘I was really scared. So I called you, and I called a lawyer.’ I cherished this voicemail for years because, even in that difficult moment, I could hear a tenderness in his voice as he confessed, as well as avoided, reporting that he had spent the night in jail. What resulted is the poetic ambiguity that can arise from the struggle of searching for the words to tell someone we love exactly what has happened.”

Listen to Jenkins’ “American Spirits” above.

(An Overview On) An Overview on Phenomenal Nature is out 11/19 via Ba Da Bing Records. Pre-order it here.

After a long, grueling two-year absence, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is finally returning for Season 15, and fans will not have long to wait. According to Deadline, the first two episodes of the new season will premiere on December 1, and in the process, make Sunny the “longest-running live-action comedy series in television history.” Tough luck, The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, which… was the current record holder? Seriously? Wow.

FXX also dropped a pretty fun press release that hints at some of the trouble The Gang will get into this season, and yes, it involves running some sort of ocean-crisscrossing COVID scam because, well, of course it does:

Like a fine Irish whiskey, Sunny’s distinct flavor has gotten richer and intensified through the years. First barreled in 2005, the show has become a landmark for dark comedy and American satire, uniting the most devoted of fans from all over the country and abroad, and this monumental 15th season is truly one to crack open and celebrate. Continuing to deliver some of the hardest laughs on television while tackling society’s most pressing issues, Sunny turns its fearless focus both outward and inward: to a national and international level but also to a deeply personal level. This is a season that sees The Gang try to exploit pandemic aid, sidestep cancel culture, evade criminal justice, reflect on their origins, and reconcile their identities and homeland roots.

FXX also released a poster for the new Sunny season, which you can see below:

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 15 premieres on December 1 at 10 PM EST on FXX.

(Via Deadline)

When Boygenius came together for their self-titled EP in 2018, the indie rock world went wild. Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, and Phoebe Bridgers were climbing towards an individual peak in their careers and their music together was equally sublime. They embarked on an ambitious tour where each artist played their own set, followed by the Boygenius revue at venues that even touched the 3,000-person capacity. But the group has been on the back burner lately, as each artist as worked on their own brilliant solo albums: Little Oblivions for Baker, Home Video for Dacus (who appeared on Fallon last night), and the Grammy-nominated Punisher for Bridgers.

Now, for the first time since 2018, the trio are reuniting for a concert together and it’s a special benefit show. Taking place on November 19th in San Francisco, Boygenius will be headlining the Bread & Roses Presents Fall Benefit Concert held at the St. Joseph’s Arts Society. Bread & Roses is a storied organization — started by Joan Baez’s late sister, Mimi Fariña, in the 1970’s — that brings live music and entertainment to kids, teens, adults, and seniors in institutional settings who wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience the arts. They work with people in settings like hospitals, drug and alcohol recovery centers, mental institutions, hospice care centers, special needs schools, shelters for the abused or homeless, and a lot more. Artists like Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal and Lily Tomlin have all been a part of Bread & Roses functions in the past and now Boygenius (along with opener Allison Russell) joins their ranks for the already sold-out show.

On her solo tours, Dacus notably raises money at each stop for a charitable organization local to that city, or she’d pick an organization in her native Richmond, Virginia — like Art180, an art therapy-based organization — that the whole tour would benefit. Each of the three artists also focused a lot of their efforts on raising money for charity through a broad range of livestreams during lockdown. It’s safe to say their spirit of giving back is strong.

You can donate to Bread & Roses Presents if you’re able to do so here.

In The Eye, music’s brightest up-and-comers take to a minimal studio space for intimate performances that let the songs speak for themselves. Next up is Canadian-American singer/songwriter Grandson (real name Jordan Edward Benjamin), who performs three of his biggest successes so far: “Rain,” “Dirty,” and “Blood/Water.”

It didn’t take long for Grandson to start seeing success. Benjamin started performing under the moniker in 2015, and not long after, he began dropping singles that racked up millions of plays online. His biggest hit so far is the 2017 single “Blood/Water,” which would go on to appear on his 2018 debut EP, A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1. The song found its way near the top of the US rock charts and is certified Platinum by the RIAA. He had a big song this year, too, as he teamed up with Jessie Reyez on “Rain” from the soundtrack for The Suicide Squad. Beyond that, he has also collaborated with Vic Mensa, Travis Barker, Kesha, and others.

While the studio version of “Blood/Water” is built on a foundation of acoustic guitar, its production expands beyond that to include electronic influences. For Grandson’s The Eye performance of the song, though, he takes it back to basics. Accompanied only by a guitarist, Grandson puts the focus on the relationship between his vocals and the six-string, which works wonderfully and shows off the songwriting behind the highly produced original studio recording.

He does the same thing with his rendition of “Rain,” for which he was not accompanied by Reyez. He delivered a strong solo rendition of the track, though, showing off his vocal range by letting his falsetto take center stage. As for “Dirty,” a highlight from his 2020 debut album Death Of An Optimist, Grandson succeeds in adapting the upbeat rhythm of the original song to this more stripped-down setting.

Aside from The Eye, Grandson finds himself in a great spot now. As for when he got started in music, he said in an interview with The Eye that that’s not something he can specifically pinpoint, as music has always been a significant factor for him. All he knows is that it has become a potent tool for him to tell stories, both his own and those of others who may not be able to as effectively get their points across: “As early as I can remember, music was a vehicle with which me and the people around me expressed ourselves, both the family I grew up in and the family I chose later on in life. We have all been artists, we have all sought to tell our story and amplify the voices of those who aren’t as fortunate and privileged to tell theirs.”

Watch Grandson perform “Rain,” “Dirty,” and “Blood // Water” for The Eye above.

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

Omar Apollo may have started as a songwriter in his small Indiana hometown. But after signing to a major record label and dropping his 2020 debut album Apolonio, the singer has gone on to play sold-out shows, take the stage at major festivals, and perform his songs on various late-night TV shows. The singer recently followed up his debut album with the effortlessly fun 2021 single “Go Away” and now returns to team up with another Latinx singer for a laid-back track.

Apollo and Kali Uchis shared their new collaboration “Bad Life” on Wednesday, a moody track that speaks to the experience of wishing ill will on someone after a particularly painful breakup. The tender tune showcases both singers’ room-filling vocals and cathartic songwriting.

About the song, Apollo said:

“To me, ‘Bad Life’ represents putting in energy into a relationship and not getting anything in return. It’s a song about being resentful towards somebody — wanting them to have ‘bad life’ with whoever they’re with now. I posted a snippet in January teasing it and Kali called me telling me she loved it, so I asked her if she wanted to get on it. Her voice sounds amazing on it, I love her tone.”

This isn’t the first time Apollo and Uchis have teamed up on a vibe-heavy collaboration. Last year, the duo got together to record the short-but-sultry tune “Hey Boy,” a jazzy number that clocks in at one minute and 44 seconds and originally appeared on Apollo’s debut album Apolonio.

Listen to “Bad Life” above.

Omar Apollo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

You should absolutely set aside 10 minutes today to read Bloomberg Businessweek‘s story on John Schnatter, the disgraced Papa John’s Pizza founder who stepped down as CEO after blaming declining sales on NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem… then was fired as chairman after using a racial slur during a sensitivity-training conference call. What a life he’s lived. A terrible, greasy life. Kind of like his pizza.

Schnatter is now “seeking to clear his name,” senior writer Devin Leonard writes in the lengthy profile. “He says his exit was orchestrated by some of the company’s former officials, the NFL, and possibly even the Democratic National Committee.” There are lawsuits, full-page ads in newspapers, and the following sentences: “I’m Papa John! This is not going to blow over.” But my favorite section is during a tour of his Kentucky house:

[Schnatter] leads me through a door back into the house. We head to his gym, a cavernous room decorated with wall-to-wall memorabilia documenting his rise as a pizza mogul, and to an old-timey movie theater where he watches football. Then we climb the circular staircase up to the foyer, the centerpiece of which is a 16-foot-tall sculpture of two eagles descending from the sky, mating. “It just speaks to me,” he says, gazing up at it. “I think it’s badass.”

You read that correctly: Papa John has a sculpture of two eagles having sex in his mansion. I, too, love art. This is the most I’ve been haunted by a home tour since Dilbert dork Scott Adams showed everyone his toilet. We may never recover.

Here it is:

Eat the rich > eat Papa John’s pizza.

(Via Bloomberg Businessweek)

The Green Bay Packers will go into Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs without the services of their starting quarterback. Multiple reports emerged on Wednesday morning indicated that Aaron Rodgers contracted COVID-19, and as a result, the Packers will start second-year signal caller Jordan Love against Patrick Mahomes in Arrowhead Stadium.

Subsequent reporting indicated that Rodgers is not vaccinated against COVID. When asked earlier this year whether he received the vaccine, the reigning NFL MVP said “yeah, I’m immunized.”

In the aftermath of Wednesday’s news, it became obvious that immunized meant that Rodgers was … something, but he certainly did not get the vaccine. A report from Rob Demovsky of ESPN adds some details to what is going on here, and indicated that Rodgers follows league protocols when he is at the team’s facility by masking up. However, he also tried to get the NFL to give the thumbs up to a treatment other than getting the vaccine, which did not work.

Rodgers, 37, petitioned the NFL to have an alternate treatment that he underwent before he returned to the Packers that would allow him to be considered the same as someone who received one of the approved vaccinations, sources told ESPN. After a lengthy back and forth, the league ruled that Rodgers would not get the same consideration and would be considered unvaccinated.

There are some obvious questions to ask here, like what treatment that isn’t a proven safe and effective vaccine did Rodgers try to get approved and whether or not the Packers and the NFL let Rodgers ignore some of the protocols for unvaccinated players this year, the latter of which appears to be true to some extent. The one thing we do know: Because he is unvaccinated, Rodgers will miss at least the next 10 days, meaning he is out against Kansas City and could miss next Sundays game against Seattle.

According to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen is sidelined indefinitely after entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Fedor reports that Markkanen is “expected to miss a handful of games” and unlikely to travel with the team during its two-game road trip against the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks. Markkanen joins fellow Cavalier Kevin Love in health and safety protocols. The veteran big man is also out indefinitely. Fedor says Cleveland’s entire roster is vaccinated.

First and overwhelmingly foremost, the goal is for Markkanen to be healthy and make a safe, smooth return to the court in due time. His absence, however, further jeopardizes the Cavaliers’ already shaky wing depth, which is vastly secondary to Markkanen’s well-being but a subplot nonetheless.

Despite serving as a power forward and center for much of his career, Markkanen has started each of Cleveland’s eight games at the 3 and provided viable on-ball defense as he hopes to rediscover his jumper.

Fedor says Dean Wade is” likely to enter the starting lineup” in place of Markkanen. Although Wade has previously flashed some capability as a rotation forward, he’s not someone who should be tasked with starter’s minutes and Markknen’s floor-spacing — albeit, off to a slow start thus far — helped stretch a rather cramped front-court. Wade takes triples, but won’t command the respect of Markkanen.

When healthy, second-year wing Isaac Okoro would supplant Markkanen, but he’s listed as day-to-day while dealing with a hamstring issue and will miss Wednesday’s contest against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Cavaliers’ other current options at small forward are Dylan Windler, who’s struggled to healthy in his NBA career, and Lamar Stevens, who is better suited as a 4 playing at the back-end of a rotation.

All of these recent absences are disappointing developments for a Cavaliers team off to a 4-4 start.

Odds are, if you grew up listening to hip-hop, then you also grew up listening to The Gap Band, because the funk/R&B group’s music was a staple of hip-hop’s samples and style almost since the genre’s inception. Hits like “Outstanding,” “Yearning For Your Love,” and “I Don’t Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance (Oops!)” have been the foundation of fan-favorite songs from contemporary artists like Tyler The Creator, seminal storytelling from pioneers like Nas, and the inescapable jams of superstars like Bruno Mars. So the news that Gap Band co-founder Ronnie Wilson has died at the age of 73 definitely comes as a blow to hip-hop adherents everywhere.

Wilson founded the band in 1974 with brothers Charlie and Robert (Ronnie was the oldest) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, naming it after three streets in the historic Greenwood neighborhood in honor of the Tulsa massacre. The group was one of the most prominent funk and R&B bands throughout the ’70s and ’80s, remaining favorites of Black dads and uncles who drive Cadillacs to this day. Songs like “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” and “Early In The Morning” are considered classics of the genre and inspired both early G-Funk hits and more recent funk revivals, with Charlie, in particular, becoming a go-to feature artist for rappers like Aminé, Guapdad 4000, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Tyler The Creator, and more. Charlie is now the last remaining member.

Ronnie’s wife, Linda Boulware-Wilson, announced his death via Facebook Tuesday evening (November 3). “The love of my life was called home this morning, at 10:01am,” she wrote. “Please continue to pray for The Wilson, Boulware, and Collins family, while we mourn his passing. Ronnie Wilson was a genius with creating, producing, and playing the flugelhorn, Trumpet, keyboards, and singing music, from childhood to his early seventies. He will be truly missed!!!”

Far-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene made it known earlier this year that she was done with masks, and she even shredded a memo from Nancy Pelosi on the subject. That’s about the same time when she received her first fine for flouting the mask mandate, which left her paycheck $500 lighter. Since then, she’s been merrily earning $2,500 subsequent fines, and at this point, her total has nearly reached the Median Household Income of the constituents that she represents in Georgia’s 14th congressional district.

That’s nuts, but yeah, Greene has willingly parted ways for over one-fourth of her $174,000 annual salary because she’s such a COVID conspiracy theorist. The Hill was the first to report that total, which CNN confirmed via a letter from the House Sergeant at Arms. It’s a bizarre case of Greene putting her money where her mouth is, literally. Via CNN, she’s done this thing 20 times already and counting:

Greene has been fined 20 times for not wearing a mask. After receiving an initial warning in May, Greene was fined $500 for her first offense, and $2,500 for each subsequent offense, which is in line with House rules.

Greene has appealed at least one of her fines, but it was upheld. Greene was seen by CNN not wearing a mask on the floor Tuesday. The fines come from Greene’s salary.

She’s refusing to yield to the mandate and almost seems proud of losing all that money, as Greene previously boasted when she hit the $25,000 mark in fines. In response to the $48,000 news, Greene defiantly tweeted, “Why do I get fined for not wearing a mask when I’m sitting in a chair on the House floor the same as people eating unmasked at a restaurant?” She also complained about how “Democrat members don’t wear masks in the members gym when they work out” and “None of us do & no one should.” Then she fired off a tweet about how much she works out, which she believes protects her from viruses (or something like that).

(Via The Hill & CNN)