Month: March 2022

Lagavulin is one of the most beloved whiskies in the world. As with many brands, there isn’t just one bottle or expression to love; this company has been putting out a core range and yearly special releases for a long time. That means there are a lot of bottles collecting dust in vaults that most of us will never see, much less taste. That said, right now you can buy several of Lagavulin’s limited releases from the last year before they disappear into those vaults (and before the next group of limited editions drops throughout 2022).

Today, I’m ranking the current lineup of Lagavulin. That includes the core bottles, plus any special releases that are still available. Whether those bottles are available at a specialty liquor store or the distillery gift shop really isn’t considered here. This is about what’s out there right now to buy, taste, or maybe save for a rainy day (though I did skip some of the much older releases for brevity’s sake — otherwise this list could be dozens of whiskies long).

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to taste through the entire Lagavulin line recently on a trip to the distillery, and what makes this whisky so special is the way it both exemplifies an entire regional style (Islay), and does so in an accessible way. These aren’t the peat monsters you may have heard of. These whiskies are more about subtle fermentation, distillation, and aging that highlights nuance over bombast.

The malts for this whiskey are made at the Port Ellen malting house not far from the distillery. While the Lagavulin malts coming out of that mill tend to be on the smokier side, the process of slow fermentation, double distilling, and then mellowing in very old and reused bourbon and sherry casks (amongst others) adds genuine subtly to this otherwise “big” whisky.

Few whiskies in the world spend over a decade in an ex-bourbon barrel and barely pick up any color (Lagavulin can be very lightly hued). That means, generally speaking, that more of the distillate from those smoky malts are shining through than the wood (though not in every case). Add in special finishings in barrels from everywhere from Japan to Mexico to Italy and you’ll find that there are a lot of exciting things going on at Lagavulin — a brand that is both embracing traditions and pushing the envelope.

Let’s dive in!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months

• The 50 Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2021, Ranked
• The 100 Best Whiskeys Our Head Drinks Writer Tasted In 2021
• The Best Scotch Whiskies Under $50, Ranked
• Every Scotch Whisky Brand From Diageo’s Massive Portfolio, Ranked
• The Best Value-Per-Dollar Scotch Whiskies, Ranked

9. Lagavulin 11-Year Old Offerman Edition Finished in Guinness Casks

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $90

The Whisky:

This release from 2021 is the second Nick Offerman collaboration with Lagavulin. This is an eleven-year-old single malt that’s then finished in Guinness stout casks for a four-month final maturation. That whisky is then cut down to 92 proof with Lagavulin’s own Islay spring water.

Tasting Notes:

The briny, peated malts come through on the nose with hints of black coffee beans, slightly waxy cacao nibs, and a hint of creamy mint-chocolate ice cream. The palate is one part beach campfire from a mile down the beach and one part Milk Duds and drip coffee with hints of vanilla and pine resin lurking in the background. The finish leans into the dark cacao with a smoky edge (smoked dark chocolate?) while the wood stays dry and resinous and the briny peat gently supports the bitter yet creamy mocha espresso and mild malts.

Bottom Line:

This was the hardest Lagavulin to place. It’s really tasty but doesn’t exactly feel like a Lagavulin. It’d make a great curveball in a blind tasting, and tasted blind I probably would’ve been fooled myself. That being said, the uniqueness of this dram — thanks to that Guinness barrel — is what makes it so damn drinkable. I don’t know. We have to start somewhere in this ranking so here we are.

8. Lagavulin 8

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $66

The Whisky:

This expression was originally released to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary. The whisky was created to mimic the juice that was being bottled back in the 1880s, during a high point in Lagavulin’s history. The whisky became a modern hit and is now part of their core line.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is full of honey-orange, dry and earthy malts, and a nod to chocolate-covered cherries with the slightest hint of fried cod wrapped in newspaper. The taste brings a solid billow of campfire smoke with traces of dark chocolate, burning cinnamon sticks, dry mint, and burnt potato skins (yes, really). The end is long-ish and marries the tastes together, leaving you with the memory of drinking a dark mint-chocolate spiked espresso next to a smoldering backyard fire on a cold autumn night, while somewhere in the distance, the sea laps at the shore. The very end has a whisper of new Band-Aids still in the box.

Bottom Line:

This is just a stone-cold classic. It’s simple but deep. In fact, I’d argue this is the quintessential Islay malt that everyone needs to try at least once. All those citrus, spice, and dark chocolate is hard not to love, especially over some rocks after a long day of work.

7. Lagavulin 12 The Lion’s Fire

ABV: 56.5%

Average Price: $200

The Whisky:

This is the younger of two special releases from Diageo last year. The whisky is built from juice aged in refill bourbon casks, meaning that the casks had already aged bourbon and then aged single malts at least once before this whisky was filled into them and left for 12 years. That whisky was then vatted and bottled at cask strength.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with notes of air-dried sea salt mingling with nori wetted with sushi rice and a clear sense of green tea with a hint of dried florals that lead toward dry cacao powder, salted lemon peels, and a very distant line of sea-spray laced campfire smoke with wet sand lurking underneath. The palate takes that sea salt, nori, and lemon and tosses them together for a sharp yet dry and briny mouthfeel that leads back to now-sweetened tea with a hint of waxy saltwater taffy. The mid-palate rushes towards a big billow of dry driftwood smoke that’s emboldened by a handful of smoked and dried ancho chilis.

Bottom Line:

We’re already into “Wow” territory with this bottle. There’s so much going on that all just works. You do really need to add some water to let this one bloom. Once you have, pair this with takeout from your favorite sushi joint and you’ll be all set.

6. Lagavulin 13 Fèis Ìle 2021

ABV: 54.4%

Average Price: $900

The Whisky:

This limited-edition whisky dropped last summer for the famed Fèis Ìle 2021 Islay whisky fest. The juice in the bottle is a 13-year-old whisky that was aged in ex-bourbon casks before a final maturation in white port casks with a very deep char. That whisky was then vatted and bottled as is.

Tasting Notes:

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” That’s where the nose starts before edging toward wood polish, Windex, smoked plums and apricots, candied almonds (those ones coated in red sugar), and a hint of dirty campfire smoke in the distance. The palate starts with a woody/oily nature that’s bitterly charred which leads to malty spiciness that leans towards pizza parlor dried chili flakes and freshly cracked red peppercorns. That spiciness melds with the smoked stonefruit late as the Windex and earthy smoke fade away.

Bottom Line:

On first taste, this feels all over the place. Then it starts to come together the more you add water and the more you go back to it. By the end, you’ll be hooked by this unusual and enticing pour. Admittedly, this one will not be for everybody.

5. Lagavulin 16

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $110

The Whisky:

This is the most recognizable Lagavulin out there. The malts are smoked just down the road from the distillery at Port Ellen and the juice is crafted expertly by the sea at Lagavulin. Then the whisky spends 16 long years mellowing in old American and Spanish oak.

Tasting Notes:

Imagine a beach fire that’s using dried seaweed as fuel next to mugs of honeyed black tea and a clump of wet moss on the nose. The taste of this dram meanders through dried pipe tobacco smoke laced with hints of vanilla and tart apple while notes of briny caramel lead towards an oyster shell minerality. The finish is pure silk as the seaweed grows wetter and the smoke sweetens towards that caramel, vanilla, and apple.

Bottom Line:

I almost ranked this as number one. This is easily the most drinkable Lagavulin on the list (also findable and relatively affordable). This is the bottle I reach for as a weekend pour over a rock or two (or with some Coke for a Smoky Cokey). It’s easygoing while offering just the right amount of nuance and depth to challenge your palate.

4. Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $120

The Whisky:

Last year’s Distiller’s Edition was another prime example of the heights Lagavulin can reach. The juice was aged for 15 years in the core Lagavulin barrels (ex-bourbon and ex-sherry) and then finished for around six months in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks that were specifically made and held specific sherry before the whisky was loaded into the barrels. The result is a 15-year-old Lagavulin that’ll help you fall in love with the brand and style.

Tasting Notes:

This feels like all the subtle notes across the Lagavulin range have come together in the best way. You’re drawn in with hints of honeyed smoke, salted caramel apples, mild hints of vanilla, and smoldering coffee grounds. The taste ties the honey to a soft oakiness next to vanilla-chocolate coffee, seaside salted taffy, and a touch of fish oil. The end is very long and pure velvet on the tongue as the sweet oak fades towards a sweet smokiness, with a hint of salty roasted almonds and burnt vanilla husks.

Bottom Line:

As much as I love the 16 above, this edges it out. Why? Honestly, it’s hard to say. But I can tell you this bottle is always emptied far quicker than the 16 at the ol’ Johnston residence. I think this is just that little bit subtler and more refined, and it really shines with a rock or two.

3. Lagavulin 26 The Lion’s Jewel

ABV: 44.2%

Average Price: $2,450

The Whisky:

This is a very rare and unique whisky. First, it’s the first 26-year-old Lagavulin released. Next, there were only 7,500 of these bottles released. Lastly, the whisky was built from a combination of first-fill Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. Those barrels were married after over two decades of mellowing and bottled at a very accessible cask strength of 44.2 percent.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with red wine barrel staves and old boat ropes thrown into a campfire next to figs wrapped in nori and drizzled with rich butterscotch while hints of outboard motor smoke on the dock just a few feet away. From there, the taste mellows towards smoked dates flaked, a sense of sardine oil, and plenty of salt and black pepper. The finish mellows as this wet and earthy note arrives that’s one part forest mushroom, one part wet green moss, and one part smoldering wet cedar branches with a slight peppery tobacco dryness and warmth on the very end.

Bottom Line:

This is a wild and fun ride. It’s also a pretty damn unique Lagavulin experience overall. Outboard motor smoke, sardine cans, and smoked dates probably don’t sound like they go together. But, trust me, they do in this whisky. Just make sure to really give this time in the glass and add drops of water to let it open up while you go back and forth on the nose and taste. There’s a lot to dig out of this one.

2. Lagavulin 13 Jazz Festival 2021

ABV: 54.8%

Average Price: $411

The Whisky:

The other big festival in Islay is the yearly Jazz Festival (usually in November). Last year, Lagavulin released a special edition 13-year-old. This time, however, the whisky was finished in former mezcal barrels from Mexico.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a whiff of cherry cough drops followed by wet bark, singed vanilla pods, and a hint of smoked brisket covered in paprika and black pepper with a grilled fruitiness underneath. The taste leans into the peat with a wet charcoal vibe next to almond shells and tarmac that’s all countered by almost sour tropical fruit and a distant echo of vegetal roasted agave pinas. Floral honey sweetness breaks through on the mid-palate as candied orange peels, new Ace Bandages, smoked pineapple skins, and black pepper soaked in smoked brisket fat drive the finish home.

Bottom Line:

This was a revelation. Shout out to Diageo for pulling (what I’m guessing is Casamigos) mezcal casks and sending them to Islay. It’s smoke on a smoke, sure. But this is operating at a whole different level of fruit, carbon, and medicinal quality than any other Islay peated whisky out there. This truly will have you saying “wow” from the first sip.

1. Lagavulin 25

ABV: 51.7%

Average Price: $1,200

The Whisky:

This bottle was released in 2016 along with Lagavulin 8. The juice is a sherry-cask-aged whisky that was left alone for 25 long years. The honey barrels that made it through that era were then vatted and bottled as-is at cask strength into only 8,000 bottles.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a dryness and softness to this whisky that’s kind of mind-blowing. The nose meanders through old and sticky wood polish, rich sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel sauce, savory almost moldy figs, black-tea-soaked dates, meaty smoked prunes, peppery smoked beef fat, chewed-up Band-Aids, and an old cedar box that’s been filled with pennies for decades. The palate feels like raspberry saltwater taffy wax wrappers filled with smoked honey candies and waxy cacao nibs straight off the tree.

A soft cherry wood smoke meanders through more honey and pine kindling with plenty of pitch, tart yet dry cherry tobacco, long and dry willow branches, and burnt mint leaves. Candied orange peel drives the mid-palate back to that smoked honey and peppery beef fat as dried chipotle chilis mix with a very dark and bitter chocolate, a dash of BBQ ash, and a little bit more of that pine resin.

Bottom Line:

These last two entries are two of the best whiskies I’ve tasted in a long time. But this one is just otherworldly. This might be among my all-time favorite whiskies, full stop. Amazingly, although there seems to be so much going on, this whisky is somehow chilled out. It’s so soft and subtle while taking you on a journey that feels thrilling, nostalgic, and, well, sexy.

When most Americans think of German beer, they think of the big names — Paulaner, Spaten, Bitburger, Beck’s. There’s nothing wrong with those, but there’s a lot more complexity to German beer than just what you’ll find from the biggest exports. This is a country with 1,500 breweries, and with that kind of production volume, there are bound to be countless underrated and underappreciated German beers flying under the radar every year.

Underrated is a subjective term, of course, so it requires a bit of explaining. For our purposes here, “underrated” doesn’t mean that the beer can’t be popular. It just means that the beer maybe doesn’t get the acclaim or the respect that it should. “Underrated” encompasses both the brands you’ve never heard of that deserve your attention, and the ones you have heard of that maybe deserve a second look.

We welcome help from the professionals, so we asked a few of our favorite craft beer experts, brewers, and brewing professionals to tell us their choices for the most underrated German beers. They gave us quite a list.

Weihenstephaner Original Helles

Dan Lipke, head brewer at Clown Shoes Beer in Boston

ABV: 5.1%

Average Price: $10.50 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

Why This Beer?

Weihenstephaner Original Helles in my pick. I’m glad to see the craft community embrace the pilsner style in recent years, but I would love to see more people get into the Munich helles style of light and maltier lagers. Perhaps the most challenging beer for a craft brewer to pull off, there’s no room for error in this incredibly soft beer. But done well, it’s perfection in a beer glass. It is a pure experience, celebrating the malt with only a kiss of noble hops.

Aventinus Eisbock

Mark Hughes, specialty brewing manager at Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California

ABV: 12%

Average Price: $5.79 for a 12-ounce bottle

Why This Beer?

Aventinus Eisbock is certainly a wild experience. Its featured flavors of banana esters, dried fruits, and rich malts are certainly worth the liver workout at 12 percent ABV. It pushes the bounds of what beer can be.

Erdinger Dunkel

Ryan Tefft, assistant brewer at Sprecher Brewing Company in Glendale, Wisconsin

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $10.50 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

I’d go with Erdinger Dunkel. It’s a German lager that has a good balance and flavor. It has a solid German style, which is what also first inspired us at Sprecher to brew beer in the Germanic style for a domestic audience in Wisconsin. And now, the market is shifting back more to this style, rather than the crazy IPAs.

Augustiner Lagerbier Hell

Eric Warner, brewmaster at Karbach Brewing in Houston

ABV: 5.2%

Average Price: $3 for a 500ml bottle

Why This Beer?

No question, Augustiner Helles. Underrated might be a bit of a misnomer because any resident of Munich and Germany knows it’s the best helles in Germany. But it’s underrated because the brewery doesn’t rely on any marketing other than word-of-mouth advertising. The malt characters are soft and delicate and there’s a subtle, noble hop character to balance it out.

Schonram’s Schonramer Pils

Ryan Pachmayer, head brewer at Yak and Yeti Brewpub & Restaurant in Arvada, Colorado

ABV: 5.4%

Average Price: $4.50 for a 500ml bottle

Why This Beer?

Schonramer Pils is probably my favorite pilsner. One guy in California imports it in tiny fresh batches and sends it out to very limited accounts across California, Oregon, Washington, and Washington, D.C. While the more widely-distributed pilsners get more hype, Schonram is tops in class for me. It’s one of the more aggressively hopped pilsners in Germany, and the higher alcohol helps balance that along with the decoction of mashed flavors of the local pilsner malt.

Rothaus Tannenzäpfle Pils

Rob Day, senior director of marketing for Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham, Massachusetts

ABV: 5.1%

Average Price: $17.50 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Rothaus Tannenzäpfle Pils is a very clean and sharp pils with a full malt flavor. I don’t see much chatter about it, but if you get your hands on some, you’ll dig it. It’s crisp, delicious, and complex. The way great pilsners should be.

Bayreuther Hell

Luis G. Brignoni, founder of Wynwood Brewing Co. in Miami

ABV: 4.9%

Average Price: Limited Availability

Why This Beer?

Bayreuther Hell is the most underrated German beer. It’s clean and crisp with notes of fresh bread and grain. Can you tell that I really enjoy helles lagers? It’s a great beer that will get you excited about the style. How could it not?

Aecht Schlenkerla Helles

Mike Kelly, senior brewer at Harpoon Brewery in Boston

ABV: 4.3%

Average Price: $5 for a 500ml bottle

Why This Beer?

Aecht Schlenkerla Helles is my pick. The subtle smoke in this helles makes for a unique and delicious beer that serves as both an easy introduction to smoked beers for some, and a regular sipper for others. It’s a truly unique and memorable beer.

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier

Douglas Constantiner, founder and CEO of Societe Brewing in San Diego

ABV: 5.4%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier is a beautiful Bavarian hefe that I never get tired of because it’s so approachable, you can just keep drinking it. Hefeweissens were meant to be day drinking beers so they get looked over. But Weihenstephaner has been making them for a thousand years, I’d say they’re pretty good at it.

Hofbrau Original

Ryan Fehling, brewer at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico, California

ABV: 5.1%

Average Price: $9 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Hofbrau Original is my pick. It has the perfect amount of sweetness without being cloying as far as a helles goes, and finishes crisp and clean. I think it also offers a slightly floral aroma which makes it stand out against other helles lagers in the best way.

Last month, Omaha folk legends Bright Eyes, who returned in 2020 after a hiatus with Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was, announced that they’d be reissuing their nine studio albums and releasing new songs to add to them. So far, they’ve unveiled “Contrast And Compare” with Waxahatchee, “Haligh, Haligh, A Lie, Haligh” with Phoebe Bridgers, “Falling Out Of Love At This Volume,” and they’ve unleashed another Phoebe Bridgers collaboration today with a cover of Elliott Smith’s “St. Ides Heaven” from his classic 1995 eponymous record.

The track is more brazen than the other singles, propelled forward with heavy, electric guitars and Conor Oberst’s angry intonations, harmonized with Bridgers’ ethereal, echoey alto. It’s much more intense than the original, on which Smith strums an acoustic guitar and sings in airy, detached lulls.

Smith is a known influence for both songwriters. In Uproxx’s interview with Bridgers for her 2020 breakout LP Punisher, she said that the title track is “basically Elliott fan-fiction.” She continued: “If we were alive at the same time I think I might have been a little bit of a brutalizer to him, which punisher is a short term for. Just someone who doesn’t know when to stop talking, and might follow you home.”

Listen to the cover above, which comes from Letting Off The Happiness: A Companion.

Less than a month after petitioning the court, Amanda Bynes’ conservatorship is set to end this week, and the former Nickelodeon star is looking forward to the next chapter in her life. Bynes filed to end her conservatorship not long after fellow child star Britney Spears brought hers to a very public and messy end. However, the process for Bynes has been significantly less dramatic thanks to her parents being “very supportive” of the move to end her conservatorship, which had been in place since 2014 following a string of erratic behavior and drug abuse. Bynes’ psychiatrist also signed off on the decision, which resulted in a judge ruling on Monday that the conservatorship is no longer needed.

With that ruling set to become permanent during a hearing on Tuesday, Bynes will be a free woman, and she’s ready to get back to living a normal life. Via Variety:

“Besides normalcy as a person and a student, I know that she is looking forward to what her next step is going to be,” Esquibias says. “One of the things that she’s talking about is a fragrance line and possibly a clothing line, while she is concentrating on school. She is very creative, so she’s trying to find an outlet for that.”

Of course, the big question is whether Bynes will return to acting, but that’s not a world she’s ready to go back to yet. “She has a new life ahead of her and she is so young,” Bynes’ attorney said. “She was a great actress. I’m sure many people would love to see her return to acting.”

(Via Variety)

Bridgerton is almost back, and I’ve gotta hand it to Shondaland because this second season is as well-played as the first outing. And this comes as a surprise to me, not because I thought that the show that John Oliver described as “lots of jizzing in blankets” couldn’t, like, jizz in blankets again. (This summation will never stop being funny, by the way, because he wasn’t wrong.) Rather, I found the character who’s now the focal point to be rather uninteresting (not to mention grating) last season. Add my cautious attitude to the sheer fact that this show, as smart and sexy as it was, whipped fans into a frenzy (one that SNL reenacted in an on-point way) for one overriding reason.

My regards to the Duke. Hell, everyone’s regards to the Duke.

There’s a reason for that, too, beyond the obviousness of people fawning over Regé-Jean Page’s physicality. It was more about him flinging himself into how the show maneuvered through all the sultriness via the female gaze. He was in on it, and I’m not talking about like being “in on a joke.” He was game for rolling with the punches as a roguish rake in a story where, ultimately, the focus was finally on the needs and desires of his lady (Daphne Bridgerton, who’s still played by Phoebe Dynevor), both physically and as a partner. There was a sleight of hand in the writer’s room and even a bit of pioneering, and the audience loved it, but then Page left the show (as planned), and there was no denying that a void would be felt.

Still, Netflix quickly renewed the show for three more seasons, a situation that could have grown awkward, fast, if the show couldn’t drum up magnetism out of a character who, to be quite frank, can come off (if you’re squinting sideways) as nearly physically indistinguishable from his fellow male Bridgertons.

Wait, which one is Lord Anthony Bridgerton again? Oh, he was the one who scared off Daphne’s suitors last season and had an ongoing affair with a young lady who’s considered to be unworthy of becoming a viscountess. Last season, the writers may have used his affair to ward off Austen-esque vibes (and sure, he had some fans but wasn’t terribly likable), but this season, yep, he’s pulling off a clear Mr. Darcy-In-The-Lake reference. (Subtle, very subtle.)

It’s actually mildly irritating how Bridgerton charms here. They take a lead character, who previously functioned as a pain-in-the-butt and boorish, and crafted his complicated backstory in a believable way that doesn’t fully drum up sympathy, but it does humanize him. He’s also the primary focus of this season’s courting season, but the real highlight is the leading lady who brings much more than a corset to the table.

That role would be Kate (portrayed by Simone Ashley, far left ^^), a supposed spinster who guards over her younger sister, Edwina (Charithra Chandran). Their newfound acquaintance (after the ladies arrive from India) with Anthony ultimately lands in a predictable place, but I will say that there’s quite the atypical route to how the show gets there. Kate signs up for no sh*t, and Anthony’s considered to be the ultimate catch while he searches for his viscountess, but he’s also operating like a big ol’ dope at moments. Meanwhile, Kate and Edwina’s family backstory takes the show deeper on the subject of race and social stature, something that the show did struggle with early on. The role of Kate does a lot to balance out the sillier aspects of the show, although those, too, hold a lot of value because the show doesn’t forget to entertain (whew).

Somehow, this love story (such as it is) works. No, it’s not quite as intensity-fraught as Regé-Jean Page with anyone (let’s get real, they couldn’t have done that without putting Jason Momoa in Bridgerton or something, for inarguable reasons), but the show does a fine job of carrying on despite losing its most valuable chess piece. Shonda Rhimes previously went on record to admit how “shocked” she felt over the backlash to Page’s departure. To be fair, this move was in accordance with Julia Quinn’s books, but one can imagine some behind-the-scenes panic, which could’ve done the motivating trick.

Beyond the Anthony-Kate dynamic, the show catches us up on numerous threads from the first season as well. Daphne is hanging around again despite getting married, happily ever after to the Duke. He does not show up at all, and maybe he’s off alone with his blankets, no one knows. Mystery abounds! Yet there’s no longer much mystery (for the audience) about the true identity of gossip columnist Lady Whistedown, who’s still doing her Regency-era Gossip Girl thing while living under constant fear of getting busted. Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) continues to walk that fine line with an assist from Julie Andrews’ voice, and Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) continues to be a hoot.

The show’s a freaking delight. It’s more fun than it really should be with plenty of soap-operatic flourishes to keep the fires burning even if this season isn’t as steamy as the original outing. I can’t imagine that anyone who enjoyed the first season will be disappointed with how this season ends. It’s a slightly slower burn, but the payoff does arrive. Granted, I don’t immediately see a candidate for next season’s Diamond Drama, but Shondaland is undoubtedly already on the case (just dial Momoa). And surely, Lady Whistledown will breathlessly report those events, when they happen.

‘Bridgerton’ returns on March 25. Grab your smelling salts.

Ahead of Sunday’s telecast of the 94th Academy Awards, Variety is reporting that Beyonce is planning to perform at this year’s Oscars via satellite. Beyonce, who is nominated for Best Original Song for “Be Alive” from King Richard is reportedly planning to perform the song live from tennis courts in Compton, California.

Compton is where Venus and Serena Williams honed their tennis skills, encouraged by their father, Richard, played by Will Smith in King Richard. In 2016, The Lueders Park courts were officially rebranded as the Venus and Serena Williams Court of Champions.

According to Variety, “One possible scenario would have Will Smith…appear onsite with Beyonce and then presumably head north to Hollywood in time to take his seat for the announcement of the best actor category.”

In an interview with Vanity Fair, songwriter Dixson revealed Bey had reached out to him to collaborate on a song for King Richard. Dixson, who had been trying for a while to send demos and song ideas to Beyonce’s team, said of their collaboration, “I wanted to just give her the bones of the song first because what I don’t think people talk about a lot is Beyonce’s ability to craft a song. A lot of it happens in her vocals and her delivery, but she’s also a great songwriter and an amazing producer.”

The Oscars will air Sunday, March 27 on ABC.

Snoop Dogg’s love of gaming is well-documented; last year, he hosted a Super Bowl XBox tournament alongside Saweetie, this year, he joined the gamer crew FaZe Clan, and he’s a well-known streamer on Twitch, bringing his unique personality and wisecracks to the masses. He’s even been in a few games, perhaps most notably in Def Jam: Fight For NY as that game’s surprising final boss. Now, gamers can play with Snoop Dogg in another popular game, although this time in a different genre.

Today, Activision announced that Snoop will join its immensely popular shooter series, Call Of Duty, as a playable character in three of the franchise’s current offerings: Call Of Duty: Mobile, Call Of Duty: Vanguard, and Call Of Duty: Warzone. To acquire the character in the console versions, players can look for him on April 19 at 10 am PT. The character includes “a full Operator progression track,” along with alternate outfits. The mobile version will be available via Lucky Draw on April 1. Naturally, Snoop will be voicing himself, as he did in Call Of Duty: Ghosts

“The D O Double G is back in Call of Duty and this time I’m in the freakin’ game!” Snoop said in the press release. “Excited to be working with the COD team to bring some fly features for you all to enjoy. It’s dope….. y’all can play as me and get these sick items that have Snoop written all over them. Check it out.”

See photos of Snoop in action courtesy of Activision below.

Taylor Swift has been prolific with releasing new music in recent years, and now she’s at it again. A trailer for Reese Witherspoon’s film adaptation of Delia Owens’ 2018 novel Where The Crawdads Sing was shared today and it features a snippet of a new Swift song called “Carolina.”

Swift shared the trailer on social media and wrote, “Where The Crawdads Sing is a book I got absolutely lost in when I read it years ago. As soon as I heard there was a film in the works starring the incredible @daisyedgarjones and produced by the brilliant @reesewitherspoon, I knew I wanted to be a part of it from the musical side. I wrote the song ‘Carolina’ alone and asked my friend @aarondessner to produce it. I wanted to create something haunting and ethereal to match this mesmerizing story. You’ll hear it fully soon, but for now check out the @crawdadsmovie trailer for a clip!”

As for the movie, a publisher’s statement on the book reads, “For years, rumors of the ‘Marsh Girl’ have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life — until the unthinkable happens.”

Watch the Where The Crawdads Sing trailer above.

Kanye West has been making headlines, and not for good reasons. His feud with Kim Kardashian’s new boyfriend Pete Davidson has led to only more drama, with celebrities like Jake Paul, Jimmy Kimmel, and Trevor Noah intervening either to try to help or just to make jokes. West, at one point, was suspended on Instagram for 24 hours because of the situation, and then eventually his performance at the Grammys was pulled. Now, his performance at California festival Coachella next month might have the same fate.

The rapper is a headliner for the third day, but a recent petition was made on Change.org titled “Remove Kanye From Coachella.” Its description reads: “We have watched Kanye harass, manipulate, and hurt Kim, Pete, and others for over a year now. No one seems to want to stand up to him, and the ones that do, he puts under fire as well. Most recently, he has been threatening actual bodily harm on others. This is ridiculous that he is allowed to freely do this. Coachella (along with other brand names that are still working with him) should be ashamed of themselves and should not be giving him any more of a platform. Please sign & share!” It currently has almost 30,000 signatures. The festival takes place next month, from April 15 to 24.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got an exciting pair of singles from Arcade Fire, a new track and album announcement from Muna, and the beginning of a new era for Weezer.

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Mattiel — Georgia Gothic

Duo Mattiel dropped their third album this week, Georgia Gothic. A collection of 11 breezy and playful tunes at times infused with just the right amount of twang, Georgia Gothic pays homage to their home state of Georgia and marks a strong effort from the indie rockers.

Hana Vu — Parking Lot

NYC-based musician Hana Vu surprise-released the EP Parking Lot this week, following up on last year’s Public Storage album. Parking Lot shows off a more intimate side of the musician’s songwriting, combining introspective ballads and some live renditions of her recent songs.

Arcade Fire — “The Lightning I, II”

After teasing their new era of music for a few weeks now, Arcade Fire returned in a big way this week, releasing a pair of new singles, “The Lightning I” and “The Lightning II.” The tracks are exactly what fans hoped the band’s new music would sound like: cinematic and inspiring. The songs are set to arrive on the band’s upcoming release We, which drops in May and was mostly recorded in 2019 and 2020.

Weezer — “A Little Bit Of Love”

Emo music is on the rise among Gen Z, so that means its a perfect time for Weezer to make their comeback. The band’s new single “A Little Bit Of Love” points to a new batch of uplifting music. The harmonica-driven track is upbeat and carefree, detailing the importance of perseverance and reflecting on how far you’ve come.

Alex G — “End Song”

Alex G is another indie musician who shared their first new music in several years. But this time, the new song was written for a film. Included in the soundtrack to the upcoming movie We’re All Going To The World’s Fair, “End Song” is an intimate and nostalgia-inducing acoustic tune invoking his early 2010’s albums.

Muna — “Anything But Me”

Now as full-fledged members of Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory label, trio Muna share a tune from their forthcoming self-titled album. The shimmering indie-pop ballad “Anything But Me” is cheery and infused with confidence and, as one YouTube commenter aptly put it, is “giving Manic Pixie Dream Girl with healthy boundaries.”

The Smile — “Skrting On The Surface”

The Smile, the side project of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Sons Of Kemet drummer Tim Skinner, shared their third track in the form of the cinematic single “Skrting On The Surface.” Armed with Yorke’s recognizable falsetto, the dreamlike song boasts pronounced strings and a comforting drum beat.

Hovvdy — “Everything”

It’s only been a few months since Hovvdy released their album True Love, which revolved around themes of marriage and parenthood. Now, the duo have shared “Everything,” a tender track written during the True Love songwriting sessions that didn’t make the final album cut. “Everything” is an upbeat tune laced with just the right amount of twang and fits in nicely with the more subdued tracks on the album.

Saya Gray — “If There’s No Seat In The Sky”

Talented up-and-comer, Saya Gray is the newest signee to UK label Dirty Hit, and has now dropped a new song, “If There’s No Seat In The Sky (Will You Forgive Me???).” The single starts off on the acoustic side before heading into an edgier, head-spinning direction. Gray’s track is set to appear on her upcoming release 19 Masters, which is “a battle of self-preservation and an ode to the human experience.”

Ethan Gruska, Bon Iver — “So Unimportant”

Bon Iver hasn’t made an album since 2019, but vocalist Justin Vernon has been appearing on a number of collaborative projects lately. His latest is the woozy new track “So Unimportant” with folk songwriter Ethan Gruska. “So Unimportant” is a comforting and electronic-twinged laid-back tune impressively made remotely between the two musicians.

Sudan Archives — “Home Maker”

Sudan Archives made her triumphant return with “Home Maker,” her first new track in several years. The snappy tune is both wildly fun and captivating, layering Sudan Archives’ honeyed voice over R&B and pop-inspired rhythmic beats.

Christian Lee Hutson — “Cherry”

Christian Lee Hutson has made a name for himself after penning gentle and ruminating tracks on his 2020 album Beginners. Now rolling out a new batch of songs in anticipating for his sophomore release Quitters, Hutson shares the lulling acoustic number “Cherry,” a ballad about an important-yet-fleeting connection.

Flasher — “Sideways”

Following up on their acclaimed debut album Constant Image, Washington, DC-based duo Flasher teases their upcoming LP Love Is Yours with the hazy and tranquil “Sideways.” With a lively bass lick and dreamy production, “Sideways” gives an exciting taste of what seems like is a more danceable project.

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