Month: August 2022

In May 2021, Demi Lovato revealed she identified as non-binary and had started using they/them pronouns. Now, though, things have changed again: Lovato has returned to using she/her pronouns.

In a recent interview on the Spout podcast, host Tamara Dhia noted she didn’t fully understand the idea of they/them pronouns and asked Lovato for an explanation. While answering the question, Lovato revealed her new pronoun switch, saying (via ET):

“Yeah, so, they/them is, um… I’ve actually adopted the pronouns of she/her again. So, for me, I’m such a fluid person that I don’t really… I don’t find that I am… I felt like, especially last year, my energy was balanced in my masculine and feminine energy so that when I was faced with the choice of walking into a bathroom and it said ‘women’ and ‘men,’ I didn’t feel like there was a bathroom for me because I didn’t feel necessarily like a woman. I didn’t feel like a man. I just felt like a human.

And that’s what they/them is about for me. It’s just about, like, feeling human at your core. Recently, I’ve been feeling more feminine, and so I’ve adopted she/her again. But I think what’s important is, like, nobody’s perfect. Everyone messes up pronouns at some point, and especially when people are learning. It’s just all about respect.”

The pronouns on Lovato’s Instagram account are currently “they/them/she/her,” although Out notes that change was actually made in late April. The Spout interview is the first time Lovato has spoken publicly about the shift.

Life comes at you fast. And Kelis might be getting what she wanted.

Last week, when Beyoncé’s Renaissance came out and immediately became the most talked-about album in the world, Kelis made it abundantly clear that she did not grant permission for samples — albeit very brief ones — from her songs to be used in Beyoncé’s “Energy.” Kelis’s anger was directed mostly at Pharrell and Chad Hugo, who as The Neptunes, wrote and produced the two Kelis songs in question, “Milkshake,” and “Get Along With You,” and hence, owned the publishing rights holders who could clear the use of those samples for “Energy” (which they also co-wrote.)

“My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties involved is astounding,” Kelis said on Instagram, later adding in a video that, “Chad really is like an amoeba, he’s spineless. It’s a miracle he can keep his neck up, but Pharrell knows better. This is a direct hit at me, he does this stuff all the time. It’s very petty — very, very, very — and the reality is that it’s frustrating.”

Well, the issue looks to be coming to a head, as the Kelis samples seem to be getting slowly removed from “Energy” across streaming platforms from “Energy.” At press time, the end of “Energy” on Tidal was playing just Kelis’ isolated sample. Spotify was having intermittent loading issues both Beyoncé’s Renaissance tracks, as well as Kelis’ discography. Users online are claiming that Kelis’ writing credits are missing, although only Pharrell and Hugo would have had their included to begin with.

This story is being updated

With Beyonce’s new album out, everybody wants in on that sweet, sweet content — including Fox News, which has reverted to its faithful standby of criticizing a female performer for projecting sexiness (while ignoring the obvious and ongoing sexual misconduct of politicians the network cheerleads for on any other day). Usually, they pick on Cardi B, but since she’s been laying low finishing her own album, of course, the next big name Black star for them to go after is Beyonce — even if they probably pulled a muscle with the reach they had to make to get there.

This time, it’s Brian Kilmeade, host of Fox & Friends and his own self-titled show, who deemed Beyonce “more vile than ever” over some “X-rated lyrics” on the song “Heated.” First choosing to note that Beyonce is a mother, he says, “We haven’t seen her in a while, barely dressed, dancing around… and now she comes back, more vile than ever with X-rated lyrics.” He also snipes at Beyonce’s decision to remove the ableist term “spaz” from the lyrics of “Heated” (because what good is Fox News if they can’t double down on anti-Blackness and sexism with a little good, old-fashioned bullying?).

“What about the dimpled ass community?” he sneers. His guest, Fox contributor Raymond Arroyo, joined in, “Or what about those with stretch marks on their breasts? Why would you sing [those lyrics] as a renowned woman who young people look to? I don’t know.”

Of course, leaving aside the fact that nobody really says “X-rated” anymore, it’s pretty clear to anyone with two brain cells to rub together to make a synapse that Beyonce’s lyrics celebrate women’s bodies — including those that have changed due to pregnancy, with stretch marks and butt dimples being among the results of those changes. In a world that demeans and denigrates women for not presenting a (photoshopped) picture-perfect facade in public, Beyonce is singing to let the many, many people with those things that they are normal, beautiful, and loved — although, maybe that’s the problem the Fox hosts have in the first place.

In the trailer for the fourth and final season of FX’s Atlanta, a stuffy white guy in a suit asks Paper Boi, “How did you do that?” Do what, Paper Boi wonders. The stuffy white guy in a suit proceeds to lean back and do an awkward shuffle… dance?

It’s an Atlanta trademark: white folks trying to act “cool” around Black people, leading to what the Atlantic dubbed the “spectacle of white ignorance.” But the show has also been criticized for being “for” white people, a claim that creator Donald Glover refutes.

“To be real, if you’re online, everybody’s gonna have an agenda on some level,” he said at the TCA Press Tour on Tuesday, via Deadline. “It would be silly to say that sometimes what people say doesn’t affect you because — especially being Black — I feel like a lot of the Black criticism bothers me only because it sounds like [it’s from] Black people who don’t really know what we’ve been through.” Glover continued:

“I don’t think they give a lot of credit to what we’ve gone through. So to be like, ‘Oh, these Black people hate Black people or these Black people hate Black women.’ I’m like, It’s such my it’s such a small view of who we are. I feel like it might even be because of what we’ve been through that you look at us the way you look at us.”

To claim that Atlanta is “only for white people,” Glover continued, “it’s like we’re cutting ourselves down, which is kind of wack to me. I’ve seen on TikTok where people say Atlanta‘s transphobic. Man, I’m neighbors with a trans man and he told me Atlanta is his favorite show. I love how you guys talked about the trans thing because a lot of this shit is just takes for the internet, you know?” He believes that the backlash can be traced back to “internet people trying to get hot” (and not in a ripped and/or jacked way).

Atlanta returns on September 15.

(Via Deadline)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis probably won’t be appearing on The View anytime soon. After receiving an invitation to appear on the daytime talk show when it starts its new season in September, DeSantis’ deputy press secretary Bryan Griffin decided to blast the show on Twitter instead of accepting the offer. Despite climbing in the polls as the GOP’s potential presidential candidate for 2024, DeSantis doesn’t think it would be worth it to visit The View after the co-hosts have been so mean to him in recent years.

In Griffin’s response to The View, which he shared on Twitter, the deputy press secretary rolled out a detailed list of criticisms from the show’s co-hosts, which was nice of him to share:

Joy Behar, August 2021: “You’re just short of calling [Governor DeSantis] a negligent, homicidal sociopath, because that’s what he is.” She added: “What is he doing? He’s risking the lives of children, children’s parents, their grandparents, anyone they may come into contact with, so he can appeal to his white supremacist base, so he can continue in his career and get reelected.

Sunny Hostin, June 2022: “Death-Santis… I think he’s a fascist and a bigot.”

Ana Navarro, April 2022: (on Governor DeSantis’s policies): “It’s anti-Black, it’s anti-gay, it’s anti-LGBTQ+ community. And for some reason, the Republican base responds to it.” And “It’s anti-American.” It’s what happens in Venezuela. It’s what happens in Nicaragua.”

Sunny Hostin, February 2022 (on Governor DeSantis’s policies): “It started with CRT. Let’s rememeber that — and those are anti-history laws, anti-Black history laws, really,” she said. “If you start coming after Black people, what comes next, right? Of course the LGBTQ+ community, and then women, and then other marginalized groups.”

Griffin then wrote, “We will pass on this offer,” which was pretty clear after he took the time to write out a whole list of grievances. It also served as a preview for a DeSantis presidency, which would apparently see a return to an adversarial relationship with the free press. How very Trumpian.

(Via Mediaite)

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 new music from Khruangbin, Djo, Wild Pink, Alex G, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Florist — Florist

After teasing their 19-track self-titled album with a handful of singles, Florist’s ambitious full-length project is finally here. Though the tracklist is lengthy, nearly half its songs are instrumentals composed of found audio clips like a chorus of crickets at night and calming rain accompanied by an acoustic guitar. Over all, Florist is an honest look at love, life, and friendship accompanied by vocalist Emily Sprague’s gentle and comforting lyrics, proving the folk rock genre is alive and well.

Wild Pink — “ILYSM”

After releasing A Billion Little Lights, which was one of our favorite albums of last year, Wild Pink is back — and they want you to know they love you very much. The new track “ILYSM” arrives on an the upcoming eponymous album. Underscored by a driving riff, the six-minute track glides through tender verses that lay out a vision of a moon-kissed night. “This song, like a few others on this record, takes place where I live and the field next to it,” vocalist John Ross said in a statement. “A full moon will light up all the rooms here in a way I’ve never really seen and I feel like this song wrote itself a little bit.”

Turnover — “Myself In The Way” feat. Brendan Yates

Have you ever gotten the band Turnover confused with the band Turnstile? Well, the two groups are now adding to that confusion with “Myself In The Way,” a Turnover song which features Turnstile vocalist Brendan Yates. The single is the title track off Turnover’s fifth full-length album and is a propulsive, disco-tinged track imploring you to get up and move. “It’s about letting love lead the way despite your fears, about not letting your doubts, your ego, your self get in the way of it,” said Turnover vocalist Austin Getz.

US Girls — “So Typically Now”

U.S. Girls’ Meg Remy’s music is a masterclass on danceable songwriting that carries a cutting social commentary. And seeing as there’s a lot that’s been going on in the world lately, it only makes sense that U.S. Girls are returning with new music. Their latest track “So Typically Now” is a synth-heavy tune that takes aim at money-hungry real estate developers who are directly contributing to the housing crisis in many cities across the country.

Djo — “Gloom”

Djo, the musical project fronted by Stranger Things actor Joe Keery, is back with another jam. Contrary to its title, “Gloom,” the new song is anything but gloomy. Featuring a cheery refrain and a groovy synth, the song is accurately described in press materials “Talking Heads-inspired” thanks to some hard-rocking, shout-y verses.

Palm — “Feathers”

Philly-based band Palm have returned with “Feathers,” marking the first single in four years for the math rockers. The song displays what Palm does best: combining off-kilter samples that on their own would stand as jarring, but together can be pieced into an unhinged yet melodic track. “Feathers” stands as the lead single to the upcoming project Nicks And Grazes, meaning has even more free-spirited music on the way.

Alex G — “Cross The Sea”

Alex G has been trying something new with his upcoming album God Save The Animals. And seeing as it’s his ninth studio album, it makes sense that Alex G is taking things in a new direction. His latest track, “Cross The Sea,” shows off his experimental side, opening with washed-out, auto-tuned vocals before the song picks up with a snappy, acoustic guitar-driven beat.

Khruangbin — “Savanne” feat. Vieux Farka Touré

After collaborating with Texas crooner Leon Bridgers, psych rock trio Khruangbin are gearing up for another joint project. Honoring the Grammy-winning Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré, Khruangbin team up with Touré’s son, Vieux Farka Touré, for the album Ali. Offering a taste of the upcoming project, the group shares “Savanne,” a hypnotic and guitar-driven jam that samples Touré’s vocals.

Whitney — “Twirl”

After kicking off a new era of music ahead of their third studio album Spark, Whitney expanded their catalog with the ultra-lush track “Twirl.” Contrasting their previously released groove-driven single “Real Love,” “Twirl” takes things in a slower direction, creating gently crashing melodies over emotive piano chords.

2nd Grade — “Strung Out On You”

Five-piece group 2nd Grade had a bit of a breakout moment in 2020 when they released their debut LP Hit To Hit, an album which impressively lived up to its title. Now back with their new track “Strong Out On You,” 2nd Grade are channeling a washed-up ’70s rockstar lifestyle imagined as a “minor nationwide hit in 1979 or so.” The song is brimming with sunny chords and catchy refrains, giving truth to the title of their forthcoming LP Easy Listening!.

Sad girl autumn is looking promising this year. Today, Canadian pop icon Carly Rae Jepsen has announced her fourth major-label album (fifth overall), called The Loneliest Time.

In May, Jepsen gave fans the first tease of the album with the Rostam-produced “Western Wind.” Set to arrive this October, the album will consist of 13 standard tracks and three additional bonus tracks.

Upon announcing the album, Jepsen shared the album’s cover art in an Instagram post, reading, “I’m quite fascinated by loneliness. It can be really beautiful when you turn it over and look at it. Just like love, it can cause some extreme human reactions.”

The album’s title perhaps refers to the loneliness and isolation many people have felt amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In a September 2020 interview with Elle, Jepsen detailed her writing process while in quarantine.

“The most awkward thing for me so far has been trying to do writing sessions over Zoom,” she said. “You’re trying to spark creativity with, sometimes, a complete stranger. It’s just a really awkward beginning process. We’re staring at each other like, ‘Can I call you back when we each have some ideas?’ I’m always writing, chipping away at a couple ideas here and there. Right now I would say it’s been the most successful with my guitarist Tavish [Crowe], who’s based in Canada, just because we are really used to each other’s flow and I don’t feel self-conscious sending him a voice memo, even if it sounds crap. I know he trusts that we’ll get it to the right place.”

Check out the cover art below.

The Loneliest Time is out 10/21 via Interscope and School Boy. Pre-save it here.

Ahead of her upcoming EP, Inhuman, Australian singer Gordi has released two new songs. On “Stranger,” a poignant acoustic guitar ballad, Gordi delves into feelings of detachment, reflecting on the days when she and a former love were running on borrowed time.

“After spending the day with Alex Somers in his studio in Reykjavík while making my first album in January 2017, I walked back through the heavy snow to my hostel,” Gordi said in a statement. “I sat down on one of the eight bunk beds and wrote ‘Stranger.’ The song has lived in many forms since, and I’ve always wanted to find a home for it. In one of Melbourne’s many lockdowns, I eventually rewrote the track — I got my friend, JT Bates, to add some drums in the midwest.”

On the transcendental and piano-driven “Visitor,” Gordi grapples with the sadness of reunions, still feeling distant and isolated amid feelings of reminiscing and reconnecting.

“I have spent a lot of my life driving long distances,” Gordi said. “Returning to a chapter of life only to feel like a visitor, a stranger to your own experience. This song began sitting at my parents’ piano, I built the arrangement over six or seven months. As the song came together, a phrase I had come across circled around my head: the literal meaning of the overused and under-appreciated ‘nostalgia’ — the sorrow of homecoming.”

Check out “Stranger” and “Visitor” above.

Inhuman is out 8/19 via Jagjagwar. Pre-save it here.

In 2018, Okkervil River released In The Rainbow Rain, their ninth album that arrived 16 years after the group’s 2002 debut, Don’t Fall In Love With Everyone You See. Now, all those years later, leader Will Sheff is going at it alone for the first time: He announced his debut solo album, Nothing Special, is set for release on October 7.

Sheff says of the song’s video, “I think of the ‘Estrangement Zone’ video as a kind of magical spell the crew and I were trying to cast — a parable about endings and beginnings happening simultaneously.”

He also noted of his album:

“When I was just a kid, I got caught up in the dream of being a rock and roll star. Like so many other young people, I fell in love with the idea of being called to this glorious path outside of ordinary life. And I ended up in a band with people who felt this same call — especially our brilliant drummer Travis Nelsen, who was like a brother to me. We would trade tales of hilarious antics and outrageous excess and tragic death like they were almost scripture. Travis and I fell out painfully, and he died in the early weeks of lockdown. I think a big part of Nothing Special centers around grieving for him, grieving for everything my friends have lost, grieving for the rock and rock and roll myth, and trying to open my eyes to a more transcendent reality.”

Watch the “Estrangement Zone’ video above and find the Nothing Special art and tracklist below, as well as Sheff’s upcoming tour dates. Also revisit our 2018 interview with Sheff here.

1. “The Spiral Season”
2. “In The Thick Of It”
3. “Estrangement Zone”
4. “Nothing Special”
5. “Holy Man”
6. “Like The Last Time”
7. “Marathon Girl”
8. “Evidence”

10/07 — Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever (Release Show)
11/03 — Iowa City, IA @ Englert Theatre
11/04 — Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
11/05 — Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music
11/06 — Milwaukee, WI @ Collectivo
11/08 — Bloomington, IN @ Buskirk-Chumley Theater
11/09 — Grand Rapids @ Pyramid Scheme
11/10 — Toronto, ON @ Great Hall
11/11 — Ferndale, MI @ Otus Supply
11/13 — Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11/14 — Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
11/15 — Washington DC @ Black Cat
11/17 — Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
11/18 — New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
11/19 — Woodstock, NY @ Colony
11/20 — Somerville, MA @ Crystal Ballroom
11/21 — Portland, ME @ Space

Nothing Special is out 10/7 via ATO Records. Pre-order it here.

When I think of epic summer adventures, I visualize crystal blue waters, towering palm trees, strong cocktails, and soft sand beneath my bare feet. In short, I dream of the sorts of paradises that I see on postcards or in movies. But those dreamy locales often don’t actually materialize — even on the best of trips.

So as you can imagine, when I found just such a postcard-perfect spot earlier this summer my first instincts were to tell everyone I knew about it… but also to keep it a total secret. Because the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas is a literal portal into paradise. The sort that makes you want to sing its praises and be hush-hush.

A little background: The Abacos are a 120-mile-long chain of small islands and cays in the Bahamas. One of the top boating and sailing destinations in the world, the archipelago has long been a getaway for those in the know — a respite from the more bustling and visited islands of the Bahamas. With a population of just over 17,000, the chain feel laid back at every turn, while still offering plenty to do with your days besides just sprawling on the sand. And after being dealt a massive blow in 2019 by Hurricane Dorian (then the pandemic), the region is back open for business and eager for tourism.

Meaning that staying silent about my “discovery” wouldn’t help anyone. So get ready for me to sing some serious praises because this spot is special. Here’s where you should eat, drink, sleep, and explore in the Abacos, Bahamas.

PART I — Where to Eat

This was my first visit to the Bahamas and I was eagerly awaiting some island cuisine and conch everything. I was not disappointed, to say the least. On my first day in Abaco, I stayed on Great Abaco Island and made the short trek to Little Harbour. Tucked down a long and completely unassuming dirt road I found Pete’s Pub and Gallery – a true hidden gem. Located right on the sand, the pub is a classic beach bar. I had a lobster and shrimp wrap which I enjoyed on the beach, before bringing my drink into the water for a dip.

Remember when I mentioned “conch everything” – well, I wasn’t kidding. Conch is a true Bahamian specialty. The traditional dish of the Bahamas, it wasn’t hard to find conch salad, conch fritters, or really conch anything anywhere I visited.

But if you want the royal treatment, you have to visit Kow’s Conch Stand at Abaco Fish Fry. Owner Jade “Kow” Adderley is a master of conch salad – a local delicacy I was eager to try. He famously prepared conch salad with Prince William and Kate Middleton during their tour of the islands earlier this year, and I have to say, this dish is fit for royalty.

This was my first, but will not be my last, taste of conch salad. A combination of raw conch meat, veggies, oranges, and lime juice – it is unlike anything I have ever tried. Related, check these conch fritters:

There is no shortage of casual dining on an island, but I was also pleasantly surprised to find some great upscale meals during my trip. My favorite was The Bistro at Abaco Beach Resort. In fact, I actually ate dinner here twice and both times exceeded my expectations. The first night I enjoyed a wedge salad and crab cakes that were fresh and just the lightness I wanted.

The next night I was happy to participate in a dinner with a unique tasting menu. Chef Deja Rutherford pulled out the stops with a rock lobster tempura appetizer, incredible seared snapper with a coconut curry veloute main course, and a banana fritter with a chocolate hazelnut center for dessert. I was blown away by each dish and only wished there were more courses.

PART II — Where to Drink

When I travel (and when I’m at home) I am almost exclusively a wine drinker. Out of habit maybe more than anything else, but it just feels like an easy choice in any scenario.

Any scenario outside of island and beach hopping, that is. Wine just wasn’t going to cut it here. I needed some boat drinks and I needed them fast. Luckily, I was able to locate Bahama mamas and piña coladas easily and often. I also found a new favorite – the Goombay Smash. Created by Emily Copper (Ms. Emily) at the Blue Bee Bar in New Plymouth (on Green Turtle Cay) the drink is a mix of rum and pineapple juice – but the original recipe is a secret.

I visited Ms. Emily’s Blue Bee Bar to try one from the source and I was not disappointed. There have been many iterations of the drink made throughout the Bahamas and elsewhere, but this one is the prototype, despite Ms. Emily never having tried her own invention – she was allergic to pineapple.

Nipper’s Beach Bar, located on Great Guana Cay, is a quintessential and legendary beach bar. The bar is a favorite with locals and tourists alike, with its pristine location above a white sandy beach, two swimming pools, and famous (and famously strong) Nipper Juice cocktail. The colorful establishment was destroyed during Hurricane Dorian, but was rebuilt and just as popular as ever. It’s the perfect place to spend the day drinking, lounging in the sand, and cooling off in the clear blue water.

After island hopping over to Hope Town on Elbow Cay, I took a detour to Thirsty Cuda — one of the most unique bars I’ve ever visited. The floating bar and grill near Tahiti Beach was anchored near the most pristine sandbar I had ever seen, serving drinks and snacks to all who dared to swim up. The fish bites were a perfect afternoon snack, and the Almond Joy Colada was a refreshing and unexpected treat.

PART III — Where to Sleep

During my trip, I stayed in Marsh Harbour, the commercial center of Great Abaco Island, and home to Marsh Harbor International Airport. Marsh Harbour is a great base for island hopping and is home to many hotels and resorts. I stayed at Abaco Beach Resort and it was the perfect place to come back to and relax after exciting days of exploration.

The 40-acre beachfront property has it all – dining, water activities, two pools, a marina, a private beach and every type of room or residence you may need. I loved my newly renovated king room with a large balcony — mostly because of this incredibly dreamy soaking tub.

PART IV — Where to Explore

The Abaco Islands truly provide the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. During my trip, I spent my days exploring Great Abaco Island, Green Turtle Cay, Elbow Cay, and Great Guana Cay and still left wanting more.

One of the most interesting places I visited was Johnston Art Foundry in Little Harbour. Located at Pete’s Pub, the bronze foundry has been in the Johnston family for three generations – since 1952. The art foundry is the only one of its kind in The Bahamas, using the lost wax process to produce gorgeous bronze sculptures that are commissioned, bought, and displayed around the world.

No trip to The Bahamas is complete without getting out on the water – and that is especially true when visiting The Abacos. I spent one of the most awe-inspiring days of my life on the water with Brendal’s Dive Center, based in Green Turtle Cay — which you can reach via Green Turtle Ferry just a 30-minute drive from Marsh Harbour.

Brendal and his wife Mary started their dive center in 1985, and since their SCUBA and adventure tours have become a staple in The Abacos. From snorkeling a coral reef, swimming with sharks, and dolphin watching to lunch made over the fire on an island served with Brendal’s famous rum punch – it was, in a word, epic.

The Abacos are known as the boating and sailing capital of the world, but even if you don’t have access to a boat or means for a private charter it’s fairly simple to island hop. There are six daily ferries from Marsh Harbour to Elbow Cay alone, so you have no excuse not to make the beautiful trek to its quaint village of Hope Town. I made the short 5-minute drive from Abaco Beach Resort to The Crossing Ferry Dock ready for another day of exploration.

My first stop in Hope Town was a visit to Elbow Cay Lighthouse, the “last manual, kerosene fueled, intact and complete Lightstation on the planet.” I walked up the spiral staircase to a beautiful view of the cay and surrounding water. Be sure to visit the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society gift shop to learn more about the restoration efforts and preservation of this iconic site.

After visiting the lighthouse I walked through the historic downtown marveling at the interesting architecture, pastel colors, and fun shops before walking right to one of the most gorgeous beaches on the Atlantic Ocean side. This tiny town truly has it all.

Before you leave your new favorite tropical paradise, be sure to stop at Cherokee Long Dock – one of the most surreal stops I’ve made in a while. The 770-foot wooden dock – which holds the title of the longest wooden dock in the Bahamas – stretches out over the very shallow and very blue water of Cherokee Sound — the most isolated settlement on Abaco. It feels completely otherworldly walking along the dock with still aquamarine water stretching out in every direction around you. There were just a few kids playing in the water when I visited. Splashing and swimming and having a great time.

The scene reminded me of that tropical postcard image I’ve often had in my mind. And it was somehow right here in front of me.