Last year, Cordae excited fans by sharing his album From A Bird’s Eye View. Since then, he’s unveiled collaborations with Anderson .Paak, Juice WRLD, and more, as well as shared the spicy solo song “Make Up Your Mind,” for which he now has a video.
The track navigates a complicated relationship whose rules are unclear: “I said she love me / She love me not / But she don’t got no damn clue about what she want,” he sings in the chorus. The video captures this confusion, depicting Cordae and a woman going back in forth in arguments, struggling to resolve issues even as they sit at dinner at a restaurant. Despite this, the music is lively, with an infectious bassline.
“I just wanted to make a timeless song that makes people feel good,” Cordae said in a statement.
The video is directed by Loris Russier. “Make Up Your Mind” is produced by Dr. Luke, who fans are pointing out was a poor choice considering the rape allegations from pop star Kesha that ended with a defamation lawsuit that dragged on for years.
Watch the video for “Make Up Your Mind” above.
Cordae is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Google and smart phones have been around so long that Gen Z doesn’t know a time before those things existed. They may have Googled what a card catalog was used for but plenty of them don’t know the pressure we all felt having to learn the dewy decimal system while walking around the library with a card with numbers scribbled on it.
They’ve never experienced the frustration of having an out of date Encyclopedia collection from the thrift store that was missing books “D” and “X-Z” when you had a research assignment due. Oh, sweet tech savvy – we not me generation, doesn’t understand that riding shot gun on a road trip meant you were suddenly a pirate with an Atlas map bigger than the dashboard.
Even as someone that was alive when having a rotary phone was the norm, I sometimes forget what life was like before all of the technological luxuries. It’s not surprising that Gen Z is confused on how we survived back then without knowledge at our fingertips, so when one of them asked, Gen X, Xennials and elder Millennials entered the chat.
Sarah Adelman posted a video to TikTok with the caption, “pls help I was born in 1997.” In the video she says she has a genuine question for older people and that’s when she asks, “what did you do before you could look something up?”
Adelman gives the example of something that isn’t in the dictionary or Encyclopedia. She wants to know what someone would do if there was a celebrity whose name you couldn’t remember or other trivial things like that.
“Would you go to the library? Like gen..and like okay, without Google Maps, like I know that there was MapQuest but before that like genuinely what would you do? Would you just accept not knowing,” the Gen Zer asks before saying she doesn’t think she would be able to survive without knowing.
Unfortunately for Adelman, the older generations informed her that this is exactly what we did back in the 1900s. We simply wondered about things that popped into our heads. In fact, since we knew there was no way of knowing the name of the actor that played on “Matlock” for one episode, we didn’t bother attempting to look it up. You’d either see them again in a rerun or it would come to you randomly while trying to locate a payphone.
“The name of an actor would come up to you 3 weeks later while you were eating a bowl of cereal,” one person writes.
“You would just be forever annoyed by it, keep it bookmarked in the back of your mind, then realize one day that dude’s name is Ray Liotta or something,” another commenter says.
“Ummm. I love how you reference Mapquest. We used maps. Just maps. Good ole paper maps,” someone writes.
“We just lived in blissful ignorance and then in the middle of a conversation about pretzels a week later we would just yell out the answer,” one person reveals.
To no one’s surprise Adelman did not like these answers. She replied to someone explaining that we simply wondered with, “I could never.” The official Google account even chimed in saying, “however it worked, sounds bad.”
Ehh, it wasn’t so bad. We didn’t know any different, but in a way Adelman had that good old fashioned pre-Google experience when she posed this question. You can watch the perplexed girl’s video below:
The oldest published version of the melody to the “Alphabet Song” was in 1761. However, because it’s the same melody as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” it’s hard to trace it to its original composer.
The “Alphabet Song” is so deeply entrenched in American culture that it almost seems sacrilegious to change a piece of music that’s one of the first most of us ever learned. But after all these years, some educators are altering the classic melody so that there is a variation when the letters L-M-N-O-P are sung.
This change shocked popular TikTokker Jessica Skube, who documents life raising 7 children with her 2.6 million followers. Nearly 10 million people have watched her video revealing the significant change, and it’s received over 56,000 comments since first being published in late 2020.
“You guys, I have huge, huge, huge, huge, huge news,” Skube told her followers. “I have a fifth grader, a fifth grader, a fourth grader, a third grader, a third grader, a first grader, and a preschooler and I just got news that the ‘Alphabet Song’ is changing.”
Just to add to your 2020 🤯😱 because distance learning wasn’t enough!!! @ms_frazzled #abcsong #lmno #wtf #momsoftiktok
The big reason for the change is that people learning English, whether young kids or those who speak it as a second language, often get confused because L-M-N-O-P can sound like one letter, “elemenopee.” So, the new version breaks up that part of the alphabet, making the letters easier to understand. There has been a “surge” in the number of students learning English as a second language over the past decade, so it only makes sense to alter the song to help them learn the fundamentals of the language.
Earlier this month, Slowdive returned with Everything Is Alive, their first album since their critically acclaimed self-titled one from 2017. The dreamy LP showcased their knack for creating a hypnotic wall of sound, and they’re bringing it to stages this fall and winter on a massive tour.
Slowdive is hitting several continents on this run, beginning in North America and ending in Europe in 2024. The setlist is packed with new songs as well as hits like “Sugar for the Pill” from self-titled and “Alison” and “When the Sun Hits,” from their iconic 1993 record Souvlaki.
Check out their setlist from their performance at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto, Canada, according to setlist.fm.
1. “Shanty”
2. “Prayer Remembered”
3. “Star Roving”
4. “Catch the Breeze”
5. “Crazy for You”
6. “Souvlaki Space Station”
7. “Kisses”
8. “Sugar for the Pill”
9. “Alison”
10. “When the Sun Hits”
11. “Golden Hair” (Syd Barrett cover)
Encore:
12. “The Slab”
13. “Dagger”
14. “40 Days”
Find the tour dates below.
09/27/23 — New York, NY @ Webster Hall
09/28/23 — New York, NY @ Webster Hall
09/29/23 — Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
09/30/23 — Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
10/02/23 — Cleveland, OH @ The Roxy at Mahall’s
10/03/23 — Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
10/04/23 — Saint Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
10/06/23 — Denver, CO @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
10/07/23 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union
10/09/23 — Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
10/10/23 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
10/12/23 — San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
10/14/23 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether
10/30/23 — Glasgow, Scotland @ Queen Margaret Union
10/31/23 — Manchester, England @ Ritz
11/01/23 — Bristol, England @ SWX
11/03/23 — London, England @ Troxy
11/05/23 — Belfast, Northern Ireland @ Mandela Hall
11/06/23 — Dublin, Ireland @ National Stadium
11/25/23 — Buenos Aires, Argentina @ Primavera Sound
12/04/23 — Santiago, Chile @ Teatro Coliseo
12/07/23 — Asunción, Paraguay @ Primavera Sound
12/10/23 — Bogotá, Colombia @ Primavera Sound
02/16/24 — Brighton, England @ Brighton Dome
02/17/24 — London, England @ Eventim Apollo
02/18/24 — Birmingham, England @ O2 Institute Birmingham
02/19/24 — Norwich, England @ LCR UEA
02/21/24 — Liverpool, England @ O2 Academy Liverpool
02/22/24 — Newcastle upon Tyne, England @ NX
02/23/24 — Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowland Ballroom
02/24/24 — Edinburgh, Scotland @ Liquid Rooms
02/26/24 — Cardiff, Wales @ Cardiff University Great Hall
02/27/24 — Manchester, England @ Manchester Academy
All the way back in May — summer hadn’t even started! — the Writers Guild of America went on strike. That meant movies and TV shows, including most talk shows, were put on hold. For nearly five months the studio heads repped by the AMPTP refused to meet their demands. On Sunday night they finally did, with both sides reaching a tentative agreement. But the new contract still required a vote from guild members to officially bring the strike to a close. Well, guess what?
Per The Hollywood Reporter, that vote was successful. After 148 days — the second-longest WGA strike, after the one in 1988, which lasted a mere five days longer — the guild will officially return to work, clocking in starting at 12:01am PT on Wednesday. That means all that comes with being a member of the WGA — pitching, selling scripts, taking meetings, responding to notes — will be back in action.
After nearly a month of standstill, the WGA and the AMPTP got back to the bargaining table on last Wednesday. It still took another five days, but they clearly made progress, according to THR:
With top leaders in the room, the studios made changes to their position on issues like minimum staffing in television writers’ rooms and rewarding writers for the success of projects on streaming. Regulations on artificial intelligence proved to be a lasting sticking point, but the two sides eventually came to a compromise by Sunday night. In its communication to members about the agreement on Sunday, the WGA called the resulting agreement “exceptional.”
After the tentative agreement was announced on Sunday, certain shows were quick to put the gears back in motion. SNL announced they were working on starting back up. Ditto The Drew Barrymore Show, which came under fire when they announced they were prematurely returning…only to renege on that mere days later after substantial backlash.
Not that Hollywood is back in action. After all, there’s still the SAG-AFTRA strike, which began in July and currently has no plans to meet back up with the AMPTP. But perhaps having one of the two strikes officially resolved may give that one a nudge.
In the meantime, the WGA will be technically back to work in a matter of hours, as of this writing. Of course, it will surely be a bit awkward for writers taking meetings with execs who threatened to let them starve and go homeless.
This limited-time series for UPROXX’s Style Hotlist highlights world-renowned artists and their matchless wardrobes through quick chats and exclusive photos.
UK-born, L.A.-based singer, songwriter, and DJ Aluna has long been a rule-breaking innovator. Whether you’ve experienced Aluna’s performances via Livestream or in person, you can attest that her contagious energy and vibrant style pack an allure that keeps fans enthralled.
Born Aluna Francis, the dance music darling gained renown as half of the UK duo AlunaGeorge. Then, three years ago, Aluna went solo and released her debut album, Renaissance — highlighting dance music’s origins in communities of color through a daringly personal vision.
Since Renaissance, Aluna has gone on to garner international praise, award nominations, significant collaborations with artists such as Skrillex, Tchami, and Diplo. She’s embarked on massive tours. And this summer, she released her critically acclaimed sophomore album MYCELiUM.
We caught up with the British multi-hyphenate during her current string of tour dates in the U.S. to tap into what inspires her style, gain her definition of fashion, and learn about her dream shopping dates.
Jak Howard
With you being a DJ and singer-songwriter, how do you feel your lifestyle influences your style?
I’ve been so lucky to have developed a theme for an album cycle. That theme will always start with highly crafted show pieces. Then – because I’m making stuff and building that wardrobe – there’ll be some things that work for my day-to-day lifestyle that start trickling down, so I’m almost wearing pieces inspired by my stage pieces. At home, my everyday outfits are mostly workout gear.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but did you have an Instagram poll asking if people would be interested in you starting a fashion line? Do you think that’s something you’d pursue?
I’m practical, and starting a line sounds like a complete and utter disaster. I am motivated to start a line because I can’t find what I want to wear. So, I’m putting all of this work into creating these pieces, and the pieces I create are often edits of someone else’s product. There’s a practical streetwear and wearability functionality to everything I wear. And I’m like, ‘People would really enjoy wearing this,’ but then there’s only ever one! So, I’ve done a giveaway to of some of my pieces to fans in a competition, but I’ve never sold any of my pieces to anyone.
Sebastian Ayala
What about partnering with a brand to create a capsule?
Oh yeah, I’ve thought of that. For my last album, I created these gift boxes for people. The boxes were all MYCELiUM-themed, and it was one of the most fun I’ve had in a little while. I mean, it wasn’t clothing. It was more like socks and shirts. I love the idea of collaborating. I think it would be someone who would have great ideas from my back catalog of themes or music. So,
we’ll see.
I’m always curious if artists shop together – is this the case with you? Who do you shop with? Maybe you’re a solo shopper.
I recently went shopping with Nao. That was so much fun because we were styling for a music video shoot for her. It was exactly how things go with me, like, ‘We don’t have time. The shoot’s tomorrow. We don’t have time to find a stylist.’ I was like, ‘Girl, have you been to Santee Alley?’ And she’s like, “What is this?” So, Santee Alley is in L.A. downtown. It’s sprawling and impossible to find the same shop twice. There’s so much to look through, and that’s my go-to fora quick style. Nao loved it.
Sounds like a dream! What artists would you love to shop with in the future?
Kelela because she plays with high fashion and really accentuates and celebrates her Blackness. Then, Erykah Badu because I love how she’s so maximalist and ethereal but also randomly comical. She’s not afraid to make you laugh out loud. And then, Takisha because she’s subversive, seductive, and with complete anarchy.
What do you live by when it comes to style?
Ask yourself how you want to feel at the destination. Then, when you’re trying on those clothes – to stay aware – you should ask, does this send you in that direction? Trying to find a style arbitrarily based on whether it “looks good” will never get you to a satisfied place because that’s not always the aim of every environment you’re in. You must make your clothes work for you like a wingman or bestie. You should not make up for your clothes with your energy because then your clothes won’t work.
Luana Soare
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is a language, and you can make your own language, or you can learn the language that you really enjoy the sound of. Fashion communicates with the world and with your reflections. ‘What are you saying to yourself, and is that what you want to hear?’ So, that language is used to tell a story. It’s a linguistic tool that works in a very different way, in the same way that music tells stories.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Copper & Kings Bourbon A Blend of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished in American Apple Brandy Barrels
Hudson Whiskey NY Official Bourbon of the Mets New York Straight Bourbon Whiskey
After tasting through all of these blindly, I went ahead and ranked them based on overall taste, depth, and balance. And let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. There are some seriously stellar bourbons on this panel. Still, a few did transcend being just “good” and reached toward greatness. Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: Rich butterscotch and soft vanilla sheet cake (with a hint of sugary sparkles) drive the nose toward a hint of baking spice and maybe some soft black pepper.
Palate: That black pepper pops on the palate with a sense of old oak wrapped in mild tobacco and accented with almonds and more butterscotch.
Finish: The butterscotch goes full caramel on the soft finish with a roasted almond vibe and some more of that oaky tobacco.
Initial Thoughts:
This was … nice. There’s nothing wrong here and it feels like an average bourbon through and through.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a very craft nose of Graham Cracker dipped in honey and rolled in cinnamon before hitting a hint of bubble gum and Hot Tamales.
Palate: The palate is hot with a clear sense of sharp cinnamon and sweet grits next to dark wood, old leather, and blood orange rinds.
Finish: The end really leans into the cinnamon heat with a hint of sweet honey underneath before diving deep into dark chocolate, cherry, and winter spice with dried fruits and rock candy.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very hot whiskey. There’s a lot going on but it’s very hard to find without water or ice.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark winter spices, old boot leather, and cigar humidors greet you on the nose with a sense of old vanilla pods, dark stone fruit, and a fleeting sense of freshly ground black peppercorns.
Palate: That spiciness translates to rich and creamy cinnamon frosting on the palate as vanilla sheet cake with caramel drives the sweet taste toward warming apple cider spices and nutty candy.
Finish: The cinnamon is joined by clove and allspice on the warming finish as a hint of cedar and tobacco round things out.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty nice too. It’s not a “wow” pour but it 100% is a “well, that’s good”.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A moment of honey draws you in on the nose before veering toward rich and very dark chocolate with a deeply stewed cherry cut with oily vanilla, mulled wine spices, and pear brandy-soaked marzipan with a hint of candied orange zest, dry espresso beans, and moist tobacco leaves.
Palate: There’s a moment of malted chocolate shakes on the taste that leads to a rich spiced Christmas cake brimming with walnuts, sultanas, candied cherry, candied lemon rinds, and leathery dates that lead to moments of creamy and very boozy eggnog poured over a Black Forest Cake.
Finish: The Christmas spices, fruit cake, dried fruit, and eggnog all combine on the finish to create a rich and sumptuous finish full of luscious textures and just the right amount of spiced whiskey warmth.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very stout-y throughout and it really works wonders with the rich bourbon. There was a lot of chocolate by the end though. That’s not a knock, per se.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a classic medley of wet brown sugar cut with rich vanilla buttercream, cinnamon bark, and dark cherry cola just kissed with dark chocolate and salt.
Palate: The taste leans nutty (more almond shell than marzipan) with a deep sense of salted dark chocolate-covered espresso beans next to sticky toffee pudding, salted caramel sauce cut with orange zest, and a hint of coffee cake dipped in black tea with a fleeting sense of old rickhouses floors and dry tobacco.
Finish: That dry tobacco and earthiness amp up the finish as the spice barks sharpen toward a warming finish full of Kentucky hugs, vanilla beans, and soft spiced brandied cherries dipped in dark chocolate.
Initial Thoughts:
This is another that’s good, folks. Again, it’s not like an “Oh, my god!” pour but it gets the job done. I don’t know what else to say.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Caramel chocolate candies and vanilla cake with sprinkles drive the nose toward cinnamon and clove heavy nutcake, eggnog, and a soft layer of burnt orange zest.
Palate: The vanilla creates a lush buttercream on the palate as dark Black Forest Cake with spicy stewed cherry and very dark chocolate leads to more nutmeg and cinnamon with a fleeting sense of pipe tobacco and smoldering marshmallow.
Finish: The end leans into old oak and a light sense of fall orchard leaves, more stewed cherry, and creamy vanilla with a line of spiced winter bark warmth.
Initial Thoughts:
This has a very balanced all-around bourbon vibe. It was a tad lighter than some of the other pours, so it feels like this might make a good cocktail base to build on.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a deep burnt caramel sweetness that gives way to five-spice powder over fatty smoked pork next to dark cherry cola and rich and clear tobacco.
Palate: That tobacco is fresh and vibrant on the palate as the fatty smoked pork drives the taste toward rich dark chocolate sauce, winter spice medleys, and campfire toasted marshmallows.
Finish: Mulled wine and apple cider spices drive the finish to some wet brown sugar, more dark cherry cola, and a hint of buttermilk biscuit with marmalade just kissed with that five-spice powder.
Initial Thoughts:
This is wildly unique and goddamn delicious.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Plums, dates, and figs come through on the nose with deep marzipan cut with pear brandy and dipped in salted dark chocolate next to eggnog spices and creaminess with a good dose of Christmas nut cakes.
Palate: The eggnog lusciousness leads the palate toward soft vanilla cookies, salted caramel chews, and a hint of spiced plum jam next to buttermilk waffles studded with pecans before old cellar oak adds an earthen layer.
Finish: The sweetness of the leathery dried fruits drives the finish toward winter spice barks and berries with a sense of old pipe tobacco braided with smudging sage and a whisper of dried mint next to cedar and fall leaves.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a “WOW” whiskey. Holy shit, I want more of this ASAP.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cloved-studded oranges mingle with figs, dark chocolate, and dried cranberry on the nose while a hint of rye bread and salted butter provide a foundation.
Palate: Marmalade and scones drive the palate toward marzipan, coffee cake, and pistachio ice cream with a hint of fresh blueberry bushels.
Finish: The dark chocolate and cherry meld on the finish with a dusting of winter spices next to more marmalade and figgy tobacco leaves.
Initial Thoughts:
This is good but… almost too arresting.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich vanilla buttercream and salted caramel lead on the nose with layers of spiced apple cider, rich plum jam, and a touch of old cellar beams with fall orchard barks.
Palate: Mincemeat pies and holiday spice cookies lead on the palate with a sense of creamy vanilla eggnog, old leather tobacco pouches, and a nutty chocolate vibe.
Finish: The spice attaches to the tobacco and nutty chocolate on the finish with a sense of vanilla cream cut with orange oils and honey … and this fleeting whisper of fresh white flowers (and maybe some Earl Grey?).
Initial Thoughts:
This kind of keeps going and going on the finish. That’s a good thing, but I don’t think I got the full breadth of this one in one glass on this blind-tasting panel. There’s more here.
Taste 11
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich and creamy vanilla leads on the nose with a soft caramel candied vibe next to sharp winter spices, dried fruits, and fresh apple fritters with a cinnamon glaze next to some notes of leathery apricot and a touch of marzipan dipped in dark chocolate.
Palate: The nose leaps from that dark and nutty chocolate towards braids of cedar bark intertwined with fresh tobacco and smudging sage before molasses and more of that dried apricot make another appearance.
Finish: Grilled buttermilk biscuits arrive on the finish with a sense of salted chocolate sauce binds with apricot jam, loads of winter spice barks, and a sense of smoldering tobacco, cedar, and sage.
Initial Thoughts:
This is great whiskey.
Taste 12
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright fruit notes — cherry, apple/pear, peach, banana, mango — pop on the nose with a clear sense of toasted oak, dark cherry jam, apple tobacco, and a hint of molasses.
Palate: That oak is the underpinning for notes of caramel corn, mild winter spice barks, and plenty of oily vanilla beans that are all countered by a soft cherry soda with a whisper of clove.
Finish: The sweet banana fruit is there on the end and marries well to a peppery spice, cherry gum, and mulled wine that amps up as the end draws near with plenty of that toasted wood lingering the longest.
Initial Thoughts:
This was a ray of sunshine on a dark and murky bourbon panel. I really enjoyed this one.
Taste 13
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with backyards on a summer day next to dark chocolate oranges, vanilla sheet cake, and plenty of wintery spice cakes with hints of peach crumble covered in melting malted vanilla ice cream.
Palate: Rich toffee rolled in almond and covered in dark chocolate drives the taste toward pound cake cut with orange oils and poppy seeds, butterscotch candies, and grassy tobacco rolled with fresh roasting herbs.
Finish: The end leans into that summer backyard hard with a nice layer of spiced woody heat, soft vanilla eggnog creaminess, and mellow leathery tobacco cut with bright fruits.
Initial Thoughts:
This was dynamic and tasty … and felt very classic.
Taste 14
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose feels like a standard bourbon with caramelized orange, vanilla cream, old oak, and a nice sense of winter spice barks.
Palate: Clove and allspice lead the way on the taste with a sense of mulled wine and apple cider next to vanilla pound cake and touches of cherry.
Finish: The end is light but delivers a classic bourbon medley of caramel, oak, vanilla, and dark fruit with a spiced edge.
Initial Thoughts:
This is good standard bourbon from top to bottom.
Taste 15
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one is brimming with winter spice cakes, eggnog spices, cinnamon toast, clove-studded oranges, and nutcakes full of dried and candied fruit…and plenty of winter spice.
Palate: That spice remains on the palate but is supported by fresh and ripe cherries, rich and butter toffee, and just the right balance of sea salt with a fleeting whisper of almost umami-baked wood (driftwood maybe?).
Finish: The end leans into the spice barks as the orange and cherry dry out and take on a touch of caramelization with hints of rock candy tobacco rolled into a fresh cedar humidor.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a very spice-forward pour and it kind of slaps.
Taste 16
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of sweet grits cut with molasses, honey, and salted butter that gives way to blackberries soaked in rum on the nose with a light sense of spiced cookies.
Palate: The sweet porridge continues on the palate as dark cherry jam mingles with spiced winter cakes, fallow orchards, fall leaves, and a light moment of soft woody cherry bark that’s just smoldering.
Finish: A touch of cinnamon bark drives the finish toward more of that smoldering cherry wood, mulled wine, and soft notes of blackberry pie covered in malted vanilla cream sauce.
Initial Thoughts:
This is fruity and grainy and I like it, but I think I need more time to really get into the deeper layers here.
Taste 17
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cranberry sauce and caramel candies drive the nose toward old tobacco rolled up with cedar and sage and packed into an old cedar box next to hints of fall leaves and fallow apple orchards.
Palate: The palate opens with a lush and leathery dried apricot next to a moment of grapefruit pith, more cranberry sauce, and plenty of winter spice before honey and chocolate arrive with a dark cherry fruit leatheriness.
Finish: Toffee-dipped tart apples lead to warm and spiced apple cider on the finish with a nice sense of dark chocolate-covered caramels and soft vanilla cream.
Initial Thoughts:
Oh shit! This is delicious whiskey. The depth and beauty of the profile are wonderful.
Taste 18
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Standard notes of vanilla cream, old oak, winter spice, and cherry fruit drive the nose with a nice balance overall.
Palate: Hints of sweet grits, peach pie, and vanilla ice cream present on the palate with a hint of spice barks and old leather.
Finish: The end is warm and long with a nice creamy vanilla, soft spice, and dark cherry tobacco.
Initial Thoughts:
This is good regular ol’ bourbon. Nothing wrong with that. But… there’s nothing exciting about that either.
Part 2 — The Bourbon Ranking
Zach Johnston
18. Hudson Whiskey NY Official Bourbon of the Mets New York Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 18
This whiskey from the Hudson Valley is about New York grain-to-glass with a deep love for the Mets. The whiskey in the bottles is made with a 95% corn mash bill (supported by 5% malted barley). It’s aged for three years before it was bottled for this special release.
Bottom Line:
This was 100% a fine whiskey. There’s nothing wrong with it, no faults, and it tastes good. It simply didn’t pop on the senses on this panel.
That all said, I can see this working over some ice or in a cocktail nicely.
This whiskey is made from an Indiana bourbon that’s aged six years before batching, proofing, and bottling. Beyond that, there’s not much more to know besides the talent behind the brand aims to create some consistent whiskey that you can find on the shelf.
Bottom Line:
Again, this is perfectly fine bourbon. I’d use it for cocktails.
This is the new whiskey from Texas country rock band Whiskey Myers. The bourbon in the bottle is produced and bottled by Bespoke Spirits out in California. The band came together to taste through tons of permutations before landing on this easy-sipping bourbon.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice bourbon. I don’t know if I’d call it a sipper (maybe on the rocks), but I would 100% use it to make a dope whiskey-forward bourbon cocktail.
This bespoke Colorado craft whiskey starts with a malted wheat bourbon at its core. That bourbon is married to another wheated bourbon with rye malts in the mix, creating a four-grain bourbon in the final batch. That whiskey is then bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This is a very hot whiskey (hence it’s lower on this list). That said, there’s so much going on that I can’t ding it that hard. Simply pour this over some ice and you’ll be rewarded with a big whiskey with real depth.
This new bourbon from Woodinville up in Seattle, Washington, is a crafty dream with a very unique finish. After about five years of aging, the bourbon is re-barreled into Ginjinha barrels (a Portuguese liqueur) with sour cherries for another maturation run. Finally, those barrels are batched, proofed, and bottled for this limited run.
Bottom Line:
This was funky and fresh. I really need more time with it to go deeper than a single tasting in a blind setting. That aside, this feels like a great bottle to grab if you’re looking for something completely different in the craft bourbon world.
13. Still Austin Bottled In Bond High Rye Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 9
This Texas whiskey is another grain-to-glass bourbon with a deep sense of place. The whiskey in the bottle is made with Still Austin’s unique 70% white corn mash (supported by 25% rye and 5% malted barley) that’s aged for at least four years. After batching, the whiskey is proofed down to 50% ABV for bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is tasty bourbon. This is also where we get into the “this is good, try it!” section of the ranking.
12. Lux Row Four Grain Mash Bill Double Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 3
This new Lux Row release is a very unique “double” single barrel. What does that mean exactly? The four-grain (corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley) whiskey was aged twice for five years at a time in two different barrels. The second barrel was then bottled with a whisper of water.
Bottom Line:
This is just a good classic whiskey. Use it for cocktails, highballs, or slow sipping.
This brand-new whiskey brand from Graham McTavish (Outlander, House of the Dragon, etc.) is a lovely built batch of whiskey. The whiskey is made from a classic mash of 75/21/4 (corn/rye/barley) that’s left to rest for seven years. Those barrels were proofed down to bottled-in-bond standards and bottled as-is otherwise.
Bottom Line:
This is another good whiskey that’s versatile. I’m starting to lean toward cocktails on this one, but you can sip this one easily (it’s light but has real depth).
This new expression from Kentucky Owl is a celebration of one master blender saying goodbye to the brand while another says hello. The blend was made by Kentucky Owl Master Blender John Rhea and new Master Blender Maureen Robinson (who recently retired from Diageo’s Master Blender of single malts). The duo created a whiskey from four-, five-, eight-, and nine-year-old wheated bourbons with a hint of Scotch whisky as the driving force of the blend.
Bottom Line:
This had a nice honeyed vibe with a hint of florals that definitely define this a softer bourbon. I dig it. Try this over a big rock and slow sip. It’ll reward you with great flavor notes.
Part three of the Hardin’s Creek 2023 releases is finally here. This whiskey is a 17-year-old bourbon made with Beam’s classic mash bill. The whiskey spent all 17 of those years in rickhouses on the Boston, Kentucky campus (a little further south of the Bardstown area). Those warehouses are in a flatter area (instead of tucked away in hollers or perched atop hills). So the actual buildings had more access to bathing warm sunlight, wind, and rain — all of which slightly shifts the aging process of the barrels in those warehouses.
Bottom Line:
This is damn fine bourbon. There’s some warmth here so a rock or some water will help it bloom. I’m also curious to try this in a Manhattan or Sazerac.
8. Jefferson’s Finished in Singapore Tropics “Aged in Humidity” Fully Matured Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 15
This brand-new release from Jefferson’s is a very unique blend. 720 barrels were sent from Kentucky to Singapore via ocean liner back in 2019. The barrels then spent about 18 months aging in the heat and humidity of Singapore’s climate before returning to Kentucky for batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
There’s a richness to the spices and caramelization here that really helps this one stand out. It takes on a very dark rumminess that’s a welcome diversion from standard bourbons. I’d try this over some rocks on the beach or in a rummy tiki cocktail.
7. Lost Lantern Single Cask Series Smooth Ambler West Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 13
This new fall 2023 Lost Lantern release is a six-year-old single barrel. The West Virginia whiskey has a low-corn mash bill of 57% corn, 36% rye, and 7% malted barley. After those six years, Lost Lantern hand-picked the barrel and bottled it 100% as-is, yielding only 87 bottles.
Bottom Line:
This is a great classic bourbon. It’s truly a slow sipper that delivers a deep and fun profile. You might need a big rock to calm it down a bit though.
6. Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Barrels — Taste 4
This brand-new release from Bardstown Bourbon Company is a collaboration with Chicago’s Goose Island’s iconic Bourbon County Stout. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of six- and seven-year-old Kentucky bourbons that are batched and then re-barreled into Bourbon County stout barrels. 12 months later, the whiskey is blended with another 9-year-old Kentucky bourbon, barely proofed, and bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is a great sipping whiskey too. If I had to nitpick it, there’s a lot of chocolate throughout. But if you’re reaching for a stout-finished bourbon, you’re going to want that. Either way, take your time with this one and enjoy it however you like to drink your whiskey.
5. Lost Lantern Single Cask Series New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 7
This single cask bottling from Lost Lantern is a one-of-a-kind Kentucky barrel from New Riff Distilling (across the river from Cincinnati). The whiskey in the barrel was a low-corn bourbon (65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley) aged for four years. The barrel was bottled at cask strength and yielded around 120 bottles.
Bottom Line:
This was so funky (five-spice powder!) and smoked fats that it stood out tremendously. And it worked! This is the bottle you get when you want the perfect backyard barbecue bourbon that’s truly one-of-a-kind.
4. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey Topflight Series by ReserveBar — Taste 12
This single-barrel product from Jack Daniel’s was first introduced in 1997. The whiskey is hand-selected (usually by retailers, bars, and restaurants) from barrels on the upper floors of Jack’s vast rickhouses. The whisky is bottled at a slightly higher proof to allow the nuance of the single-barrel whiskey to shine.
Bottom Line:
This was a ray of sunshine on this panel. It’s an amazingly easy sipper as is (neat) but will shine on the rocks too. If you’re looking for something bright and cheery, this is it.
3. Saint Cloud Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel “Candy Corn” — Taste 11
This luxury bourbon is a single-barrel one-off. The whiskey in the bottle is sourced from undisclosed Kentucky distilleries. The barrel was specifically chosen for its “Candy Corn” vibe.
Bottom Line:
This delivered and had so much depth. It was beyond classic and became this deep and beautiful sipper (even neat). There’s more here and I’d recommend taking your time with it and really diving in over a long sipping session.
2. Copper & Kings Bourbon A Blend of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished in American Apple Brandy Barrels — Taste 17
Copper & Kings have spent years perfecting their Kentucky brandy in Louisville. Now, they’re perfecting brandy-finished Kentucky bourbon. The whiskey in the bottle is a sourced blend of five-, 10-, and 15-year-old bourbons that once batched were re-barreled into Copper & Kings’ own apple brandy barrels. After a year of resting in those brandy barrels, the whiskey was barely touched with water and bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is goddamn good whiskey. The depth was great and the finish really delivered. I want to go back to this one again and again. I also want to experiment with whiskey-forward cocktails this fall thanks to that apple brandy vibe layered into the bourbon.
1. 15 STARS Fine Aged Spirits Sherry Cask Finished A Select Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished in Sherry Casks Aged 10 Years — Taste 8
This brand-new release from 15 STARS (arriving on shelves on September 26th, 2023) is made from a blend of 10 and 13-year-old Kentucky and Indiana bourbons. Those barrels were batched by the 15 STARS crew and then the whiskey was re-barreled in sherry casks for a final touch of maturation. That whiskey was then bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is just great. Buy a case. Sip it slow. You’re welcome.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Bourbon Whiskeys
Zach Johnston
There are a lot of great whiskeys on this list, but the top five or six are the prime cuts.
I do think you should go through all the tasting notes and find something that speaks to you. Then find something new and exciting. Then get as many of those 15 STARS bottles as you can (that’s the winner today by far).
Over the summer Little Dragon shared this new album Slugs Of Love, and bewitchingly described their music to Uproxx with four words: “Rhythmical, colorful, organic glitter.” The Swedish band is known for a lot of collaborations, such as with JID on “Stay,” Nilüfer Yanya for “Same Damn Luck,” and more.
So, who Little Dragon is bringing along as an opener on their tour is important. The answer is April + Vista, a duo from Washington, DC. Little Dragon and April + Vista just recently unveiled an EP together called Slipping Into Color.
“On a recent trip to the US we got to hang with April + Vista and we couldn’t resist their sound,” Little Dragon said in a statement. “This EP represents an intense week of diving deep into the musical universe together with them.”
9/27 — San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
9/29 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
10/1 — San Francisco, CA @ Portola Festival
10/3 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
10/4 — Seattle, WA @ The Neptune
10/5 — Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
10/7 — Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
10/8 — Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew’s Hall
10/9 — Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall
10/11 — Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/12 — Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
10/13 — Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/15 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
10/16 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
In America public officials have made it a habit of not resigning after doing shady things. That’s not how they roll in Canada. In the land up north if politicians do things they shouldn’t have, there’s a good chance they’ll a) apologize and b) resign. That’s what happened when a Canadian official accidentally sang the praises of an old former Nazi.
Last week, Canadian House Speaker Anthony Rota came under fire for inviting one Yaroslav Hunka, a 92-year-old Ukrainian veteran, to attend a session of Parliament devoted to visiting Ukrainian president Volodymy Zelensky during his North American tour. Rota saluted Hunka, who he called a “hero,” and he got the entire assembly, Zelensky and president Justin Trudeau included, to bathe him in applause.
One problem, though: Hunka isn’t just any veteran. He’s a veteran of fighting for the Nazis in World War II.
Upon learning of Hunka’s past, Trudeau called the situation “deeply embarrassing.” Rota apologized amidst outrage from the Jewish community. By Monday he’d gone a big step forward: He announced he was resigning from his post.
He continued:
It has been my greatest honor as a parliamentarian to have been elected by you, my peers, to serve as the Speaker of the House of Commons for the 43rd and 44th parliament. I’ve acted as your humble servant of this House, carrying out the important responsibilities of this position to the very best of my abilities.
The work of this House is above any of us. Therefore, I must step down as your speaker.
I reiterate my profound regret for my error in recognizing an individual in the House during the joint address to Parliament of President Zelensky. That public recognition has caused pain to individuals and communities, including the Jewish community in Canada and around the world, in addition to survivors of Nazi atrocities in Poland, among other nations.
I accept full responsibility for my actions. My resignation is effective at the end of the sitting day tomorrow, Wednesday, September 27th, to allow preparations for the election of a new speaker. Until that time, the deputy speakers will chair the House proceedings. Thank you. Merci.
Meanwhile in the good ol’ U.S. of A., the frontrunner for the GOP presidential ticket in 2024 was found guilty of fraud, on top of the 91 criminal charges he faces. The chances of him pulling out of the race are approximately zero.
Wilco‘s classic album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was memorialized last year with a special box set that reminded listeners how much they loved the Chicago band. Lucky for them, Wilco is back with new material, courtesy their forthcoming album Cousin.
“I’m cousin to the world,” Jeff Tweedy explained about the record in a statement. “I don’t feel like I’m a blood relation, but maybe I’m a cousin by marriage. It’s this feeling of being in it and out of it at the same time.”
With the release just a few days away, here is everything we know about Cousin.
Release Date
Cousin is out 9/29 via dBpm Records. Find more information here.
Tracklist
1. “Infinite”
2. “Ten Dead”
3. “Levee”
4. “Evicted”
5. “Sunlight Ends”
6. “A Bowl And A Pudding”
7. “Cousin”
8. “Pittsburgh”
9. “Solider Child”
10. “Meant To Be”
Singles
First, Wilco shared “Evicted” as the lead single, a buoyant ballad with melancholy lyrics: “Maybe I’m a whistle on a lonely old train / I’m crying all the time / Listen to the sound getting further away / Fading deep into the night.” That was followed by the upbeat title track, which depicts a fight between family.
Artwork
The artwork is a beautiful portrait of melting plant life. Check it out below.
dBpm Records
Tour
Wilco have been on currently on a lengthy run all over the United States since August. Find the remaining tour dates below.
09/26 — Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom *
09/28 — Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom *
09/29 — Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater @ Waterloo Park *
10/01 — Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium *
10/03 — Scottsdale, AZ @ Scottsdale Civic Center East Bowl Stage *
10/04 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel *
10/05 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel *
10/06 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel *
10/08 — Monterey, CA @ Rebels & Renegades Festival
10/11 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether *
10/13 — Santa Barbara, CA @ Arlington Theatre *
10/14 — Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre*
10/16 — Portland, OR @ Keller Auditorium *
10/17 — Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre ^
10/18 — Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre ^
10/20 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Eccles Theater ^
10/22 — Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom ^
10/23 — Omaha, NE @ The Astro Theater ^
10/25 — Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre ^
10/26 — St. Louis, MO @ Stifel Theatre ^
10/27 — Bentonville, AR @ The Momentary ^
12/02 — Wed. Dec. 6 – Riviera Maya, MX @ Sky Blue Sky (Hard Rock Hotel)
* w/ My Brightest Diamond
^ w/ Nina Nastasia
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
