Month: September 2023

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Doja Cat unveil 2023’s defining hip-hop album so far and The National double up with their second LP of the year. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.

Doja Cat — “Agora Hills”

Doja is mostly in her rap bag on her new album Scarlet, but pop-Doja gets some shine, too, on songs like “Agora Hills.” The track goes back and forth between gentle singing vocals and Doja rapping favorably about a romantic presence in her life.

The National — “Laugh Track” Feat. Phoebe Bridgers

In his thought exercise combining The National’s two 2023 albums, Uproxx’s Steven Hyden wrote of the new project’s Phoebe Bridgers collaboration, “I am a Bridgers fan, but she is an ingredient that has been way overused in contemporary indie rock, like avocado or cilantro at your favorite ‘hip’ bistro. And The National in particular have really overextended their Phoebe Bridgers usage this year. But ‘Laugh Track’ is a very good song, and limiting Bridgers overall sweetens her particular flavoring on the track.”

Zach Bryan — “Boys Of Faith” Feat. Bon Iver

Zach Bryan is already one of the year’s biggest artists with his No. 1 self-titled album, but he had more to say, and he said it on his new surprise EP, Boys Of Faith. The title track is a Bon Iver collaboration, with Justin Vernon’s distinct falsetto backing Bryan on a lush and evocative number.

Brent Faiyaz — “WY@”

Faiyaz is a big over a year removed from his most recent full-length release, 2022’s Wasteland, so he returned last week with “WY@.” Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes of the song, “Although he tries to ‘take accountability,’ he finds himself caught up in a loop of addictive drama — and sending those three little letters that cause so much trouble.”

Bakar and Summer Walker — “Hell N Back”

Bakar’s “Hell N Back” dates back to its initial release in 2019, but he brought it back for his just-released sophomore album, but with a twist. He got Summer Walker to feature on the new version, and she brings some gentle soul to the breezy tune.

Jean Dawson and SZA — “No SZNs”

Dawson is an exciting multi-genre up-and-comer who’s managed to capture SZA’s attention, as the two collaborate on “No SZNs.” On the chilled-out but dynamic song, the two flex their vocal chops as they sing about the comfort they find in consistency.

Blink-182 — “One More Time”

Blink’s comeback album with Tom DeLonge is on the way later this fall and the latest look at it is “One More Time,” the new single they dropped last week. It’s a reflective and introspective number, on which the band looks back on their tumultuous journey and where things stand now.

Bleachers — “Modern Girl”

Do Bleachers have a new album on the way? Based on the release “Modern Girl” last week, it seems like it! The track has some heartland rock inspiration, and it’s an overall catchy number that’s perfectly fleshed out with some saxophone (and an increasingly rare sax break).

Troye Sivan — “Got Me Started”

Troye Sivan has helped make this season the summer of dance and now he’s back with more kinetic music via “Got Me Started.” An easy way to get the party going is with Bag Raiders’ “Shooting Stars,” which Sivan sampled and updated on the catchy tune that’s more of a slow burner than “Rush.”

Petey — “Family Of Six”

Uproxx favorite Petey signed his first major-label deal with Sony recently, and now he’s dropped his first album for the label. “Family Of Six,” for which Petey offered a video last week, has a lot of what Petey does best: lyrics that make you think twice and a satisfying contrast between its boisterous and intimate moments.

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

As Mike Lindell is neck deep and lawsuits (and an indictment) for his efforts to help Donald Trump overturn the results of the 2020 election, Cassidy Hutchinson has revealed that the MyPillow CEO had an alarming amount of free rein during the final days of Trump’s presidency.

According to an excerpt from Hutchinson’s new book, Enough, she spotted Lindell roaming around the White House unescorted just a few days after the January 6 attack.

Via Insider:

On January 15, 2021, a week after the Capitol riot and just days before Trump was set to leave the White House, Hutchinson writes — according to excerpts of her book — that she found Lindell walking throughout the building without a staffer or a guide before he said: “We can still win.”

As Insider notes, January 15 is the same day Lindell was photographed by the Washington Post. Lindell was snapped clearly toting around notes that referenced the “Insurrection Act” and “martial law” on his way to a meeting with Trump.

Hutchinson’s book has provided a riveting look inside Trump’s White House in the aftermath of the 2020 election. The administration was rife with paranoia and shady characters like Lindell and Rudy Giuliani, who allegedly groped Hutchinson during Trump’s now infamous “Stop the Steal” rally.

According to the former Trump aide, Giuliani allegedly slipped his hand up her skirt in full view of Trump advisor John Eastman who allegedly just stood there and grinned. Giuliani has called the accusation “totally absurd.”

(Via Insider)

On Sunday, September 24, Usher simultaneously confirmed that his next album is called Coming Home and unveiled himself as the Super Bowl LVIII Apple Music Halftime Show performer. The cover art shows Usher holding a Georgia peach over the back of his neck.

“I’ve been coming home in a lot of different ways — the choice of music and reconnection to some of the people that I’ve worked with from my past and always wanted to work with,”Usher told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, adding, “In a sense, I’m coming home because I’m in that comfortable space. When you’re at home, you’re comfortable.”

Usher has become very comfortable in Las Vegas during his Usher: My Way The Vegas Residency, so, of course, he is performing Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on February 11, 2024.

“It’s happening,” Usher told Lowe. “It has happened, ladies and gentlemen! Yes! We made it. […] It’s been a lot to keep secrets from my own kids at home. A very, very close-knit group of people knew, and we’re really excited about the entire thing. Obviously, a legacy, but more than anything, the fact that this is the most grand stage to ever play on.”

For fans who can’t bear to wait until February to see Usher, there are still plenty of Usher: My Way The Vegas Residency dates before it closes on December 2.

Coming Home will be Usher’s ninth LP and first original album release since Hard II Love in 2016. So far, the only released track is “Good Good” featuring 21 Savage and Summer Walker from August.

Coming Home is out 2/11/2024 via Mega/Gamma. Find more information here.

Usher’s wildly successful Usher: My Way The Las Vegas Residency is scheduled to end on December 2, but Usher does not plan on taking a break in 2024 — and he doesn’t even need to leave Las Vegas.

On Sunday, September 24, Usher, Roc Nation, and the NFL simultaneously confirmed that he will perform the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024. The game will broadcast on CBS.

Usher’s announcement cleverly recreated Usher’s “Confessions, Pt. II” video. One version had present-day Usher talking to the Usher in the “Confessions” video, reassuring him, “The song is gonna be fine. You get a girl pregnant; it’s gonna be a hit. […] Listen, we’re doing the Apple Music Halftime Show. The Super Bowl! In Las Vegas! I’m on set shooting the promo for it right now.”

There were several versions, each featuring Usher co-starring with someone different, including Kim Kardashian, Deion Sanders, Odell Beckham Jr., and Marshawn Lynch.

And what better time to announce an album?

Usher also confirmed that he will release Coming Home during his Super Bowl performance. He spoke with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe about both exciting developments, expressing how relieved he is to no longer have to keep the Super Bowl secret from his kids and explaining the meaning behind his new album’s title.

Watch one of Usher’s Super Bowl announcements above, and watch his clips with Lowe below.

Coming Home is out 2/11/2024 via Mega/Gamma. Find more information here.

(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent The Chi episode will be found below.)

In the most recent episode of The Chi, titled “Who Shot Ya?” the characters on the show all said goodbye to Kevin who finally decided to take his video game talents out west after weeks of contemplation. Kevin had been offered a video game opportunity that would allow him to elevate his career, but it required a move to Los Angeles. In “Who Shot Ya,” his family throws a farewell party for him that quickly turns emotional as tears are shared between Kevin and his inner circle, and that was especially the case with his mother. Before that moment, Lynae makes Kevin promise that he will come back to Chicago to visit his family and friends and he says he will. However, will we see Kevin in the second half of The Chi season six?

Is Kevin Leaving The Chi In Season 6?

It turns out that Kevin is leaving The Chi for good. Alex R. Hibbert, who plays Kevin on the show, confirmed his departure in an emotional Instagram post. He wrote:

Dear fans and viewers,

It brought tears to my eyes just writing this. As some of you may already know, today marks my departure from THE CHI. This show has been such an important part of my life and I’m forever grateful to the people that watched me grow up on camera in front of your eyes for several years. It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to my castmates, crew members, and all of you who have supported me and throughout this incredible journey. Working on this show has been an unforgettable experience, and I am grateful for all the opportunities it has brought me. I have learned so much from my time here, and I will carry those lessons with me as I move on to new projects. To the fans who have followed me and my character’s journey, your unwavering support and love have been the driving force behind my work. I am humbled and honored to have been able to bring this character to life and share [Kevin’s] story with you. While I may be leaving this show, I am excited about what the future holds. I look forward to continuing to create meaningful and impactful work that resonates with audiences around the world. Once again, thank you for everything. I will miss this show and most importantly I’m going to miss Kevin, but I will cherish the memories and experiences forever.

Sincerely, Alex R. Hibbert

Hibbert played Kevin since the show’s start in 2018. As for what’s next, Hibbert has roles in the upcoming movies Story Ave and Good Burger 2 which will be released on September 29 and November 22, respectively.

New episodes of ‘The Chi’ are available through the Paramount Plus With Showtime plan on Fridays at 3am EST/ 12 pm PST. Weekly episodes also air Sundays on Showtime at 9pm EST/PST.

Long ago, Justified fans knew that Kaitlyn Dever was a phenomenal actress in the making. Unbelievable, Booksmart, and Dopesick confirmed as much. Dever also stars in a new sci-fi horror film that is a current overnight hit on streaming. That would be 20th Century Studios’ No One Will Save You, which essentially went straight-to-streaming via Hulu on Sept. 22.

Granted, a few lucky people did get to see the movie in limited theaters a few days prior, but for all practical purposes, this is a streaming movie release. And that’s surprising, considering that horror hits are notorious for reaping much more than their modest budgets at the box office. In this case, Brian Duffield reportedly directed the movie for just under $23 million, and if you’ve seen the it, you’ll know that A Quiet Place viewers would love it. Remember that little 2018 movie from Paramount Pictures? The sleeper film was a smash hit, opening to $50,203,562 on a $17 million budget. John Krasinski’s baby went on to gross $188 million domestically and $340 million worldwide (and a sequel did pretty darn well, too, even during Covid-19).

No One Will Save You‘s suspense is best experienced without even watching trailers, and it’s a genuinely scary movie that will put you in the spooky-season spirit. It’s both a home-invasion picture and an alien-invasion story and contains hardly any dialogue, which only adds to the seat-arm-gripping nature of the movie. Dever is winning audience accolades, and the film probably would have made a killing in theaters.

Who’s first in line to appreciate No One Will Save You? A certain horror maestro. “NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU is fun, fun, FUN,” tweeted Guillermo del Toro. “It is also smart and with great moments, staged in a classic, solid way. It avoids the pitfalls and maximizes its resources. I couldn’t think of a more perfect movie for your weekend. Fulfills all the promise of SPONTANEOUS.”

Again, though: No one seems to know why this didn’t receive a standard theatrical run. That’s especially the case for this past weekend when a holdover like The Nun 2 held off the star-packed Expend4ables.

More raving for the “in-f*cking-credible” Kaitlyn Dever would not stop.

And see? It wasn’t only great at home but also great in theaters:

[extremely Jim pretending to be Dwight voice] Reboot, remake, Battlestar Galactica. Guess which one The Office is getting?

Deep into a Puck article about the Writers Guild of America reaching a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers after 146 days on strike comes this detail: “We’re also about to see a firehose of announcements of projects and castings that have been held back for fear of bad optics… Greg Daniels is set to do a reboot of The Office, for instance.”

A reboot of NBC’s The Office — which itself is an American remake of a British series — was inevitable; it’s arguably the biggest sitcom since the days of Seinfeld and Friends. Soon, it was apparently become official.

But should it? “I think because of that there’s been a resurgence in interest in the show, and talk about bringing it back. But apart from the fact that I just don’t think that’s a good idea, it might be impossible to do that show today and have people accept it the way it was accepted 10 years ago. The climate’s different,” star Steve Carell said in 2018 about a potential reboot. He added, “A lot of what is depicted on that show is completely wrong-minded. That’s the point, you know? But I just don’t know how that would fly now.”

If one of the first five episodes of the new Office isn’t called “Cancel Culture,” I’ll eat a scoop of floor chili.

(Via Puck)

As rumors about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce dating continue to swirl, the NFL star seems to be endearing himself to Swifties. As one fan put it, “taylor dating an american football player who is vaccinated, drinks bud light and loves his mom.” Swift went to a Kansas City Chiefs game to watch Kelce play yesterday (September 24), which of course essentially confirmed that something is going on between the two.

Furthermore, after Swift watched the game, she left the stadium with Kelce; Jarrett Payton, a TV anchor and son of NFL legend Walter Payton, shared a video of the two walking together in the bowels of Arrowhead Stadium after the game. A fan also got a video of Kelce and Swift in a convertible outside the venue.

Some fans even picked up on what appears to be a Swift Easter egg from Kelce. After the game, he wrote a white and blue outfit, which fans were able to identify as KidSuper Studios’ “1989 Bedroom Painting” jacket and pants combo, certainly a choice look given the upcoming release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) and perhaps not a coincidence.

Another fan took things even further, tweeting, “u guys will NOT believe what i found out about travis kelce SO apparently he was born in 1989, he joined the NFL in 2013, won his first superbowl at the age of 31 (13 backwards yk) and for the cherry on top, bro weights 113kg ijbol isn’t that WILD?”

Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce dating? Maybe! It looks like there’s at least something going on there, especially after Swift turned up to see Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs play the Chicago Bears yesterday (September 24). She appeared to have a heck of a time at the NFL match-up, and Swifties had their own fun churning out Swift/football memes.

Plenty of fans are in celebration mode, like one who wrote, “taylor dating an american football player who is vaccinated, drinks bud light and loves his mom,” alongside a video of Olivia Wilde chanting, “We love America!”

Others cracked jokes about how Swifties are suddenly football fans now, or are at least trying to be. One shared a video of Hulk Hogan attempting to listen to hip-hop and wrote, “Swifties forcing themselves to watch Football because Taylor is involved.”

https://twitter.com/LocalSoundwave/status/1706130766298542522

Another shared a photo of a young Chiefs fan posing in his room that’s decked out in team gear and wrote, “*taylor goes to one chiefs football game* me:.”

Some fans joked that Swift had some learning to do when it comes to the sport, like one who shared a photo of a zombified Swift using a laptop and wrote, “Taylor researching how football works last night before the game starts.”

Check out some more memes below.

The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass maestro Mike Flanagan is (almost) back with his new series, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, as inspired by the 1839 Edgar Allen Poe short story. Do not expect a literal retelling of the original source material.

What can one expect? Expect to see some Poe-evoking ravens with a modern retelling that retains few events but carries the spirit from the original Poe offering. Also expect to see some Flanagan favorites within the cast, which includes Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Carl Lumbly, Michael Trucco, Paola Nuñez, Henry Thomas, Kyleigh Curran, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Kate Siegel, Sauriyan Sapkota, Zach Gilford, Willa Fitzgerald, Katie Parker, Malcolm Goodwin, Annabeth Gish, and more, including a very theatrical Mark Hamill.

The Poe short story revolves around a narrator who is an old friend of Roderick Usher and arrives to keep him company after Madeleine Usher falls ill. At that time, the two reclusive siblings are the only members of the family who remain alive. Cue supernatural/haunting happenings and Roderick literally being scared to an extreme at one point with the house, presumably haunted, cracking and falling to pieces much like his mind.

In the Flanagan series, Carla Gugino will portray a figure from the past who arrives to terrorize and deliver consequences upon the Usher family, who is described as “a collection of stunted hearts.” The family might remind you of the Roys on Succession but with siblings Roderick and Madeleine having built their fortune from Fortunato Pharmaceuticals. In other words, get ready for the parable treatment of a certain epidemic, and of course, Flanagan will keep things spooky as hell.

The Fall Of The House Of Usher descends upon Netflix on October 12.