Month: January 2025

Every month, Uproxx cultural critic Steven Hyden makes an unranked list of his favorite music-related items released during this period — songs, albums, books, films, you name it.

1. Ethel Cain, Perverts

The record is aptly named — it will sound to more pop-inclined ears like the most perverse project put out by a budding star in quite some time. The songs, often, barely sound like songs at all, but rather 10-plus-minute blocks of noise and doom-y room tones with only ghostly snatches of threadbare melodies hovering in and out of the blurry morass. It feels less like a proper album (or EP) than an act of public insouciance, akin to an ear-splitting squall of feedback you unleash on an unsuspecting audience when you want 80 percent of them to leave. Depending on your perspective, that will either register as a devastating criticism or the highest praise imaginable. I, for one, lean toward the latter.

2. Destroyer, “Bolonga”

Whatever else you want to say about Dan Bejar, the man is a genius at naming things. Take “Bolonga,” the first single from his forthcoming album, Dan’s Boogie. “Bolonga”? Dan’s Boogie? Putting titles on songs and albums simply does not get any better than that. As for the song itself, “Bolonga” has the same louche swagger than long-time listeners will recognize from 2011’s landmark Kaputt, with the nocturnal vibe of Bejar’s more recent electronic albums. It is, in other words, great.

3. FKA twigs, EUSEXUA

Speaking of naming things, I’m afraid I must report a crime against album titles with EUSEXUA. It’s awkward to pronounce, and it makes talking about this record with the seriousness it deserves feel vaguely silly. Having said that: This is the club-friendly art-pop album of 2025. For those of us who wished that Brat summer had more of a Kate Bush vibe, this music is for you.

4. Craig Finn, “People Of Substance”

My friend and podcast co-host Ian Cohen often talks about being suspicious of certain music because it seems a little too catered to his own interests. I, on the other hand, have no problem embracing songs that might as well have been designed by an algorithm programmed to satisfy me. So, for instance, if you give me a Craig Finn song that is produced by Adam Granduciel, and you have the entire War On Drugs band backing him, and the final product sounds like a cross between A Deeper Understanding and the version of “When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky” where Dylan is backed up by three members of The E Street Band, I’m all in, baby.

5. Rose City Band, Sol Y Sombra

This is the fifth Rose City Band record. I have all the others, and I really like them all. I also can’t tell them apart. This band does one thing — breezy, indie-accented jamband music — and they do it extremely well. My only complaint is on seasonal grounds: The patio at my house is currently closed until (at the earliest) late March, and Sol Y Sombra demands to be heard outside.

6. Silver Synthetic, “Yr Gonna Be Happy”

More patio music, and more “extremely my thing” material. I was a fan of this band’s self-titled LP from 2021, which set out to choogle as hard as possible but in a slightly stoned, sitting-in-a-comfortable-lawn-chair kind of way. It sounds like they have doubled down on the approach on this song from the forthcoming Rosalie, which resembles the Rolling Stones’ early seventies country-rock era if Mick and Keith had invited Jerry Garcia to sit in on pedal steel.

7. The Tubs, “Narcissist”

This London band’s 2023 debut Dead Meat made my Top 10 list that year, so I am definitely interested in the upcoming follow-up, Cotton Crown, due in March. The early songs released from the record indicate that they haven’t shaken up their formula, which is zippy punk-rock with a distinct British folk flavor, akin to Richard Thompson-influenced music that Bob Mould made after Hüsker Dü. If that comparison means anything to you, I assume you are already rushing to pre-order this album.

8. Cameron Winter, Heavy Metal

I have defended putting out year-end lists at the beginning (rather than the end) of December, and I’ll stand by that position. However, it’s inevitable that albums released at the end of the year sometimes miss out unfairly. This is the first of two mid-December releases I will highlight now in this column. I’m a fan of Winter’s band Geese, whose 2023 album 3D Country is one of the wilder and most fascinating indie rock records of the past few years. As a solo artist, however, Winter pivots from the jammy, muscular funk-rock of his usual band. Instead, Heavy Metal is a theatrical, convoluted, and totally idiosyncratic singer-songwriter album. If he hadn’t already used the title 3D Country, it would have been possibly more apt here.

9. The National, Rome

This is the second mid-December 2024 release that I’m shouting out later rather than sooner. Is this the most satisfying National album in a decade? If you belong in the “I just wish they would rock again on record” camp, then the answer is a resounding yes. If nothing else, this is the first time that Bryan Devendorf — one of modern indie’s greatest, and frequently under-utilized, drummers — has been fully unleashed on record. And he dominates like Neil Peart on All The World’s A Stage, particularly on unearthed deep cuts like “Murder Me Rachael” that positively explode out of the speakers. More of this on the next studio record, please!

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone series proper is done and dusted. Prequel series 1923 will return for a (final and) second season in February, and both Lioness and Landman are awaiting renewal news. A Beth and Rip series is supposedly in the works, yet the specifics remain vague on when that will happen. Still, don’t worry too much about a Yellowstone followup having an enormous wait.

The Madison (previously known as 2024) has finished filming its first season, so let’s get down to business on what to expect from this rodeo.

Cast

The stars clamor to star in Sheridan’s shows. That includes Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren for 1923, and Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman for Lioness, and that’s only scratching the surface, so of course The Madison has a solid lineup.

Michelle Pfieffer (Scarface, Batman Returns) portrays matriarch Stacy Clyburn, whose multiple daughters have been embedded in the NYC lifestyle. They will be portrayed by Beau Garrett (Firefly Lane) and Amiah Miller (War For The Planet Of The Apes). Presumably, the daughters have regrouped with Stacy at the family ranch for this series.

Matthew Fox is onboard as Paul “a self-reliant bachelor who loves the outdoors.” Kevin Zegers (Frozen, the horror movie not the Disney franchise) stepped on as Cade, a neighbor and groundskeeper of sorts for Stacy. Elle Chapman (Florida Wild) will portray Paige McIntosh, the wife to Russell, who is a high-powered investment banker embodied by Patrick J. Adams (Suits).

Plot

Well, The Madison might be a multi-season affair, as suggested by Patrick J. Adams marking the conclusion of filming (via his Instagram) with a Six Flags Over Texas party: “Proud of my family and fellow cast and crew of The Madison for leaving no stone unturned, no loop unlooped, no funnel cake undevoured. We came to win and win we did… Tell Bugs and Tweety we’ll be back soon for more of it all.”

The season filmed quickly, too, with cameras rolling in Fort Worth, Texas in November, although part of the show filmed last summer and fall in and near Boseman, Montana, where a casting notice sought extras. Montana is also where the series will be mainly focused with Paramount+ describing the show as a “heartfelt study of grief and human connection following a New York City family in the Madison River valley of central Montana.”

Sheridan has remained silent on whether the “grief” is connected to anything that has gone down on Yellowstone (it surely ain’t John Dutton), but The Madison is part of that same universe rather being one of many standalone series from the prolific screenwriter and producer.

Release Date

Aside from 1923, no other Sheridan shows have firm release dates (including renewal seasons), so presumably, Paramount+ will want this Yellowstone universe series out there as soon as possible. The Beth and Rip series hasn’t started filming yet, and The Madison show is done rolling cameras, and that makes a late 2025 release possible.

Trailer

No trailer right now, Dallas-Fort Worth’s Fox 4 channel offered a glimpse of production last fall:

Black Country, New Road are back with a new album, Forever Howlong, their first since the departure of singer Isaac Wood in 2022.

The vocals on Forever Howlong, which was produced by Gorillaz, Depeche Mode, and Fontaines DC collaborator James Ford, are now shared by May Kershaw, Tyler Hyde, and Georgia Ellery. “It created a real through line for the album, having three girls singing,” Ellery said in a statement. “It’s definitely very different to Ants From Up There, because of the female perspective – and the music we’ve made also compliments that.”

You can listen to baroque indie-pop first single “Besties” above, and check out the tracklist and artwork for Forever Howlong below, as well as Black Country, New Road’s 2025 tour dates.

Black Country, New Road’s Forever Howlong Album Cover Artwork

Black Country, New Road’s Forever Howlong Tracklist

1. “Besties”
2. “The Big Spin”
3. “Socks”
4. “Salem Sisters”
5. “Two Horses”
6. “Mary”
7. “Happy Birthday”
8. “For The Cold Country”
9. “Nancy Tries To Take The Night”
10. “Forever Howlong”
11. “Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me)”

Black Country, New Road’s 2025 Tour Dates: Forever Howlong Tour

05/13 — Salt Shed @ Chicago, IL ^
05/14 — Slowdown @ Omaha, NE +
05/16 — Mission Ballroom @ Denver, CO *
05/17 — Kilby Block Party @ Salt Lake City, UT
05/19 — The Observatory @ Santa Ana, CA ~
05/20 — The Wiltern @ Los Angeles, CA ~
05/22 — The Warfield @ San Francisco, CA ~
05/23 — Roseland Theater @ Portland, OR ~
05/24 — Moore Theater @ Seattle, WA ~
06/07 — Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
08/15 — Paredes De Coura, PT @ Paredes De Coura
08/17 — Biddinghuizen, NL @ Lowlands Festival
08/28-31 — Dorset, UK @ End Of The Road
09/11 — Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
09/12 — Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
09/15 — Dublin, IRE @ Olympia
09/18 — Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands
09/20 — Gateshead, UK @ The Glasshouse
09/22 — Bristol, UK @ Beacon
09/24 — Cambridge, UK @ The Corn Exchange
10/09 — Paris, FR @ Casino De Paris
10/10 — Nantes, FR @ Stereolux
10/12 — Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
10/14 — Cologne, DE @ Gloria
10/15 — Berlin, DE @ Astra
10/17 — Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
10/18 — Stockholm, SWE @ Fallan
10/19 — Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene
10/21 — Hamburg, DE @ Mojo
10/22 — Prague, CZ @ Roxy
10/23 — Lausanne, SWI @ Les Docks
10/25 — Milan, ITA @ Magazzini Generali
10/26 — Lyon, FR @ Epicerie Moderne
10/28 — Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
10/30 — Brighton, UK @ Brighton Dome
10/31 — London, UK @ O2 Brixton Academy

^ Friko & Nora Brown with Stephanie Coleman
+ Friko
* supporting St. Vincent
~ Nora Brown with Stephanie Coleman

Forever Howlong is out 4/4 via Ninja Tune. Find more information here.

It doesn’t seem possible, but it’s been three years since Tom Holland starred in a movie. 2022’s Uncharted wasn’t a Spider-Man: No Way Home-style blockbuster (few films are), but it did quite well at the box office: a worldwide total of $407.1 million, sixth all-time among movies based on video games.

Naturally, a second Uncharted film has been announced, and while it might be a few years before it comes out (hanging out with your future-wife Zendaya >>> going to work), some details about the sequel have been revealed.

Here’s everything we know about Uncharted 2.

Plot

The mid-credits scene for Uncharted sets up the potential villain for the sequel (crime lord Gabriel Roman), but more importantly, it introduces Sully’s video game mustache. A mustache that will stick around for the sequel.

“I just got a call today that they got the script in,” star Mark Wahlberg, who plays Nathan Drake’s frequent companion, told Screen Rant last year. “I can’t grow a real beard and mustache, but they said, ‘Start growing your moustache. It’s gonna take a while.’ I’d be interested to see what the story’s like, and where that adventure takes us. But I’m excited. I know audiences really loved the first one, so we’ll see.”

Sony Pictures executive Steven O’Dell confirmed that Uncharted 2 is in development in June 2024. When asked for an update, producer Charles Roven told Deadline, “We’re working on a script, but we’re going to have to wait now for Chris Nolan’s movie [2026’s The Odyssey] that Tom and Zendaya are doing. And then right after that, he and Zendaya are doing Spider-Man. I think both those movies are releasing on the same day or the week after each other or something. It’s another potential Barbenheimer.”

Hopefully Tom Holland has an easier time making the sequel. “I never realized how lucky I am that Spider-Man wears a mask, because when he’s bouncing around and flying from buildings, that’s all CG,” he told GQ about the physical requirements of working in the MCU. “In Uncharted, it’s just me in a henley and cargo pant. That film absolutely broke me.”

Just wait until he has to do this insane setpiece.

Cast

Until reported otherwise, expect the main cast from Uncharted to return: Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, Mark Wahlberg as Victor “Sully” Sullivan, and Sophia Ali as Chloe Frazer. Hopefully we get Elena Fisher in the sequel.

Release Date

You think the wait between 2012’s Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and 2016’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (the best game in the series IMO) was long? It’s going to be even longer for Uncharted 2, which doesn’t have an official release date. Neither does another property based on a Naughty Dog property: The Last of Us season 2 (but it’s probably going to be late April 2025).

Trailer

Check out the trailer for the first Uncharted movie (or better yet, play the Uncharted games).

The world got a taste of what GloRilla is like as a live performer earlier this month when she was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. For those who liked what they saw, Glo has some good news, as she just announced The Glorious Tour. The shows run for a few weeks in March and April.

A fan pre-sale starts January 30 at 10 a.m. local time, followed by a general on-sale starting January 31 at noon local time. More information is available on Glo’s website.

Find GloRilla’s upcoming tour dates below.

GloRilla’s 2025 Tour Dates: The Glorious Tour

03/05 — Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion
03/06 — Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
03/07 — Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
03/09 — Jacksonville, FL @ VyStar Veterans Memorial Auditorium
03/10 — Fort Lauderdale, FL @ War Memorial
03/12 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
03/13 — Charlotte, NC @ Bojangles Coliseum
03/14 — Washington, D.C. @ The Anthem
03/19 — New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
03/20 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
03/22 — Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center
03/23 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
03/24 — St. Louis, MO @ The Factory
03/26 — Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
03/27 — Minneapolis, MN @ Armory
04/06 — Raleigh, NC @ Dreamville Festival
04/11 — Coachella, CA @ Coachella Weekend 1
04/12 — Las Vegas, NV @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
04/13 — Stateline, NV @ Tahoe Blue Event Center
04/16 — Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
04/18 — Coachella, CA @ Coachella Weekend 2
TBD — Memphis, TN @ TBD

Ringo Starr has had quite the life, from being one of the world’s biggest rock stars as a member of The Beatles to enjoying sustained solo success in the decades that followed. That said, one of life’s finest experiences, something many people enjoy frequently, has eluded the music icon (or rather, he’s eluded it): Starr has never eaten pizza.

Starr was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! yesterday (January 29), and during the interview, Kimmel asked Starr about some rumors about him. The first item on the agenda was the rumor that Starr has never eaten a pizza. He responded, “I’ve never had a pizza… never had a pizza.”

The audience offered a shocked reaction and Starr said, “All those people in the back going, ‘What?’”

He continued, “Or a curry. I’m allergic to several items, and with pizza, you don’t know what you’re putting in it half the time. Or the curry. So I’m pretty strict with myself because it makes me ill immediately.”

That said, Starr hasn’t let his aversion stop him from getting that “Big Pizza” money: In 1995, he starred alongside The Monkees in a Pizza Hut commercial. In the ad, he finds himself holding a slice, but indeed, he never actually takes a bite.

The NBA is never shy about tinkering with rule changes, but for the most part, they have left the general structure of games alone. However, Adam Silver indicated on Wednesday that he would be open to a substantial change to shorten games in the interest of making the game a better TV product.

In an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Silver said he’s “a fan” of the idea of playing 10-minute quarters, noting the NBA is the only league in the world that plays 12-minute quarters.

“Something else I’m a fan of — and I’m probably in the minority — as we get more involved in global basketball, the NBA is the only league that plays 48 minutes,” Silver said. “I am a fan of four 10-minute quarters. I’m not sure that many others are, and putting aside what it means for records and things like that, I think that a two-hour format for a game is more consistent with modern television habits.”

Silver acknowledged it’s a “dramatic change” and he’s not sure there would be considerable support for it through the rest of the league, and also pointed out that it’s very much a TV-centric consideration and not something fans going to games are worried about. Still, that the commissioner of the league is saying that he’s a fan of shortening games to be more in line with the Olympics, college basketball, international basketball, and the WNBA is worth earmarking as we move forward and the league’s decision-makers discuss potential changes. So much of the NBA’s revenue now comes from the TV broadcast contracts that it would not be surprising if they explored this option seriously — if the networks believe a shorter game window would lead to more viewers.

I personally am skeptical that cutting eight minutes of game time would lead to a significant shift in viewership. I think the best argument for it is that it’d lead to a higher percentage of the game with stars on the floor, not that people have shorter attention spans so two hours is better than two-plus. Overall, I don’t think the games need to be shorter (if anything, I’d advocate for cutting back on the number of games, not how long they are but that’s likely never going to happen) and I think players would push back pretty strongly, if for no other reason than what Silver noted about averages going down and records becoming, effectively, unbreakable.

Even so, this is certainly something to keep in mind as the NBA moves forward with their quest to get more eyes on games themselves as part of the new, massive TV deal.

Although one of the men suspected of killing Young Dolph in 2021 was convicted last September and sentenced to life in prison in November, a few questions remained. One was the fate of another man, Shundale Barnett, who was released just a day after his arrest in 2022, and arrested again earlier this week. Barnett was arrested alongside his cousin Justin Johnson in February 2022, but was released the next day. The U.S. Marshals then issued an arrest warrant after realizing that he may have been involved in the high-profile murder case.

According to local news, though, it now appears Barnett should not have been charged as an accessory after-the-fact and that the warrant for his arrest was never reversed due to a clerical error. His case has since been dropped. Barnett was re-arrested Monday after the warrant was originally issued in February 2022, but released on Tuesday.

As Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy explained on Tuesday, “During the investigation of Justin Johnson, Shundale Barnett was found with Johnson at the time of his arrest in Indiana. Based on this and other facts, a task force officer with the U.S. Marshals determined there was probable cause to charge Barnett with Accessory After the Fact, and an arrest warrant was issued as part of standard procedure. As the investigation progressed, the DA’s Office determined that Barnett was not involved in the case and chose not to pursue charges, indicating the charge would be withdrawn. However, a delay in recalling the warrant left it active in the system. This clerical issue has now been resolved, and the charges against Barnett have been officially dismissed.”

Two other members of the plot were Jermarcus Johnson, Justin’s brother, who has since pled guilty and was sentenced to six months probation; and Hernandez Govan, who is suspected of planning the murder. Govan is expected to go on trial in July.

Post Malone didn’t perform the Super Bowl Halftime Show last year, but he did have quite the “big game”: He sang “America The Beautiful” before the game, and he also starred in a Bud Light commercial.

It remains to be seen exactly how he’ll be involved in this year’s proceedings, but we do know one thing: It was announced today (January 29) that he’ll be performing at the official Super Bowl Tailgate hosted by YouTube. His performance will be livestreamed exclusively via YouTube and it’s set to start at 4 p.m. ET, shortly before kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Malone got a bit of a practice run in a few weeks ago, when he joined Beyoncé for her Christmas Day NFL halftime show.

Beyond this, Malone has a couple of other significant obligations coming up in 2025. Recently, he was revealed as the official Record Store Day ambassador for 2025. In April, he’s also set to headline Coachella, alongside Lady Gaga and Green Day.

As for this year’s Super Bowl music, Kendrick Lamar of course has the honor of performing the halftime show, alongside recently announced guest SZA. Jon Batiste found his way into the festivities, too, as he’ll deliver a performance of the national anthem.

The NBA struck gold at its All-Star Saturday Night in 2024 by putting on a shooting competition between Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu. While the league has come under criticism for its Saturday slate growing a bit stale — in large part due to a less than stellar Dunk Contest field most years — the competition between Curry and Ionescu was legitimately great, with the Golden State Warriors star just coming out on top.

The hope, per reports, was that the league would be able to build on this and expand the competition for All-Star in San Francisco this year, with the ideal field featuring Curry, Ionescu, Klay Thompson, and Caitlin Clark. But unfortunately, that will not happen, as Shams Charania of ESPN brought word on Wednesday that Clark is turning an invitation to participate from the NBA down.

“Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark will not participate in NBA All-Star special 3-point shootout in San Francisco and ‘wants her first three-point contest to be at WNBA All-Star in Indianapolis this summer,’ her representatives at Excel Sports said today,” Charania posted to his Twitter account.

The news comes one day after Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal reported that Clark was “disinclined to participate” in the event, citing the fact that the Indiana Fever star would prefer not to shoot off of a rack. It’s a big blow for the NBA, as a shooting competition with those four would be legitimately fantastic, but we’ll see if the league has anything else up its sleeve to get the Splash Brothers, Ionescu, and another W standout together.