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Indie Mixtape 20: The Tubs Wrestle With Grief On ‘Cotton Crown’

The Tubs by Robin Christian FEATURED
Robin Christian

On their 2023 debut album, Dead Meat, The Tubs revived ’80s jangle-pop for the modern age. For its follow-up, Cotton Crown, the London-based group doubles down on that premise, albeit they expand their sonic blueprint to encompass the ’90s output of groups like R.E.M. and Guided By Voices.

They still channel The Smiths and other ’80s torchbearers, but there’s an additional, subtle heaviness in George Nicholls’ guitar tone, most notably on blazing songs like “Chain Reaction” and “Embarrassing.” Those weightier textures buttress Owen “O” Williams’ ruminations on the suicide of his mother, folk musician Charlotte Grieg. Through that lens, Cotton Crown pulls off an impressive feat: drawing from The Tubs’ influences to create a record only they could have made.

Following the album’s release earlier this month, Williams sat down with Uproxx to talk about seeing The Magnetic Fields on ecstasy, eating peanut butter on bread, loving Jim Legxacy, and more in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Rat arsed Celtic pop.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

We’re hoping we’ll still be around in 2050, but we’ll have a kind of grey-beard/shiny-waistcoat/pint-of-ale/set-up-in-the-corner-of-the-pub vibe.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

I’m not sure, but we’re all obsessed with Shogun from Royal Headache’s new band Antenna right now.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?

Peanut butter on bread at my house.

Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.

I saw The Magnetic Fields high on ecstasy, which was good.

What song never fails to make you emotional?

Jim Legxacy – “nothings changed (!)”

What’s the last thing you Googled?

What are ‘soul ties’

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

We slept on the floor of an old steam train at a festival once.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?

Favourite city – London.

City we hope to perform in – Tokyo.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Do not touch the glowing stone.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

Gallery invigilation.

If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?

The Free Wales Army.

What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?

I think that silent protest album will probably sort it out.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.

It will be held on the Bermuda Triangle:

The Tubs

Guided By Voices

Burial

Metallica

SZA

Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?

Lewis Saunderson.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

It’s a K Records tattoo I got when I was 18. You do the math.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Lager.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

Stone Cold Steve Austin.

You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?

Me and my girlfriend are going to the Bermuda Triangle.

What is your biggest fear?

Frankensteins.

Cotton Crown is out now via Trouble In Mind. Find more information here.

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We Ranked The 12 American Single Malt Whiskeys You Need In Your Life Now

ASM_best_now(1024x450)
Getty Image/Merle Cooper

American Single Malt is a category that’s quickly expanding (and improving), so there’s no time like the present to explore your options within it.

After all, it isn’t every day that you get a brand-new legally designated whiskey category, but with recent changes to the TTB officially recognizing American Single Malt, you can get in on the ground floor of this rapidly growing subset today.

So, where should you start? That’s where this UPROXX list comes in! As a spirits judge, brand consultant, and whiskey critic, I’ve tried hundreds of whiskeys and scores of American Single Malts, which gives me some unique insight when it comes to identifying the very best of the best. Looking across the landscape, I rounded up the 12 best American Single Malt whiskeys for beginners to buy right now.

Make no mistake; even if you’ve been enjoying American Single Malt since 1996 when the first ASM whiskey was released, this list will serve you well. Each of these bottles is available today and can be found with relative ease.

So, while there are some truly intriguing limited releases from the likes of Wolves Whiskey, Town Branch, Stranahan’s, and even Jack Daniel’s, they require either a plane ticket, a bit of extra cash, or a laborious search to track down. The following options are among the absolute best, and they can be bought either at your local liquor store or with the click of a button online.

As one final housekeeping note, you may be wondering, what is American Single Malt whiskey? For a quick outline, to be labeled an American Single Malt, a whiskey has to meet the following criteria:

• Made from 100% malted barley
• Distilled to no more than 80% ABV (160 proof) and bottled at no less than 40% ABV (80 proof)
• Mashed, distilled, and aged in America
• Aged in either used or new oak containers no larger than 700 liters
• Distilled entirely at one distillery

With that all out of the way, let’s dive into the 12 best American Single Malt whiskeys to buy right now!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Whiskey Posts

12. Redwood Empire “Foggy Burl” Single Malt

Redwood Empire

ABV: 49.5%
Average Price: $110

The Whiskey:

Redwood Empire is the California-based distillery responsible for this “small lot” of 100% malted barley American Single Malt Whiskey. The size of the lot in this release is 27 barrels. Of note about the distillery is that they’re committed to planting a tree for every bottle sold. As of the publication date, that count is now well over 1.5 million trees planted.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Bright orange and cherry gummy bear aromas jump out of the glass; this is far and away the most fruit-forward ASM of the bunch with a gentle undertone of dark chocolate, mint, and curry powder. It’s truly intriguing stuff!

Palate: The cherry candy notes continue to the palate along with more malted barley than the nose indicated and a slight mesquite characteristic that grips the midpalate and leaves barrel char and slight smokiness in its wake as it transitions to the finish. The mouthfeel is quotidian, but it has a lot of grip towards the end.

Finish: For the finish, Foggy Burl is full of black pepper spice, youthful oak, and cherry fruit leather. It’s pretty succinct, but that brevity definitely works here.

Bottom Line:

Redwood Empire’s Foggy Burl expression packs a ton of unexpected flavors for a well-balanced, positively impressive whiskey. If you’re making your first foray into the category, this is an excellent jumping off point.

11. Bulleit American Single Malt Whiskey

Bulleit Distillery

ABV: 45%
Average Price: $57

The Whiskey:

Bulleit is a major producer, and its inaugural American Single Malt expression made a significant splash. For this offering, Bulleit distills on a copper column still with a secondary distillation in a copper doubler at a slightly higher proof than their bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Lots of honey, cinnamon red hots, and clove with accents of freshly picked mint. There are also some raisin and sage aromas that follow the first set. Overall, it’s a slightly unexpected but pleasant nose with a bit of cookie dough in there as well.

Palate: The initial impression of the palate is that it’s doughy with dollops of honey and a light cinnamon dusting. It has a nice viscous mouthfeel, which carries a bit of dried strawberry. It’s not necessarily simple, but it is exceedingly crowd-pleasing with good balance and restrained baking spices, with nutmeg and green pepper chief among them.

Finish: Bulleit American Single Malt has a mellow medium-length finish that welcomes more of the spice notes like nutmeg and black pepper to go with the honeyed barley flavors.

Bottom Line:

Bulleit American Single Malt performs well as a crowd-pleasing entry to the category. At its moderate price point, I’d highly recommend this uncomplicated, straightforward delight that doesn’t excel in any one way but doesn’t leave you wanting anything more, either.

This is meant to be an Amerian Single Malt for everyone, and in that role, it succeeds.

10. Bear Fight Whiskey American Single Malt Whiskey

Bear Fight Whiskey

ABV: 45%
Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

Made in copper pot stills and utilizing 100% malted barley and spring water sourced from Raleigh, North Carolina, where the brand is based, Bear Fight Whiskey’s American Single Malt expression utilizes three different types of oak barrels: ex-bourbon for primary maturation, then finishing in sherry and smoked peat casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nosing notes open with classic American single malt aromas of hay, green apples, and honey, with some faint smoke, nutmeg, and caraway anchoring those light, sweet notes with an earthy base that’s easy to enjoy.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey truly blossoms with black currants, honey, and stewed green apple notes cascading over the tongue and sticking to the back of your teeth. Chewing the whiskey unlocks those baking spices that grant it extra depth, gently brushing your palate and the roof of your mouth with nutmeg, freshly cracked black pepper, and faint whisps of sage before juicy orange tones initiate the transition into the finish.

Finish: This whiskey’s closing act reintroduces the smoky note that was first promised on the nose, with a touch of leather, fresh figs, dilute honey, and youthful oak in tow to balance things out. It’s a reasonably succinct finish that beckons repeat sips due to its crispness and distinct flavors.

Bottom Line:

Bear Fight Whiskey’s American Single Malt, adorned with an apropos tattered label, is far less rugged than its name would suggest. Instead, this whiskey’s delicate infusion of well-developed, sherry-tinged flavors makes for a mellow sipping experience that eschews the bite for a wonderfully approachable whiskey that should help the brand expand the American Single Malt category’s popularity.

The subtlety of the peated smoke in this one, in particular, is worthy of applause.

9. St. George Baller American Single Malt Whiskey

St. George Spirits

ABV: 47%
Average Price: $58

The Whiskey:

“American made. Japanese (whiskey) inspired. Wholly original.” So goes the tagline for St. George’s Baller expression. The whiskey itself is produced from 100% American barley, aged for at least three years in used bourbon and French oak wine casks, then filtered through maple charcoal. Finally, the whiskey is finished in house-made umeshu casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The aroma of apricots, figs, and candied lemon peels comes wafting out of the glass with St. George’s Baller whiskey poured. There’s a slight salinity and green notes reminiscent of cucumbers, with roasted malt gently washing it all away and resetting your senses before the first sip.

Palate: On the palate, the melange of flavors on the nose increases twofold, with honeydew, fried pickles, and honeysuckle joining the already loaded bunch. Despite the range of layers in this whiskey, it somehow all comes together and keeps you guessing as you suck your teeth and anticipate what the slot machine of flavors will kick out next.

Finish: The finish lingers with medium length and narrows the assortment of flavors down to fried pickles, dried apricots, seaweed, and white sugar before it slowly dissipates.

Bottom Line:

Perhaps the most unique Americanskey on this Single-Malt whi list, St. George delivers a bevy of bold flavors that will shake up folks delving into the category for the first time. This surprisingly delicious whiskey needs to be experienced to be fully enjoyed.

8. Wolves American Single Malt Whiskey

Wolves Whiskey

ABV: 48%
Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

Wolves Whiskey has been producing some stellar and incredibly unique premium blends over the past few years, but this expression is the brand’s very first crack at creating an evergreen product. Aged for five years in California wine barrels before being finished in Cognac casks, this brand-new American Single Malt debuted in September this year.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with mocha, deep honey tones, and roasted Brazil nuts. After a few waves of the hand, cinnamon and doughy notes emerge from the glass, along with dried strawberries.

Palate: This whiskey is immediately supple and expansive on the palate, defying its modest proof to flood your tastebuds with the flavor of Manuka honey, crème brulée, clove, and fresh figs. There are additional layers of nutmeg, cinnamon, and half-baked pastries, complete with a slight doughiness and well-developed sweetness.

Finish: The finish is medium-length and just as silky as the liquid itself, causing it to gently recede, leaving a touch of black pepper and clove with cinnamon bark at the end.

Bottom Line:

Wolves Whiskey’s brand-new American Single Malt is definitely off to an auspicious start, launching just a few months ago, but already turning heads as the brand’s very first evergreen product. This whiskey showcases an impressive blend of finishing casks for a smooth, easy-sipping end result. While the Wolves brand has a ton of intriguing higher-end offerings, this entry-level whiskey is poised to capture a new audience thanks to its more affordable price point and approachable flavor profile.

7. Old Line Navy Strength American Single Malt Whiskey

Old Line

ABV: 57%
Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

Distilled from 100% malted barley, Old Line’s Navy Strength American Single Malt Whiskey is matured in heavily charred virgin American oak barrels before being bottled at near-cask strength as an homage to the traditional strength favored by America’s naval forces.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Butterscotch, malted barley, honey, and white pepper stand out on the nosing notes of this punchy whiskey. True to expectations, this noses like an amped-up version of Old Line’s stellar flagship American Single Malt, but with a few surprising notes around the margins, like star anise, to heighten the affair.

Palate: This whiskey has a heavy mouthfeel with lilac, dark chocolate, star anise, and honey featured most prominently at the front of the palate. The rich, floral note is perhaps the most surprising development in the transition from the nose to the palate, but the dense texture works well to display the flavors and temper the high heat of this one.

Finish: The lengthy finish is where the oak hangs out, and the lilac note fuses with lavender and honey in a major way. It’s an unusual but wholly welcome development that makes this one fun to sip slowly and savor at length.

Bottom Line:

This is my favorite expression in Old Line’s American Single Malt portfolio because it’s a straight shooter. While the brand’s double oak series features some truly fun riffs on its base spirit, by sticking to simplicity and simply offering its whiskey at an amplified ABV, Old Line has a hit.

6. Westward Barrel Strength Single Malt Whiskey

Getty Image

ABV: 62.5%
Average Price: $100

The Whiskey:

Westward’s Cask Strength offering is the pinnacle of their core lineup in that it offers their flagship whiskey as unfettered as you can hope for, short of theiving it from a barrel yourself. Made with 100% malted barley using only Pacific Northwest grains, this whiskey is perhaps the truest representation of the region you’ll find.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Plums and cherries dance on the nose along with an undercurrent of malted chocolate, honey, and thyme. It’s a bold, fruit-forward bouquet that’s further buoyed by slightly burnt wheat toast and black pepper.

Palate: The silky mouthfeel of this whiskey leads to the introduction of black cherry, redcurrant, plum flesh, and black pepper on the palate. At midpalate is where honey sweetness simply bursts and fans out over the tongue with malted chocolate and oak, highlighting the transition to the finish.

Finish: The finish is full of fresh hazelnuts, more malted chocolate, and well-aged oak. Black pepper spice kicks in at the end as this lengthy finish slowly undulates away, making it a pour you’ll enjoy long after the last sip.

Bottom Line:

Westward’s Cask Strength expression is bursting at the seams with flavor, showcasing the nuance of barley and the blending prowess of Westward, which is one of the country’s preeminent American Single Malt producers. Simply put, this is a proof, pitch-perfect expression that will readily win over bourbon and rye drinkers to the nascent category.

5. New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt Whiskey

New Riff Distillery

ABV: 56.9%
Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

For their inaugural ASM release, New Riff went way off the beaten track, utilizing five different types of grain and a combination of six different cask types. Those grain types include Barleywine style barley, Belgian quadruple, Golden Promise, Maris Otter, and Scottish Peated Malted Barley. As for the casks involved, they use ex-Brandy and ex-Oloroso Sherry, among other more common cask types. Lastly, this whiskey has been aged for at least 7 years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Honey and malted barley open the door for some light cherry notes before the overall sweetness turns a tad bit darker, with vanilla pods and bright cherry emerging from the background.

Palate: On the palate, there are honey, allspice, and faintly floral notes to tickle the tip of the tongue, but as the whiskey travels to the back of the mouth, it’s the infusion of cinnamon bark, dried apricots, orange zest, and an undertone of Peated smoke that draws you into deep waters. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and slick, which further enriches the impact of all those flavors.

Finish: The finish on this whiskey is medium length, and it closes out with some gentle vanilla and faint, bright cherry notes.

Bottom Line:

New Riff’s exhaustive process for creating a unique American Single Malt paid dividends here. As a first foray into the category, it’s a highly commendable result that indicates the inventiveness of producers in the field. That’s something that curious consumers will greatly appreciate.

4. Triple Eight Distillery The Notch 8-Year American Single Malt Whisky

Triple Eight Distillery

ABV: 48%
Average Price: $250

The Whiskey:

Neatly tucked on Nantucket Island is Triple Eight Distillery, which has been quietly producing some of the country’s best single malt whiskey for north of twenty years. Made from 100% Maris Otter malt, a heritage barley cross-bred in 1966, The Notch is distilled twice through an Arnold Holstein hybrid pot still before being matured in ex-bourbon barrels for eight years, then finished in scrapped and retoasted wine barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nosing notes open with gentle cloves, tobacco leaf, sweet malt, and Manuka honey tones, which will send your nose deeper into the glass to discover more aromas. Once fully plunged, additional notes of melon rind, golden raisins, and nutmeg continue to waft out of the glass for a well-integrated and balanced aroma profile.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is impressively creamy, with notes of hazelnuts, dried apricots, and cloves capturing your focus at first. From there, further notes of malted chocolate, vanilla, and a faint tobacco leaf aspect coat the palate as it transitions to the finish.

Finish: The finish is short-to-medium, but it has a slightly saline-inflected send-off that pairs nicely with the notes of dried stone fruits and hazelnuts, which makes it a treat down to the last drop.

Bottom Line:

While its expressions are famously on the spendy side, there’s absolutely no denying that Triple Eight Distillery is producing some of the best American Single Malt whiskey on the market today. With a combination of experience and a unique micro-climate, releases of The Notch deserve to be on your list.

If you can only splurge on one expensive ASM expression, this is the bottle you should chase down to experience one of the more elusive offerings in the category.

3. Cedar Ridge “The QuintEssential” American Single Malt Whiskey Portside Special Release

Cedar Ridge

ABV: 58.6%
Average Price: $100

The Whiskey:

Since its founding in 2005, Iowa’s Cedar Ridge Distillery has slowly put the state on the whiskey-making map. For this “Portside” edition of The QuintEssential, the brand starts off with its 100% 2-row pale malted barley distillate aged in Cedar Ridge’s ex-bourbon barrels. Then it uses first-fill ruby port casks in conjunction with whiskey finished in a first-fill Amontillado Sherry Butt and a Virgin French Oak cask. The end result is matured for at least six years and bottled at full cask strength.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sugar cookies, candied ginger, sweet barley notes, and fresh berries dominate the nose on this whiskey at first pass. Allspice, pecans, a dollop of caramel, and gentle clove aromas are undulating just beneath the surface once you really begin taking deep inhalations and preparing for your first sip.

Palate: On the palate, the port influence is far more pronounced than it initially was on the nose, as raspberry compote, oily Brazil nuts, cacao, and hints of toffee stand out. Freshly cracked black pepper breaks things up a bit and introduces the earthier nutty tone of walnuts, while those jammy berry notes gain their second wind and bring some vanilla extract with them as they transition to the finish.

Finish: The medium-length finish on this whiskey features more Sherried notes than Port, as almond meat, dried cranberries, figs, and nougat begin to overtake the cooked fruit and dark sweetness found at midpalate. It’s a delightful closing impression that does well to balance the whiskey.

Bottom Line:

Cedar Ridge’s impressive Special Release, The QuintEssential “Portside,” does indeed boldly showcase port-led flavors, but by tempering those robust tones with sherry and virgin French oak, it delivers a level of nuance that will leave you in awe. At a relatively affordable price point, this is a great exploration of how the art of blending is crucial in creating a beautiful American Single Malt whiskey.

2. Stranahan’s 12-Year Founder’s Release

Stranahan’s

ABV: 60%
Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

How does the highest-proofed nationally released Stranahan’s whiskey of all time sound? Pretty damn good to us, and that’s exactly what’s in this bottle. Aged for 12 long years in Colorado, this American Single Malt is made from 100% malted barley and aged in new American oak barrels. It’s worth noting that some of the barrels in this blend were finished for one to four years in second-use bourbon barrels and blonde ale casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Honeydew, golden raisins, and apricots come tumbling out of the glass almost immediately. Sweet barley notes and organic honey soon follow, with a hint of allspice, amaretto, and oak tying it all together. This is a truly lovely nose.

Palate: The heavy mouthfeel stands out immediately because I’m not used to Stranahan’s liquid being so dense. Oily and viscous, yes…but this is a different animal. Sweet malt, honey, plump coconut tones, and cinnamon over buttered biscuits make a striking first impression on the palate, and those notes only grow richer as they sit on your tongue. Brown sugar peaches, freshly cracked black pepper, torched lemon peels, and a faint dusting of chocolate truffle powder cap things off.

Finish: The finish is lengthy and concentrates the notes of honey, cinnamon, and sweet malt for an exceedingly satisfying conclusion.

Bottom Line:

With all due respect for Snowflake releases from years past, this just catapulted to the top of my favorite Stranahan’s releases ever. What it lacks in a variety of flavors, it more than makes up for with the richness of its limited notes, and that’s before you add points for its robust mouthfeel and extensive finish.

Whether you’re already on the American Single Malt train or not, this is a sweet release you’re sure to instantly fall in love with.

1. Westland Garryana (9th Edition)

Westland Distillery

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $175

The Whiskey:

Westland’s Garryana expression represents the brand’s exploration of a species of oak found only in the Pacific Northwest: Quercus garryana. Utilizing the oak is Westland’s way of imbuing a sense of place in its whiskey, featuring a minimum maturation time of 60 months (5 years), a grain bill that utilizes five different types of malt, and three cask types: Virgin Quercus garryana, first fill ex-bourbon barrels, and first fill ex-Oloroso butts.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Waxy plums and Rainier cherries come leaping out of the glass to greet the nose at first, clear indications of the Sherry casks that played a part in this whiskey’s formation. Coconut flakes, vanilla beans, malted chocolate, and soft candied clementine notes follow those aromas. It’s a delightful aroma set that whets the palate for an initial sip.

Palate: This silky whiskey washes over your palate and instantly begins gently coating it in a blanket of mellow Sherry, Manuka honey, toasted almonds, peppermint tea, and cloves. It’s an enchanting melange made all the more impressive by its warm, viscous texture, enhancing the flavors’ richness.

Finish: The finish here is appropriately medium-length, giving the whiskey just enough runway to leave you enamored without overstaying its welcome and becoming astringent or cloying on the back end. A final kick of cinnamon, vanilla, and Brazil nuts really rounds it all out.

Bottom Line:

I’ve been over the moon about each of the top 5 whiskeys on this list, but Westland’s 9th Edition of Garryana quite handily takes the cake. This balanced and beautifully well-developed ASM expression ticks every box along the way to mesmerize you with its robust layers of flavor.

If you’re looking for just one American Single Malt whiskey to begin your journey into the category, or if you’re already familiar with the subset and looking for a knockout expression that will deepen your appreciation of it, Westland’s latest Garryana expression is the one for you.

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Lucy Dacus Pondered Leaving Music Recently, But ‘New Pal’ Chappell Roan Made Her Feel Better

Lucy Dacus 2025
Shervin Lainez

Everybody has their ups and their downs, and when Lucy Dacus was feeling like she was in a rut recently, “new pal” Chappell Roan came through and told her what she needed to hear.

Dacus told People:

“I had kind of a bad week a couple of weeks back, where putting out music just feels worse, and it made me wonder if I should just skip to the part of my life where I live off the land and have a job that isn’t my name [laughs]. And she was just like, ‘No, what you make is important and makes a lot of people feel less lonely.’ […] I’m just grateful to have made a new pal with such a good heart.”

She also noted that Roan sent her flowers.

Dacus also explained how she and her Boygenius bandmates Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker were there for Roan, saying, “When [Roan] was feeling spread really thin, all of us in Boygenius were encouraging her and telling her that it’ll die down, and it is just a really spinny trip when everybody has something to say about you.”

Of dealing with hate, she added, “When people hate you, they don’t know you. On the flip side, when they love you, they don’t know you either. So it’s like, protect yourself from the hate, but also don’t let the love of other people replace the real love in your life. They might understand you, but they really don’t know who you are as a person.”

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Wale Drinks The Pain Away On His Vulnerable New Single ‘Blanco’

Wale is back. The former Uproxx cover star has a new record deal with Def Jam, and kicks off the rollout for his new album with a vulnerable new single, “Blanco.” Over a bluesy backdrop, Wale croons about how the pressures of life have sent him searching for solace at the bottom of a bottle, and admitting he knows this isn’t the best way to cope.

Wale’s been out of the spotlight a bit as he laid the foundation for his next career phase, but offered an explanation for the song in a press release. “Artists spend years hiding behind bravado,” he said. “‘Blanco’ strips all that away. It’s the beginning of a more honest conversation I want to have with my audience and how I feel, and I want to give people an opportunity to connect with a more vulnerable side of my artistry.”

The DMV native might have been lying low for a bit, but he’s never far from the center of attention. Last year, he finally got his collab with Nike, designing a cherry blossom-inspired colorway of the DC-favorite Foamposite shoe. Meanwhile, just a week ago, he was announced as one of the performers on T-Pain’s upcoming Wiscansin Festival.

You can listen to Wale’s new single, “Blanco,” above.

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Rachel Chinouriri Shares How She’s Inspired By Sabrina Carpenter And Charli XCX’s ‘Hard Work’

rachel chinouriri
lauren harris

Rachel Chinouriri‘s career is off to a roaring start. The “All I Ever Asked” singer’s debut album, What A Devastating Turn Of Events, received critical acclaim, and she’s on the road with Sabrina Carpenter on the Short N’ Sweet Tour before going on a sold-out headlining tour of her own. Still, even with all her success, Chinouriri is playing the long game.

Chinouriri told Rolling Stone that she’s inspired by Carpenter not becoming festival-headliner huge until her sixth album. Same with Charli XCX and Brat.

“I’m like, ‘OK, well, it doesn’t matter what happens on album two,’” she said. “It might be album No. 7 that gets me to where I need to be. It might be year 15. But the thing that all those girls had in common was hard work.”

Chinouriri also discussed being a Black women in the typically white male-dominated music industry. “You’re already in a majority male, majority white male, space,” she said. “Then you’re a woman, then you’re Black, then you’re trying to work, then you’re exhausted. And then because I’m not overly friendly, because I’m exhausted, I’m trying to extra be like, ‘Oh my god, hi!’ — because I don’t want to be seen as the rude Black girl. It’s tiring.”

You can find her tour dates here.

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Flying Lotus Shares The Menacing ‘It’s Out There’ From His Score For ‘Ash,’ Which Is Out Ahead Of The Movie

Ash, Flying Lotus’ new movie that stars Eiza González and Aaron Paul, is out soon, set for release on March 21. Ahead of that, though, FlyLo has shared the score today (March 19). He has also highlighted the menacing new single “It’s Out There.”

Flying Lotus previously said of the score:

“Working on the score was both inspiring and challenging. I spent most of the time writing it during the final postproduction and color grading when I was in New Zealand, running back and forth to different rooms to check on progress and going into my lil cave there and working with just my laptop and controller. I drew inspiration from composers who primarily just used synths to create soundtracks, like John Carpenter, Akira Yamaoka, Angelo Badalamenti, and Vangelis. It was a great time trying to find a distinctive sound for the movie that also felt fresh and unique for me to explore.”

A press release also says of the film, “On the mysterious planet of Ash, Riya (González) awakens to find her crew slaughtered. When a man named Brion (Paul) arrives to rescue her, an ordeal of psychological and physical terror ensues while Riya and Brion must decide if they can trust one another to survive.”

Listen to “It’s Out There” above.

Ash (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is out 3/19 via Milan Records. Find more information here.

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Kai Cenat Had The ‘Craziest’ Time Joining Playboi Carti During His Rolling Loud Set

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Kish/Rolling Loud Media

It was an eventful weekend for Playboi Carti: He released a new album, Music, and performed a headlining set at Rolling Loud California. The “Good Credit” rapper was joined by The Weeknd, as well as Kai Cenat. The Twitch star described his experience at Rolling Loud during a recent livestream.

“Chat, I don’t know what it was. When I got on that stage, it’s something different. When I got on that stage, I just turned into a f*cking… rockstar. The songs were just hitting different,” he explained, according to Complex.

At one point during the set, Cenat threw his hoodie into the crowd — a spontaneous action he now regrets. “Yo, whoever got that jacket, I need that back,” he said. “This is a $300 jacket. When you’re on stage, you start thinking like, ‘F*ck it.’ I don’t know what it is.” (It’s since been found.)

Cenat called appearing alongside Carti “literally probably the craziest IRL, gang. I think it’s so cool to bring a stream on stage, but this might be the only time this could happen. This right here was probably the perfect time. It literally doesn’t get no better than this.” He added, “Chat, everybody was really cool. Carti’s a good dude… I genuinely had a blast.”

You can watch Cenat’s hoodie toss here. Also be sure to check out his appearance on Uproxx’s Sound Check.

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The Dare Tried To Crowdsurf And It Went Poorly

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The Dare (Harrison Patrick Smith), as he clearly indicates with his music, is a fan of partying and otherwise having a good time. If you’re a performer on stage, one of the signature ways to do that is with a little crowdsurfing. That said, crowdsurfing might be asking a lot of a crowd, asking a group of strangers to coordinate themselves cohesively enough to support a person’s body and move them around a space.

Smith learned this the hard way: As Stereogum notes, at his March 16 show in Bristol, England, Smith tried to crowdsurf and it did not go well.

In the crowd’s defense, Smith may not have put himself in the best position to succeed. The video (seen here) sees Smith performing “Girls” when, pretty quickly with no warning, he steps forward and falls on top of the crowd. Based on the video, it looks like many of the audience members were holding up their phones to film their sets, so that lack of preparedness for an impromptu crowdsurf may have been a contributing factor to Smith ultimately falling to the ground.

This comes after a big 2024 for Smith, who found his way into “Brat Summer” via the song “Guess.”

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‘The Bear’ Star Matty Matheson Has Formed A Cleverly Named New Hardcore Band

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Patrick Moore

Matty Matheson’s music order is up. As part of the Emmy Award-winning series The Bear’s Matheson and his co-stars Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri whip up some wicked dishes. Some enough Matheson will do the same but in a recording booth.

Yesterday (March 18) on Instagram, Matty Matheson revealed he formed a new hardcore band named, Pig Pen. Given his lengthy career in the culinary arts (restauranteur and celebrity chef) Matheson’s new act could not have been more cleverly titled.

“A few old friends got together a couple of years ago and wrote and recorded 10 songs over 2 days,” he wrote in the announcement post. “We just wanted to hangout and see what’s up.”

Matheson is not the only recognizable face in the group. Alongside Matheson as the lead vocalist, fans will immediately notice guitarist and backing vocalist Wade MacNeil. MacNeil is known as the founding member of 2000s emo act Alexisonfire.

Pig Pen’s remaining members include additional guitarist Daniel Romano, drummer Ian Ski Romano, and bassist Tommy Major.

While Matheson hinted at the group’s debut project, he did not share a tentative release date for it. However, his follower did get a taste of what the band recorded thanks to the snippet shared. On April 25, Pig Pen will deliver their first performance at Sneaky Dee’s in Toronto, Canada. Find more information here.

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Lizzo Joked About Her ‘Beef’ With Andy Cohen, Which Started Because He ‘Outed’ The Singer’s Relationship

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As her latest Love In Real Life singles indicate, Lizzo is a lover not a fighter. Still, the “Still Bad” singer is not immune to conflict every now and then.

Yesterday (March 17), Lizzo revealed her years-long beef with Andy Cohen during an appearance on his SiriusXM radio show, Radio Andy. In a clip from the sit down (viewable here), Cohen called back to their April 2022 chat, asking: “Are you in love?”

Immediately, Lizzo sprung into action playfully slamming him about “outing” her relationship with Myke Wright. Although the couple have accompanied one another to several notable events including the Grammys and Met Gala, they attempted to keep their romance under wraps. Well, until Cohen put Lizzo on the spot live on-air.

“I really got beef with you because the last time we saw each other you f*cking outed me,” she yelled. “That was so funny.”

She continued: “I was in such a weird position because, like, we’re so private. But he was there, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to say ‘no’ because I don’t want to like [hurt him].’”

Since the cat was out of the bag, months after her broadcast confession the pair decided to publicly make it official.

Despite Lizzo have a good laugh thinking back on the moment, Cohen did express remorse. “[I] stepped in sh*t,” said Cohen referring to accidentally spilling the beans during their interview.

He followed by asking if the moment led to any issues within their relationship. Lizzo quickly responded saying that it did not. However, she did receive a wave of negative comments from users online. “It started sh*t with the world, though,” she said. “I think when the world sees two happy people, they want to destroy them.”

While the couple haven’t been as public, fans hope that Lizzo’s forthcoming album provides them with subtle updates.