Category: News

When seeking inspiration for his sixth album Smalltown Stardust, King Tuff — aka musician Kyle Thomas — turned to nature. But not like how Björk just made an entire album dedicated to mushrooms. Rather, Thomas looked to the spiritual side of nature. “If you were to ask me what my religion is I would say three things: Music, Art, and Nature. Those are the things I’ve dedicated my life to and which bring me the purest of joy,” he says.

The influence of the outdoors is more than tangible on the surface of Smalltown Stardust — just take album titles like the opener “Love Letters To Plants” or “Pebbles In A Stream.” But the inspiration also runs deep; the music evokes images of blizzards, lush mountaintops, and the distinct forlorn feeling that comes with a rainy day. Each song is mystical and entrancing, perfect for a meditative walk through the woods or as means of escaping a city’s concrete jungle.

To celebrate the upcoming release of Smalltown Stardust, Thomas sits down with Uproxx to talk sleeping in a treehouse, wearing capes, and Stevie Wonder in our latest Q&A.

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

Watermelony, gnomish, maple-like, chompable.

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?

As a jolly fellow who’s music brought joy to many and whom also had an unquenchable thirst for orange juice.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

I played in Athens Greece once and it blew my dang mind. You can’t turn a dang corner without bumping into something ancient. There were all these fat and lazy street dogs lounging about everywhere, they were everybody’s dogs, that’s why they were so fat because everyone was constantly feeding them. So I played a show amidst all this ancient sh*t for all these legendary dogs and a couple really nice people too.

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

Probably my dad, for turning me onto Hendrix at a young age, then taking me to punk and metal shows as a teen, and just being my biggest fan and supporter in general.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

I’d like to combine parts of all my favorite meals into one meal… steak from Brazil, ice cream from France, bagels from Montreal, tomatoes from New Jersey, and my mom’s stuffed cabbage.

What album do you know every word to?

Every Beatles album and Green Day’s Dookie.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Too many! Bob Dylan on his most recent tour, AC/DC at Dodger Stadium, The Strokes at Pearl Street in September 2001, Sun Ra Arkestra led by Marshall Allen… I could go on.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

Capes. I can’t explain it, but I feel so free when I wear a cape.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

I just love that Ringo Starr takes weird pictures of his feet and puts them on IG.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

“Pomp And Circumstance.”

What’s the last thing you Googled?

Types of arched doorways.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Probably Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder. He’s just the best there ever was. He’s the top for me. If you don’t like Stevie, I’m sorry, there’s probably something really wrong with you.

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

On-time I slept in a very small treehouse meant for a child, not a 6-foot-tall man. My feet were comically dangling out of the little doorway all night.

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

My favorite tattoo is a tiny outline in green of the state of Vermont on my middle finger.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

Pretty much anything without autotune, sorry I’m old.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Given me a hug when I really needed it.

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

I never had a lot of confidence in my looks so I would tell myself that I’m actually hot as hell.

What’s the last show you went to?

Rough Francis absolutely ripped on New Year’s Eve.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Jerry McGuire.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

I can almost play “Auld Lang Syne” on the saxophone.

Smalltown Stardust is out 1/27 via Sub Pop. Pre-order it here.

With John Larroquette making his return to the beloved role of Dan Fielding on the new Night Court series, the longtime actor is opening up about his early days in Hollywood and a persistent rumor that has been following him around for years. As film buffs know, Larroquette narrated the opening for the original low-budget version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre at the very start of his career. According to legend, director Tobe Hooper paid Laroquette in marijuana instead of cash, and the actor has finally confessed to the smoky exchange.

“Totally true,” Laroquette told Parade. “He gave me some marijuana or a matchbox or whatever you called it in those days. I walked out of the [recording] studio and patted him on the back side and said, ‘Good luck to you!’”

Hooper and Larroquette reportedly met in the summer of 1969 when the not-yet-actor was working as a bartender at a Colorado resort. Via Parade:

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life.” Hooper happened to be working in town on a project, and the two struck up a friendship.

Four years later, Larroquette had uprooted to Los Angeles to jumpstart his fledgling acting career. “Tobe heard I was in town and asked for an hour of my time to narrate something for this movie he just did,” he says. “I said ‘Fine!’ It was a favor.”

The Night Court star would go on to voice introductions for later installments in the Texas Chainsaw franchise, but for an actual paycheck. However, he also admits that he’s never watched a single one of them because he’s “not a big horror movie fan.”

Night Court airs Tuesdays on NBC with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.

(Via Parade)

Anna Kendrick’s haunting drama Alice, Darling will soon debut in theaters, and the film focuses on a young woman in an emotionally abusive relationship, which is something that Kendrick has been through and openly discussed in the recent past.

Kendrick also recently opened up about the experience of making the movie and how it impacted her emotionally, as a survivor of abuse. “I actually was surprised that I’ve been finding the press much more challenging than making this movie,” the actress told Rolling Stone this week. “I figured that out relatively quickly and made some changes.”

Despite the intense subject matter, Kendrick has been sharing her story of fleeing an abusive relationship in order to help others. She mentions that one of her former co-stars and close friends, Aubrey Plaza, was one of the people to help her remove herself from an abusive relationship, thanks to their unique friendship. “I was texting with her this week. I think she’s brilliant and we’re both avoidants, so I think it’s hard for two avoidants to maintain a friendship, but I also think that’s why our friendship has endured, in a sense. We can both give each other a ton of space,” the actress explained.

Kendrick then recalled Plaza encouraging her to get out of the toxic relationship. “I do remember talking to her a little bit about what was going on. But even then, I bet if I read through those texts I could see that I was testing the waters about how much I could say before she tells me, ‘You really have to get out’ — which at that time, I’m embarrassed to say, was unacceptable to me,” Kendrick explained. Alice, Darling shows the toll abuse has on the body and mind after being in a toxic relationship for so long. In the film, Alice’s friends make an effort to help her get away from her boyfriend, which is similar to what happened with her friends in real life.

Even though Kendrick didn’t listen to her advice at first, looking back, she knows that her friends were right, “I was always trying to tell people what was going on in a way where they’d give me some magic piece of advice, but not to where they’d give me the truth, which was: ‘You have to leave.’ I just couldn’t hear it.”

Today, Kendrick seems to be on a creative hot streak. Her project The Dating Game is moving forward, which she found out about after being stuck in an elevator at TIFF. Things can only go up from here. Or down, in the elevator situation.

(Via Rolling Stone)

When 19-year-old Delivontae Johnson pulled into a Walmart parking lot to replace a popped tire on Thursday, January 12, he had no idea he was going to change someone’s life. “I once heard in the church from a pastor the devil will strike before God begins to bless,” Johnson told Fox 16.

After parking in the pharmacy lot, the East Arkansas Community College student noticed someone left their wallet in a shopping cart. “I wasn’t supposed to be parking in that spot but thank God I did,” Johnson recalled. He opened the wallet and found it belonged to Dee Harkrider, 61, who lives in Wynne, Arkansas.

He was able to get in touch with Harkrider and she told him that she was in Palestine about 20 miles away from Wynne. “I live in Wynne, but I was in Palestine. So, that young man detoured and came to Palestine and brought me my wallet,” said Harkrider.

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“I was at Walmart earlier in the day and left my wallet in the shopping cart out on the parking lot,” Harkinder later wrote on Facebook. “I got all the way back to Palestine when my friend Elaine called me asking me if I knew Delivontae Johnson and I told her no. He had contacted her to let her know he found my wallet but didn’t know how to get in touch with me and to let her know.”

The two met up in a supermarket parking lot and they posed for a photo that Harkrider later posted on Facebook. She was able to give him $20 as a reward for his good deed and for driving out to find her.

“I wanted people to know what this young man had done for me. I had to share it,” Harkrider said. “Thank you does not come even close to the gratitude I feel for this young man whom I met only today!” she wrote in her post.

Harkrider and Johnson now follow each other on Facebook and realized that they have a mutual friend in common. Harkrider believes that it was more than luck that brought the two together. “A friend told me I was lucky. I told her no, God was watching out for me,” Harkrider wrote on Facebook. “Delivontae Johnson, I pray that God bless you beyond any measure! Now I have a new friend!”

The story of Harkrider’s lost wallet is a great reminder that there are good people in this world. According to science, the vast majority of people across the world would return a lost wallet. A 2019 study found that when people found a wallet with the equivalent of $94 in cash inside, 72% of them returned it to their owners.

However, wallets with only $13 in them were returned only 61% of the time. It seems that the more money people find, the more likely they’ll go out of their way to help someone. So, although it’s heartwarming to hear stories about people doing the right thing, we should remember that most people in this world will do the right thing when given the opportunity.

Harrison Ford is 80 years old (he doesn’t look a day over 75, as long as he stays away from doors), but the iconic actor is showing no signs of slowing down. After starring in the Yellowstone spin-off series 1923, Ford will reprise his role as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and appear alongside Jason Segel in Shrinking.

The Apple TV+ series from Ted Lasso‘s Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein follows Jimmy, a grieving therapist (played by Segel, who’s also a co-creator) who “starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives… including his own,” according to the official plot description. Ford plays his co-worker who gives gruff-but-useful advice, as only Harrison Ford (and maybe Kyle Chandler) can.

You can watch the trailer above.

Before agreeing to star in Shrinking, Ford had never heard of Jason Segel. “Hey, this is a really good script. Will I be in the second one more?” the Star Wars actor asked Lawrence during a phone call. “You can be in it as much as you want,” he answered. When Ford asked who else is in it, and Lawrence said Jason Segel, Ford replied, “Who’s Jason Segel?” Someone get this man a copy of Forgetting Sarah Marshall stat.

Shrinking on Apple TV+ on Friday, January 27.

On the heels of his debut album, Long. Live. ASAP.‘s 10th anniversary, ASAP Rocky has shared a new song. In his latest cut, “Same Problems,” Rocky laments the problems in the rap community, including violence and drugs. The song features minimalist production, allowing listeners to focus on Rocky’s soft vocals, as he sings in a forlorn, crestfallen manner.

“How many problems get solved? / Am I a product of things that I saw? / How many problems get solved? / Am I proud of the things in my songs? /How many problems get solved? / Am I a product of all of my flaws? How many problems get solved if we don’t get involved?” he sings in the song’s chorus.

“Same Problems” arrives on the 8-year anniversary of ASAP Mob founder ASAP Yam’s death. Earlier in the week, Rocky released a reworked visual for his song, “Angels,” which featured Yams with a halo digitally imposed above his head.

In an interview with Interview back in June, Rocky recalled how he coped with Yams’ death and how it put him on edge for the future. “I think that I’m more afraid of not knowing what’s next,” he said. “That’s a little scary. I have to accept it, but I’m not ready to die.”

Check out “Same Problems” above.

After having to postpone their tour last year, Ibeyi will be touring the US starting in March. Today (January 18), the French-Cuban duo announced the dates for their Spell 31 Tour.

Ibeyi is comprised of sisters Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz. They were originally scheduled to tour the US last year in support of their Spell 31 album, but they had to postpone the trek. With their global perspective and soulful sound, Ibeyi continued to push alternative music to new places with the LP. The album featured the songs “Lavender & Red Roses” featuring Jorja Smith and “Made of Gold” with Gambian-British rapper Pa Salieu.

For those fans who were waiting for Ibeyi to return to the US, they announced the dates for their Spell 31 Tour. The tour kicks off in LA on March 10. Ibeyi will perform in cities across the country throughout the month. On April 2, the tour will wrap up in Miami. Check out Ibeyi’s website for information on when tickets will be available.

Ibeyi’s Spell 31 album was released in May. Last year, they also teamed up with Puerto Rican rapper Residente for his powerful song “This Is Not America.” In 2016, Beyoncé included the duo in her visual Lemonade album.

Find Ibeyi’s upcoming tour dates below.

3/10/2023 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent
3/11/2023 — San Diego, CA @ Music Box
3/12/2023 — San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
3/14/2023 — Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
3/15/2023 — Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
3/18/2023 — Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
3/19/2023 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
3/23/2023 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
3/24/2023 — Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
3/25/2023 — Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
3/26/2023 — Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
3/28/2023 — Chapel Hill, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
3/29/2023 — Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
4/02/2023 — Miami, FL @ Miami Beach Bandshell

The National announced their anticipated new album, First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, today. The band also had some other surprises in store, including a brand new tour across North America and Europe this year. For those who are looking to get a head start of familiarizing themselves with the opening acts, you’ve come to the right spot.

Soccer Mommy, The Beths, and Bartees Strange will be opening for The National’s upcoming 2023 tour that starts this spring. The Beths will appear alongside the band for a handful of East Coast dates, while Bartees Strange will appear in Europe. (Soccer Mommy is joining for a number of shows across both continents.)

As for The National’s Madison Square Garden concert, they will be joined by Patti Smith and her band for a special performance. Tickets go on sale on January 27 at 10 a.m. local time. More information is available here.

Continue scrolling for The National’s complete list of 2023 tour dates.

05/20 — Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre *
05/21 — Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre *
05/24 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem *
05/26 — Boston, MA @ Boston Calling Festival
05/28 — Napa, CA @ Bottlerock Festival
05/30 — Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre *
06/02 — Troutdale, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield *
06/03 — Troutdale, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield *
06/04 — Redmond, WA @ Marymoor Park *
06/05 — Burnaby, BC, Canada @ Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park *
08/01 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia ~
08/03 — New Haven, CT @ Westville Music Bowl ~
08/07 — Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit ~
08/08 — Madison, WI @ The Sylvee ~
08/09 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory ~
08/11 — Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom ~
08/15 — Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater ~
08/16 — Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park ~
08/18 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden (with very special guest Patti Smith and her band)
09/21 — Dublin, IRE @ 3 Arena *
09/23 — Leeds, UK @ First Direct Arena *
09/24 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro Arena *
09/26 — London, UK @ Alexandra Palace *
09/29 — Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome ^
09/30 — Berlin, DE @ Max-Schmeling-Halle ^
10/01 — Munich, DE @ Zenith ^
10/04 — Madrid, ES @ WiZink Center ^
10/05 — Porto, PT @ Super Bock Arena ^
10/06 — Lisbon, PT @ Campo Pequeno ^

* with Soccer Mommy
~ with The Beths
^ with Bartees Strange

First Two Pages Of Frankenstein is out 4/28 via 4AD. Pre-order it here.

The National have announced their next album, First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, and fans are absolutely buzzing. After there was some early speculation about Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers being on the record, the band seemingly confirmed the rumors with a password-protected website teaser that named both artists — and Sufjan Stevens.

Now, The National’s official tracklist reveal has proven all the theories were correct. Taylor Swift is collaborating with the band once more, this time on a song called “The Alcott.” As for Bridgers, she has two performances on FTPOF, titled “This Isn’t Helping” and “Your Mind Is Not Your Friend.”

“I love the way they do that sort of down-beat, sometimes self-loathing, reflective, ‘cut down to the heart of the matter’ lyricism,” Swift previously told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe (via Far Out) about her love for The National.

While fans might have to wait a little while longer to hear their favorite artists on a new collab, The National offered something to hold listeners over, in the form of the album’s first single, “Tropic Morning News.”

Continue scrolling for the complete tracklist.

1. “Once Upon A Poolside” Feat. Sufjan Stevens
2. “Eucalyptus”
3. “New Order T-Shirt”
4. “This Isn’t Helping” Feat. Phoebe Bridgers
5. “Tropic Morning News”
6. “Alien”
7. “The Alcott” Feat. Taylor Swift
8. “Grease In Your Hair”
9. “Ice Machines”
10. “Your Mind Is Not Your Friend” Feat. Phoebe Bridgers
11. “Send For Me”

First Two Pages Of Frankenstein is out 4/28 via 4AD. Pre-order it here.

Over the past week or so, The National have been doing mysterious stuff. First they mailed some cryptic stuff to their fans, then they shared a password-locked website that seemed to tease collaborations with Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, and Sufjan Stevens. Now, the inevitable news is here: The National have a new album, First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, on the way.

Indeed, the upcoming LP, set to drop on April 28, does feature Swift, Bridgers, and Stevens. The band shared the lead single, “Tropic Morning News,” today (one of the songs they debuted live back in May 2022).

In a press release, Aaron Dessner says of the track, “When Matt [Berninger] came in with that song in the depths of his depression, it felt like a turning point for us. It’s almost Dylan-esque in its lyrics and it’s so much fun to play; everything suddenly felt like it was coming alive again.”

The album came after a period when Berninger was in “a very dark spot where I couldn’t come up with lyrics or melodies at all,” as he put it. He continued, “Even though we’d always been anxious whenever we were working on a record, this was the first time it ever felt like maybe things really had come to an end.” Bryce Dessner noted that eventually, the band “managed to come back together and approach everything from a different angle, and because of that we arrived at what feels like a new era for the band.” Aaron Dessner added, “To me, the power of this record has to do with the intentionality and structure of the music meeting with a lot of accidental magic.”

On top of all that, the band announced tour dates for this year, featuring support from Soccer Mommy, Bartees Strange, and The Beths.

Listen to “Tropic Morning News” above. Below, find the First Two Pages Of Frankenstein art and tracklist, along with The National’s upcoming tour dates.

1. “Once Upon A Poolside” Feat. Sufjan Stevens
2. “Eucalyptus”
3. “New Order T-Shirt”
4. “This Isn’t Helping” Feat. Phoebe Bridgers
5. “Tropic Morning News”
6. “Alien”
7. “The Alcott” Feat. Taylor Swift
8. “Grease In Your Hair”
9. “Ice Machines”
10. “Your Mind Is Not Your Friend” Feat. Phoebe Bridgers
11. “Send For Me”

05/20 — Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre *
05/21 — Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre *
05/24 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem *
05/26 — Boston, MA @ Boston Calling Festival
05/28 — Napa, CA @ Bottlerock Festival
05/30 — Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre *
06/02 — Troutdale, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield *
06/03 — Troutdale, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield *
06/04 — Redmond, WA @ Marymoor Park *
06/05 — Burnaby, BC, Canada @ Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park *
08/01 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia ~
08/03 — New Haven, CT @ Westville Music Bowl ~
08/07 — Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit ~
08/08 — Madison, WI @ The Sylvee ~
08/09 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory ~
08/11 — Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom ~
08/15 — Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater ~
08/16 — Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park ~
08/18 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden (with very special guest Patti Smith and her band)
09/21 — Dublin, IRE @ 3 Arena *
09/23 — Leeds, UK @ First Direct Arena *
09/24 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro Arena *
09/26 — London, UK @ Alexandra Palace *
09/29 — Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome ^
09/30 — Berlin, DE @ Max-Schmeling-Halle ^
10/01 — Munich, DE @ Zenith ^
10/04 — Madrid, ES @ WiZink Center ^
10/05 — Porto, PT @ Super Bock Arena ^
10/06 — Lisbon, PT @ Campo Pequeno ^

* with Soccer Mommy
~ with The Beths
^ with Bartees Strange

First Two Pages Of Frankenstein is out 4/28 via 4AD. Pre-order it here.