Category: News

In a story that sounds like an episode of The Righteous Gemstones (although, sadly, no one had a pickle in their mouth despite what sounds like some misbehavin’), a plumber discovered a secret stash full of cash and checks hidden in a restroom wall at Joel Osteen‘s megachurch. Back in 2014, thousands of dollars were stolen from a safe in Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, and the money was never found despite the offer of a cash reward. However, that all changed when a plumber was called in early November of this year to fix a toilet.

As reported by local news station, KRPC Channel 2, the plumber called into a morning radio show where he walked host George Lindsey through the insane discovery:

“There was a loose toilet in the wall, and we removed the tile,” the caller said. “We went to go remove the toilet, and I moved some insulation away and about 500 envelopes fell out of the wall, and I was like ‘Oh wow!’”

The caller said the envelopes were full of cash and checks.

“I went ahead and contacted the maintenance supervisor that was there, and I turned it all in,” he added.

While talking to KRPC Channel 2 about the plumber’s discovery, Lindsey wanted to know what the heck happened to the thief. “I mean they stole the money, but they didn’t get it out of the wall. Did they have an accident, you know what I mean? It’s like, why did they never go back? If it’s that money, why did they never go back?”

More importantly, the radio host feels the plumber should get the $25,000 reward that was offered. However, Crime Stoppers of Houston feels differently. When contacted by KRPC, Crime Stoppers said that the reward was “only for information leading to a suspect’s arrest” and “the statute of limitations has expired.” Ouch.

Maybe Osteen will step in and make this right, but then again, generosity hasn’t been his strong suit as evidenced by his church infamously refusing to offer shelter during 2017’s Hurricane Harvey.

(Via KRPC Channel 2)

Brent Faiyaz continues his mission to turn R&B into the most toxic genre with “Mercedes.” On the cool new single, Faiyaz tries to explain to a potential paramour the danger in pursuing him, claiming, “My block too hot to have a lady” because “If they can’t get to me, they’ll try my baby.” Okay, Batman.

Faiyaz has slowly but surely become a fixture of New Music Friday over the past 12 months, after being included on singles from the likes of Tyler The Creator (“Gravity“), Sonder (“Nobody But You” featuring Jorja Smith), Drake (“Wasting Time“), and Baby Keem (“Lost Souls” from the deluxe version of The Melodic Blue). On the solo tip, Brent also countered the perception of his toxicity with the prideful “Show You Off.”

As he grows in popularity, though, fans have gotten more and more anxious for the follow-up to his 2017 debut album Sonder Son. While his 2020 EP F*ck The World did a fine job of tiding some fans over as they waited, his buzz has only grown, leading to an equivalent increase in fan messages needling him to release a full project. With 2022 right around the corner, they’ll likely have to wait until next year… but that wait won’t be so long.

Listen to Brent Faiyaz’s “Mercedes” above.

Thanksgiving is a time for family and fellowship, but it is also a time to consume copious amounts of football. That happened in 2021 and, in this space, things went very well in the NFL to the tune of a 5-0 performance. That isn’t sustainable by any means, but it certainly helps the bottom line, and Week 13 looms with another interesting card on the docket.

Before we roll into a five-pack of selections, let’s glance at how things have gone this season.

• Last Week: 5-0
• 2021 Season: 35-24-1

Come get these winners.

Los Angeles Chargers (+3) over Cincinnati Bengals

We enjoy the Chargers on the road, as a general rule. This line is also inflated after two blowout wins for the Bengals, and Justin Herbert is coming off a brutal game by his standards. Los Angeles may not win outright, but getting the field goal pushes this over the top.

New York Giants (+4) over Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are on a four-game winning streak. They are certainly playing better, but three of those victories came against the Texans, Jets and Panthers. There is a lot of attention paid to Miami’s uptick and, while the Giants are not a ton of fun to side with, New York can keep this tight with their defense. The line is also higher than it should be because of the worries about Daniel Jones and his neck. To put it bluntly, the line shouldn’t move more than a point between Jones and Mike Glennon.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+4.5) over Baltimore Ravens

This is gross. I’m fairly low on the Steelers, fading them with success last week, but this is their season. Pittsburgh’s defense is getting healthier, and the Steelers know the Ravens well. Mike Tomlin is also stellar as an underdog and this line shouldn’t be more than three.

Denver Broncos (+10) over Kansas City Chiefs

We don’t lean too heavily on trends in this column, but there are a few in play here. First, the Chiefs are 12-18 against the spread in the last 30 games, including playoffs, and that includes a 5-11 mark in home games. Second, Teddy Bridgewater’s ATS record as an underdog is the stuff of legend in NFL circles. Third, this is a lot of points for a Broncos defense that remains stout. Kansas City is likely going to win the game, but the full ten points should be enough.

Buffalo Bills (-2.5) over New England Patriots

The Patriots are playing great. There is no doubt about that. They’ve won six in a row and the last several victories came in blowout fashion. That explains the number, at least to some degree, but I still believe Buffalo is the better team. Yes, Bills All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White is injured, and that hurts Buffalo’s defense, but this isn’t the spot in which that should bite the Bills. New England’s defense is real, but this is a number that is too appealing to pass on right now.

Back in 2018, “Weird Al” Yankovic embarked on “The Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour.” Now, the parody master is doing another round of that tour. Naturally, the new one is called “The Unfortunate Return Of The Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour,” and it consists of a whopping 133 shows across North America in 2022.

Yankovic previously explained of the original “Vanity Tour,” “I decided we should try something different, just for a change of pace. So next year we’re scaling way, way back. No costumes, no props, no video screens, no computer servers. We’re just going to walk out on stage, sit down on stools, and play a bunch of old songs. Oh, and we’re going to be performing almost exclusively originals (i.e. not parodies). The deep cuts and obscure tracks. The songs that were never hits. The ones you barely remember.” Likewise, Yankovic’s website notes of the new tour, “This is a scaled-down tour with limited production (no costumes, props, or video screens) in smaller theatres and more intimate settings, and Al’s setlist will be comprised almost entirely of his original (non-parody) songs.”

Check out the full list of dates below and get tickets here.

04/26/2022 — Poughkeepsie, NY @ Bardavon Opera House
04/27/2022 — Albany, NY @ The Egg Center for the Performing Arts – Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre
04/29/2022 — New Bedford, MA @ Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
04/30/2022 — Orono, ME @ Collins Center for the Arts
05/01/2022 — Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
05/03/2022 — Portland, ME @ Merrill Auditorium
05/04/2022 — New London, CT @ Garde Arts Center
05/06/2022 — Medford, MA @ Chevalier Theatre
05/07/2022 — Medford, MA @ Chevalier Theatre
05/08/2022 — Burlington, VT @ The Flynn
05/10/2022 — Ridgefield, CT @ The Ridgefield Playhouse
05/11/2022 — Rochester, NY @ Kodak Center
05/14/2022 — Wilkes-Barre, PA @ The F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
05/15/2022 — Erie, PA @ Warner Theatre
05/17/2022 — Canton, OH @ Canton Palace Theatre
05/18/2022 — Saginaw, MI @ The Temple Theatre
05/20/2022 — Detroit, MI @ Fisher Theatre
05/21/2022 — Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center
05/22/2022 — Springfield, IL @ Sangamon Auditorium
05/24/2022 — Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Performing Arts Center
05/25/2022 — Evansville, IN @ Victory Theatre
05/27/2022 — Pelham, TN @ The Caverns
05/28/2022 — Pelham, TN @ The Caverns
05/29/2022 — Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
05/31/2022 — Little Rock, AR @ Robinson Performance Hall
06/01/2022 — Tulsa, OK @ Tulsa Theater
06/03/2022 — Denver, CO @ Ellie Caulkins Opera House
06/04/2022 — Denver, CO @ Ellie Caulkins Opera House
06/05/2022 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Capitol Theatre
06/06/2022 — Boise, ID @ Morrison Center for the Performing Arts
06/08/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre
06/10/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre
06/11/2022 — Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre
06/12/2022 — Reno, NV @ Silver Legacy Resort & Casino – Reno Ballroom
06/15/2022 — San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Theatre
06/16/2022 — San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Theatre
06/17/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ TBA
06/18/2022 — Los Angeles, CA @ TBA
06/20/2022 — Santa Barbara, CA @ Granada Theatre
06/21/2022 — Bakersfield, CA @ Fox Theatre
06/24/2022 — Spokane, WA @ Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox
06/25/2022 — Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater
06/26/2022 — Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
06/28/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
06/29/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
06/30/2022 — Eugene, OR @ Hult Center for the Performing Arts – Silva Concert Hall
07/02/2022 — Vancouver, AE @ The Centre
07/04/2022 — Edmonton, AE @ Winspear Centre
07/05/2022 — Calgary, AB @ Jack Singer Concert Hall
07/06/2022 — Calgary, AB @ Jack Singer Concert Hall
07/08/2022 — Regina, AE @ Conexus Arts Centre
07/09/2022 — Saskatoon, AE @ TCU Place
07/10/2022 — Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts
07/11/2022 — Duluth, MN @ SYMPHONY HALL
07/14/2022 — Madison, WI @ Overture Center for the Arts – Overture Hall
07/15/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Symphony Center – Orchestra Hall
07/16/2022 — Chicago, IL @ Symphony Center – Orchestra Hall
07/19/2022 — Cedar Rapids, IA @ Paramount Theatre
07/20/2022 — Columbia, MO @ Missouri Theatre
07/22/2022 — Lincoln, NE @ Lied Center
07/23/2022 — Mankato, MN @ Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center
07/24/2022 — Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
07/26/2022 — Elkhart, IN @ The Lerner Theatre
07/29/2022 — Lewiston, NY @ Artpark Mainstage Theater
07/30/2022 — Ottawa, ON @ National Arts Centre – Southam Hall
08/01/2022 — Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
08/02/2022 — Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
08/03/2022 — Williamsport, PA @ Community Arts Center – Martin Theatre
08/05/2022 — Northampton, MA @ Calvin Theatre
08/06/2022 — Lancaster, PA @ American Music Theatre
08/07/2022 — Lancaster, PA @ American Music Theatre
08/09/2022 — Newport News, VA @ Ferguson Center for the Arts
08/10/2022 — Richmond, VA @ Dominion Energy Center – Carpenter Theatre
08/12/2022 — Wilmington, NC @ Wilson Center
08/13/2022 — Charlotte, NC @ Blumenthal Performing Arts Center – Belk
08/14/2022 — Charleston, SC @ Charleston Gaillard Center
08/17/2022 — Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Theatre
08/18/2022 — Greenville, SC @ Peace Center
08/19/2022 — Huntsville, AL @ Von Braun Center – Mark C. Smith Concert Hall
08/20/2022 — Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre
08/22/2022 — Ashland, KY @ Paramount Arts Center
08/23/2022 — Dayton, OH @ Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center
08/25/2022 — Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe
08/26/2022 — Benton Harbor, MI @ The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College
08/28/2022 — Chesterfield, MO @ Chesterfield Amphitheater
08/30/2022 — Springfield, MO @ Gillioz Theatre
08/31/2022 — Topeka, KS @ Topeka Performing Arts center
09/01/2022 — Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
09/02/2022 — Kansas City, MO @ Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
09/04/2022 — Midwest City, OK @ Hudiburg Chevrolet Center at Rose State College
09/06/2022 — Colorado Springs, CO @ Pikes Peak Center
09/07/2022 — Grand Junction, CO @ Avalon Theatre
09/09/2022 — Greeley, CO @ Union Colony Civic Center
09/10/2022 — Santa Fe, NM @ The Santa Fe Opera – The Crosby Theatre
09/11/2022 — Chandler, AZ @ Chandler Center for the Arts
09/13/2022 — Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center
09/15/2022 — Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre
09/16/2022 — Temecula, CA @ Pechanga Theater
09/18/2022 — Thousand Oaks, CA @ Bank of America Performing Arts Center
09/21/2022 — Saratoga, CA @ The Mountain Winery
09/24/2022 — Davis, CA @ Robert & Margrit Mondavi Center for Performing Arts
09/25/2022 — San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre
09/26/2022 — San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre
09/27/2022 — Tucson, AZ @ Fox Tucson Theatre
09/29/2022 — Lubbock, TX @ Helen DeVitt Jones Theater
09/30/2022 — Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre
10/01/2022 — Houston, TX @ Cullen Performance Hall
10/02/2022 — Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater
10/04/2022 — San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre
10/06/2022 — Memphis, TN @ Graceland Soundstage
10/07/2022 — Shreveport, LA @ The Strand Theatre
10/08/2022 — Lafayette, LA @ Heymann Performing Arts Center
10/09/2022 — Pensacola, FL @ Saenger Theatre
10/11/2022 — Melbourne, FL @ King Center for the Performing Arts
10/12/2022 — Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse
10/13/2022 — Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse
10/15/2022 — Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
10/16/2022 — Orlando, FL @ Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts – Walt Disney Theatre
10/17/2022 — Orange Park, FL @ Thrasher-Horne Center
10/19/2022 — Washington, DC @ The Kennedy Center – Concert Hall
10/21/2022 — Atlanta, GA @ Symphony Hall
10/22/2022 — Atlanta, GA @ Symphony Hall
10/23/2022 — Raleigh, NC @ Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts
10/25/2022 — Roanoke, VA @ Berglund Performing Arts Center
10/26/2022 — Pittsburgh, VA @ Carnegie Music Hall – Rose and Gilt Theatre
10/28/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Kimmel Cultural Campus
10/29/2022 — New York, NY @ Carnegie Hall – Stern Auditorium

In a very strange rollercoaster of a year, the comforting sweetness of pop music was essential. Not just for a return to the joy a crowd enjoying live music can bring, like what Harry Styles accomplished during his Love On Tour, but also for old favorites updated to become better than ever, and strange new records like Lorde’s Solar Power that represent left turns that will change her trajectory forever. 2021 was a year for grappling with the unexpected, and understanding how some things continue to impact us long after they’re “over” — or realizing that the impact of some events never really ends, it just changes and morphs over time. In that spirit, here our are unranked picks for the 23 best pop albums of the year. Let’s all do our best to enjoy the bops while we’re here.

Adele, 30

On another sumptuous, diva-level pop record, Adele lets the world in on the painful process of her own divorce, with a greater emphasis on family and extremely personal heartache than ever before. Yes, she’s always given us songs of epic longing and love lost, but the classic ballads on 30 chronicle a woman growing up, coming to terms with the idea that teenage dreams and the effortless intentions of your twenties can — and do — fade away. But 30 isn’t a despairing album by any means, in fact, it focuses on what each loss leaves behind, and offers a blueprint for rebuilding in a new decade. – Caitlin White

Bebe Rexha, Better Mistakes

Make no mistake about it, Bebe Rexha is going to do… whatever the hell she wants. From kicking off a year that saw a resurgence in Travis Barker’s career, starting with their “Breaky My Heart Myself” collab, to songs with Doja Cat (“Baby I’m Jealous”), Lil Uzi Vert (“Die For A Man), and even Rick Ross (“Amore”), Rexha took the idea of what a pop star should do for their second full-length record and turned it on its head. Better Mistakes is a punky, no-holds-barred expression of a pop star who is unabashedly herself. And that kind of commitment is never a mistake. – C.W.

Billie Eilish, Happier Than Ever

For a brand new artist, pushing past the massive surge of a super successful debut can be a challenge. But not for Billie Eilish. Barely taking a breath between accepting a record number of Grammys for When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? and releasing new singles, Eilish weathered the pandemic by slowly trickling out songs like “Everything I Wanted” and “Therefore I Am” to set up her next phase. Happier Than Ever was a jazzy, downtempo left turn after her trippy gothic debut, and more proof than Eilish will be doing whatever she wants from here on out. When the vocals sound this good, genre becomes irrelevant. – C.W.

Bleachers, Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night

Already well-known for helping pop stars of all shapes and sounds bring their best songs to life, Jack Antonoff went back to the drawing board in 2020 to refocus on his own sonic vision. Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night is undeniably that: Antonoffian. Who else would be eager to feature Bruce Springsteen and Lana Del Rey on the same record? Who else would be focusing on the moments of the weekend that feel melancholy? And who else would concoct an epic breakup anthem begging the other person to let go already? If you like saxophones, earworm melodies, and yes, sadness, this Bleachers record is for you. But most of all, after all those songs with other people, this album is for Jack. And despite all the sadness, there’s joy in that. – C.W.

Clairo, Sling

After the breakout success of her debut album Immunity, all eyes were on Clairo when she released her sophomore album Sling. But rather than lean into the bedroom pop that first popularized her name, Clairo instead took Sling in a different, more reflective direction. The album is jam-packed with quiet and tender piano songs that draw inspiration from doleful-yet-warm acoustic sounds of ’70s ballads. The notable shift is attributed in part by her simply getting older and growing into herself and her sound. But Clairo also noted that, while writing the album, she had much time to reflect on the domesticity that come with caring for her rescue dog. – Carolyn Droke

Claud, Super Monster

Claud was shouldered with a major responsibility late last year: They were the first artist signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory label, so it was up to them to set the tone and represent the label well. Fortunately for all involved, Claud completely exceeded expectations and became one of 2021’s favorite new bedroom-pop artists with their debut album, Super Monster. Claud shows off some range on the LP, too, as it features everything from the pop-rock of “That’s Mr. Bitch To You” to the mellow synth-pop of “Guard Down.” – Derrick Rossignol.

CL, Alpha

Breaking records back in 2016 as one of the first K-pop stars to ever land a spot on the Billboard Hot 100, CL came back in a big way after a few years on hiatus. After splitting with a massive major label machine, she slowly began to figure out what it meant to be an independent artist, and the kind of music she wanted to make as a solo star. But when tragedy struck and her mother passed away, CL put out one of her best, and most unexpected songs so far, with the poignant “Wish You Were Here.” Her debut album, Alpha, went in a more boisterous direction, with preening singles like “Spicy” and “Lover Like Me,” but taken together, what her one-off single and the project revealed is that CL has the range. Give her time, and she’ll be back on top of the chart once more, this time, as a fully independent performer. – C.W.

Coldplay, Music Of The Spheres

Back when “Yellow” came out, it probably never occurred to anyone that Chris Martin and co. might one day be collaborating with the biggest K-pop group on the planet. It just wasn’t in the cards for the indie-rock outfit. But then came “Viva La Vida,” and “Fix You,” and soon enough, Coldplay was one of the biggest acts in pop. They took the pivot full circle on Music Of The Spheres, going full blast for “My Universe” with BTS, and other standouts like “Higher Power” and the Selena Gomez-assisted “Let Somebody Go.” Coldplay had one of the best pop albums of the year, and my little “Yellow”-loving heart is proud to witness the growth. – C.W.

Doja Cat, Planet Her

Ladies and gentlemen, Doja Cat has arrived. After two albums of fun, frothy, somewhat inconsequential stabs at pop-laden hip-hop and R&B, Amala stuck her nose hard to the grindstone to turn up a much more focused, slicker slice of her world. She still wields the same wicked sense of humor that got her national attention with “Mooo!” in 2018, but now it’s a scalpel instead of a hammer (“Get Into It“). Her pop sensibilities have sharpened as well, allowing her to trade in glimmering dancefloor anthems (“Kiss Me More“) and stargazing kickback staples (“Need To Know“). – Aaron Williams

Ed Sheeran, =

As one of the biggest pop artists in the world, when Ed Sheeran decides to return, it’s going to cause quite a commotion. For =, the UK songwriter doubled down on his album naming trope, but little else remained the same. Veering as close as he ever has to full-blown pop material, Sheeran didn’t abandon his keen sense for lyrics and catchy melodies, just turned everything up to eleven. After getting married and having a child, he reached a new level in his personal life, and = reflects a new side of his career, too. – C.W.

Girl In Red, If I Could Make It Go Quiet

Girl In Red has dominated a niche corner of pop music since she began releasing singles in 2018. But with her debut album If I Could Make It Go Quiet, Girl In Red (moniker of Norwegian Marie Ulven) takes center stage. With a hit track like “Serotonin,” which gets real about the painful ebbs and flows of her journey with mental health and self-love, If I Could Make It Go Quiet beautifully crosses the boundary between electrifying pop bangers and sizzling ballads about the realities of queer relationships. A self-produced project, Ulven’s debut album highlights her vulnerable lyricism and has since empowered a following of Gen-Z listeners who feel understood by her powerful message. – C.D

Halsey, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power

Working with your idols can be daunting, even devastating in some cases. But every once in a while, game recognize game and everything flows into the ideal collab. That’s what happened when Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross started helping Halsey retool their sound for the spectacular If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. Dark, chaotic, and much more rock-centric than her last album, Manic, this fourth album is as good as a magnum opus for the alt-pop star. Wading through pregnancy, misogyny, historical sexism, and so much more, this record crystallizes her sound in unexpectedly moving ways. – C.W.

Justin Bieber, Justice

Despite the slight misstep of using a sample of Martin Luther King Jr. and naming the album Justice after a massive social movement highlighting the Black community in America, this R&B-leaning record is actually a very solid project from Canada’s greatest pop star. Though it might’ve been more appropriately titled Haley, this project is full of odes to Justin’s beloved new wife, as he explores the insecurities and deeper intimacies of married life, and looks inward to find what he most wants to project outward in the next phase of his life. “Peaches” is the obvious radio hit and standout, but “Hold On” is a slow-burning anthem that keeps hitting even days after an initial listen. – C.W.

Kacey Musgraves, Star-Crossed

One of two excellent divorce albums by divas this year, Kacey Musgraves definitely dived a little bit deeper into the psychedelic nature of love, connection, and separation than anyone else in 2021. Star-Crossed is perhaps the only album that could’ve followed up its glowing, critically-acclaimed predecessor, Golden Hour. Sure, sometimes the perfect, golden love fades, but going through the wilderness to find yourself again is all part of the journey. No matter what, the risk was all worth it, and this woozy record of self-reclamation is another ode to all the magic of this beautiful, twisted life. – C.W.

Kississippi, Mood Ring

Kississippi’s sophomore album Mood Ring was instantly captivating from its earliest demos and drafts. The LP finds Zoe Reynolds making the jump from the emo scene to the pop sphere, taking cues more from Taylor Swift than Jimmy Eat World. “Mood Ring boasts some of the most exciting and emotionally vulnerable songwriting to come out of the emo world in recent memory, proving once and for all that it is possible to widen your scope up the steps and out of the basement, and aim it towards arenas,” I wrote in an interview with Reynolds earlier this year. – Zac Gelfand

Lana Del Rey, Blue Bannisters

On her second release of 2021, the ever-prolific Lana Del Rey goes woozier and more meandering than she did on her earlier Chemtrails Over The Country Club. She seems to be doing a full-blown Cass McCombs impression on the standout duet, “Dealer,” and the regal trip-hop of “Interlude — The Trio” proves that just when we think we have her figured out, she’s happy to pivot once more. This is not Lana’s strongest songwriting of the year, but an indication that her new productive streak is well worth paying attention to. – C.W.

Lana Del Rey, Chemtrails Over The Country Club

While she may not be navigating the treacherous waters of social media with the most grace, Lana does best when she leans into her songwriter side and leaves Instagram be. That’s exactly what Chemtrails Over The Country Club is all about, as Del Rey descends into psych-folk smashes like “White Dress” and “Tulsa Jesus Freak.” Folksy ballads like “Wild At Heart” and “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” showcase Lana when she’s stripped back, free and easy, and completely offline. – C.W.

Lorde, Solar Power

Every perfect summer’s got to take its flight, right? Solar Power might not have been the album Lorde fans wanted, but she’s adamant that, with time, they’ll realize it was the album they needed. Tuned to the frequency of ’70s folk rock and nu-age, tongue-in-cheek sing-alongs, the uneven record still had unbelievable standouts like “Big Star” and “Fallen Fruit.” On her most anti-fame work to date, Lorde asserted that a lack of pressure can be good for many, many things — it just turns out pop songwriting isn’t one of them. – C.W.

PinkPantheress, To Hell With It

PinkPantheress‘ success may have started out on TikTok, but opposed to other songwriters who got their start on the platform, PinkPantheress is an example of the anti-influencer. The UK producer began posting snippets of her music on the app and many went mega-viral (“Just For Me” was used in over 2 million videos), all the while the singer rarely showed her face and kept tight-lipped about her personal life. But after releasing her debut album To Hell With It, PinkPantheress proves why she soared in popularity. Her music often remixes old house classics like Crystal Waters’ “Gypsy Woman,” while distorted vocals and wobbly synths toe the line of the recently popularized hyperpop genre. – C.D

Olivia Rodrigo, Sour

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who’s had a bigger 2021 than Olivia Rodrigo. In time between sharing her debut single “Drivers License” in January and releasing her No. 1 album Sour in May, Rodrigo went from Disney Channel fan-favorite to one of the most talked about musicians across the globe. She raked in award nominations, dominated streaming services, and smashed charting records held by the musical greats. Throughout the 11 tracks on Sour, Rodrigo positioned herself as an ever-talented songwriter capable of crafting both touching heartbreak ballads and roaring pop-punk anthems. The album captivated audiences of all generations with relatable lyrics and effervescent instrumentation while simultaneously rewriting the persona of the typical pop star. – C.D.

Slayyyter, Troubled Paradise

Fearless and unfettered, Slayyyter is one of the most exciting voices in pop. Full stop. Kicking off her career with some raunchy, internet-ready viral hits — and don’t worry, “Throatzilla” is present — Troubled Paradise proves that her ’00s-nostalgia is put to good use when she harnesses it for synthy dream-pop like “Clouds” or the strangely technicolor balladry of “Cowboys.” Darker and sometimes much louder than expected, Slayyyter is getting her sea legs in a churning pop world where she just might have a shot at the top, despite it all. – C.W.

Taylor Swift, Evermore

If there was anyone who was going to spend the pandemic creating not one but two perfect albums, it was always Taylor Swift. Even as the ripples of Folklore were just beginning to dissipate, Taylor gently sent a second album out into the world. This one is a little bit darker, a little more country, and just as satisfying as the first. Between her epic murder ballad collaboration with Haim and features from Bon Iver and The National, Evermore is still distinctly Taylor: Sharp, funny, sometimes scathing, and eternally devoted, despite it all. – C.W.

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

In his 54 years on this earth, crooner-and-sometime-actor Harry Connick Jr. has managed to remain pretty much controversy-free. The New Orleans native began playing a keyboard at the age of three and was performing for the public by age five. He has been happily married to former Victoria’s Secret model Jill Goodacre for nearly 30 years, and the couple has three children. Connick and his squeaky-clean image have made virtually no public missteps throughout his long career, but last night the celebrated singer—and one really awkward-looking bald cap—turned Connick into the most talked about part of NBC’s performance of Annie Live!… and not necessarily in a good way.

Connick, taking on the role of the Daddy Warbucks—a cranky, super-rich dude who begrudgingly provides a temporary home to one lucky little orphan girl, only to slowly be won over by her charms—stayed true to the image we have always known of the fictional industrialist, who is as bald as a coot. But unlike the late, great Albert Finney—who made the hairless thing work in the 1982 feature film adaptation of the long-running play—Connick looked, hmmm… how to put this lightly: downright ridiculous?

Predictably, the ill-fitting bald cap did not go unnoticed on social media.

Daily Beast’s Marlow Stern spoke for many viewers when he called described Connick in a bald cap as “nightmare fuel.”

Fear was a popular response:

Hysterical laughter was, too:

Entertainment Weekly’s digital news director Jillian Sederholm wondered (rightly) why SNL can “put someone in a more convincing bald cap between sketches than this one #AnnieLive had all day to put on Harry Connick Jr. and still didn’t blend.”

One viewer proclaimed that Connick’s bald cap was the “real villain” of Annie!:

Another thought the producers should have just hired Jason Statham and called it a day (which would have made for a bold but interesting choice):

At one point, a seam on the cap appeared to tear—leaving many to worry about whether the plastic headpiece would last the night:

Another singled out the piece of plastic as its own character when congratulating the cast on a job well done:

Even those who praised the production did so despite the unsettling headwear.

It feels like just yesterday that we were looking ahead to what we could expect in 2021, and now we’re here in December. Before breaking for the holidays, Steve and Ian wanted to come together to list thier favorite albums of the year. Some albums, like Wild Pink’s A Billion Little Lights and Low’s Hey What, made both of their lists. For his list, Ian paid tribute to the latest works from The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, Home Is Where, and Dltzk. Steve, on the other hand, has I Don’t Live Here Anymore by The War On Drugs topping his list, followed closely by Tonstartssbandht and Rosali.

Breaking from tradition, Steve and Ian decided not to do a Recommendation Corner this week, instead recommending that listeners check out any of the albums discussed that they haven’t yet heard.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 68 on Spotify below, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts here. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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

Since the violent events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 that left five dead, more than 700 people have been charged with a variety of offenses. One of them, 25-year-old Felipe Marquez, is offering up a rather bold defense for why the courts should go easy on him: When the violence broke out, he was in the bathroom taking a sh*t.

The charges against Marquez, a Miami-based rioter who Raw Story reports made his way to the nation’s capital via his Tesla Model 3 with a Glock in tow, included Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds, Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds, Entering and Remaining in Certain Rooms in The Capitol Building, and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building.

In September, according to Coral Springs Talk, Marquez pleaded guilty to Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds, for which he faces a fine and up to one year in jail. Marquez posted a video to his Snapchat of himself and about 20 of his fellow rioters smoking in Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley’s office, which was severely damaged. But in a plea for leniency, Raw Story reports that Marquez told the FBI he neither witnessed, nor was he a party to, any violence that infamous day—because he “was in the bathroom pooping when the violence occurred.”

Marquez isn’t exactly attempting to distance himself from the events of that day; in the same interview with the feds, he claimed that he traveled to D.C. in order to protest “communism and prostitution,” which we didn’t quite realize was on the menu. And following the deadly protests, Raw Story reports that Marquez did an interview with CBS Miami, in which he likened a group of marauders smashing windows and trashing the Capitol Building to the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s. “This is like a Rosa Parks, like Martin Luther King moment for me,” Marquez said. Except that neither Rosa Parks nor MLK tried to minimize the parts they played in protesting racism by ducking out for a potty break—at least not to our knowledge.

While Marquez’s attorneys admit that their client was present in the Capitol on January 6th, they’re seeking probation as they claim that “Mr. Marquez was decidedly unaware that the aim of President Trump’s rally and subsequent march to the Capitol had anything to do with overturning the election’s results.” As such, they believe that “The former president, the rally’s organizers and speakers, and other nefarious, organized groups contributed to the chaos of that day, and are arguably, though not charged, greatly more culpable for what happened on January 6.”

There is no word as to whether the toilet in question has been interviewed. And as for whether the Doo-Doo Defense will work in Marquez’s favor? Only time will smell tell.

(Via Raw Story)

Doja Cat’s Planet Her is one of 2021’s biggest albums and it all starts with the opener, “Woman.” The song quickly became one of the album’s favorites and now, Doja had gone ahead and made a video for it.

The Teyana Taylor-featuring video sees Doja flaunting her femininity on Planet Her as she dances to the Afrobeats track. At one point, she borrows a page out of the “WAP” playbook by dancing in a shallow pool of water. Overall, the clip is full of striking environments and costumes, making for an aesthetic visual to accompany the rhythmic song.

As for the song (which she co-wrote with Jidenna), it sees Doja offering praise of the fairer sex, as she kicks off the opening verse, “What you need? / She give tenfold, come here, papa, plant your seed / She can grow it from her womb, a family / Provide lovin’ overlooked and unappreciated, you see.” She later stands up for the roadblocks that women face: “Gotta face a lot of people of the opposite / ‘Cause the world told me, ‘We ain’t got the common sense’ / Gotta prove it to myself that I’m on top of sh*t / And you will never know a god without the goddesses.”

Watch the “Woman” video above.

HBO Max just dropped a new trailer for Peacemaker, and it’s the longest look yet at the series starring John Cena‘s douchebag “superhero” from The Suicide Squad. Set in the aftermath of the James Gunn film, Peacemaker follows Cena’s character as he goes to work with the remnants of Task Force X and continues to bumble his way through whatever mission is in front of him. However, his supposed dedication to obtaining peace by “killing every man, woman, and child” is put to the test, which leads him on an existential quest to reunite with his sketchy dad played by Robert Patrick.

More importantly, Peacemaker’s sidekick, Eagly, is along for the ride, and he freaking owns. Yes, the action and jokes look great, but dang, that bird is awesome.

HBO Max also released key art for the series below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

PEACEMAKER explores the continuing story of the character that John Cena reprises in the aftermath of Gunn’s 2021 film “The Suicide Squad” – a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it.

The first three episodes of Peacemaker start streaming January 13 on HBO Max followed by a new episode every Thursday.