Adele is only a few short days away from the release of her highly anticipated album 30. So far, the singer has only released one single in an official capacity, “Easy On Me,” but the singer did give a preview of her upcoming release with a showstopping televised concert over the weekend on the steps of LA’s Griffith Observatory. Fans weren’t the only ones excited to see the filmed show. Lizzo and Oprah bonded over their love for the singer from the sidelines of the concert.
As Adele took the stage to perform her most popular tracks and also help a fan pull off a heartwarming proposal, Oprah and Lizzo were having the time of their lives in the crowd. As soon as Adele broke into a rendition of her hit song “Hello,” Oprah and Lizzo were on the same page about their love of the track, belting out the lyrics in unison. “@adele had us at hello! @lizzo what concert are we going to next?!” Oprah wrote alongside a video.
Of course, the entire reason for Adele’s concert was in part thanks to Oprah. The Adele: One Night Only special aired alongside an interview with Oprah where the singer got real about some of the things she struggled with after her divorce.
Watch Oprah and Lizzo sing along to “Hello” at Adele’s concert above.
Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
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Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time
Courtney Barnett stormed onto the scene in 2015 with her debut album Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit. A lot has happened since then, including a few more solo releases and a collaborative release with Kurt Vile. Things Take Time, Take Time feels like some of Barnett’s most focused work to date, sure to satisfy fans who fell in love with tracks like “Avant Gardner” or “Depreston.”
Idles – Crawler
Crawler, the latest release from political punks Idles, “immediately sets itself apart from the rest of Idles’ catalog on the album-opening track “MTT 420 RR,” in which Talbot for the first time on record actually … sings,” writes Steven Hyden for Uproxx. It sets the stage for a record that continues to expand the walls of what Idles are capable of, showing a new sense of dynamics that haven’t been present on previous efforts.
Damon Albarn – The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
Originally conceived as an orchestral piece inspired by the landscapes of Iceland, Damon Albarn‘s sophomore solo album, The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows, was borne of the pandemic. During lockdown, the Blur/Gorillaz mastermind returned to the orchestral music and transformed it into 11 narrative tracks that each tell a store and explore themes of fragility, loss, emergence, and rebirth.
Makthaverskan — För Allting
It feels like just yesterday that Swedish power pop outfit Makthaverskan were announcing their new album För Allting. Now, the album is suddenly here, delivering twelve tracks that are equal parts dreamy and driving. “For our previous albums we have written the songs in our rehearsal space and pretty much recorded them the way they were,” the band explained in a statement. “For this album we intended the songs to be finalized in the studio in a different and left some more room to work with.”
Jon Hopkins — Music For Psychedelic Therapy
Jon Hopkins is back with his first new music since 2018’s Grammy-nominated Singularity. It was around this time that Hopkins embarked on an expedition through a huge cave network, living underground with a group for four days. Music For Psychedelic Therapy is an amalgamation of drone, ambient, and classical arrangements, making for a truly unique sonic experience (that sounds just as good when you’re sober).
Sega Bodega — Romeo
Sega Bodega has spent almost a decade perfecting the craft of indie-electronic music, and while his debut solo album Salvador might have been difficult to dig into at first, its follow-up Romeo is a much more approachable affair. However, the album’s high-concept narrative revolves around a fictional character named Luci that serves as an illuminator that brightens the world around them. Even if you don’t want to dig into the concept of Romeo, it’s still a pretty damn enjoyable listen.
Mitski – “The Only Heartbreaker”
Mitski broke her lengthy silence earlier this year with the release of “Working For The Knife,” which she quickly followed up with “The Only Heartbreaker,” alongside the announcement of her new album Laurel Hell. “The Only Heartbreaker” is more upbeat than its predecessor, an indie pop number anchored by driving percussion and Mitski’s gorgeous reverb-soaked vocal. “Sometimes you are just the bad guy in the relationship,” Mitski said of the track in a recent interview with Zane Lowe. “Sometimes you’re the one who keeps making mistakes, who’s breaking your favorite person’s heart, and there’s nothing you can do about it because you can’t just suddenly be a better person.”
Camp Cope – “Blue”
Melbourne trio Camp Cope made waves with their 2018 LP How To Socialise And Make Friends, and are now setting the stage for a new release in 2022. The first taste of what’s to come is “Blue,” a new song about depression, that is built atop a clean guitar, light percussion, and beautiful backing vocal harmonies.
Claud – “Tommy”
A little over a year ago, Claud signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ ever-growing label Saddest Factory, releasing their debut album Super Monster through the imprint. Now, they are following up the success of Super Monster with “Tommy,” which Derrick Rossignol calls for Uproxx an “evocative new single.”
Let’s Eat Grandma – “Two Ribbons”
Three years since the release of their sophomore album, I’m All Ears, Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth are finally back with a taste of new music. With little more than a solo reverberating guitar, “Two Ribbons” is a song that “plays on both singers’ heart-tugging songwriting as they deliver lyrics about fraying edges, friendship, and memory,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.
Charlie Hickey — “Seeing Things” (MUNA’s Version)
The second of two signees to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory is Charlie Hickey, who is back with another remix of a song from his EP Count The Stairs. “Seeing Things” (MUNA’s Version) takes on a more pop-forward approach, building upon a basic electronic bass-snare beat before dropping into a full-blown electronic dance number.
Shamir – “Cisgender”
Shamir has been incredibly prolific over the last few years, releasing two records in 2020 alone. With no full-length releases in 2021, Shamir is now prepping a new record called Hetereosexuality, which is due for release early next year. The album is previewed by “Cisgender,” a spacey guitar number that Shamir says is the first part of “finally acknowledging my trauma. Everyone knows I’ve been through so much shit and I kind of just rammed through, without really acknowledging the actual trauma that I do feel on almost a daily basis.”
PUP – “Waiting”
After taking much of 2021 off, Toronto punks Pup are finally back with some new tunes to get us in the mosh pit. “Waiting” is what Adrian Spinelli called for Uproxx “an expectedly loud track,” which arrived alongside a B-side called “Kill Something.” The song came about by “smashing the heaviest riff [bassist] Nestor [Chumak] could write with the simplest, most uplifting chorus I could write, just to see what would happen,” Stefan Babcock said in a statement.
Vundabar – “Devil For The Fire”
Vundabar have been one of the most underrated and consistent bands in the indie rock scene, releasing impressive record after impressive record. Now, the Boston trio is prepping Devil For The Fire, previewed by its title track. The song starts out like a classically angular Vundabar song, before building into a noisy outro that almost evokes the distorted shoegaze of the most recent Diiv record.
Proper – “Red, White, And Blue”
We’ve had our eye on Proper since catching their set at South By Southwest a few years back. Now, the band has teamed up with artist/producer extraordinaire Bartees Strange for “Red, White, And Blue,” which brings a whole new depth to the trio’s sound and allows them to set their sights on the highest echelons of the punk scene.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
As the hype machine for Spider-Man: No Way Home swings into high gear (Sony has confirmed a new trailer will drop Tuesday evening), Tom Holland is opening up more and more about the film’s impact on Spider-Man’s future as the film concludes the trilogy that started in Spider-Man: Homecoming. While No Way Home is primed to rock Peter Parker’s world thanks to a favor from Doctor Strange going sideways and cracking open the Multiverse, audiences already got a sneak peak at some changes to come thanks to Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
In the end-credits scene for the Venom sequel, Tom Hardy‘s Eddie Brock is seemingly transported into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (the Venom films, until now, operated in a separate film universe) and Venom takes an immediate interest in Holland’s Spider-Man whose seen on the TV. In fact, it almost seems like Venom knows him.
Keeping to Marvel’s notoriously secretive tradition, no one will definitively say what that scene means, but for the first time, Holland has addressed its existence in a new interview with Total Film. Although, he claims to not know if Venom and Spider-Man will finally meet.
“It was really exciting to be a part of that film,” he continued. “Obviously, Tom Hardy is one of the greatest actors in the world. I’m happy to say he’s a lovely bloke.
“But I haven’t really given it very much thought.”
Obviously, Holland is being deliberately coy as the signs of a Venom and Spider-Man colliding on-screen have been mounting. Marvel fans are convinced Venom can be seen in the No Way Home trailer released back in August. Meanwhile, Let There Be Carnage director Serkis has flat-out said that a crossover film is in the works. Considering No Way Home is throwing the kitchen sink at Holland’s Spider-Man, we wouldn’t be surprised if the two iconic rivals clash sooner rather than later.
Spider-Man: No Way Home webs its way into theaters on December 17.
Expectations were modest for the 2021-22 Washington Wizards, particularly after the team moved on from Russell Westbrook. Down the stretch of the 2020-21 campaign, Westbrook turned on the jets in helping Washington make the postseason and, given his statistical prowess, the absence of that kind of do-it-all guard next to Bradley Beal left some wondering what was next for the Wizards. However, Washington received a solid package of quality players in exchange for Westbrook, invested in a high-ceiling guard in Spencer Dinwiddie, added a fresh perspective in new head coach Wes Unseld Jr., and generally stocked the cupboard to the point where the roster has few dire weaknesses.
As a result of that plan, the Wizards are 10-3 to begin the 2021-22 campaign, and that mark is the best for the franchise in 47 years. Famously, the Wizards haven’t enjoyed top-end success, and the 47-year distance between 10-3 starts is another reminder of that. Still, Washington is putting a quality product on the floor and, at the moment, the Wizards are riding an active five-game winning streak. The most recent performance wasn’t a flawless one in a narrow win over the Zion-less New Orleans Pelicans, but the Wizards overcame a 19-point deficit (without Bradley Beal) and won a game that good teams usually win, even when they don’t have their fastball.
For the season, Washington boasts a top-four defense, allowing just 102.7 points per 100 possessions, and that mark dips to 96.7 points allowed per 100 during this five-game winning streak. Admittedly, the level of competition has not been sterling, and that should be taken into account. Even so, the Wizards are guarding at an impressive level, with increased buy-in from Beal, a newfound commitment to the defensive end team-wide, and a general flexibility and competence.
At this stage, it is too early to declare that Washington is a no-doubt playoff team, with a few outlier statistics to wade through and a schedule that will stiffen in the near future. From an overarching standpoint, though, this has been a tremendous start for the Wizards, with Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma recapturing peak form, Dinwiddie providing much-needed shot creation and a rotating cast of characters well-deployed by Wes Unseld Jr. from the bench.
Where do the Wizards land in this week’s DIME power rankings? Let’s find out.
1. Golden State Warriors (11-2, Last week — 1st)
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After seven straight wins and an 11-1 start, the Warriors did lose their last game on Sunday in Charlotte. Golden State still leads the NBA in defensive rating and net rating, though, and the top spot really isn’t up for debate at this point.
2. Phoenix Suns (10-3, Last week — 3rd)
It was a rough start for Phoenix after a run to the 2021 NBA Finals, with the Suns losing three of the first four games. Phoenix hasn’t lost since, winning nine straight games, outscoring opponents by 11.4 points per 100 possessions during that run. The schedule wasn’t exactly treacherous, but racking up wins will help a team rise in this space.
3. Washington Wizards (10-3, Last week — 10th)
This week will be interesting for Washington with four division games against Charlotte (twice) and Miami (twice). If nothing else, we’ll learn more about how real this start actually is for the Wizards.
4. Chicago Bulls (10-4, Last week — 6th)
Chicago is one of the brighter stories this season, and DeMar DeRozan is riding high. In his first season with the Bulls, DeRozan is averaging 26.9 points per game with a 60.5 percent true shooting mark, and it is hard to think anything other than this marriage between player and team started better than most imagined.
5. Brooklyn Nets (10-4, Last week — 7th)
This might be too low for the Nets, particularly after eight wins in the last nine games. The only loss came to the Bulls by a wide margin, explaining the placement, but Brooklyn has been throttling opponents. Encouragingly, James Harden looks more like himself, and the Nets are starting to fire on more cylinders on the offensive side.
6. Miami Heat (9-5, Last week — 4th)
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As many teams find out, going to the West Coast early in the season can derail progress in a hurry. That looked to be happening for Miami with three straight losses to begin the trip, but the Heat bounced back to win the final two games. This is still a top-five team in net rating, and the schedule is pretty friendly over the next two weeks. As noted above, Miami does play Washington twice, though, and that could be interesting.
7. Utah Jazz (8-5, Last week — 2nd)
Utah remains No. 3 in the NBA in net rating, including the No. 2 offense, and there isn’t much reason to worry. The Jazz have lost four of the last five games, however, and the last two losses came at home.
8. Denver Nuggets (9-5, Last week — 12th)
Despite myriad injury concerns, the Nuggets have won five of six and Nikola Jokic is playing at an MVP level again. Denver did lose on Monday night, but that loss came without Will Barton, on top of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., and the biggest concern is reaching the point of no return from a roster standpoint.
9. Dallas Mavericks (9-4, Last week — 8th)
No one knows what to make of Dallas. The Mavericks have been outscored for the season, but they are also 9-4 and 5-1 in the last six games. At a certain point, winning games will cure just about anything. Kristaps Porzingis put up a 29-point, 11-rebound game on Monday that provided encouragement as well.
10. L.A. Clippers (8-5, Last week — 11th)
The Clippers suffered a loss in their last game, but it came to the red-hot Bulls. Before that, Ty Lue’s team won seven in a row, and Paul George is making a first-team All-NBA case through 13 contests. At the moment, this is also the No. 2 defense in the NBA.
11. New York Knicks (8-6, Last week — 13th)
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New York rising in the rankings this week isn’t a product of strong play. The Knicks are 3-5 in the last eight and, generally, New York’s starters are struggling in a big way. They also happened to win on Monday and benefit in this space from other teams scuffling.
12. Milwaukee Bucks (6-8, Last week — 16th)
The Bucks are 3-7 in the last 10 games. This might seem quite high as a result, but Milwaukee has earned the benefit of the doubt. They’ve also been missing Brook Lopez basically all season and Khris Middleton has been out just as Jrue Holiday returned. We have to wait and see what a reasonable facsimile of Milwaukee’s team actually looks like.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-6, Last week — 9th)
We touched on Cleveland extensively last week, and the Cavs continue to play solid basketball. They drop a bit after two home losses this week but, in zooming out, Cleveland is 6-2 in the last eight games and there is a lot to like.
14. Philadelphia 76ers (8-6, Last week — 5th)
Much like the Bucks above, the context surrounding the Sixers is necessary. Philly has lost four in a row, but Joel Embiid missed all of those games. When he returns, Philadelphia is a top-10 team, even without Ben Simmons on the floor.
15. Charlotte Hornets (8-7, Last week — 23rd)
It’s been a wild ride for Charlotte. The Hornets have won three in a row after losing five in a row. They bounce back in the rankings as a result, but Charlotte has still been outscored for the season. It’s tough to get a read on how good they are right now.
16. Los Angeles Lakers (8-7, Last week — 14th)
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The Lakers are 4-2 with LeBron and 4-5 without him. Los Angeles hasn’t fall off completely, to their credit, but the schedule has been loaded with home games and it isn’t as if the Lakers are lighting the world on fire. Of note, Russell Westbrook has a 49.8 percent true shooting mark right now, and that’s not going to work.
17. Boston Celtics (7-7, Last week — 19th)
Jaylen Brown hasn’t played in almost two weeks and the Celtics have stayed afloat and more. Boston is 5-2 in the last seven, and Brown’s return can only help when it occurs. Boston’s profile is basically of a .500 team right now, but there isn’t great shame in that.
18. Atlanta Hawks (6-9, Last week — 22nd)
Atlanta’s schedule is at least partially responsible for the slow start. The Hawks lost six in a row early in November, but all six losses came to quality teams, and Atlanta just rebounded with two wins at home. The loss of De’Andre Hunter for eight weeks may hurt the Hawks, but they are better than their current record.
19. Portland Trail Blazers (7-8, Last week — 17th)
Portland is 6-1 at home and 1-7 on the road. The Blazers also play 18 of the next 25 games at home, so perhaps they can improve on a 7-8 overall record through 15 games.
20. Memphis Grizzlies (7-7, Last week — 15th)
Seeing Houston cures a lot of ills. The Grizzlies lost four of five but returned home and blasted the Rockets by 34 points on Monday. The record may not show it, but Memphis is 24th in net rating and really struggling on defense.
21. Toronto Raptors (7-8, Last week — 18th)
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Toronto has dropped five out of six following a strong start. The Raptors have been better offensively than defensively this season, which defies their personnel, and Toronto allowed 127 points to Detroit over the weekend. That might be a warning sign.
22. Indiana Pacers (6-9, Last week — 20th)
After a 1-6 start and a bunch of narrow losses, the Pacers are 5-3. That is probably closer to the true talent level of this Indiana team, and they picked up nice wins over Utah and Philadelphia this week.
23. Sacramento Kings (6-8, Last week — 21st)
The Kings have been brutal in close games, and that was part of the reason they lost four in a row last week. Sacramento did defeat Detroit, in lopsided fashion, on Monday, and that helps the profile look better. There was also reported pressure on Luke Walton, and perhaps that effort was a coach-saving response.
24. San Antonio Spurs (4-9, Last week — 24th)
San Antonio’s four wins haven’t come against great competition. San Antonio also hasn’t suffered many (any?) blowout losses. That’s the recipe for a +0.6 net rating and a 4-9 record. It remains to be seen if the Spurs are more tied to their record or point differential.
25. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-8, Last week — 27th)
The odds of Oklahoma City winning four games in a row at any point this season seemed to be off the charts, but it happened. Granted, the Thunder are 0-2 since then, but OKC has been league-average defensively and that helps in avoiding the absolute basement of the league.
26. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-9, Last week — 25th)
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Minnesota’s hot start seems far away now. The Wolves were 3-1 but are just 1-8 since then with a bottom-five offense during that nine-game swoon. It remains bizarre that the Wolves are better on defense than offense right now, but the whole package isn’t working at the highest level through 13 games.
27. Detroit Pistons (3-10, Last week — 30th)
The Pistons are 2-2 in the last four games. That was enough to force a three-spot bump. Detroit is still a bottom-three offense and the team with the worst shooting efficiency in the league, but there is a reason the Pistons weren’t supposed to be quite as bad as Houston and Orlando.
28. Orlando Magic (3-11, Last week — 26th)
Orlando has been out-scored by 10.0 points per 100 possessions. It’s not good. The Magic did score well against the Hawks on Monday, even if they couldn’t get stops, and Cole Anthony’s 29-point effort pushed him above 20 points per game for the season. That’s a bright spot, if nothing else.
29. New Orleans Pelicans (2-13, Last week — 29th)
The Pelicans (still) have the excuse that Zion is out, and the New Orleans did get a win over Memphis this weekend. In a less positive view, the Pelicans are the league’s worst defensive team, but Brandon Ingram is back and that should help the Pelicans be more competitive overall.
30. Houston Rockets (1-13, Last week — 28th)
On Oct. 22, the Rockets smashed the Thunder by a 23-point margin. Houston hasn’t won since, losing 12 straight and posting a -13.6 net rating during that skid. It’s really, really ugly right now for the Rockets, even if they still have some talent.
Don’t Look Up is one of the most star-studded films in recent memory. The cast begins with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence (in her first movie since Dark Phoenix) as “two low-level astronomers who must go on a giant media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth.” But there’s also Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Ron Perlman, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi), Cate Blanchett, Himesh Patel, and Meryl Streep as the president.
If Meryl Steep is the “and,” that’s a pretty good cast. You can watch the trailer above.
Adam McKay, who wrote and directed the apocalyptic satire, called working on the screenplay “one of those strangest experiences I’ve ever had. The strangest thing about this movie was writing it, casting it, and then seeing a lot of the elements come true, and then wondering: do you even make the movie?” He added, “There was this moment where I realized it was all about how we’ve befouled, broken, profitized, pornographicized our lines of communication, the way we actually talk to each other. That was the moment where I was like, Oh, we definitely have to make that and I wrote all the cast and they were all like, ‘Oh, yeah – Now more than ever.’”
Finding a place to stay in Louisville isn’t all that hard, especially if you want to stay right on Whiskey Row. There are, however, a few places that do stand out. One such place is Hotel Distil (part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection). This is where you should stay if you’re in town to drink whiskey, soak up everything else Louisville has to offer, and eat some of the best food in the city.
Before we dive in, this hotel is right in the middle of Whiskey Row in Louisville. That makes it a foregone conclusion that you’ll be visiting the many distilleries mere steps away. Hell, Old Forester is literally next door. Within just a few blocks along Main Street, you can hit up Evan Williams, Angel’s Envy, Rabbit Hole, Michter’s Fort Nelson, and Kentucky Peerless Distilling with a hell of a lot more within another few blocks. Then a short drive west and you’ll be in Shivley where Stitzel-Weller (Diageo), Brown-Forman, Michter’s, and a Heaven Hill outpost sits. So, we’re going to focus on a few other attractions around Louisville below. Becasue, let’s face it, you can only drink so much whiskey before you need a break.
Okay, with that out of the way, let’s dive into why Hotel Distil in Louisville is one of the hotels we love!
As we mentioned above, this is where you want to stay if you’re in Louisville for whiskey. Walk out of the front door and there are about half-a-dozen options depending on if you turn left or right along Main, and they’re all within walking distance. For a city like Louisville, that’s pretty crucial as the Uber and Lyft scenes aren’t that great (the apps work, but you’ll need a fair amount of patience).
But all of that is outside the hotel. The hotel is actually a pretty rad destination on its own. The bar/restaurant just off the lobby, Repeal Oak-Fired Steakhouse, is a spot where hip locals and travelers in the know go for fantastic food. This leads us to…
IN-HOUSE FOOD + DRINK:
Hotel Distil
You’ll want to make a reservation for Repeal Oak-Fired Steakhouse when you book your room. First and foremost, get their dinner rolls. They’re not on the menu but they’re the best bread I’ve ever had in my life. And I’ve been to the best boulangeries in Paris and tandoori ovens in Delhi and have baked my own bread in ancient ovens in Tangier. These dinner rolls beat all of that. They’re the softest, buttteriest, stretchiest dinner rolls I’ve ever tasted. They feel like grandma’s house on a snowy Christmas morning. The word is, they let these rolls ferment for over five days before they’re baked with just the right amount of salt and butter. These are truly what bread is meant to be. I’ve gone back to Repeal and just ordered the dinner rolls and a glass of whiskey and sat at the bar and unabashedly enjoyed the whole plate to myself.
There’s also an excellent menu built around Euro-American classics. The Oysters Rockafeller is a must (pictured below) alongside the Oak-fired Heirloom Carrots, a ridiculously huge Wedge Salad with a cow’s-tongue-sized slice of in-house smoked and cured bacon, and the Steak Tartar … all must-haves.
Then there are the steaks. Generally speaking, I don’t get too excited for cuts like sirloin or strip, but between the bespoke rub, the fire fueled with oak whiskey staves, and the quality of the beef, these steaks were damn near perfect. I was also able to order by calling out the internal temp I wanted for my steak and the server (and chef) didn’t miss a step.
All of this is before we even get to the drinks. It goes without saying that the whiskey collection at Repeal’s bar is stellar. Grab an Eagle Rare Old Fashioned to start things off. They’re about $25 but 100 percent worth it. Then check their deep wine menu for your dinner pairing. Finally, if you’re feeling saucy, you can get a Pappy pour from $50 to $85.
Lastly, each evening, the hotel staff serves large pours of J.T.S. Brown Bourbon in the lobby for … free. If you’re hanging around the bar between six and eight, just listen for the big bell to ring in the lobby and mosey over. Just make sure to leave a good tip.
AMENITIES:
Hotel Distil
Air conditioning
Alarm clock
Complimentary WiFi
Coffee maker/tea service
Crib, on request
Individual climate control
In-room dining, on request
Iron and ironing board
Hairdryer
Valet Parking: $32.00 daily
24-Hour Fitness Center
Maximum of 2 pets per room, $100 non-refundable pet fee includes bourbon barrel dog bed, Pupjoy treat box, and Hotel Distil toy
ROOM TYPES:
Hotel Distil
The standard rooms come with either two queens or one king, a small bar cart (and minibar), a work desk, coffee machine, plenty of closet space, and a well-fitted bathroom with tiles and decent fixtures.
One step up, and you can get yourself a Corner King which has the same amenities but a view over the Ohio River or Louisville from a corner window. There’s a little more room and a proper seating place with a small couch and chair.
The top tier is the Connessuir Suite which has quite a bit more space with a proper seating area, a full wet/bourbon bar, a larger bathroom with a view, and just more space to stretch out in.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15 MINUTE WALK:
Ali Center
We already talked about the whiskey plenty above. So, take a little time to hit up the Muhammad Ali Center. It’s a short walk from the hotel and won’t take up too much of an afternoon. Even if you’re not into boxing, the Center does a great job telling the story of Ali’s many other achievements in life and how deep his impact truly has been for both Louisville and the world.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A $10 CAB RIDE:
Derby Museum
A great way to spend an evening away from Whiskey Row is at Churchill Downs. The iconic race track has races happening most nights. You can post up in the bleachers with a mint julep in hand and bet on the ponies all night (there’ll be around a dozen races).
If you’re not into the gambling aspect, you can also go during the day. There’s a tour of the facilities, a museum, restaurants, and you can even pay to ride some horse around the legendary track. No matter what you choose, it’s a nice change of pace.
BED GAME:
Hotel Distil
7/10 — Overall, these are just Marriott beds. They’re fine and perfectly comfortable but still have the stiffness you get from Marriott’s line. Let’s just say that thread counts and down-sourcing are not at the top of the list when making these beds.
SEXINESS RATING:
Hotel Distil
8/10 — The bar scene at Repeal is pretty lively most nights. You can definitely meet either a local or tourist if you post up at the bar and order a cocktail or whiskey pour. The rooftop bar, Bitter Ends, also has a lively scene that runs a little longer in the summer months.
That being said, the restaurant definitely leans more towards couples out for a night on the town.
INSTAGRAMABILITY:
Hotel Distil
10/10 — If you want that perfect shot of an expertly made cocktail, this is the spot. The lighting is generally pretty good at the bar for drinks but fades nicely away at the edge of the bar, allowing for more atmospheric lighting over the seats. The staff is all in white shirts and bowties, adding to the mystique of the place. Plus, the food is super photogenic.
BEST SEASON TO VISIT:
Hotel Distil
Generally speaking, late summer/early fall is probably high on the list as that’s when whiskey festivals take place. Plus, Louder Than Life happens around the end of summer (usually) in case you want to see some serious metal bands in between whiskey tours.
Otherwise, you can really hit Whiskey Row and Hotel Distil year-round.
IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:
Hotel Distil
The rooms do have a twinge of corporate-ness to them. It’s not as blank as a standard Marriott, but it’s still there. Muted colors, matte art, and plastic coffee machines don’t really add up to much. The rooms are very comfortable in an average sort of way, which gets the job done. Look at it this way, the bar scene and food more than make up for any fault I have in the greyness of the rooms.
The F*ck Love era has been prosperous for The Kid Laroi, and now, the rapper officially brings it to an end with a video for the Mustard-featuring “Still Chose You.” He announced the conclusion of the F*ck Love era in a letter she shared on social media today.
In the message, he explained why he shared today’s video, saying, “I know that record is a fan favorite, so I felt that it was only right for that to be the video that finally closes the ‘F*ck Love’ era.”
He also noted that he’s gearing up to take a break, saying, “Last week I went on a small vacation for the first time in a while. During that time I started thinking, and I made the decision that I need to take some time away from everything and focus on the next project; my debut album. I’m going to miss you all beyond words can describe, but I do believe that this is what I need to do to give you all the best music possible.”
Laroi ended the message by promising to be “back soon.”
Watch the “Still Chose You” video above and and check out Laroi’s full letter below.
“To my beloved fans,
I hope you all enjoy the ‘Still Chose You’ video! I know that record is a fan favorite, so I felt that it was only right for that to be the video that finally closes the ‘F*ck Love’ era.
It’s been a wild year to say the least. Seeing the impact of the project and hearing about how it’s helped and changed so many peoples lives is f*ckin’ beautiful — but also incredibly surreal. It’s the reason why I do this sh*t. My life has also changed so much this past year because of it and I owe I owe it all to every single one of you. There is no way I will ever be able to repay you.
Last week I went on a small vacation for the first time in a while. During that time I started thinking, and I made the decision that I need to take some time away from everything and focus on the next project; my debut album. I’m going to miss you all beyond words can describe, but I do believe that this is what I need to do to give you all the best music possible.
In order to attain creative ownership of her back catalog, Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums: 2006’s Taylor Swift, 2008’s Fearless, 2010’s Speak Now, 2012’s Red, 2014’s 1989, and 2017’s Reputation. Fearless was the debut installment in the “Taylor’s Version” series, followed by Red. We’ve already ranked the 50 best Swift songs; now we’re doing the same for every “From the Vault” song. “From the Vault” is Swift’s designation for previously unreleased songs. That means the re-recorded tracks and songs we’ve heard before, like “The Other Side of the Door” on Fearless and “Ronan” on Red, are not eligible. We’ll update every time there’s a new Taylor’s Version album.
With the fine print out of the way, it’s time to put on your scarf and read on.
15. “Run” (w/ Ed Sheeran)
I was lucky enough to attend the world premiere of “All Too Well: The Short Film” at a movie theater in New York City last week. We cheered, we cried, we booed J*ke. But before the film debuted, a playlist of the same seven or eight Taylor songs played on a loop. I like “22” as much as the next happy, free, confused, and lonely guy, but not a half-dozen times in 90 minutes. Still, much of the crowd, myself included, found ourselves singing along to “State Of Grace” and “Holy Ground” even though we heard them 20 minutes ago (and 20 minutes before that), because those are great songs. The only song that didn’t get a pop from the 400-strong crowd every time was “Run.” It was met with indifference. Among Red songs with Ed Sheeran, stick with “Everything Has Changed.”
14. “Babe”
“Babe” is one of the final country songs that Swift wrote before transitioning to full-blown pop (and her only songwriting credit with Train lead singer Patrick Monahan), but she declined to include it on Red. Instead, she offered her “promises, promises” to country duo Sugarland, who turned it into a Billboard-charting hit with Swift on guest vocals. She’s the lead vocalist on the “Babe” that’s included on Red (Taylor’s Version), though, and while there’s some fun new flourishes in the production, like the trumpets, it’s not different enough from Sugarland’s version to really stand out.
13. “That’s When” (w/ Keith Urban)
I have a confession to make: many of Taylor’s colloborations with other featured artists don’t do it for me. Please respect my privacy in this time, but “Breathe” ft. Colbie Caillat, “Everything Has Changed” ft. Ed Sheeran, “Bad Blood” ft. Kendrick Lamar, “End Game” ft. Sheeran and Future, and “Me!” ft. Brendon Urie rank among the least impressive songs in Swift’s prolific catalogue. She course-corrected on Folklore (Bon Iver) and Evermore (Haim, the National, more Bon Iver), but “That’s When,” an endearing throwback that Swift sings with country music legend Keith Urban (she opened for him during the Fearless era), is no “Coney Island.” It’s also not as bad as “End Game.” It’s a fine song that fails to leave much of an impression.
12. “The Very First Night”
From here on out, every “From the Vault” track is all killer, no filler, beginning with the starry-eyed anthem “The Very First Night.” You can practically picture Swift smiling in the recording studio while singing, “I wish I could fly / I’d pick you up and we’d go back in time / I’d write this in the sky / I miss you like it was the very first night.” “The Very First Night” was written for Red, but it has the youthful, dancing-around-your-childhood-bedroom exuberance of Speak Now.
11. “You All Over Me” (w/ Maren Morris)
“You All Over Me” is a sweet little song (and a prequel to 1989 closer “Clean”) with maybe the most Taylor Swift chorus ever:
And I lived, and I learned, had you, got burned
Held out, and held on
God knows, too long, and wasted time
Lost tears, swore that I’d get out of here
But no amount of freedom gets you clean
I’ve still got you all over me
Holding onto a relationship for too long? Unable to completely shake the person you once loved? Crying? Couldn’t be every Taylor Swift fan.
10. “We Were Happy”
If you removed the line about “your daddy’s farm,” “We Were Happy” could effortlessly slide onto Folklore and Evermore and no one would notice. Heck, make it the B-side to “Happiness” and call it The “Happy” Songs That Will Break Your Heart collection. The tender ballad about a future that could have been with a former lover highlights Swift’s maturity as a songwriter even when she was still a teenager (look at this demo CD!). “Oh, I hate those voices telling me I’m not in love anymore,” she sings in the bridge. “But they don’t give me choices and that’s what these tears are for.”
9. “Forever Winter”
For someone as meticulous as Taylor Swift, it’s thrilling when it feels like a “mistake” slipped through the cracks. I use that word in quotes because nothing on Red (Taylor’s Version), or any of her albums, is an actual mistake, but listen to the way Swift’s voice cracks during the pleading chorus to “Forever Winter” — she would not have allowed this “mistake” to make the final product 10 years ago. But Swift is now more confident in her vulnerability, and her perfectly imperfect vocals add texture to a wounded song about a partner’s mental health struggles.
8. “I Bet You Think About Me” (w/ Chris Stapleton)
Reputation is Swift’s I Drink Now album, but “I Bet You Think About Me” will go down as one of her best drinking songs. “We wanted to kind of make people laugh with it, and we wanted it to be sort of a drinking song,” she said about her duet with country music star Chris Stapleton. “I think that that’s what it ended up being.” It begins the way all the best drinking songs do: sh*t talking an ex- in the wee small hours of the morning. “3 a.m. and I’m still awake, I’ll bet you’re just fine / Fast asleep in your city that’s better than mine / And the girl in your bed has a fine pedigree / And I’ll bet your friends tell you she’s better than me, huh,” she sings, sounding more sarcastic than hurt. Personally, I can’t think of a better last call drinking partner to kvetch about your old flame with than Stapleton.
7. “Bye Bye Baby”
There’s a theory among Swift fans that “Bye Bye Baby” was left off Fearless because it sounded too much like “Goodbye To You,” the third single from Michelle Branch’s pop-rock classic The Spirit Room. I have no idea whether this is true, but we do know that “Bye Bye Baby” was originally titled “One Thing” (or “The One Thing”), and the lyrics were reworked for Fearless (Taylor’s Version). It takes a bit to get going, but it’s worth it for the build, especially the moment in the final chorus when the music comes to a halt so Taylor can vamp.
6. “Nothing New” (w/ Phoebe Bridgers)
It’s no shock that “Nothing New” is devastatingly lovely. But it is surprising how it sounds like a Phoebe Bridgers song with Taylor Swift, rather than a Taylor Swift song with Phoebe Bridgers. “How long will it be cute / All this crying in my room / Whеn you can’t blame it on my youth / And roll your eyes with affеction?” has a haunting specificity that would fit at home on Bridgers’ remarkable debut album, Stranger In The Alps.
But the song it most closely resembles in terms of subject matter is Red standout “The Lucky One,” which tells the story of a singer who chose “the rose garden over Madison Square” and “got the hell out,” and Swift understanding her decision once she reached the same level of fame. Swift wrote “Nothing New” in 2012 as an anxious critique of a culture that quickly moves on from female “ingénue” to another. But it hits differently in 2021: Swift no longer fears sharing the spotlight. She happily trades verses with Bridgers, one of her “favorite artists in the world.”
5. “Better Man”
Every version of “Better Man” is great. The Little Big Town single that won a Grammy, a CMA Award, and a CMT Music Award is great. The leaked demo is great. The Red (Taylor’s Version) cut is great (and a great choice the next time you’re looking for a song to sing-scream along to during a late-night drive). But my favorite performance of “Better Man” — and one of my favorite Taylor performances, period — comes from Bluebird, a documentary about the famed Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. Her voice has rarely sounded as powerful as it does here (it’s even better without a certain someone else in it).
4. “Don’t You”
Of all the “From the Vault” songs so far, “Don’t You” is the one I most wish we could hear what it originally sounded like. In its Taylor’s Version form, it sounds more at home on the synth-heavy 1989 than Fearless’ country-pop. “Sometimes, I really wish that I could hate you / I’ve tried, but that’s just something’ I can’t do,” Swift sings over dreamy synths. It’s a shame “Don’t You” was buried — it has all the makings of a yearning fan favorite. But it’s already a favorite of this fan.
3. “Message In A Bottle”
Red (Taylor’s Version) has only been out for a few days, but I’m ready to make a bold prediction: “Message in a Bottle” will go down as one of Taylor’s best bops. It’s a peppy blast with a hook that will burrow its way in your brain. Unsurprisingly, the ear worm was co-written by Shellback and pop music mastermind Max Martin, the team behind Red singles “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “22,” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” as well as much of 1989. It was the first song she worked on with them — and one of their best.
2. “Mr. Perfectly Fine”
One thing that I think about a lot — inarguably too much — is the setlist for Swift’s next tour. The last time she hit the road, it was three years ago for Reputation. Since then, she’s released five albums: the rainbow-colored pop of Lover; the lost-in-the-woods folk of Folklore and Evermore; and re-recordings of Fearless and Red. That’s a lot of albums to tour for at once! Will we ever hear “The Story Of Us” live again? There’s going to be a lot of tough cuts (I’m already bracing myself for the disappointment of not hearing “Cornelia Street”), but one song that better make the final setlist is “Mr. Perfectly Fine.”
It was casually cruel of Taylor to not include “Mr. Perfectly Fine” on Fearless. It’s one of her best songs from any era, with an intoxicating hook and unforgettable kiss-off chorus: “Hello, Mr. Perfectly Fine / How’s your heart after breaking mine?” The way she sings “the best seat, in the best room” with a scoff gets me every time. “Mr. Perfectly Fine” proved that her “From The Vault” songs weren’t left off the original albums because they weren’t good enough; they are more than perfectly fine.
1. “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)”
The first time I listened to “All Too Well (10-Minute Version),” I gasped. It happened during the second verse, which begins familiarly enough with Swift recounting how a certain Oscar-nominated actor’s mom told her stories about when he was on the tee ball team — and then came the swerve. “And you were tossing me the car keys, ‘fuck the patriarchy’ / Key chain on the ground, we were always skipping town.” Gasp.
“All Too Well” is Swift’s best song, so what else could number one be? I already spent hundreds of words describing the power this anthem has over people, and “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” is nearly as perfect as “All Too Well.” This thing is still a masterpiece, she did not tear it all up. But it evokes a different mood than the original. “All Too Well” is cathartic and dramatic, like Swift is past the worst of the pain. It’s reflective. But on “All Too Well (10-Minute Version),” she’s still in the middle of the hurt and sounds pissed off. “Some actress asking me what happened, you / That’s what happened, you” is a fantastic burn. So is, “And I was never good at telling jokes, but the punch line goes, I’ll get older, but your lovers stay my age.” Another gasp.
“All Too Well” makes me cry. “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” makes me [Taylor voice] want to die.
Prepare yourself for either the most delightful or frustrating thing you’ll watch all day.
During Monday night’s episode of The Ingraham Angle, host and Big Bird skeptic Laura Ingraham and Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo were discussing “all those woke storylines in so many shows today” when Arroyo mentioned that he recently watched an episode of Netflix’s hit series You that had to do with measles. “Wait wait wait, when did I mention measles?” Ingraham interrupted. Arroyo clarified that he wasn’t referring to “you,” as in Laura Ingraham, but “You” the show, but this cleared nothing up.
Ingraham: “What was on me? What are you talking about? I never had the measles.”
Arroyo: “… the vaccine episode was on You.”
Ingraham: “We never did a measles and vaccine episode. Is this a joke?”
Arroyo: “I know! It was on You. It was on You!”
Ingraham: “I’ve never had… Raymond, I’ve never had measles.”
It went on like this for awhile before a fed-up Arroyo clarified, “There’s a show called You on Netflix.” Ingraham was still confused, replying, “There’s a show called Laura Ingraham on Netflix?” That’s when he gave up. If it was a bit, Abbot and Costello would be proud (it was probably a bit). If it wasn’t, God help us all.
Abbott: Who is on first! Costello: I’m asking YOU who’s on first. Abbott: That’s the man’s name. Costello: That’s who’s name? Abbott: Yes. Costello: Well go ahead and tell me. Abbott: That’s it. Costello: That’s who? Abbott: Yes.
Not long into Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a badass Jackie Chan-esque fight scene breaks out on a bus where audiences and, a stunned Awkwafina, learn for the first time that Simu Liu‘s title character can freaking throw down. It’s easily one of the best action scenes Marvel has ever produced, as the impressive sequence combines a full-on brawl with a runaway transit vehicle. However, it’s that last part that’s been blowing up after Shang-Chi hit Disney+ over the weekend.
Following the film’s streaming release, an actual bus driver laid down a viral thread where he fact-checked the fight scene and added some hilarious commentary that Disney should immediately snatch up and put on the Blu-ray release. This thing had everything from a lesson to how many brakes are on a public transit vehicle (spoiler: a lot) as well as the importance of mirrors.
Right out of the gate, Marvel gets props for the authenticity of the vehicle, but the driver can’t help but notice that this particular bus is way off route.
In what will become a recurring theme, the driver says that as soon as the first punch is thrown, he would’ve already been hitting the brakes and shutting these shenanigans. As for passengers just sitting there filming the whole thing? Painfully real.
In fact, here’s a whole lesson on air brake systems. Enjoy.
The spring brake held open by air pressure. If there is no pressure, the brake is applied, and the wheels will not turn. Air brakes have a warning, that is audible as a very loud, continuous buzzer, whenever the air pressure drops below a certain threshold.
The driver also dinged the driver in the movie for not using his mirror and looking back at the fight. Although, in his defense, it was a pretty sick fight.
This helps us keep our attention on steering the bus, to avoid cars that will definitely make illegal left turns in front of us all day every day. Powell and California. pic.twitter.com/W4fZVmzUgX
After our heroes successfully bring the bus in for a landing, the driver in the film is almost definitely fired. But don’t worry, he’ll land on his feet, and more importantly, he’s learned a valuable lesson. When a superhero fight breaks out on your route, hit the damn brakes.
Unfortunately I think this guy isn’t going to keep his job as a bus operator, though. I’m glad he’s ok, that was a nasty knock he took. Let’s hope he lands on his feet. Maybe he’ll drive charters? pic.twitter.com/eDjZebxTPM
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