Zack Snyder, who recently released his four-hour cut of Justice League on HBO Max, has a new zombie film, Army of the Dead, on the way later this month for Netflix. He appeared on Justin Long’s podcast this week and gave a candid hour-long interview. Snyder spoke to the family tragedy that initially led to his departure of Justice League, and while he didn’t speak to the controversy surrounding Joss Whedon, he reiterated that he still hasn’t seen Whedon’s version after his wife and Christopher Nolan warned him off of it, fearing it would turn him into a “disgruntled employee.”
Interestingly, he did speak to why he had enough footage to make a four-hour cut, and some of that had to do with the backlash he received from “bloggers” and social media from Batman vs. Superman. He explained to Long that Warner Brothers had wanted Snyder to make nice with the new generation of “bloggers” or “gate keepers” on Twitter by inviting them onto the set “and get them to like you by showing them that you’re making it funnier.” It was a “dog and pony” show that he “hated,” but he went along with it because that’s what the studio wanted. However, he “passive aggressively” continued to shoot additional scenes for his own version of Justice League, which is why he had so much footage from which to choose when he put together the Snyder Cut.
Another “passive aggressive” addition he made to Justice League, meanwhile, were a number of Easter Eggs referencing Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead, a novel that Snyder has long loved.
Thematically speaking, Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead is about individualism versus collectivism, which provided the seed to Rand’s Objectivist movement, which is “the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.” It is not a particularly popular movement in 2021 among the “bloggers” and “gatekeepers,” of which Zack Snyder spoke, which is why Snyder won’t be directing the movie anytime soon.
“It’s a book that is so politically charged,” Snyder said to Long, “that we need a more liberal government to do The Fountainhead so that everyone won’t freak out or something.” Here’s more:
“To me, it’s like, if you’re a filmmaker, you sort of understand if you’re looking at it from that lens, building a building (the subject of The Fountainhead) and making a movie are very similar. You’re making little compromises constantly. Maybe one story less, and it’ll be very good. Does it really need all those fancy window frames? Maybe just make the windows. You wanted a mansion, and you end up with something that sort of looks like a house. For me, that’s always what The Fountainhead was about. For a lot of people, it’s a big political thing, but for me it’s not so much about that.”
In making Justice League, Snyder compared himself to Howard Roark, the intractable protagonist of The Fountainhead, “only we said yes. We compromised. We’re the least Roarkian filmmakers ever. And that’s fine. That’s reality.”
The other reality, of course, is that the political climate right now cannot sustain a big studio-backed version of The Fountainhead and until there is a more firmly established liberal government, progressive America is not ready for a film based on a novel that espouses individual happiness at the expense of the collective.
Andrew Garfield has finally spoken about the persistent rumors that his version of Spider-Man will make an appearance alongside Tobey Maguire in the upcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home, which has been believed — but never confirmed — to contain some form of multiverse shenanigans. During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, a very animated Garfield did his best to downplay the rumors, at least as far as he’s aware
After being asked about the Far From Home rumors by host Josh Horowitz who didn’t want to “ruin” the surprise, Garfield immediately stopped him and said, “There isn’t anything to ruin, bro!” before revealing that he has a secret Twitter account where he’s been watching Marvel fans get themselves worked up about Garfield’s alleged cameo.
“It’s so crazy. Dude, it’s f*cking hilarious to me,” Garfield said. “I have this Twitter account, and I see how often Spider-Man is trending and it’s people freaking out about a thing. I wish I could just say to everyone, ‘I recommend that you chill.’”
“I ain’t got a call,” Garfield said before likening the experience to the childhood games Werewolf or Mafia, where you have to convince someone that you’re not a werewolf or in the Mafia. When asked point blank by Horowitz if the rumors are true, Garfield responded, “I feel like I’ve already said that” before further clarifying, “I did not get a call.” He did, however, (jokingly?) leave a smidge of room that some call might happen down the road. “Maybe they’re going to call me and say, ‘Hey, people want this!’ Maybe it’s a market research thing,” Garfield offered.
Jay-Z fans on Twitter are debating one of the rapper’s biggest hits a tweet from The Source‘s account asserted that Jay “regrets” making “Big Pimpin’,” the third single from his 1999 album Vol. 3… Life And Times Of S. Carter. The Source‘s tweet linked to an article on the magazine’s website which interpreted a quote from a 2010 Wall Street Journal interview to mean that Jay took a negative view of his old song. However, upon realizing the quote in question was over a decade old, fans quickly decried the article and the tweet as “clickbait.”
This is being reported as new when it’s actually from a 2010 Wall Street Journal interview where JAY-Z talked about his book Decoded and his songwriting. No where did he say he regrets making “Big Pimpin'”
However, that didn’t stop the tweet from generating conversation, as Jay’s fans chimed in on his imagined reaction to his own lyrics, as well on The Source‘s out-of-context reporting. Some compared Jay’s older lyrics to his new ones, stating they preferred when Jay was “Big Pimpin’” alongside Bun B and Pimp C of UGK to the Jay-Z who makes deals with the NFL and raps about his big business moves like selling Tidal to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
Others agreed with the sentiment that Jay’s view must have changed over time. As one pointed out, since 2000, Jay has gotten married, had three kids, and changed his outlook on everything from fashion to his role in politics. Some thought “cancel culture” had finally come for him.
Jay-Z is 51 year old married father of 3 kids, it makes sense for him to regret Big Pimpin. It’s still my favorite hit single from him though.
And while the quote in question is still difficult to put into context — after all, it’s just a written quote, and Jay’s notoriously sarcastic in interviews, besides his rapper’s penchant for using metaphorical language to describe a point of view that can get lost in translation in a different format — it’s still proof positive that Jay is still one of the most foremost figures in hip-hop. See more of the polarized responses to Jay’s old quote below, and read the full interview here.
Thug em, fuck em, love em, leave em cuz I dont fuckin need em is poetry ok https://t.co/5Ec6JLIZIK
Jay-Z while performing “Big Pimpin'” on his next arena tour: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, again. Make some noise for misogyny, y’all.” https://t.co/7UrmwyhS6t
The Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets will meet for the second time in three days on Tuesday evening, with a national TV audience taking in the festivities. Even without James Harden active and available, the matchup should be highly intriguing and, if nothing else, the Bucks and Nets are jockeying for playoff positioning as the stretch run of the regular season arrives. In fact, the Bucks-Nets doubleheader doubles as a pivot point for discussion on the top of the East, as a trio of teams have separated from the pack for quite some time.
The Philadelphia 76ers join the Bucks and Nets at the top of the heap, and those three squads have almost fallen out of the consciousness in some circles, especially as the race for the No. 4 through No. 10 spots in the conference emerges. Still, conventional wisdom dictates that the East’s representative in the 2021 NBA Finals is (highly) likely to come from this group, and as they jockey for position down the stretch, securing the top spot will help ensure one of them that they won’t have to deal with both of the others.
Philadelphia is on an active five-game winning streak to secure the top spot in the East with seven games to go. The team’s recent winning binge has not come against high-level competition but, at the same time, the 76ers are seemingly rounding into form. On top of that, Philadelphia’s peripheral statistics are very encouraging when they have all of their key pieces available, headlined by an on-court net rating of more than 11 points per 100 possessions when Joel Embiid plays. On paper, they’re the favorites to take the 1-seed if for no other reason than a soft closing schedule with only the Heat as a top-8 team in either conference remaining.
Milwaukee got the best of Brooklyn in their Sunday matchup and, if the Bucks win the rematch, they could potentially chase down the Nets for the No. 2 spot. More practically, though, the Bucks seem destined for the No. 3 seed, and they have spent large portions of the 2020-21 season stepping out of their comfort zone. There is no question that a group featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, coached by Mike Budenholzer, can win at a high level in the regular season. However, the addition of Jrue Holiday raises Milwaukee’s playoff ceiling, and they have tinkered with switching defenses and approaches that vary from Budenholzer’s oft-criticized “Moneyball” approach on both ends.
Finally, the Nets are essentially on pace to set the record for offensive rating, putting up more than 1.17 points per possession through 65 games. That is a clear indication of Brooklyn’s ridiculously potent attack, but things get even scarier when realizing Kevin Durant (28 games), Harden (34 games) and Kyrie Irving (48 games) have been in and out of the lineup. It would be unwise to even pretend to concern troll on Brooklyn’s offense, but injury questions are real and, even with the most efficient offense in history, the Nets could be theoretically vulnerable on the defensive end in a playoff environment when teams can scheme against them with vigor.
From a regular season standpoint, much of the attention is on the non-elite teams in the East as they battle for positioning. On one hand, teams like Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Milwaukee might want to avoid the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat, simply because those teams are proven entities that could be dangerous in the postseason. In contrast, the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks have been better than Boston and Miami this season and, well, things are weird in 2020-21. Still, this isn’t a scenario in which the top three are trying to avoid a team like West contenders may want to do with the Los Angeles Lakers, so mostly it’s about the long game and trying to have homecourt as deep into the playoffs as possible.
The Nets, Bucks and Sixers are now firmly in “nothing matters but the playoffs” mode, and that extends to the health of their key pieces. In the meantime, there is a race for pole position, and all three teams are near the top of our DIME power rankings this week.
1. Phoenix Suns (46-18, Last week — 3rd)
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The last eight days have been stellar for Phoenix. They beat the Knicks on the road, then came home to beat the Clippers and Jazz in pretty impressive fashion. Sunday’s win over the Thunder was more in the “taking care of business” variety, but a four-game winning streak sends Phoenix to the top spot this week. They also have the tiebreaker over the Jazz, which could come in handy in the race for the top seed in the West.
2. Philadelphia 76ers (44-21, Last week — 4th)
To say that Philadelphia is in a good spot would be an understatement. The Sixers put together a stellar, unblemished week, and they now face the easiest remaining schedule in the NBA. Considering they are already atop the East, Philly has to be the frontrunner for the No. 1 seed.
3. Utah Jazz (47-18, Last week — 6th)
Utah lost to Phoenix in decisive fashion earlier this week, which obviously matters when determining the pecking order. On the whole, though, the Jazz have done a solid job weathering injury absences to Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley. Oh, and they still have the NBA’s best record.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (40-24, Last week — 7th)
After Tuesday’s showdown with Brooklyn, the schedule lightens considerably for the Bucks. If they can beat the Nets again, the door will crack open for a push to No. 2 in the East.
5. Brooklyn Nets (43-22, Last week — 2nd)
Everything is still in front of the Nets, and there is no shame in losing to the Bucks in a one-possession game without James Harden. If anything, it could be argued Brooklyn was more impressive than Milwaukee, even in the loss. If the Nets can respond with a win on Tuesday, it should be smooth sailing to the top two.
6. Denver Nuggets (43-22, Last week — 5th)
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Monday’s loss to the LeBron-less Lakers wasn’t great for Denver, but they did win five in a row before that. Nikola Jokic is now the overwhelming betting favorite to win NBA MVP, and they’ve hardly missed a beat without Jamal Murray. That absences almost assuredly will matter more in the playoffs, but it’s a credit to the Nuggets that they’ve been rolling.
7. L.A. Clippers (43-22, Last week — 1st)
Kawhi Leonard has played only once since Apr. 18, but his return on Saturday at least signals positivity in the future. The Clippers lost that game to Denver, though, and they are now on a three-game skid. There is no reason to panic, but it explains the drop.
8. New York Knicks (37-28, Last week — 8th)
This is an unbelievable run by the Knicks. They are 12-1 in the last 13 games, and the only loss came to the No. 1 team on this list. New York still has work to do to secure home-court in the first round of the East playoffs, but it can’t be overstated how impressive this stretch has been. The work only gets tougher for the Knicks from here, as they enter a week or road games with the Nuggets, Suns, Clippers, and Lakers.
9. Atlanta Hawks (36-30, Last week — 9th)
Atlanta was absolutely housed in a two-game set by Philadelphia, but injuries played a big part in that destruction. The Hawks are now healthier than they’ve been in months, and they beat the Blazers pretty comfortably on Monday to keep pressure on the Knicks in the race for No. 4.
10. Miami Heat (35-30, Last week — 16th)
After sitting at .500 in mid-April, the Heat are 7-2 in the last nine games. That shouldn’t be overly noteworthy for the reigning East champs, but Miami finding traction is different (read: better) than what was happening before.
11. Dallas Mavericks (36-28, Last week — 14th)
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Dallas is really good unless they play Sacramento. I know that sentence makes no sense, but the last three losses for the Mavericks have come against the lowly Kings. Fortunately, those defeats are sandwiched between six wins, so Dallas still moved up in the pecking order to 6th out West, but it’s definitely odd.
12. Los Angeles Lakers (37-28, Last week — 10th)
The Lakers salvaged things with an important win over Denver on Monday to jump from 7 to 5 in the West momentarily. Now, they get two days off before a showdown with the Clippers on Thursday, and LeBron James could be back after he missed the win over the Nuggets. Unleash Marc Gasol.
13. Golden State Warriors (33-32, Last week — 12th)
Golden State visits New Orleans (again) on Tuesday. From there, the Warriors finish the season with the final six games at home, which puts them in a good position to be at least the No. 8 seed in the West after moving ahead of Memphis on Monday. Being in that 7/8 game is a notable advantage over the 9/10, and they’ve still got Steph Curry.
14. Washington Wizards (30-35, Last week — 17th)
Russell Westbrook is completely out of his mind. He’s averaging 23.1 points, 12.7 rebounds and 12.5 assists per game since the All-Star break, punctuated by a 14-21-24 game on Monday. Washington generated fifty assists in defeating Indiana, and they are playing extremely well. The 8-seed suddenly isn’t completely out of reach for the Wizards.
15. Portland Trail Blazers (36-29, Last week — 22nd)
The Blazers ran into a schedule loss on Monday night in Atlanta, as they simply couldn’t stop the Hawks on the second night of a back-to-back with travel. Before that, though, Portland won four in a row to strengthen their playoff position. They are just a half-game behind Dallas for the No. 6 spot with a three-game cushion over the Warriors for No. 7. Still, they want out of the play-in and their game with the Lakers on Friday in Portland is for the tiebreaker between those two.
16. Boston Celtics (34-31, Last week — 11th)
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Boston is truly baffling. They technically went 2-2 this week, but one of those losses came at home to the Thunder (!?) and the other was a disappointing home showing against Portland. It’s just hard to trust much right now as they slide into the play-in.
17. Memphis Grizzlies (32-32, Last week — 15th)
Memphis remains in solid shape through the lens of the play-in, but it was a rough week. The Grizzlies have lost four of the last five, and the only win came against Orlando… right before Memphis lost the rematch to the Magic.
18. Charlotte Hornets (31-33, Last week — 18th)
It seems for all the world as if the Hornets will stay in the No. 8 slot in the East. That means a play-in challenge, but they do have LaMelo Ball back with at least faint optimism about Gordon Hayward. For now, they are largely treading water, but with a game advantage on Indiana and 1.5 games on Washington, that’s what’s needed.
19. Toronto Raptors (27-38, Last week — 20th)
Because the Wizards keep winning and winning, the Raptors’ latest surge is going largely unnoticed. They are still three games out of the play-in, meaning they have a tall hill to climb, but the Raptors are 6-4 in the last ten games. It’s not impossible they could be playing meaningful games next week.
20. New Orleans Pelicans (29-36, Last week — 23rd)
New Orleans still trails San Antonio (see below) for the final play-in spot, and they aren’t likely to close that gap. The Pelicans are 4-3 in the last seven games, though, and Zion Williamson continues to be out of his mind. If they get hot, it’s not impossible to catch the Spurs if for no other reason than scheduling.
21. San Antonio Spurs (31-33, Last week — 13th)
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The Spurs have lost four in a row. The Spurs also have the most difficult remaining schedule in the NBA. That is an ugly combination, but San Antonio does have a cushion to fall back on as they pursue the play-in. That helps considerably, but they have to find a couple wins somewhere, which is going to be hard to do.
22. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-45, Last week — 26th)
Minnesota came within a whisker of an active five-game winning streak, dropping an overtime decision to New Orleans on Saturday. There is certainly a debate on whether it’s good for the Wolves to win right now for draft purposes, but they are a lot more competitive lately. Perhaps that signals optimism for the future.
23. Sacramento Kings (27-37, Last week — 25th)
The Kings beat the Mavericks (twice) and Lakers in the last eight days. That is already noteworthy, but Sacramento won those three games without De’Aaron Fox. Good luck figuring that out.
24. Indiana Pacers (30-34, Last week — 19th)
This week was wild for the Pacers. On the positive side, they beat the Thunder by approximately 200 points. That’s helpful for the net rating. From there, though, Indiana lost its other three games by 21, 17 and 13 points, respectively. Defensively, it was a bloodbath, with the Pacers allowing 139 (!!) points per game in the trio of losses. What in the world?
25. Chicago Bulls (26-39, Last week — 21st)
When the Bulls traded for Nikola Vucevic, they did not expect to be four games out of the play-in with seven games to go. After four straight losses, that is exactly where they are. Even if it’s explainable due to Zach LaVine’s absence and an injury to Vucevic himself, it’s been brutal.
26. Orlando Magic (21-44, Last week — 29th)
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Monday’s Magic-Pistons game was one of the bleakest of the season in the NBA, with both teams missing myriad pieces from depleted rosters. Still, the Magic won that contest, and they are 3-1 in the last four games. That may not help them in their lottery pursuits, but it helps them in this space.
27. Detroit Pistons (19-46, Last week — 24th)
It would be unwise to make too much of this result, but the Pistons losing to the Magic at home on Monday dropped them a slot or two. Detroit has been consistently more competitive than their record indicates, but they seem to be in something approaching shut-down mode down the stretch.
28. Cleveland Cavaliers (21-43, Last week — 27th)
The NBA’s longest active losing streak belongs to Cleveland. The Cavs have dropped six in a row, including three straight at home to end the week, and one of those was a home loss to Orlando. Not ideal.
29. Houston Rockets (16-49, Last week — 28th)
Kevin Porter Jr. put on a show in leading the Rockets to a win over the Bucks this week, and it was a history-making effort. That was a fun night for Houston, but they followed it up by losing to Golden State and New York by a combined 51 points at home. The Rockets have more talent than this ranking dictates, but the results are still not great.
30. Oklahoma City Thunder (21-44, Last week — 30th)
When the Thunder beat the Celtics in Boston on Tuesday, the stage was set for them to potentially escape the basement. That victory stopped a four-game losing streak and all was right with the world. Since then, Oklahoma City is 0-3 and they set the NBA record for the worst home loss with a 152-95 drubbing against the Pacers. We’re going to leave them here.
Tucker Carlson’s really been accelerating his antics lately, from referring to Barack Obama as a “creepy old guy” (because he’s using the TikTok platform to encourage vaccination) to baselessly claiming that smoking weed lowers sperm counts. It’s to the point where multiple Fox News staffers reportedly refer to him as a “trash human being,” and Tucker’s been looking for attention from MSNBC host Joy Reid for weeks. The issue’s a persistent one, as noted by Media Matters:
On April 28, he mocked Reid for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, saying, “Well, Joy-Ann Reid, the race lady over at MSNBC, took a quick break from haraguing whitey yesterday to reveal something deeply personal about herself on television” … The day prior, he mischaracterized comments she made about vaccine hesitancy… twice referred to her as “the race lady” … On April 22, Carlson somehow twisted Reid’s comments on the death of Ma’Khia Bryant into an attack on white people, referring to her as “the race lady” and saying she’s lived “an unusually privileged life” … And on March 8, he twice called Reid “the race lady.”
That’s more than a little bit excessive (and he also won’t stop mentioning that Reid attended Harvard), so let’s just say that Reid let loose on MSNBC’s The ReidOut, and we’ll review her quotes, but here’s the full experience.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) May 4, 2021
Reid did not hold back while declaring (via Mediaite) that “I prefer my news and information to be based in reality, rather than monetizing my amygdala to keep me on edge and buying My Pillows and gold,” but she appreciates websites like Media Matters, which “watch Fox News so you don’t have to.” She fired several shots at Tucker, lambasting him for how his MSNBC stint “didn’t work out” and how, on CNN, “Jon Stewart kinda humiliated you.” She dragged him, too: “Did he say Whitey? Oh, honey, honey, Tuckums.” Then she took aim at how he appears to have a problem with her Harvard alum status: “I don’t know, maybe I’m sensitive to this stuff, but it felt like kinda like a dog whistle. Did you want to go to Harvard? Did they reject you?”
No matter, though: “You got all that Swanson money, right? Fish sticks for everybody, woo!” And she wasn’t even close to done while referring to “Lil’ Tucker” as being like “some segregationist housewife from the 1950s” who is “spouting conspiracy theories that white people will be replaced by a Democratic Party conspiracy to import non-white people to outnumber them.”And yes, she blamed Tucker for “making America worse” and essentially being the reason why she (as he mocked) continues to wear masks in crowded places, an act that she described as necessary because of the “endless Covid hell that the Tuckers of our country are keeping us in.”
Will Tucker respond? He probably won’t be able to resist.
In April 2020, a few weeks after lockdown took place across the US, Global Citizen tapped several musicians for their One World: Together At Home livestream aimed at encouraging people to quarantine. But since it’s finally safe to begin reopening, Global Citizen decided to give a taste of post-vaccine life with the large, in-person show Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World. The concert featured several showstopping performances, including an epic rendition of the classic hit “Back In Black” by AC/DC and Foo Fighters members.
Dave Grohl and his band joined AC/DC’s singer Brian Johnson for the version of the classic rockers’ 1980 hit. The concert took place in LA’s SoFi Stadium and Foo Fighters were able to play a six-song set in front of a crowd of 27,000 fans, many of whom were healthcare or essential workers.
Along with the AC/DC revival, the Vax Live stage saw several big-name acts. J. Lo performed at the event, even bringing her 75-year-old mother out on stage to join her for a rendition of “Sweet Caroline.” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also made a brief appearance, as they served as campaign chairs at the event. “Tonight is a celebration of each of you here, the vaccinated frontline workers in the audience, and the millions of frontline heroes around the world,” Prince Harry told the crowd.
Foo Fighters brought out Brian Johnson and played Back in Black you guys. https://t.co/Z6kBd8lkJ6
Playlisting is as prevalent as ever. Curated playlists are not only a way for fans to discover new music, but they can give artists a healthy boost in streaming sales. The ubiquity of grouping music into categories makes it seem as though there are more subgenres than ever. In pop music alone, there are distinctions such as art pop, avant-pop, hyperpop, bubblegum pop, anti-pop, dark pop, dream pop, electropop, indie pop, pop punk — the list truly goes on. And now thanks to Grimes, there’s now one more subgenre: Ethereal.
After a successful year-long petition (which she had since forgotten about), Grimes was able to convince Spotify to classify the term “ethereal” as a genre and even co-curate a seven-hour long Ethereal playlist. But what exactly does ethereal mean, and why is the subgenre’s distinction important?
The term ethereal is officially defined as “of or relating to the regions beyond the earth; celestial, heavenly, unworldly, spiritual.” No, that doesn’t mean ethereal music is exclusively about aliens, it’s more a description of the feeling that is captured through sound. Grimes herself defines the genre as music that is “dedicated to experimentalism with strong elements of pop and universal beauty,” which marks an important distinction. To her, ethereal is synonymous with pushing boundaries.
Along with classifying her own music as ethereal, Grimes’ Spotify co-curated Ethereal playlist features some obvious names like FKA Twigs, Arca, Sophie, Björk, Caroline Polachek, and James Blake. But the list also sees some more surprising additions like Chloe x Halle, Faye Webster, Post Malone, Don Toliver, and even one of Soccer Mommy’s Color Theory tracks.
So what does music by Arca and Post Malone have in common? On the surface, very little. But after scouring through Grimes’ playlist, the connections become clear. Each song leans heavily on the use of light, airy synths. Many of the tracks either boast high-pitch vocals or at least some form of vocal treatment, whether it be auto-tune or pitch bending. Unlike rock music, guitars are rarely heard throughout the playlist, unless it’s to add some subtle resonance.
Was Grimes the first to invent the ethereal genre?
Nope! But her definition slightly differs from how ethereal has been described in the past.
Though Grimes is now able to categorize musicians as ethereal, she wasn’t actually the first to use the word in a subgenre. In her description, Grimes notes that her idea of ethereal music must contain some “strong elements of pop,” meaning it’s pop-adjacent. Many of the artists included in her playlist have previously fallen under the umbrella of pop music. But the original use of the term doesn’t come from pop, rather it has roots in the early ‘80s post-punk movement. The term ethereal was added to the darkwave subgenre, a classification stemming from the new wave movement with a heavy emphasis on the use of synths and somber melodies.
The group often credited as popularizing the ethereal darkwave genre is Cocteau Twins. Though they are assigned to a plethora of genres, Cocteau Twins emulated the ethereal darkwave sound through fuzzy production, dreamy melodies, and heavily-distorted vocals. Their distinct sound led to a cult following and has recently resulted in a new meme format poking fun at the band’s abstruse vocals.
Not only does Grimes recognize Cocteau Twins’ pioneering sound through their inclusion on her Ethereal playlist, but she was also heavily influenced by their music. In 2012, Grimes signed to 4AD, Cocteau Twins’ label which also has a reputation for discovering early new wave artists. After inking the deal, Grimes took to Twitter to share her excitement and credit Cocteau Twins for their inspiration. “just want 2 say i am so honoured to be releasing my next album with 4AD – a record label I have admired since I was 13 and first heard the cocteau twins and realized girls can make music, and goth is sick,” she wrote.
Okay, cool, but do subgenres really matter?
Grimes thinks they do, and she has a point. Creating distinct subgenres is more than just categorizing a sound, they’re a way for artists to create an identity and draw in a fanbase. Subgenres allow music to evolve and become distinct from a different time period, while still falling under an easily understandable umbrella of sound. Hyperpop, for example, draws influences from bubblegum pop of the early aughts but will inextricably be linked to the 2020s, meme culture, and the queer community.
Subgenres don’t only have philosophical value, but they also lead to revenue. Grimes’ music teeters on the threshold of a handful of genres: indie pop, dream pop, and electronic. But not having a specific home, she claims, causes her to be barred from genre-specific playlisting and roundups — which means less streams, less publicity, and therefore less money.
Grimes explained her stance back in late 2019 when she had first created a petition to officially launch the ethereal genre. “We are constantly told that Grimes doesn’t fit into any existing format or genre and therefore cannot be on playlists or radio,” she wrote. “We argue that there is a long lineage of auteur artists, often producing their own music and/or directing their own music videos. Oft with a heavy visual component and fantasy, sci fi or literary elements… often very ethereal, otherworldly and futuristic in nature.”
Grimes expanded on her vision for the ethereal genre in a recent statement, name dropping a few specific artists and calling for the category to be recognized by more playlists, radio stations, and the media at large:
“When you look at artists such as Bjork, Kate Bush, FKA Twigs, Eartheater, Yeule, Rosalía, I feel all of us are heavily influenced by sci-fi and fantasy. We often produce our own music and direct our own visuals (or are at least at the helm on such matters). I feel we are all dedicated to experimentalism but with strong elements of pop and universal beauty. I’m not rly sure how to describe it but I feel like there is a lineage of music here that I imagine I belong, too. I don’t want to speak for other artists, but I feel like there should be more playlists and radio stations dedicated to this creative realm because it seems to exist.”
Is creating a new subgenre really as easy as starting a petition?
For some artists, apparently so. But for others, not so much. Grimes’ new subgenre comes at a time when there’s already a larger conversation about the intersection of genres in popular music. Much like Grimes, several artists are trying to take their assigned genre into their own hands. Most notably is Justin Bieber, who decided to be classified as an R&B artist with his 2020 album Changes. Bieber called on several hip-hop producers to craft distinct beats and noted that he wanted the album to “embody” the R&B sound. He even pushed back on the Recording Academy for nominating him for a 2020 Grammy Award in several pop categories, stating that Changes “not being acknowledged as an R&B album [is] very strange to me.”
While Grimes and Bieber are able to shift between genres (or even create their own entirely), the same opportunity has not been afforded to Black artists. A few months before Bieber slighted the Recording Academy for calling him a pop artist, contemporary R&B musicians Teyana Taylor, Summer Walker, Kehlani, and Jhené Aiko got together for a roundtable discussion with Billboard on how R&B artists, many of whom are Black women, don’t get the commercial recognition they deserve. Aiko noted that there are many pop artists veering into the R&B genre who are still able to chart as pop and receive pop radio airplay. “Pop gets all the credit, for sure,” Walker chimed in. “We’re cute over here when they want to be in their feelings. But when it’s time to get to the money, it’s all about pop.”
Grimes successfully minting the ethereal genre proves that music is ever-evolving, so its labels must evolve as well. Empowering artists to reclaim their music’s classification can attract fanbases and revenue, but there also needs to be a concerted effort to make sure all musicians — not just pop artists — are able to have an equal say in the matter.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After making Billie Eilish the subject of a new cover story and some head-turning photos, British Vogue also got her to participate in their Ask A Legend video series. In the 19-minute video, Eilish sat down and answered pre-recorded questions from some of her famous peers. One of Denzel Curry’s questions in particular sticks out, as it reveals that Eilish has serious plans to make an animated show, which Eilish herself then confirmed.
At 14:33 into the video, Curry said, “OK, I got it. Billie, I got two questions. Question number one: When are you and [Eilish’s longtime friend Zoe Donahoe] going to make that show y’all were telling me about on tour? That’s one. And two: When am I going to see y’all again?”
Eilish responded:
“I don’t know, I don’t know. Me and Zoe, one of my best friends I’ve known since I was a baby, we were on tour with Denzel in like summer of 2019 and we had this cool idea to make this show, and I won’t get into it because it will happen! It will happen. It’s this animated show, but I don’t know, Denzel. I got other things to do first, but it’ll happen and I’ll tell you about it and then… there you go. But I don’t know. I love you, though. I miss you. When we get vaccinated, we’ll be back to our lives and we’ll hang out every day like we used to, promise.”
Elsewhere in the video, Eilish answered questions from Justin Bieber, Missy Elliott, Halle Berry, Denzel Curry, Avril Lavigne, Dominic Fike, Stormzy, Hailey Bieber, Arlo Parks, Orlando Bloom, Viola Davis, Tim Burton, Mel C, and Jessie Reyez, among others. Check it out above.
May is a great month for craft beer releases. Spring is in full swing, sure. But right now is actually when all the summer beers start to drop. That means craft breweries are launching their refreshing, light beers for a long season of sipping and crushing.
The best thing about summer brews is the variety. As mentioned, there are plenty of light, almost seltzer-like session beers available. But you also get the huge fruit-bomb IPAs with enough zest and sweet tropical fruits to almost transport you to a sunny beach under a palm tree. Summer beers can be light. They can be heavy (though they’re rarely dense, like a stout). They’re often bold. And they’re always quaffable AF.
Hopefully, the eight beers we’re giving love to this month will pique your interest and inspire you to explore exciting breweries in your neck of the woods. These picks represent regional craft beer releases from breweries that we vouch for (with tasting notes from the brewers themselves if we didn’t get to taste the beer yet, due to the pandemic), along with some seasonally released bottles that we’ve been looking forward to trying again.
This new release from Seattle’s iconic Elysian brewery is part of a bigger story. Their “Contact” beers are all somewhere in the dank West Coast hoppy range, with different releases highlighting different hop levels and characters. In this case, bright fruit is the driving force, hence the pre-summer release.
Tasting Notes:
This beer has a kick. It’s high ABV, sure, but the real kick is in the rush of pine resin dankness that leads towards mango creamsicles, orange flowers, and a touch of savory melon. The dank resin lasts the longest on the tongue with a high-level bitterness tempered by all that creamy fruit and a final hint of vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is close to the boldest beer on the list but not quite. The fruit really helps this brew go down easily, especially on a hot day. Though, don’t forget about those high ABVs. This beer will put you on your ass.
This is the boldest beer on this list. The IBUs (bitterness units) and ABV are almost off the charts high and you’ll feel it when you’re sipping this one. The brew has a foundation of Carapils, Two-row Pale, and Pilsner malts that support a tower of Chinook, Magnum, and Idaho 7 hops.
Tasting Notes:
The hops are the star of this show. There’s a touch of that classic Sierra Nevada malt far below the blast of floral hops, sticky pine sap, and almost chewy cannabis flowers. This is all about the floral dank with citrus zest making a bitter-ish appearance while brightening things up a little.
Bottom Line:
This is an IPA for true believers. If this is your first IPA, it might not only turn you off the style but off beer entirely. It’s a lot. If you think you’re ready for the mountaintop of the dankest of dank West Coast hop monsters, then this is going to be your jam all summer long.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DROP: New Belgium Dominga Mimosa Sour
This sour wheat beer spends a good amount of time mellowing in oak that held wine. The brew is then spiked with Calamansi oranges to help edge it towards a classic brunch mimosa.
“Inspired by bottomless sips in the sun, this citrusy-sweet sour ale shines with flavors of Mexican orange, tangerine, preserved calamansi fruit and is blended with wood-aged golden sour. Perfect for any day ending in ‘y’.”
Bottom Line:
New Belgium’s last Dominga release was a wonderful Sunday brunch sipper. We can’t imagine this new release doesn’t live up to the line’s easy drinkability and light body, making it the perfect brunch pairing beer.
SOUTHERN DROP: Jester King Balcones Bourbon Barrel Aged Montmorency vs. Balaton Batch 2
We love Jester King Brewing. We love Balcones Distilling. This is the Texas beer and whisky match that speaks directly to us. Batch 2 is a wild ale that’s been double-aged in Balcones whisky barrels and former wine barrels for 21 months with a lot of Montmorency and Balaton cherries right in the barrel.
“Our brewing team gets flavors and aromas of old fashioned, Red Hots, SOUR PUNCH® Cherry Straws, and graham cracker pie crust.”
Bottom Line:
We were lucky enough to snag a bottle of Balcones Bourbon Barrel Aged Moderne Dansk from Jester King. And yeah, it was a hell of a beer. There’s no way this isn’t going to be a subtly divine sip of beer from a big bottle that’s worth sharing with any close friend or lover who really cares about beer.
This May release from Great Lakes is a consistent winner. It helps that hefeweizen is pretty much the perfect summer beer, to begin with. This American crafty version takes the soft fruitiness of a good German wheat beer and layers in lemon via a lemon puree and oil-filled lemon peels.
Tasting Notes:
When you crack this open, especially a can, you’re greeted with a spritz of light and bright lemon oils. The body of the beer is light and not overly-fizzed. Think of something more akin to a homemade lemonade with fizzy water that’s been amped up with almost spicy maltiness and bright citrus.
Bottom Line:
This beer is f*cking crushable, especially when the weather gets too hot. The lemonade aspect really shines as the maltier side of the wheat beer reminds you that you are indeed enjoying a nice, cold glass of the sudsy stuff.
It seems like every five to seven years, “Organic” beers make the rounds with craft brewers. This time around, Allagash has crafted a subtle Belgian blonde ale with local and organic ingredients that highlight the agriculture of Maine.
Tasting Notes:
Subtlety is what really drives the beauty of this beer. There’s a nice hint of peppery spice next to fresh bushes of mint with hints of funky yeasts, dry straw, and sweetened malts. There’s a bit of an oatmeal cake vibe with orange icing that kind of brings the whole sip together with a malty, fruity, peppery throughline.
Bottom Line:
This is just a solid beer all around. While this beer is organic to its core, the taste of this beer is the reason you should buy it because it’s just … damn tasty.
A perennial favorite, Upslope’s German Style Pilsner has become the ultimate marker that summer is indeed here. This seasonal May release is all about balance. The malts and hops find a certain harmony in this beer that is rarely seen outside of Bohemia and Bavaria.
Tasting Notes:
This beer is light, in the sense that there’s nothing weighing it down. It’s still bursting with bready maltiness, floral hoppiness, and light notes of straw. The body of the beer is all about freshly cut grass, orange marmalade on hefty bread, and a bouquet of wildflowers.
Bottom Line:
This is the most crushable beer on the list. The ABVs are below five percent, which means you can enjoy a few of these refreshers as the days get longer and the backyard fills with barbecue smoke.
INTERNATIONAL PICK OF THE MONTH: Helles Schlenkerla Lagerbier
Speaking of smoke-filled backyards and long summer nights, Bamberg’s Schlenkerla has just the beer for backyard sipping this year. Their Helles Lagerbier is a full-bodied lager that is smoked-beer adjacent. This brew is a lager that uses Bavarian malts which are fermented in the same tanks they make their smoked beers in. So the beer picks up a very faint hint of smoke without using smoked malts. The brew is then barreled in wood and lagered in the old Schlenkerla cellars until it’s ready.
Tasting Notes:
Heavy-seeded bread with a hint of sour butter mingles with floral hops and a twinge of fatty bacon smoke. Hints of orange zest, old cellar beams, minerality, and more of that heavy bread with butter dominate the palate as the smoke lingers very far in the background and almost completely disappears.
Bottom Line:
This is another crushable brew. The lower ABVs make is the perfect session beer for an all-day smoke session in the backyard. As far as smoked beers go, this is 100 percent a lager first and foremost with a nod towards the world of smoked beers, making it very accessible even to the average beer drinker.
After attaining his first No. 1 album with A Gangsta’s Pain, Moneybagg Yo is well on his way to becoming a household name. However, when it comes to names, the Memphis rapper was surprised to find his government name used as trivia during a Music Choice stream of his album’s defiant single “Time Today.” Catching a video of the moment, Yo zoomed in on the “Did You Know?” section of the screen informing viewers that “Moneybagg Yo’s real name is Demario Dewayne White Jr.,” declaring Music Choice to be “police as hell.”
“Appreciate the love but damn!” he exclaims in the video. “Talking about, ‘Did y’all know his real name?’”
Moneybagg Yo must not have Googled himself recently because it isn’t that hard to find this information in the public sphere. For what it’s worth though, the whole point of a trivia section is to reveal things to a reader that they might not have been aware of before. One person who did seem amused by Moneybagg’s real name — or at least, his reaction to it — was Drake, who commented on DJ Akademiks’ post about Yo’s discovery. “DD White mayne,” he wrote, accompanying his post with several laughing emojis.
Instagram
Ultimately, Moneybagg Yo is likely to be the one to get the last laugh. He’s been too busy celebrating his wins to worry about internet commenters throwing shade, laughing off one critic’s assertion on TikTok that one of his recent performances was “boring.”
You can read Uproxx’s review of A Gangsta’s Painhere.
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