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The Best Vinyl Releases Of March 2024

vinyl
Derrick Rossignol

Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.

Whatever you might be into, each month brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of March below.

Rosalía — Motomami + (Reissue)

rosalia motomami vinyl
Columbia

It’s been two years since Rosalía came through with her beloved third album, Motomami. She followed it up with a deluxe edition called Motomami + not long after, and now that version of the album is on vinyl for the first time ever. This pressing comes on clear-colored vinyl and comes with a poster.

Get it here.

AC/DC — Back In Black (50th Anniversary Reissue)

AC/DC Vinyl 50th anniversary
Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings

On December 31, 1973 at Chequers Nightclub in Sydney, Australia, AC/DC played their first concert. That was over 50 years ago now, and the band has marked the occasion with a gorgeous series of gold vinyl reissues. Among the projects included, of course, is the iconic Back In Black, which, like the rest of the reissues, are available in the US exclusively through Walmart.

Get it here.

Kacey Musgraves — Deeper Well (Quilted Picture Disc Vinyl Limited Collector’s Edition)

Kacey Musgraves Deeper Well Quilted Picture Disc Vinyl (Limited Collector's Edition)
MCA Nashville/Interscope

Musgraves graced March with the release of her sixth album, Deeper Well. It’s an often-gentle album, which goes great with the gorgeous “quilted picture disc” vinyl pressing of the album that you can snag (for now, anyway, as it’s a limited collector’s edition). The color and texture on the vinyl make it a truly special album, and you get to listen to a strong offering from one of our favorite contemporary country voices, to boot.

Get it here.

Adrianne Lenker — Bright Future

Adrianne Lenker Bright Future vinyl
4AD

Indiecast host Steven Hyden and Ian Cohen went over Adrianne Lenker’s new solo album in a recent episode, and indeed, it’s a project worth picking up, especially on vinyl. This pressing comes on recycled vinyl, meaning that each individual copy will have a unique look to it and it may not look quite like the image above, making the unboxing a fun surprise.

Get it here.

The Cure — Paris (Reissue)

The Cure Paris
Rhino

The Cure is an exemplary live band and has been for a long time. If you want proof of that in your vinyl library, the group just reissued their 1992 live album Paris. The 2LP set marks the release’s first time on vinyl in 30 years and it was remastered by Robert Smith himself (along with Miles Showell) at Abbey Road Studios. If you missed out on seeing the band’s acclaimed live run last year, this might provide some temporary solace.

Get it here.

Alice In Chains — Jar Of Flies (30th Anniversary Reissue)

Alice In Chains Jar Of Flies vinyl
Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings

30 years ago now, Alice was in chains and flies were in jars. To mark this momentous occasion, Alice In Chains has delivered a reissue of Jar Of Flies. It has perhaps the most perfect vinyl coloration ever, too, which makes it look like actual flies are trapped in the record. Classics like “Nutshell” and the hit “No Excuses” have never sounded so good.

Get it here.

Grateful Dead — American Beauty (Reissue)

Grateful Dead American Beauty
Warner Bros.

Rhino has been dropping off a series of high-fidelity vinyl reissues throughout 2024, and the latest classic release to get this treatment is a Grateful Dead favorite: American Beauty. This is truly a premium edition, as it is a AAA cut from the original stereo master tapes, pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl, and features an insert with notes by Grateful Dead historian David Gans.

Get it here.

Wu-Tang Clan — The W (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)

Wu-Tang Clan The W
Vinyl Me, Please

After establishing their legacy with Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and Wu-Tang Forever, Wu-Tang Clan further cemented themselves (and showed they hadn’t run out of ways to name an album after themselves) with their third LP, 2000’s The W. This Vinyl Me, Please reissue is pressed on striking gold and black galaxy vinyl and comes with brand new listening notes.

Get it here.

Dry Cleaning — Boundary Road Snacks And Drinks / Sweet Princess (Reissue)

Dry Cleaning vinyl
4AD

For Dry Cleaning, it began with two EPs: Boundary Road Snacks And Drinks and Sweet Princess. Now they’ve remastered the EPs and smushed them together for a new reissue that combines the two releases. The reissues also serve as an excuse for the band to hit the road, so learn more about their upcoming tour dates on their website.

Get it here.

Faye Webster — Underdressed At The Symphony

faye webster underdressed at the symphony vinyl
Secretly Canadian

Sometimes, a vinyl pressing is just *chef’s kiss*, and such is the case with that of Faye Webster’s latest, Underdressed At The Symphony. Playing off the album cover’s bold use of blue, the vinyl includes a ring of blue in the middle, bordered by a semi-translucent white vinyl, playing off the bright accents on the cover.

Get it here.

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

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15 funny memes show the crazy side of American life that the Europeans can’t comprehend

America and European countries share many similarities in culture and governmental structures. They are democracies with similar legal systems, innovative in science and technology and have a significant influence on the world through art and culture.

That being said, there are some glaring cultural differences that are fun to point out. The broad generalization is that Europeans have refined cultural tastes, whereas Americans are a bit more brash and believe that bigger is always better. These are stereotypes, of course, and there are plenty of brash Europeans and Americans with refined tastes.

One of the biggest differences is America’s embrace of consumer culture, which Europeans see as excessive and tacky. Americans have an unquenchable love for processed foods and portions that make most Europeans shudder.

The sheer size of America is also hard for many Europeans to comprehend. During an 8-hour drive, Europeans can visit multiple countries with different languages and cultures. However, you probably won’t make it through some of America’s larger states in that short of a time.

I’m sorry, Europeans. Los Angeles and San Francisco are not an hour away, and you probably don’t want to drive from New York City to Disney World.

People have pointed out some of the significant differences between Americans and Europeans through memes with the simple caption, “The European mind cannot comprehend this.” It’s a fun way for Americans to point out the excesses that make America unlike any other place in the world.

A lot of the memes are centered around America’s love for chain restaurants and how they often are found in clusters dotting the American landscape. The downside of chain restaurant ubiquity is that it makes the country’s cuisine feel a bit homogenous. One can drive all the way from Des Moines, Iowa, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and still find the same 10 places to eat.

Americans eat huge portions compared to the average European. When Europeans travel to America, they most frequently point out this. Americans also enjoy processed foods that feel more like they came out of a laboratory or off an assembly line than if they occurred randomly in nature. This stands in stark contrast to the European diet which often features smaller portions, less processed food, and a greater emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

America is also huge.

Americans have their very particular brand of unique crazy, whether it’s monster truck rallies, the tacky beauty of Las Vegas or our very vocal support for gun rights.

To keep the rivalry going, Europeans have been fighting back by sharing elements of their culture that would boggle the average American’s mind. Some memes include the interesting ways that A/C-phobic Europeans cool their homes. They also railed at Americans for being unable to drive cars with manual transmissions and for having really terrible taste in bread.

The Europeans also mocked the incredible price of healthcare in the U.S. and how everyone has their hand out for a tip.

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Heinz triggers all of the internet with a single tweet: ‘Ketchup. goes. in. the. fridge!!!’

People feel very strongly about their condiments. No matter what condiment there is someone either loves it or hates it but one of the biggest debates on the food toppers is how to store them. Yeah, that might sound a bit strange because everyone knows open condiments are stored in the pantry, unless its hot sauce, right? Whoa, calm down. I’m only kidding. I don’t make the rules Heinz does, apparently.

They do make the condiments so it would be assumed that we would look to them to know how to store the products they make. But the people of Twitter are daring to argue with Heinz after the condiment giant posted a controversial tweet that declared ketchup does in fact belong in the fridge. This bold tweet is dividing the internet.

“Heinz don’t even know where their product should be stored,” one person declared. While another claimed, “Never, ever has it gone in my fridge, nor anybody else’s.” Who’s going to tell these people to read the back of the bottle?

It wasn’t Heinz but some hero came with receipts in the form of a photo of the back of a Heinz ketchup bottle that clearly reads, “refrigerate after opening.” You would think this would end the debate but people are very invested in being right about the way they store their condiments with wide ranging arguments.

People made points about cold ketchup making their food cold and restaurants keeping ketchup on the tables. While others argued that it tastes better cold but if you thought Heinz was done antagonizing the internet, you’d be mistaken. They responded to several comments with sassy humor while still asserting the tomato based condiment belongs in the refrigerator.

Someone named Dave asked, “so why is it on the shelves in supermarkets & shops then?” To which Heinz replied, “Where do you keep your soft drinks, Dave?”

I mean, Heinz does have a valid point. Most soft drinks are kept on the shelf in the grocery store but you wouldn’t catch many people drinking a warm can of Coke. But that logic didn’t stop team ketchup belongs in cabinets. A person named Mike responded to the thread with his thoughts on Heinz bringing soft drinks into the conversation.

“I’m not pouring my soft drinks on hot food. Cold ketchup nullifies hot food which some of us like better than cold food. Get your preservative cookbook out and make the stuff safe to keep in the cupboard.”

In an attempt to either continue to antagonize the internet or quell the chaos (it’s hard to tell which), Heinz created a poll asking where ketchup belongs. Currently the Fridge has the cupboard beat by a pretty decent lead but with as heated as this debate has been, there may be room for team cupboard to catch up. Even if they’re wrong. There’s no right and wrong in where to store your ketchup as long as you don’t read the label.

Maybe you’re someone who likes to keep a bottle in their sock drawer for emergency late night snacks, who knows. Tell us, where do you keep your ketchup?

This article originally appeared on 6.30.23

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American family in Japan gets the sweetest note from their new non-English-speaking neighbor

The way we come across long-lasting friendships is often unexpected. But when you’re part of a military family. You learn to grab hold of the good people you meet and carry those friendships across states and oceans. You mark your friendships based off of what base you were stationed at when you met them and know those friendships can withstand just about anything because they’ve been tried.

So for an American family stationed in Japan, there was no doubt at least one lifelong friendship would be made. It just may have been surprising that the friend wasn’t affiliated with the military. Instead, the friend was an older Japanese man who didn’t speak English and lived next door to the young family in Yokosuka, Japan.

But this isn’t the first time this unique story went viral. In 2013, Reddit user Theresa52 posted a picture of a note that she received from her neighbor-turned-friend. People loved the letter and sweet story attached. Theresa explained that after moving to their new neighborhood in Japan, she and her husband passed out beer and chocolate to their neighbors. A few hours later, they met, Hiroshi Yamashita, their new neighbor and one of the recipients of their gift.

When Yamashita knocked on the family’s door, he presented them with gifts of his own—toilet paper, stuffed animals and a note. In the thread Theresa noted, “Things that are consumable and household necessities are popular gifts. We have heard lots of stories about people getting laundry soap,” after someone asked if toilet paper was a common housewarming gift in Japan. The stuffed animals were for their infant daughter at the time.

Reddit; viral note; American family; Japanese neighbor; kindness

But the note is what keeps going viral. It starts out, “I can’t speak English. Thank you for the present. My name is Hiroshi Yamashita. I’m 52 years old. [I’m divorced] and I live alone.” Since Yamashita didn’t speak English, the note had some spots that were difficult to understand but the intent was clearly pure.

Theresa wrote in the comments of the post that it appeared that he was asking if her husband was in the Navy. While the sentences are out of order a bit, if you reorganize them a little, it seems Yamashita is attempting to say, “I have stuffed animals and toilet paper. You can use it if you’d like.”

The man concludes the letter with “Thank you for your friend operation.” It seemed that he was thanking the family for their hospitality, but Reddit users surmised that he was referring to Operation Friendship in 2011 when the United States aided Japan after an earthquake. Either way, it was still friendship operation because what says friendship like taking time out of your day to write in a language you don’t speak just to make sure your neighbors feel welcomed?

“It was adorable! We had brought him a six pack and some chocolate and tried to introduce ourselves to him. A couple hours later he brought over this letter with a pack of toilet paper and some stuffed animals for our daughter,” Theresa wrote in the comments while joking that their initial introduction probably amused Yamashita.

Further explaining within comment threads, Theresa said that they used pointing and Google Translate when they initially met Yamashita, and in turn, he used a translator app to write the note.

Reddit; viral note; American family; Japanese neighbor; kindness

Theresa shared an update in the comments about six years after the story originally went viral saying, “We all exchanged gifts and food regularly for the four years I lived there. We would go to neighborhood festivals and have dinners together as well. I miss them all and think about them often.”

You never know when being kind will turn into a life long friendship. We certainly hope Yamashita and Theresa are doing just as well today and are continuing to spread their kindness around.

This article originally appeared on 2.23.23

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Husband leaves a sink full of dirty dishes. But one simple action changes its meaning.

We’ve probably all (especially moms and wives) have had it up to here with stories of men not being able to really pull their weight in partnerships.

So when I present to you a story about a husband leaving behind a sink full of dirty dishes for his wife to find, you’d probably sooner roll your eyes and contemplate hopping over to Instagram instead than give this one a read.

But hold on just a second, because this story has a surprising hopeful twist.

In a now-viral TikTok post, a wife named Susan shows the mess she woke up to the morning after her husband had friends over to watch a game.

She was initially fuming as she approached the disarray. That is, until she saw the note her husband left behind, saying “I got it!”

For Susan, this changed everything. Her husband acknowledged his mess, communicated that awareness with his wife, and didn’t leave it assuming someone else would take care of it. Which, in turn, made her feel seen and looked out for.

“I just love that he acknowledges that [he] left a mess in the sink, and don’t worry, he’ll take responsibility for it, but anyways, we’ve come so far,” Susan says in the clip.

@susandoingsusanthings Leaving a simple note instantly made me not care about the dishes in the sink!! I love communication and we have come so far!! #susandoingsusanthings #marriedlife #marriage #marriagehumor #marriagegoals #marriagecomedy #marriagelife ♬ original sound – SusanDoingSusanThings

Many viewers agreed that this small shift made a world of difference.

“I love this. Like he was tired and didn’t want to do it but knows you shouldn’t have to. What ace communication and all it took was a post-it” one person wrote.

Another echoed, “It’s that easy!!! Like do I want to do the dishes after hosting? Heck no. Let me sleep and I’ll do it in the morning. But the note changes it ALL 🥰.”

On the other hand, many people were still left frustrated, arguing that expectations were still far too low if this simple gesture is receiving such applause.

One person even lamented, “That big sigh and you’ve come so far, I wonder how many fights it took 😫,” to which Susan replied, “We’ve been together for 20 years… Fight = growth.”

She also reiterated that the purpose of the post was to show in real-time how healthy, thoughtful communication between partners can help transform even the most menial task into a positive, even relationship-fortifying, experience.

And that is probably the biggest, most beneficial takeaway to lean into here. Ongoing communication difficulties is listed as the number one cause of divorce, even beating out infidelity. Yes, of course, moms are tired of being the default parents and wives are tired of pulling double duty, but if this story is any indicator, they are also yearning for their partners to meet them halfway on the communication front as well.

And as we can see, even the smallest gestures make big impacts.

In case anyone was wondering: Susan’s husband did do the dishes the next day ❤️

This article originally appeared on 1.6.24

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People are baffled to find out they’ve been burning candles wrong their whole lives

The evolution of candles from lighting necessity to scented ambience creator is kind of funny. For thousands of years, people relied on candles and oil lamps for light, but with the invention of the light bulb in 1879, fire was no longer needed for light. At that time, people were probably relieved to not have to set something on fire every time they wanted to see in the dark, and now here we are spending tons of money to do it just for funsies.

We love lighting candles for coziness and romance, relishing their warm, soft light as we shrink from the fluorescent bulb craze of the early 2000s. Many people use candles for adding scent to a room, and there are entire candle companies just for this purpose (Yankee Candles, anyone?). As of 2022, candles were an $11 billion business.

With their widespread use, you’d think we’d know a thing or two about candles, but as a thread on X makes clear, a whole bunch of us have been burning candles wrong our entire lives without knowing it.

A post from @kktweetshaha started the education session: “Just learned that my fiancé, who buys candles all the time and we literally always have candles burning, did not actually know how they work and blew out a medium first burn candle 30 minutes after I lit it when I wasn’t paying attention and ruined it.”

Many people had no idea what she was talking about, so she explained.

“If a candle is not burned for long enough on first burn to melt edge to edge it will create a ‘memory ring.’ Once a candle has a memory ring, it will continue to tunnel and never burn all the way across.”

“This is why you should not light a large candle at night, which is unlikely to burn all the way across before you need to blow out to go to bed. Allow at least one hour per inch of candle width,” she went on.

So that’s why candles always end up with a hole in the middle, making us think the candle companies are just running a scam to make us go through candles faster. Nope. It’s user error, and many people were flabbergasted by this realization.

“This is the most useful information I’ve been given my entire adult life,” wrote one person.

“This skill should be taught in schools,” shared another. “The amount I’ve wasted on half burnt candles is outrageous, the amount of times I’ve used Algebra since leaving school = 0.”

“When I worked at Pier 1 in the 90s I got to go to some candle workshop that taught us the correct way to use (and therefore sell) candles and that is probably some of the most useful knowledge I’ve carried in my head this long life,” shared another.

Some people suggested wrapping aluminum foil around the rim of the candle to help recover a candle that’s been tunneled or to speed the process of melting the wax across the entire candle. Other suggested melting the candle down in the oven to even it back out again. The original poster pointed out that sometimes candles aren’t wicked properly. According to Lone Star Candle Supply, if a candle is more than 4 inches in diameter it may become necessary to have two wicks.

The candle posts also prompted a separate discussion about candles and indoor air quality and the volatile organic compounds that are released when they are burned. Some people equated burning candles with having a small engine running in your living room, though according to the Cleveland Clinic, there’s scant evidence that the amount of toxins released by burning candles is actually hazardous to your health, especially if you use high quality candles in a well-ventilated area.

How do you know if a candle is “high quality”? First, check the wick for metal. Lead in wicks is not nearly as common as it used to be, but best not to risk it if you find metal in the wick. Second, choose soy, beeswax, palm or coconut wax candles instead of paraffin, which is petroleum-based product and more likely to put off soot and smoke particles. Everyone reacts differently to different amounts of particulates in the air, so if you find yourself getting headaches or respiratory symptoms when using candles, it’s probably best to avoid them. But if you tolerate them, feel free to enjoy as recommended,—just make sure that first burn melts the wax all the way to the edges to avoid the dreaded tunneling.

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Last-Minute Easter Prep Doesn’t Have To Be Stressful

Easter is all about making memories, from the pastel-colored eggs to the joyous family gatherings and the giddy wait for the Easter Bunny’s grand entrance. It’s those special moments that fill the scrapbooks of our hearts. Yet, as the holiday hops closer, the panic of last-minute prep starts to feel like we’re in a race with the Easter Bunny himself—and he’s winning. But fear not, because CVS is sliding into the Easter scene like a bunny on a mission, ready to turn that holiday prep sprint into a leisurely bunny hop.

With CVS, there’s no need for frantic store-hopping. They’ve got shelves overflowing with all the Easter essentials, turning what could be a mad dash into a smooth slide into the holiday. Here, amidst the aisles, you’ll find everything to make this Easter not just another checkbox on the holiday list, but a treasure trove of laughter, joy, and those priceless family moments. So, wave goodbye to stress and welcome a holiday brimming with delight, all thanks to your unexpected Easter sidekick: CVS.

CVS Has All Your Easter Essentials

CVS might already be your go-to spot for everything from a quick pharmacy pickup to snagging your favorite shampoo on the fly. Known for lining its shelves with everything necessary for the day-to-day, CVS is a familiar face in the realm of health, beauty, and those oh-so-necessary essentials that keep our lives humming along smoothly. But, as the Easter eggs start to roll in, CVS unveils its festive side, hopping well beyond its usual fare to surprise and delight with a treasure trove of Easter goodies.

Yes, nestled among the aisles of practical finds, CVS transforms into an Easter wonderland with everything you need weave cherished Easter memories. It’s like discovering a hidden garden of Easter surprises, where every turn reveals another essential to make your celebration sparkle.

Cottondale Crafting Eggs

Easter just isn’t Easter without the timeless tradition of egg decorating. But not everyone likes making hard boiled eggs, let alone eating them. Luckily CVS has the perfect solution Cottondale Crafting Eggs. These plastic crafting eggs are little blank canvases that will bring out your family’s burst of creativity. Perfect for everyone from tiny tots to grandpas with a flair for the artistic, these eggs are your ticket to a fun-filled Easter.

Of course, CVS has traditional egg-dying kits as well. But why stop at eggs? CVS has all sorts of supplies to take your Easter crafts to the next level. Because Easter isn’t about perfection, it’s about laughing over blobs of glue, mismatched colors, and those oh-so-proud “Look what I made!” moments.

Cottondale Round Basket

Need Easter baskets for all your eggs and other goodies? CVS has you covered with the Cottondale Round Basket. Available in a variety of colors and sizes, this basket will be the centerpiece of your Easter morning, putting twinkles of joy in your little bunnies’ eyes.

And because CVS knows that Easter is all about personal touches, why not take that Cottondale Round Basket and make it uniquely yours? With a plethora of decorations and trinkets available right beside those baskets, CVS turns into your Easter customization station. Add a sprinkle of personal flair with stickers, ribbons, or even a bit of Easter grass to nestle those eggs snugly. It’s these little touches that transform a simple basket into a cherished memory, making this Easter not only festive but uniquely yours. So, grab that basket and let your creativity hop wild!

Don’t Forget the Peeps!

What’s fluffy, sweet, and absolutely essential for Easter? Peeps, of course! No Easter basket, no matter how beautifully crafted or creatively filled, is truly complete without these iconic sugary treats. They’re the marshmallowy delight that everyone, from the youngest egg hunters to the eldest family members, looks forward to. And guess what? CVS is your ultimate Peeps destination, offering an array of colors and flavors that cater to every taste and preference. Whether you’re a fan of the classic yellow chicks or you’re adventurous enough to try the rainbow varieties, there’s a Peep for every palate.

And FYI, Peeps aren’t just for baskets. These versatile treats can play a starring role in your Easter desserts, too. Why not nestle them atop your cupcakes for a pop of color or create a Peep-tastic centerpiece for your Easter table? The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. So you’ll definitely want to stock up on these festive favorites and make your Easter celebration one to remember.

Make Easter Easy with CVS

As the final touches of paint dry on your crafting eggs and your baskets begin to brim with an assortment of colorful Easter treats, remember that this stress-free, joy-filled Easter prep was made possible by CVS. From the aisles filled with crafting supplies to the shelves stocked with Easter delicacies, CVS offers the convenience and variety that turns holiday preparation from a frantic scramble into a delightful hop. It’s your one-stop shop for ensuring that your Easter is not only memorable but also marvelously easy.

So, why wait? Make this Easter one to remember. Hop on over to CVS.com right now and get 20% off pickup orders with code SPRING20.

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Sabrina Carpenter Gave Her Own ‘Cosmo’ Sex Tip And Was ‘So Honored’ To Do It

Sabrina Carpenter 2024
Getty Image

For years and years, Cosmopolitan has been known for the Cosmo sex tips that have graced their pages. The publication interviewed Sabrina Carpenter recently and the singer was taken aback when she was asked if she had any Cosmo sex tips of her own.

“No one’s ever asked me this,” Carpenter said. “I feel so honored. Honestly, this sounds weird to say, but when I was in my early teens, I read the Cosmo sex tips. Jesus. […] I feel like it’s so different for everybody. I mean, at the end of the day, my whole thing right now is, whatever you do, don’t get pregnant. That’s the way I’m living my life. So that’s my sex tip: Be smart. Use protection.”

She added, “But, in a real way, my advice is: Do whatever feels most comfortable to you. You can be curious and ask questions, but a lot of it is just going to be you learning yourself. So do whatever makes you feel the most comfortable and safe. Boring answer.”

Carpenter also referenced coming up with new lyrics for the “Nonsense” outros she sings live, saying, “It’s funny, too, writing the outros, because I feel like I’ve learned a lot more about sexuality through writing those than people think. I think people think I’m just obnoxiously horny, when in reality, writing them comes from the ability to not be fearful of your sexuality as opposed to just not being able to put it down.”

Check out the full interview here.

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‘MLB The Show 24’ Is Finally Celebrating Women In Baseball

MLB The Show Toni Stone
Merle Cooper

When fans sit down to play this year’s edition of MLB The Show, they’ll once again get the chance to play as today’s biggest stars, build up their own franchise, and relive the game’s storied past while getting a glimpse at its more inclusive future.

“If you say you’re going to tell stories rooted in baseball history, then you have to tell stories about women,” says Ramone Russell, the public face of MLB The Show who has been working in brand communications and brand strategy for Sony for more than 15 years.

Diving into the sometimes sparingly taught history of the sport has become a passion project for Russell, and a guiding tenet for how the studio hopes to push its baseball sim forward despite real competition in the space. In 2023, MLB The Show introduced a new Storylines mode highlighting the stories of Black athletes who played in the Negro Leagues before baseball was finally integrated. According to Russell, partnering with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and its president Bob Kendrick — who appeared in the game’s documentary video vignettes — enabled the MLB The Show team to faithfully resurrect stadiums and offer fans a chance to better discover legends like Satchel Paige and Rube Foster. In short, it was a “game-changer” for the studio.

But, when Kendrick was recording trailers for the first edition of the update, he threw Russell a curveball.

“We needed to record the promo, and Bob was like, ‘What do you want me to say?’” Russell recalls. “’Say something to the effect of, we’re going to introduce you to some of the baddest men that ever played the game of baseball.’ And Bob stopped me; he said, ‘Men and women.’”

“Wait, there was a woman who played in the Negro Leagues?” was Russell’s next question, and the answer led him to Toni Stone. Stone joined the Indianapolis Clowns as a second baseman in 1953, making her the first woman to play as a regular on an American major-level professional baseball team. Russell knew telling her story would be crucial to the game if Sony was serious about honoring the history of the sport, but it wouldn’t be easy.

MLB The Show never had a playable female character before despite women popping up in various professional leagues over the years. And Russell’s team didn’t want to stop with Stone, who they wanted to be the catalyst for a new edition of the game’s Road To Show mode, an origin story they could build from to introduce playable female athletes designed to welcome a wider audience — to the video game, yes, but also to the sport.

Introducing A Legend

Marcenia Lyle “Toni” Stone was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1931. Her family described her as a tomboy — she played practically every sport, from basketball to football, golf, and hockey. But baseball was her first love, which is why, at age 16, she joined a semi-pro all-male team in the Twin Cities. Her career high came when she played second base for the Indianapolis Clowns and got a hit off the league’s greatest pitcher, Satchel Paige, but Russell knew those stats weren’t enough to capture the legacy of who Stone was as a player and a pioneer.

Sony worked with Stone’s family and estate, perfecting everything from the skin tone of her in-game character to what earrings she wore when she was on the field.

“We had to figure out, ‘How do we get her femininity to come through?’” Russell explains, noting her family wanted the game to honor her, not just as an athlete, but as a woman in a male-dominated sport. Using archival footage, audio recordings, and animated storytelling, MLB The Show 24 recounts Stone’s beginnings from a rebellious young girl set on defying the status quo to a player breaking barriers by filling the shoes of one of the sport’s greatest names.

According to Russell, bringing Stone’s journey to life encouraged progress within Sony’s team as well.

“The video game industry is not necessarily super diverse, so it forced us to have some really difficult conversations and put an extra focus on making sure we were listening to the marginalized voices on the team,” Russell shares. “I have been in plenty of meetings where the women on the team don’t feel like there’s a conducive environment for them to speak up. They just won’t say anything. And then something will happen, and someone will say, ‘Oh, why didn’t they speak up?’

“That’s not the question we should be asking. The question we should be asking is, ‘Is this a healthy environment where they feel empowered to speak up, where they feel like they’re equal?’ The problem isn’t them. The problem is us. So how do we start to create an environment that’s more conducive to women feeling like their voices are heard?”

Making sure women feel represented — during the development stages and when fans pick up their controllers to play — is also the reason why Russell’s team wasn’t satisfied with adding just one female character to MLB The Show. They’re planning on covering other Black female ball players like Connie Morgan and Mamie “Peanut” Johnson in future seasons. There’s also interest in bringing the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (the inspo behind A League Of Their Own) to life one day. But for now, they’re using the addition of Stone and the game’s RPG mode, Road to the Show, to expand their roster, and they’re doing it with the help of some heavy-hitters.

Paving The Way

“See me as a baseball player first.” That was the directive from Staten Island FerryHawks pitcher and outfielder Kelsie Whitmore, as well as several female athletes and executives whose experiences and expert input helped shape this year’s Road to the Show narrative. While Whitmore was in the studio, lending her voice to dialogue scenes and her body to motion-capture work off which players would eventually be modeled, the rest of Sony’s team was interviewing coaches, managers, and trainers about the realities of being a woman in baseball at the moment.

“We took what the women said to heart and reflected back as much as we could into the game,” Ashley Sanders, Content Specialist for MLB The Show, and Mollie Braley, the game’s Narrative Designer, tell UPROXX. “Their stories were that of any other athlete’s triumph and hardship, but with the unique twist of trying to break into a sport that is almost entirely male-dominated. Most scenes you’ll encounter in Road to the Show as a female character are universally understandable, but a lot of them have extra details that reflect that of a woman’s experience in baseball.”

Those details proved difficult to perfect, especially for a game that’s existed for almost 20 years without women as playable options.

“It was a major undertaking,” Russell admits. “Because if women’s faces don’t look right, that’s going to be an issue. If their hair doesn’t move, that’s going to be an issue. Women wear makeup. Most men who play major league baseball don’t. All of our pronouns had to change for the commentary. It forced the team to have some really difficult and honest conversations to get this right.”

But the nuances of how female players look in the game were just the beginning. The team behind MLB The Show knew they couldn’t just throw women on the field and call it a day. There needed to be storylines and narrative arcs that did justice to their unique experiences at the professional level.

“A woman’s path to MLB looks a lot different than the typical grind,” Sanders and Braley explain. “We didn’t want to shy away from telling a complete story. With that in mind, our lead narrative designer incorporated a friend, Mia Lewis, who experiences the path to the majors alongside our fans’ ballplayer.”

It’s alongside Mia that gamers get a sense of the hardships and joys that come with being a female baseball player. Through friendships built in locker rooms and on the field, the game makes a concerted effort to show how women in the sport lean on each other, look out for each other, and encourage each other to perform their best. Along with Whitmore, the team worked with names like Olivia Pichardo, Liz Benn, and coach Veronica Alvarez to get a deeper understanding of what made being a woman in baseball so special.

“They mentioned the importance of celebrating the myriad ways in which female players make themselves competitive and valuable on the field, despite differences in strength compared to male players,” Sanders and Braley say. “Many people have the idea that women must play a certain way in order to be successful but we want to challenge that idea and remind folks that since its inception, baseball has required the skills of players in all shapes, sizes, and strengths.”

As for any pushback they might receive by adding women to the game, Russell seems unbothered.

“Who cares?” he says. “It’s a fantasy video game. Representation is important. And if you don’t want to play as a woman, you don’t have to.”

He also offers the same guiding principle behind The Show’s Negro League Storylines in defense of inviting women to the game: It’s not a subtraction. It’s an addition.

“There are lots of women who play MLB The Show and they’ve never been able to see themselves in the game,” he says before sharing an anecdote of the day the team filmed the promo for Road To The Show: Women Pave Their Way. The little girl in the video is the daughter of a member of Playstation’s creative team and a baseball fan. Once the shoot was done, Russell invited her to play the game and she was able to build a player that finally looked like her.

“When we looked at her and we saw that smile, I was like, ‘Okay, this is why we did this,’” he says. “’If it’s only a hundred women, who gives a fuck? Look at the smile on her face. She can see herself now. This is why we did this.’”

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The Best Hip-Hop Albums Of March 2024

best hip hop albums of march 2024
Getty Image/Merle Cooper

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

What a month. March 2024 was largely defined by a string of controversies, conflicts, and conspiracy theories, which kept us a tad bit too busy for some of our typical in-depth musical coverage.

But there were also so many good hip-hop albums, I didn’t want the month to end without at least tipping my cap to the array of innovative releases that would have normally been given the RX seal of approval if there weren’t 1,000 other things going on.

And so, I present to you, loyal readers of Uproxx – and newcomers, too – to the first edition of the Best Hip-Hop Albums of the Month. Let’s call it an extension of my weekly column, designed to collect and rightfully praise the projects that impressed us the most over the past 30 or so days. After all, who says new albums only deserve a week’s worth of attention?

Flo Milli – Fine Ho, Stay

flo milli fine ho stay
Flo Milli

Although it’s technically the Alabama rapper’s second studio album, her latest release completes a trilogy begun by her fan-favorite 2020 debut mixtape, Ho, Why Is You Here?. The new album expands on the world-building she did on it and its 2022 follow-up (and her debut album) You Still Here Ho?, the album contains contributions from Anycia, Cardi B, SZA, Gunna and Monaleo. Still, Flo Milli remains the star of the show, showing off an impressive degree of growth and polish across 14 tracks, including her latest breakout hit, “Never Lose Me.”

Kenny Mason – 9

kenny mason 9
Kenny Mason

It’s almost impossible to truly categorize what kind of music Atlanta native Kenny Mason actually makes. An amalgamation of Atlanta staples like trap, the Southern-fried funk rap of Outkast, the gloomy grunge of early-90s Nirvana, and soulful, blurry-eyed Bandcamp boom-bap, Kenny vividly details teenaged malaise, early adulthood angst, and stressful street trials without any part seeming trivial or melodramatically heightened in comparison to the others. 9’s guestlist is as eclectic as its subject matter, tapping Babydrill, Toro Y Moi, and Veeze.

Kyle – Smyle Again

kyle smyle again
Kyle

Longtime readers of my Best Hip-Hop of the Week column will likely be aware that this album combines two of my favorite things in hip-hop at the moment: A fellow West Coast native and the ongoing Black reclamation of EDM. Despite its title, Kyle’s latest doesn’t rehash the content or sound of his breakthrough 2015 mixtape; rather, it revisits its spirit, in a full-circle moment that allows the Ventura product to reflect on his career and have a little fun in the process. Utilizing an eclectic soundscape that draws on UK 2-step and garage, Smyle Again is a unique gem no one should overlook in the search for truly original hip-hop.

Schoolboy Q – Blue Lips

schoolboy q blue lips
Schoolboy Q

Q’s first new album in five years is a gritty review of his journey so far through the eyes of a weathered vet. Sonically adventurous, it swerves erratically from blue-era Miles Davis jazz to menacing, guttural street Gothic opera, never settling into one mode for too long – or indeed, for very long at all. Yet, Q’s grizzled, paranoid flow holds everything together generating order in the chaos as he takes stock of his successes, which would be surprising if not for the perseverance he needed to exert to survive long enough to enjoy them. “Yeern 101” is a standout.

Tierra Whack – World Wide Whack

tierra whack world wide whack
Tierra Whack

I haven’t been as devastated by a rap album since Rexx Life Raj’s 2022 album The Blue Hour. Where Whack’s colorful costumes and whimsical backing tracks might lure listeners into a false sense of upbeat security, the themes she tackles here – depression, grief, imposter syndrome, and survivor’s remorse – practically hollowed me out. “Two Night” and “27 Club” are a harrowing one-two punch that let the album linger on the terrifying implications of anointing – and leave you longing for the rest of the story, for the catharsis that even Whack can’t promise. I hope she’s doing okay.

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