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R.E.M. are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their debut EP Chronic Town. For the first time ever, the critically-acclaimed, five-song EP will be released as a CD with extensive liner notes by Mitch Easter, who produced it. It’ll be available also on picture disc and cassette on August 19 via I.R.S./UMe.

Last year, Michael Stipe directly addressed rumors that R.E.M. might be getting back together. An interview brought up a Rolling Stone piece that gave the chance of their reunion a 30% chance, but Stipe said, “That’s wishful thinking,” he began. “We will never reunite. We decided when we split up that that would just be really tacky and probably money-grabbing, which might be the impetus for a lot of bands to get back together.”

They also unveiled the Hib-Tone version of “Sitting Still,” the B-side to the band’s 1983 debut single “Radio Free Europe,” last year. “We were all just kind of finger-painting,” Mitch Easter, who produced “Radio Free Europe,” told Rolling Stone in May. “They weren’t super-deliberate about anything. I loved that about the sessions. Even when we did the LPs, nobody was really taking any orders from anybody. There might have been people advising R.E.M. on the business end of things, to do this, that, or the other. But they pretty much ignored all of them.”

Listen to the EP’s first track “Wolves, Lower” above.

If you’re not a big gin drinker, you might assume that all gin tastes the same. This herb and botanical-filled clear spirit is definitely juniper-centric, first and foremost, as it’s the main flavor, but beyond that, gin allows for almost endless variation. Even the classic, well-known, and historic gin brands are subtly different, using different herbs and botanicals to even out their flavor profiles.

Arguably even more so than with other spirits, in gin there are the big names and then, after a big gulf, everything else. What exactly propels one brand into stratospheric popularity as opposed to another? Is it marketing? Has it just been around forever so everyone has heard about it? Is it just dumb luck? Are the handful of brands that sell more and get more acclaim than countless others really the best gins available or are they simply overrated?

To try to separate hype from quality, we figured the best idea was to turn once again to the classic blind taste test. For our latest, we took eight of the best selling, most well known, and potentially overrated gins on the market today and rated them blind. This includes some well-known, historic London Dry gins as well as some newer, more contemporary brands. We nosed, tasted, and ranked them to try to determine which of these well-known gins are overrated and which are accurately rated.

Today’s Lineup:

• Beefeater London Dry Gin
• Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin
• Tanqueray London Dry Gin
• Hendrick’s Gin
• The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
• Aviation American Gin
• Gordon’s London Dry Gin
• Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin

Part 1: The Taste

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

There isn’t much going on with this gin’s nose unless you are a rabid fan of juniper. The pine-scented berry as well as slight citrus and even less pepper is literally all I could smell on the nose. There’s slightly more going on with the palate, but not much. It’s very juniper-centered with some lemon zest and maybe some pepper and licorice. Still fairly boring and juniper-focused.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

While juniper is ever-present, this gin has a bold, almost overwhelming aroma of lemon and other citrus fruits that moves into slightly floral, earthy, herbal scents. But that’s about it. The palate is very juniper-centered with some lemon peel and wintry spices. I tried to find more, but just couldn’t. Overall, not a bad gin but pretty unexciting.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

The nose is highly complex with juniper berries, bright pine, lemon zest, orange peel, cracked black pepper, and herbal, floral notes. The palate continues this trend with more juniper, pine needles, orange peel, lemon zest, chamomile tea, anise, cinnamon, and gentle spices. It’s dry, warming, and highly memorable.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

A nose of earthy grass, bright juniper, orange peels, maybe some cracked black pepper, and other herbs. The palate followed suit with more of a punch of juniper, licorice, coriander, and citrus zest. It’s fairly complex and has enough aromas and flavors that it will take another sampling or two to find them all. All in all, a pretty well-balanced, complex gin.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

The nose is pine needles, juniper, pepper, and not much else. Maybe a little earthy, herbal aroma, but it’s hard to place. The palate is almost too heavily relying on juniper. It’s difficult for anything else to get through. There are slight notes of citrus and pine, but the whole thing was really dominated by over-the-top juniper.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Complex aromas of pine, juniper, cucumber, bright citrus, and slight floral scents are prevalent on the nose. Sipping it revealed even more flavor. What starts with juniper berries moves quickly into orris root, chamomile tea, lemon zest, cucumber, and a gentle, earthy, slightly herbal, floral backbone that brings everything together nicely.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

A lot is going on with this gin’s nose. Lemon zest, orange peel, pine, juniper, and lightly floral aromas met my nose before the first sip. While the palate began with piney juniper berries, it quickly evolved into notes of cracked black pepper, herbal mint, lemon zest, and light spices. Overall, a very complex gin that will require multiple samplings to truly reveal all the flavors.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

Juniper, juniper, juniper, and not much else. There’s a slight hint of citrus zest and maybe some anise, but that’s about it. If you’re into that sort of thing, good for you. I prefer a little more depth. The palate wasn’t much different with more pine-tree juniper essence as well as slight cinnamon and maybe some coriander and pepper. This isn’t a bad gin, it’s just a little too juniper-centered for my liking. I wish there were at least a few other noticeable aromas and flavors.

Part 2: The Rankings

8) Gordon’s London Dry Gin (Taste 5)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $18.99

The Gin:

Created more than 250 years ago by a man named Alexander Gordon, this London Dry gin is well-known for its bold, juniper-forward flavor. Made the same way since the late 1700s, the recipe also includes coriander, angelica root, orris root, licorice, orange peel, and lemon peel.

Bottom Line:

It’s hard to say Gordon’s is overrated because it’s really fairly cheap for a big-name brand. But it’s so aggressively juniper-centric that it tastes even cheaper than its low price.

7) Beefeater London Dry Gin (Taste 1)

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $20.99

The Gin:

Named for The Yeomen Warders at the Palace of London (the monarchy’s bodyguards, basically), this gin is one of the most highly-awarded London Dry Gins ever made, with flavors like juniper, Seville oranges, lemon peels, and other herbs and botanicals.

Bottom Line:

For being one of the most awarded gins in the world, Beefeater is a bit of a one-trick pony. Juniper (and to a lesser degree citrus) is the dominant flavor and it doesn’t allow any other flavors to shine. Verdict? Overrated.

6) Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin (Taste 2)

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $21.99

The Gin:

There are few gins brands more popular than Bombay Sapphire. But does that really mean that it’s one of the best available? One of the more exotic gins on the market, Bombay Sapphire is flavored by Juniper, Grains of Paradise, cubeb berries, orris root, and various other herbs and botanicals.

Bottom Line:

It’s clear from this blind tasting that Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin, while a decent gin, is at the very least slightly overrated. It’s not as complex as I would have expected with all of its exotic ingredients.

5) Tanqueray London Dry Gin (Taste 8)

ABV: 47.3%

Average Price: $21.99

The Gin:

A favorite of bartenders throughout the world, Tanqueray London Dry Gin is known for its simplicity. While some brands opt for a large number of ingredients, Tanqueray relies simply on juniper berries, angelica root, licorice root, and coriander. That’s it.

Bottom Line:

When I read about the simplicity of Tanqueray, I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t really love it when tasted blind. I’ve mixed this gin into gin & tonics in the past and the addition of citrus propelled the flavor. It’s just a little overrated on its own.

4) Aviation American Gin (Taste 4)

ABV: 42%

Average Price: $26.99

The Gin:

Even if you’re not a gin drinker, you probably know about Aviation American Gin, thanks to its affiliation with (and commercials starring) Ryan Reynolds (who is famously Canadian). This highly popular gin gets its flavor from the addition of juniper, orange peel, lavender, cardamom, and various other herbs and botanicals.

Bottom Line:

While juniper is unsurprisingly the main flavor in this gin, there are enough other complementary flavors that make it a very memorable, flavorful gin. It’s safe to say Aviation is not overrated.

3) Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin (Taste 7)

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $72.99

The Gin:

When people think of Germany’s Black Forest, most picture chocolate cake, ham, or the Brothers Grimm. But it’s also home to Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin, a spirit that gets its name from its 47% alcohol, but also because from the 47 herbs and botanicals used to flavor it, including juniper, bramble leaves, lingonberries, and spruce shoots.

Bottom Line:

I worried that Monkey 47 might not fare well because there are so many flavors, that they would all meld together and I wouldn’t be able to discern each individually. I was wrong. Verdict: Not overrated.

2) Hendrick’s Gin (Taste 6)

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $35

The Gin:

Even though Hendrick’s was only launched in 1999, it’s become one of the most popular brands in the world. Hendrick’s has a unique flavor thanks to rose petals and cucumbers, but also contains 11 other herbs and botanicals, including juniper, angelica, orris, caraway, and chamomile.

Bottom Line:

I’ve purchased Hendrick’s in the past and mixed cocktails with it, but I don’t think I ever really took the time to sample all of the aromas and flavors. It’s so much more than just a cucumber and rose-flavored gin. Definitely not overrated.

1) The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (Taste 3)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $39.99

The Gin:

One of the islands of the Inner Hebrides off the coast of Scotland, Islay is well known for its whisky distilleries. One of the most well-known Scotch distilleries there, Bruichladdich, launched this gin back in 2011. Flavored with 31 herbs and botanicals, including 22 that were hand foraged on the island, it’s a truly unique, flavorful gin.

Bottom:

There’s a reason The Botanist Islay Dry Gin is popular. It’s complex with myriad flavors, but it manages to have enough juniper and classic botanicals to remind you that you’re drinking gin. It’s definitely one to try if you haven’t.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

When I took a look at the final rankings, it became quite clear to me that I prefer a more flavorful, complex gin than a classic, traditional London Dry. We can argue “overrated” or not all day, but it’s obvious that if a gin relies too heavily on juniper berries and not much else, it won’t make the top of my rankings.

Among the most intriguing free agents who will hit the market officially on Thursday afternoon is Hornets forward Miles Bridges, who had a breakout in this fourth season and set himself up for a handsome payday this summer.

As a restricted free agent, the Hornets can match any offer on Bridges, but given the team’s history, there was genuine reason to wonder if they’d match a max or near-max offer that might come his way. Reports indicated they might balk at such an offer, with Detroit primed to throw a big offer sheet at the former Michigan State star, but on Tuesday at an introductory press conference for new (and old) coach Steve Clifford, general manager Mitch Kupchak insisted they’ll be bringing Bridges back to the Queen City.

That is about as firm a statement as you’ll see from a front office executive about a player going into free agency, and for Hornets fans worried Bridges might walk this summer, it will provide some relief about the next few days. We’ll find out what kind of deal Bridges ends up on in Charlotte in the next week, but this appears to take one of the best young free agents off the market. For a team like the Pistons, this may force them to shift attention to a Plan B now that the Hornets have stated their intentions in no uncertain terms.

Vladimir Putin’s been waging a dismal war in Ukraine for over 100 days, and all the Botox in the world can’t help his image. His approval rating has plummeted to a 20-year low, he’s throwing down with sanctions aimed at “Moscow Mitch” for crying out loud, and let’s just say that things aren’t going as well as the Kremlin would like to pretend.

The Ukrainian people (led by President Zelensky) are standing firm in their resolve not to cave, and the economic effects upon Russia have been dire. That’s especially the case for not-rich people, but Russian oligarchs are losing yachts (to seizure) around the globe, and Russia’s growing increasingly isolated. Now, the Daily Beast is relaying how Oleg Deripaska, a tycoon and enduring Vladimir Putin proponent, is no longer ride-or-die for his guy. In fact, Deripaska is talking about how Putin’s making a “colossal mistake” over in Ukraine. He’s warning of no hope on the horizon for Russia, and he fears a nuclear accident. Here’s more:

Speaking publicly at Moscow State University, the Western-sanctioned oligarch avoided placing any blame for the war against Ukraine and said anyone hoping for a regime change in Russia will be disappointed, according to video shared by RBC. “There’s no potential for a regime change,” he said, adding that “the [Russian] opposition preferred beautiful European views, and all that, they’ve retreated from the life of the country.”

Well, it’s no wonder that reports about Putin’s circle digging around for a successor are starting to make even more sense. Russia’s now a global pariah, and sanctions will continue to fly, especially while Putin’s forces are condemned for a “war crime” after bombing civilians who were gathered to shop. It’s pretty awful all around, but Putin shows no signs of deciding to pull out of the war.

(Via The Daily Beast)

The best parody accounts on Twitter work because there’s a bit of truth and authenticity buried behind the hyperbole of its tweets. Which is why it makes sense that a Lake Superior parody account has gone viral for dragging people into its watery depths.

That’s right: the hottest thing online is not doomscrolling until you find the next awful thing or scouring paparazzi images of the Greta Gerwig Barbie movie. It’s Lake Superior. You know, one of the five Great Lakes and the biggest freshwater reserve on planet Earth. The account, @LakeSuperior, is not run by a parks department or federal agency, but a normal human woman. Who usually just plays booster to the lake and talks a bit of trash about shallower lakes like Erie and Ontario.

Last week, though, the account tweeted about abortion rights in the wake of the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court, which overturned access to abortion on a federal level.

That tweet made some, well, waves. Especially with pro-life enthusiasts who enjoy Lake Superior, apparently. But much like the doomed crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald and HUNDREDS OF OTHER SUNKEN BOATS, they learned in a hurry that you should not mess with the deepest and most terrifying of America’s freshwater lakes.

While the account hasn’t brought its replies onto its own timeline, they have certainly gotten a lot of attention on Twitter. Screenshots of interactions with upset lake fans went viral several different ways, and garnered a lot of reactions on their own.

She even got some love from Michigan’s governor, who you would think has a favorite Great Lake that isn’t Superior!

And while you may not think abortion has much to do with Lake Superior, the owner of the account also knew the score when it comes to water politics, too.

Few parody accounts are actually good these days, but much like the largely unexplored depths of Lake Superior maybe we just haven’t been looking hard enough.

Today marks the debut of the second season of Hulu’s Only Murders In The Building, but before that, there was a premiere event last night. While walking the red carpet, Selena Gomez offered her thoughts on what people can do to make their voices heard amid the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade.

Gomez was asked what Hollywood can do to help and after noting that she recently shared resources about getting involved, Gomez, standing between Only Murders co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short, continued, “It’s about voting, it’s about getting men… men needing to stand up and also speak against this issue. It’s also the amount of women that are hurting. I’m just not happy and I hope that we can do everything in our power to do something to change that.”

Martin also offered some praise for Gomez, saying, “Unbelievable. She’s so well-spoken, clarity of thought, persuasive, and compelling, I would say.” Short joked, “I have been called those things, haven’t I?” Martin quipped, “Yeah, but it’s always been preceded with ‘not,’” a friendly burn that got a big laugh out of Gomez.

Elsewhere on the red carpet, Only Murders showrunner John Hoffman noted he’d be down for Harry Styles to pop up on the show.

Check out the full interview below.

Drake’s used to breaking records, seeing success, and more or less printing money, but even he can’t have it all. After listing his “YOLO Estate” in Hidden Hills, California for $14.8 million dollars this spring, he finally closed a deal last week for only $12 million, according to TMZ. I kid, I kid.

Drake originally put up the three-home property for sale at $22.2 million, with the bulk of that coming from the biggest house, which has a 25-seat theater, full-sized basketball and tennis courts, and a horse stable on 12,500 square feet. TMZ reports that celebrities interested in the property included Britney Spears and Caitlyn Jenner, while the two smaller houses went for $11 million to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. So it turns out that Drake actually did get to his target total, which likely explains the discount on the big house. The buyer remains anonymous.

The Toronto superstar has had a similarly successful week overall, with his new album Honestly, Nevermind landing at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, giving him his 11th No. 1 album overall. In addition, he racked up his 11th No. 1 single thanks to the album’s 21 Savage collaboration “Jimmy Cooks,” while every full song from Honestly, Nevermind (excluding the intro) appeared on the Hot 100.

Marjorie Taylor Greene is complaining about the “attacks” on her anti-trans sign again, which have the Georgia congresswoman fearing for her safety. The anti-trans sign, which Greene posted in 2021 to troll a fellow congresswoman with a trans child, has been repeatedly vandalized. However, despite her proclamations to the contrary, the Capitol Police did take her concerns seriously and have issued an arrest warrant for the suspect.

In a new interview with the right-wing One America News, Greene walks a reporter through the situation after saying she noticed a “pattern” after “seven different attacks.” And by attacks, Greene means stickers. Someone was putting stickers on her anti-trans sign, and from the way Greene tells it, the ordeal was a vicious assault on her safety.

“The attacks were against my Christianity,” Greene told OAN. “They were stickers that would go up on the sign, attacking me, mocking me using Bible verses. So I have been reporting the issues to House Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police asking for surveillance cameras because I didn’t feel safe. I have many death threats. Threats against me, personally, threats against my family.”

Here’s the thing, by Greene’s own admission, the House Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police did address the situation by installing surveillance cameras at her request. Not only that, but they identified the culprit and are pursuing charges. Of course, again, these are stickers we’re talking about, which gives the whole thing Rudy Giuliani “attacked” at a supermarket vibes. At least in Giuliani’s situation, he was physically touched by someone (very gently on the back) whereas Greene is demanding federal charges over having to peel a sticker off of a laminated sign.

(Via David Edwards on Twitter)

After the reversal of Roe V. Wade on Friday, musicians have been using their stages to speak up. Halsey made a visceral speech that even upset some fans, Billie Eilish sang about it: “The internet’s gone wild watching movie stars on trial / While they’re overturning Roe v. Wade,” and Lorde said she was sickened and heartbroken.

Megan Thee Stallion brought up her frustration during her Glastonbury Festival set. “Texas [is] really embarrassing me right now,” she said. “I wanna have it on the record, that the hot boys and hot girls do not support this bullsh*t that y’all campaigning for.” She began a chant with the audience: “My body, my motherf*cking choice.”

The rapper has been teasing her forthcoming album for months. In May, she said in an interview, “Anything I want to give away? Actually, I’m probably like 95 percent done with my new album. I want to tease that for the hotties. I haven’t even told them nothing about my album.” More recently, she cheekily revealed, “I want to take you through so many different emotions,” she said of the record. “At first you was twerking, now you might be crying.”

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Hudson Mohawke is set to drop a new album called Cry Sugar later this summer. Ahead of Cry Sugar‘s release, Mowhawke has released a new single called “Bicstan,” along with a megamix featuring portions of the album.

The Scottish DJ and producer is known for his work with Kanye West, Pusha T, Banks, and several others. His latest single, “Bicstan,” utilizes Roland TB-303 sounds, creating an “acid house” effect, along with effervescent vocals and house chords.

According to a statement accompanied by the album announcement, “a day in the life of Hudson Mohawke often involves a 7 am grill out session in an abandoned lot across the street from the club—coals blazing as the skeletal sound of cavernous bass echoes out from empty warehouses in morning twilight. These early dawn cookouts have become crucial post-rave rituals for Mohawke to stave off exhaustion and ennui. Mohawke has been ‘focusing on his health,’ taking cues from his new home in LA by trying out juice cleanses, meditation sessions, and stationary bike exercises. While smoke rises from the western Californian horizon, Mohawke flips grillables and offers sustenance to the last early morning ravers and revelers—a way to prioritize health and “give back” to sloshed club-goers who made it far enough to see the morning light.”

Check out the Cry Sugar megamix, featuring “Bicstan,” above, and the Cry Sugaralbum artwork below.

Cry Sugar is out 8/12 via Warp Records. Pre-save it here.