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Big Thief’s fifth album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, came out today and it’s fantastic. The 20-song release shows a diverse range of songs from the Brooklyn band, ranging from indie to folk to bluegrass to the psychedelic. Uproxx msuic critic Steve Hyden says, “So much of the pleasure of listening to Dragon comes from appreciating the subtle and delicate ways in which this band works and plays together…” And this is exactly what we get an intimate glimpse of on the video for “Red Moon.”

Recorded in Tucson, Arizona, at the home studio of Dr. Dog’s Scott McMicken, the video gently glides through all four members of Big Thief, along with Mat Davidson on a scintillating fiddle and backing vocals. Davidson’s presence is notable as the band has seldom-if-ever brought in another contributor for their albums. What we see is actually the live take that ended up on the album and it’s the subtle details of the clip that make it especially charming. The way drummer James Krivchenia bangs on the snare with a rag over it, how Buck Meek casually plays lead guitar with one leg crossed over the other, how McMicken squeezes in between a doorway in the background tapping to the beat on his lap, and how singer Adrianne Lenker pushes her pursed lips right up against the mic for a handsome whistle on the outro.

Watch the video for “Red Moon” above.

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You is out now via 4AD. Get it here.

Call of Duty may be changing over to new ownership, but that hasn’t changed the current plans for any of the franchise’s upcoming games. There were reports that Warzone 2 and sequel to Modern Warfare were both planned for the near future, and on Friday, Activision Blizzard confirmed this while giving details on the exact timeline for these future games.

In a blog post, details were given about what we can expect to see from Call of Duty in the future. A sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare is in the plans for 2022. After that, work is going to shift over to a gigantic update for Warzone. What it did not confirm is if this new game will simply be an update or expansion to current Warzone, or a brand new game. Both games will be handled by Activision studio, Infinity Ward.

Lastly, we also wanted to give a peek into what is on the horizon in 2022 for Call of Duty. The team is excited to confirm some additional news below.

Stay frosty, friends.

– This year’s Call of Duty is a sequel to Modern Warfare® 2019​.

– The new game and a new Warzone experience are designed together from the ground-up​.

– Expect a massive evolution of Battle Royale with all-new playspace and a new sandbox mode​.

– A new engine powers both the new Call of Duty game release and Warzone.

– Development on both the new Call of Duty and the Warzone experience is being led by Infinity Ward.

The big changes here seem to be the plans for a new major engine. The current engine that Call of Duty runs on is what the 2019 Modern Warfare debuted on, so it only makes sense that a sequel would also mean a new engine for any future games. That new engine is not only a refresh for the look and feel of the franchise, but it may be an opportunity to finally get ahead of the hacking that has been a problem in the franchise for years.

Between The Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna, it looks like the theme of 2022 is being a giant scammer, and then watching the events unfold on Netflix.

The team behind another infamous scam doc, Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, about the notorious Fyre Festival, is planning a series about an alleged Bitcoin scandal. Netflix has ordered a docuseries about Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, a couple who have been arrested for attempting to launder billions worth of Bitcoin.

Lichtenstein and his wife Morgan, a Forbes contributor and rapper (two things that seem to not go well together), were arrested earlier this week in New York and face charges after being accused of laundering $4.5B in Bitcoin in 2016. According to Deadline, their conspiracy is the biggest criminal financial crime case in history.

The value of that Bitcoin skyrocketed to nearly $5 Billion, when the couple tried to liquidate their funds by making fake accounts and identities in effort to buy NFT’s and physical gold. Their plan, according to the New York Post, was the flee the country. Instead, Morgan became a rapper.

The Netflix series is set to be directed by Fyre director Chris Smith, who also produced the quarantine hit Tiger King. Smith will work alongside Nick Bilton, the Vanity Fair writer who is behind HBO’s The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley.

(Via Deadline & NY Post)

With the Winter Olympics underway in Beijing, China, we’re feeling inspired to break out our skis and hit the slopes. This leads us to one of the most quintessential ski and snowboarding towns in the U.S., Park City, Utah. Of course, there’s no better person to give us the inside scoop on Park City than a 2022 Olympian and Red Bull athlete Mac Forehand.

The professional skier, who just competed in the Big Air Finals at the Olympic Games, has been living in Park City for two years. So he has the local experience and insight to know the best spots in town for eating, exploring, and of course, skiing. Below, Forehand is sharing his personal travel guide to Park City, Utah.

Why Park City, Utah?

Park city’s ski terrain has been considered as some of the best skiing by so many great professionals of the sport. With so many different mountains to choose from, all not too far from each other, it really is a paradise for skiing.

What’s one thing that every first-time visitor should see or do in Park City?

I think it depends what time of year you’re in Park City. In the winter season, honestly, the best thing to do is go skiing. In the summer, the activities are endless as well. Amazing golf courses, a variety of mountain biking trails, frisbee golfing, and some beautiful hikes are just some of the things you can get up to in Park City.

How do the slopes in Park City stand out from other mountain towns?

The skiing and snowboarding in Park City are some of the best in the country. In the main PC Valley area, Canyons Mountain, Park City Mountain Resort, and Deer Valley are all within ten minutes of each other. Then you have Brighton, Alta, and Snowbird about an hour away. Also, the snow conditions are pretty extraordinary. When it snows, the pow is the lightest, driest snow I’ve ever skied. It’s definitely a highlight of living there for sure.

The best place for rentals for beginners is definitely at the mountain. If needed, other stores I recommend are Cole Sport or Jans Mountain Outfitters, which are both located across the street from each other pretty much right outside the resort.

Go-to food spot in town?

The Mexican food in Park City stands out the most for me. It’s usually the small little restaurants that are the best as well. A couple of my favorites are El Chubasco’s and Alberto’s.

El Chubasco’s is famous for its salsa bar, which features 15 unique salsas offering a variety of flavors and spice levels. Alberto’s offers an extensive menu of all your classic Mexican favorites, from tacos and tortas to burritos and quesadillas.

Browse El Chubasco’s menu here and Alberto’s menu here.

Coolest hotel or place to stay?

I think if you are visiting Park City, the best spot to stay is any house or resort that is slope-side (ski-in or ski-out). It makes the experience much better and cuts out any travel to the resort. One of the hotels I recommend is the Marriott at Park City Mountain Resort.

Best time of year to visit?

The best time of year in Park City is in the spring. You can still ski and have a good time during warm spring conditions, and the mountain bike trails, which are world-famous, are just starting to clear out.

Like many conservative politicians, Ted Cruz has found a new obsession: banning books. Texas is leading the nation in removing books “dealing with race, sexuality, and gender from schools,” according to NBC News, with “hundreds of titles [already having] been pulled from libraries across the state for review.” Many librarians are doing what they can to keep the books (including Pulitzer Prize winner Maus) in circulation, but they face an uphill battle against the likes of Texas governor Greg Abbott and Cruz, who believes that “left-wing educators” are introducing students to “explicit pornography.”

“Take a look at some of the portions from books that parents are going to school boards and reading out loud; this is what my child is being taught.’ And in too many instances, you have left-wing educators putting explicit pornography in front of kids. I think that is severely misguided, the crypto-loving senator told Insider. He continued:

“I don’t believe schools should be teaching explicit pornography to kids and advocates on the left that want schools to teach explicit pornography to kids are far out of the mainstream,” he said. “I think most moms and most dads don’t want their elementary school teaching pornography to their children. They want them teaching, reading and writing, and math history.”

It’s no coincidence that many of the targeted books deal with racism and sexism, and frequently feature LGBTQ characters. It’s also rich that Ted Cruz, of all people, is leading the crusade against “explicit pornography.”

Cruz can’t blame a “staffing issue” this time.

(Via Insider)

The Los Angeles Lakers stood pat at the NBA trade deadline, as they failed to make any moves with an eye on improving their 26-30 record. Instead, their apparent hope is that they’ll be able to find someone(s) on the buyout market who can bolster their chances of making a run during the second half of the season, which both Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins find very funny.

The inherent issue with turning to the buyout market is twofold: One, it’s exceedingly rare that players who can legitimately help a team win games get bought out, and two, you’re banking on other teams to make decisions that are outside of your control. But despite that, L.A. is getting its ducks in a row, and according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, one player who they hope to target is current Houston Rockets guard Dennis Schröder.

The Lakers explored the possibility of trading for Schröder at the trade deadline, as The Athletic’s Bill Oram reported. While there remains some division internally among the Lakers’ decision-makers regarding Schröder after his uncomfortable departure last summer, there is interest in bringing him back as a backup point guard, according to league sources.

Schröder was moved just before the deadline in the trade that saw Daniel Theis return to the Boston Celtics. Of course, Schröder joined the Celtics as a free agent this past summer after spending the previous year in L.A., where he may or may not have turned down an $84 million extension. As for whether or not he’ll become available, that is a different story.

Regardless, Schröder could help the Lakers as a backcourt option who knows the team’s system and has played with guys like LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the past. Time will tell, though, if a reunion comes to fruition.

With Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday this year, this weekend is probably the prime spot to get it on with your significant other. That means you’re going to need a good, sexy, and easy cocktail locked and loaded. One of the best cocktails for that vibe is the sidecar variation — Between The Sheets.

This cocktail goes back to Paris in the 1920s, when Harry’s Bar was helping invent modern and classic cocktail culture. It’s a mix of cognac and light rum with plenty of citruses to help it go down very easily. It’s light, refreshing, and incredibly sultry.

Between The Sheets is also very easy to make. We’re talking about a standard shaker with ingredients you’ll be able to source at any liquor store. There are no tricks, no bespoke spirits, and no five-minute shakes. You can make these in 30 seconds if your cocktail shaking game is tight.

Between The Sheets

Ingredients:

(Double ingredients to make two at a time in one shaker)

• 1 oz. cognac
• 1 oz. light rum
• 1 oz. triple sec
• 0.25 oz. fresh lemon juice
• Ice
• Orange peel

As I mentioned above, these are all standard ingredients that you’ll be able to find pretty much anywhere liquor is sold. I’m using Hennessy, Diplomatico Planas, and Le Favori Triple Sec. I’d definitely push towards the nicer end of the cognacs with VS (very special) or better. I’d also pick a light rum that’s been aged and turned back into a white rum. Generally, aged rums like Diplomatico Planas are aged in barrels for years before the color is filtered out, which leaves smooth edges and deep aged flavor in the rum without the dark hues.

What You’ll Need:

• Coupe (pre-chilled)
• Cocktail shaker
• Cocktail strainer
• Pairing knife
• Jigger

Method:

• Pre-chill the glass in the freezer.
• Add the cognac, rum, triple sec, and lemon to a shaker. Fill about 1/2 way with ice. Shake vigorously until well chilled (15 to 20 seconds).
• Strain the cocktail into the pre-chilled glass.
• Slice a thin peel from the orange and express the oils over the cocktail and rub the peel around the rim and stem of the glass.
• Discard peel and serve.

Bottom Line:

This is super refreshing and light. The citrus really shines through with big orange notes driving the palate with the rum and cognac providing a light boozy base with a little bit of woody spice, orchard fruit, and sweetness. The lemon provides a nice and acidic counterpoint to the whole affair and really helps this cocktail shine.

Perhaps most importantly, this is super easy to make. It takes less than a minute to shake one of these up and serve it (if you’re rushing). That means you can easily make more as the night winds on without much effort. Save that energy for romance.

Mid-2022 is going to be the peak of the year for Jack White fans, as the rocker has a pair of albums dropping in the coming months: Fear Of The Dawn is set for release on April 8, then Entering Heaven Alive is scheduled to be unveiled on July 22. White has been teasing the first LP in recent months and he did more of that today with a brief-but-energetic new video for the rocking “Fear Of The Dawn.”

The self-directed clip is a single stationary shot of White and his band playing the song, stylized in black and white save for the blue accents, which include White’s hair. There’s also some visually noisy and chaotic overlays to give the whole video a grungier feel.

Meanwhile, around the release of Fear Of The Dawn is also when White is set to begin his “The Supply Chain Issues Tour.” The trek will see White travel all around the world between April and August, including multi-night stays in places like Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Paris, and London.

Watch the “Fear Of The Dawn” video above.

Fear Of The Dawn is out 4/8 via Third Man Records. Pre-order it here.

Entering Heaven Alive is out 7/22 via Third Man Records. Pre-order it here.

Spoilers for The Power of the Dog will be found below.

The ending of Netflix’s The Power of the Dog was a powerful one, although it was an understated one for sure. It may have taken a rewind to capture the full gravity of what happened when Phil fell ill and surprisingly died. Heck, even Phil’s brother, George, seemed shocked that his brother had almost certainly (as confirmed by the doctor) fallen ill and died from anthrax poisoning, so let’s talk out how and why this happened.

Also, there’s one major question that we need to consider: Did Peter kill Phil?

Yep, it sure seems like he did. This is heavily implied and, in retrospect, makes plenty of sense while reflecting upon some hefty foreshadowing. That includes Peter’s care in wearing gloves while approaching a dead animal in the field. That wasn’t the only moment when he was spotted studying a dead animal over the course of the movie, and we also know — from the way that Peter broke a rabbit’s neck with ease when prompted by Phil — that Peter was capable of killing a living being. Sure, the jump to killing Phil might seem a little large, but Peter knew the depths of Phil’s cruelty and taunting of his mother. And he had determined to protect her at all costs.

That cost included Peter’s budding relationship with Phil, who had seemingly dropped his contempt for the young man and opened up to him about his own past. The film’s a scathing examination of toxic masculinity, and boy, all of those Oscar nominations are well deserved ones, but let’s get back to that ending with Phil and Peter.

Peter observed Phil’s open wound and how his guard was down, so he determined to slip him some contaminated rawhide. And his hunch was correct. Phil didn’t suspect a thing, even though (as noted by George after his brother’s death) Phil was generally very careful while dealing with animals and the possibility of infection. Peter knew that Rose remained in danger and made his decision, and that turned out to be the end of Phil. It’s a stunning development, and arguably a necessary one, and it’s certainly commentary upon the state of Phil’s psyche and how it reflects upon conversations about sexuality and identity. And now, those conversations head to the Oscars.

The Power of the Dog is currently streaming on Netflix.

Since popping up on the scene in 2019 with his rowdy party singles “Yeh” and “Crunk Ain’t Dead,” Memphis-bred Quality Control Music rapper Duke Deuce has long held a reputation for his energetic performances and raucous, unabashed livewire personality. So it’s only natural that for his first single of 2022, Duke teamed up with another rapper with a similar penchant for cutting loose, Maryland punk-rap rebel Rico Nasty, on “Falling Off.”

Over a fitting metal guitar riff that evokes the wild energy of the glam-rock ’80s, the two rappers boast of their inexhaustible energy, scream-rapping, “It ain’t no fallin’ off.” The song’s video, which takes place during a club performance with grimy lighting, opens with a warning for viewers and finds Duke and Rico embracing a pseudo-horror-themed aesthetic, with Duke rocking a Freddy Krueger sweater and a bubble jacket-clad Rico going cutesy-goth, with makeup taken straight out of a Kiss video and utilizing her raspy-voiced “Smack A Bitch” flow to set off her aggressive rhymes.

“Falling Off” is reportedly set to appear on Duke Deuce’s upcoming album, Crunkstar. Stay tuned.

Watch Duke Deuce’s “Falling Off” video featuring Rico Nasty above.

Rico Nasty is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.