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Snail Mail, the indie band formed by 22-year-old songwriter Lindsey Jordan, recently ushered in a new era of music with the dynamic single “Valentine” and officially announced a new album of the same name. Now giving another preview of the LP, which is set a for an early November release, Jordan shares a visual for her vibrant track “Ben Franklin.”

Directed by Josh Coll, the visual sees Jordan as an unhappy house wife in a posh East Coast mansion. But eventually, Jordan finds her way to joy with the help of some cathartic dance moves and an adorable puppy.

Prior to announcing Valentine, Jordan was keeping relatively out of the public eye. Her social media pages were run by her team and she stayed out of press. A line in “Ben Franklin” reveals her absence was due to a stint in a rehab center in Arizona, which she checked into at the end of last year.

Jordan spoke about her decision to address her rehab stint in “Ben Franklin” in a recent cover interview with NME. The singer said she was at first hesitant to publicize it, but then said it was such a “life-altering” moment for her that she couldn’t help but sing about it:

“When I left rehab, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m going to talk about this, and there’s no way I’m going to write about it, ’cause it’s nobody’s business. But when I was writing [‘Ben Franklin’], I was like, I don’t really want to write about crushing sadness in a melodramatic way like I usually do. I want to talk about things in a way that’s almost casually throwing some crazy sh*t out into the mix. I was sitting there with my notebook, and I was like, ‘I’m going to do it.’ At the time, I still didn’t have most of the album so I was like: ‘That’s future me’s problem.’ […] It’s hard. A lot of people in my life are like, ‘Oh, you did that – you put that in the song, huh?’ It’s not necessarily something I want to advertise about myself, but I kind of just… couldn’t really help it. It was such a monumental thing for me, and such a monumental switch-around. My personality is different now, for better in a lot of ways, but also… that kind of thing is its own trauma, you know? It’s really life-altering and I couldn’t ignore how that affected my music and me, and how I think about things.”

Watch the “Ben Franklin” video above.

Valentine is out 11/5 via Matador Records. Pre-order it here.

One of the most profitable video game series in the world is EA Sports’ FIFA franchise. The gaming giant has been making simulation soccer games with FIFA’s name and branding since the 1990’s, and as the sport’s popularity increased in the United States, so did the video game series. Of course, with popularity comes profits, and with profits come new contracts.

According to a report from the New York Times, EA and FIFA are struggling to come to an agreement on the details of their next contract. The main disagreement is that FIFA’s value is growing from EA’s hit franchise, and as a result, the organization wants EA to pay out more money for using its name and brand. EA, on the other hand, wants the freedom to do more with the franchise beyond just simulation sports games.

The core of the dispute is financial. FIFA is seeking more than double what it currently receives from EA Sports, according to people with knowledge of the talks, a figure that would increase its payout from the series to more than $1 billion for each four-year World Cup cycle.
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FIFA would prefer to limit EA’s exclusivity to the narrow parameters around use in a soccer game, most likely in an effort to seek new revenue streams for the rights it would retain. EA Sports, meanwhile, contends the company should be allowed to explore other ventures within its FIFA video game ecosystem, including highlights of actual games, arena video game tournaments and digital products like NFTs.

According to the report, FIFA currently values its license with EA somewhere close to $150 million. This is FIFA’s “single-most valuable commercial agreement.” In other words, this would be a huge loss for FIFA if EA can successfully turn the series into a new brand. The scary part for FIFA, of course, is that there’s really no reason EA can’t do this. The biggest competitor to EA over the years has been Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer series, which has always managed to find ways to include many of the world’s official brand names in its own games. That theoretically means EA could do the same.

EA also has the opportunity to set a precedent with its sports titles where it’s no longer associated with a major organization, such as FIFA, and is instead just an EA property that goes straight to the source. We’re seeing EA do this right now with college football — it has removed itself from most of the NCAA in the upcoming EA Sports College Football series. With the company considering renaming the series “EA Sports FC,” maybe this is what they really want: not being attached to other organizations with their sports titles.

David Gordon Green seems to have fun with these new Halloween movies. How else can it be explained why else he’d put all three Silver Shamrock masks from Halloween III: Season of the Witch in his new installment of the Michael Myers saga, Halloween Kills. (It’s funny, because I couldn’t quite make out the logo in the movie of the mask manufacturer, and Green seemed almost offended when I assumed it wouldn’t be from the fine folks at Silver Shamrock. Which kind of tells me Green has more in store for this story-line down the road. Also, if you don’t know the plot of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, well, there’s no way I could even begin to start explaining it here without using at least another 10,000 words.)

In Halloween Kills, we pick off right where Greens’ 2018 Halloween leaves off. And wouldn’t you know it, Michael Myers is still not dead. (It’s starting to feel like Michael will just never learn.) But, ahead, we get into what’s canon from the original movies, what isn’t and why some things Green wanted to use aren’t allowed. (Most having to do with different studios own different movies.) And I make a pitch to Green that both Halloween II and Halloween III should be considered canon again.

Also, Green gives tells us about the next and final Halloween movie in his trilogy, Halloween Ends, and how it will incorporate real world events into its plot.

You know that pointing DiCaprio/Rick Dalton meme? I did that when the Halloween III: Season of the Witch masks show up in this.

Right on. Yeah, a few Easter eggs in there for you.

I just talked to John Carpenter and he had no idea what I was talking about. But people like that movie a lot now. Have you noticed this?

I have. I think it’s aged well. I mean, I think that’s the beauty of this franchise in its whole. People will come to me and say, “Well, why did you not include the narrative of Halloween II? Or that an amazing ending in Halloween IV?” And so, there’s just also so much dialogue in the pros and cons of the franchise as a whole. I love the conversation about it. And Season of the Witch is one that I feel personally is an underappreciated installment, but it’s a little bit of a detour. But I like what they were doing with it. And maybe someone will dust that off and remake that someday.

So in the next one, you’re telling me Dr. Dan Challis is going to show up.

[Laughs] He’s going to show up. I mean, but there are so many ways you could take it. It is a tricky job in the writing of it, because there are certain things you’re drawn to do. But, also, a lot of these films have different rights holders. So there are different things you can and can’t do legally. And so you have your creative toolbox, come up with all the ideas, and then you have to propose it to the legal department. “Can I bring this character back? Who owns that? Is this a subplot that we could include or not?” It was certainly a creative choice to exclude most of the narrative of the franchise, but it significantly simplified the legality of it. And whenever I’ve tried to reach into some of the moments that I appreciate from the others, I always get the no-no.

So here, right now, I feel I can convince you that you will announce that Season of the Witch is canon. There’s a scene in Season of the Witch where Dr. Dan Challis is at the bar and he’s watching Halloween on TV. So in his world, Halloween is a movie. So in the world of Season of the Witch, he’s watching Halloween Kills, just like he watched Halloween.

I love that. Yeah, I could buy that.

But then again, the Season of the Witch masks show up in Halloween Kills. I’m assuming they’re not related to the fine folks at Silver Shamrock?

Why do you say that? Why wouldn’t they be Shamrock?

Are they?

They have the little tags on the back. Yeah.

Oh, they do? So they’ve got pieces of Stonehenge in there, waiting to go?

[Laughs] Yeah, it gets complicated.

Yes, it does.

There’s a lot of wormholes you can find yourself in.

That’s a good pun.

What?

Because of the bugs that come out of the masks…

Ah, there you go. Okay.

I thought that was on purpose.

Yeah, sometimes my subconscious is quicker than my mouth.

You mentioned Halloween II, and you’ve always said these movies are a direct continuation of the first Halloween. Though in your 2018 Halloween, you put in a line in there about Michael and Laurie, “I heard they were brother and sister.” Then the line, “No, someone made that up.” If I want to, personally, I think I could create a world where Halloween II still exists.

What do you mean?

Because you put the line in the 2018 Halloween dismissing the one big plot point from Halloween II you and John Carpenter don’t seem to like.

Oh, right.

So I can now watch Halloween II, going, “They’re just making the brother and sister part up.” And still, in my mind, consider it part of the canon.

You’re playing mind games here though, Mike. You’re getting pretty meta. But I think you could. I think you probably could.

You know why I’m getting meta? I watched a lot of ’70s and ’80s horror over the last 18 months. And I didn’t think I liked horror, but that brand of horror, it turns out, I like a lot. As opposed to the more modern jump-scare horror. And I know a lot of people who feel the same way.

Yeah, I’ve done a little bit of that. Re-watching The Stepfather, or re-watching Christine.

We just watched Christine again last week.

Oh, it’s so good. It holds up.

It does.

I think those films have a slower pace. They actually have character development. And they have things that are appealing to an audience that has more patience than, at least we claim, that an audience has today. So it is interesting to be a part of something that’s trying to honor that era. The original Halloween was in ’78. And in our Halloween Kills, we have these recreations that we’re trying to, technically, not just match the art direction of it, but match the lighting and match the camera intentions and the simplicity of editing. So everything was a lot more considered, I’d say, than your typical horror movie that’s coming out right now – that is more about getting to the immediate scare and don’t pause for much of anything. I do like making sure that I’m making a Halloween movie that is relevant to an audience today, but trying to appeal to myself as a film-goer that grew up in the ’80s, loving the pace and character of those film.

It’s funny, a lot of the people I know who are watching ’80s horror are in their 30s now. And these are people who are not horror fans, but really like this stuff. And the two you’ve done are resonating because they are capturing something that not many people do right now.

And it’s interesting. I just subscribed to Shudder for that reason. You get to see the chronology of technique and pace. And I feel… I don’t think it’s just the remake trends of some of these franchises, but I think people are considerate of movies they like and looking back in time of movies that inspired them.

You mentioned that scene where you tried to recreate the look of the original Halloween. I was actually sitting there going, “Is this from the original movie? Is this a cut scene? What am I watching here?” It took me a minute to realize this is new footage.

That’s amazing. Well, that’s the goal. And our art department was meticulous about the designs of this, and our DP spoke with Dean Cundey from the original film. We did our homework. And then even in our color correction, we really were trying to match the grain and to look, side by side, we had a high definition version of the original film. We’re really doing all we can to take care of it and take care of this title – take care of this franchise and have some fun with it.

So the third movie one, is it still going to jump ahead a little bit? Is this true? I think I read that.

Yeah. It jumps into a contemporary timeline. So we go from two episodes that are the same night in 2018. And then we’ll get up to speed with … It’ll take place the time of its release.

So do you incorporate things that have happened in the real world since then, like what we’re going through now? Would that be part of it?

Yeah.

I guess there are going to be more masks around.

So if you think about it, I mean, where we’re leaving these characters on Halloween 2018, the world is a different place. So not only do they have their immediate world affected by that trauma, having time to process that trauma – and that’s a specific and immediate traumatic event in the community of Haddonfield. But then they also had a worldwide pandemic and peculiar politics and another million things that turned their world upside down.

That’s what it will be called: Halloween: Peculiar Politics. There you go. You can have that one for free.

[Laughs] Yeah. Alliteration Kills.

‘Halloween Kills’ opens in theaters this weekend. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back was announced in January 2019, exactly 50 years after John, Paul, George, and Ringo played on the rooftop of Apple Corps headquarters (“it’s been done”). It’s finally coming out next month, and on Wednesday, Disney+ released the first trailer for the three-part docuseries.

The Beatles: Get Back “showcases The Beatles’ creative process as they attempt to write 14 new songs in preparation for their first live concert in over two years. Faced with a nearly impossible deadline, the strong bonds of friendship shared by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr are put to the test.” No spoilers! The trailer features in-studio performances of “Don’t Let Me Down,” “I’ve Got a Feeling,” and “Get Back,” and SO many good outfits. I’m partial to Paul’s yellow sweater.

Here’s more:

The docuseries is compiled from nearly 60 hours of unseen footage shot over 21 days, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969, and from more than 150 hours of unheard audio, most of which has been locked in a vault for over half a century. Jackson is the only person in 50 years to have been given access to this Beatles treasure trove, all of which has now been brilliantly restored.

The Beatles: Get Back comes out over the course of three days, November 25, 26, and 27, on Disney+.

Hot on the heels of Larry David’s story about turning up at Jimmy Kimmel’s house, the curmudgeon is back for Curb Your Enthusiasm in the Season 11 trailer. And if we’ve ever needed some insight from the Seinfeld co-creator on the state of humanity, the time would be now (because of, obviously, humanity’s inept handling of the current global situation). As this new trailer shows, we’ll be soon seeing more of Vince Vaughn and Jon Hamm on Curb, and other guest stars on tap will include Carnage Woody Harrelson, Bill Hader, Kaley Cuoco, Patton Oswalt (whose ubiquity is only increasing, although I’m not sure how he finds the time), Tracey Ullman, and Lucy Liu. Oh hey there, goateed Seth Rogen, it’s nice to see you, too.

As Larry tells everyone in this trailer, “I hate people individually, but I love mankind.” Let that be a motto to us all. From HBO, here’s what we can expect from the new season (basically more of the same, thank god):

The comedy series continues to prove how seemingly trivial details of one’s day-to-day life – a cold cup of coffee, a stained shirt, a missing toothbrush 0 can precipitate a catastrophic chain of events. To keep the narrative spontaneous, the series is shot without a script and cast members are given scene outlines and improvise lines as they go.

Curb Your Enthusiasm returns on October 24.

After making its debut during Thanksgiving 2020, the new Saved By The Bell series is coming back for a second season just in time for this year’s Turkey Day. Peacock announced Season 2 in a new trailer that will bring everyone up to speed before unveiling what’s in store for both the old and new Bayside crews.

While it’s easy to dismiss Saved By The Bell as just another show milking ’90s nostalgia, it’s actually a freaking hilarious update on the classic series thanks to showrunner Tracey Wigfield, who was behind the absolute comedy gem, Great News. The new cast is great, and returning actors like Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar are amazingly game for putting a modern comedic spin on their old squeaky clean show. (Lopez as a weird and creepy Slater, who means well, is definitely a highlight.)

Here’s the official synopsis:

In Season 2 of Peacock’s hit comedy Saved By The Bell, Bayside High gears up to compete in the Southern California School Spirit Competition. Daisy is determined not to get sidetracked by “Bayside nonsense,” but when a cute new student is elected student council VP, she finds herself in way over her head. Mac sees the competition as a way to finally step out from his father’s shadow. Jamie leans on Lexi in the wake of his parents’ divorce while Lexi struggles to be a more understanding girlfriend; Aisha seeks a new outlet after football is canceled; DeVante finds love with a rich Bayside girl, and Slater and a newly single Jessie grow closer despite their tumultuous romantic past.

Saved By The Bell Season 2 starts streaming on November 24 on Peacock.

Troye Sivan has been on a roll lately. Not only did he walk the red carpet at the 2021 Met Gala and model in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty fashion show, but he recently dropped a ’80s-inspired, synth-heavy track. Titled “Angel Baby,” the song seemingly pays homage to classic anthems like Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” and Alphaville’s “Forever Young.” Now returning to further flesh out the song, Sivan has shared a sultry video alongside the single.

Directed by Luke Gilford, who was worked with artists like Christina Aguilera and Blood Orange, the visual is a celebration of sensual and romantic love in all forms. Offering his own interpretation of the visual, Sivan wrote, “This song and video are a celebration of love and queerness and tenderness and sex and fantasy.”

In a previous statement about “Angel Baby,” the singer said he’s a romantic at heart and the song reminds him to never lose sight of love:

“I think I’m a romantic, and have definitely experienced all that comes w that over the last while. Sometimes i wonder if I’ve lost hope, and then I’ll write on a song like Angel Baby and let myself remember and daydream and fantasise for a sec. Someone who feels like a holiday, that’s what we all deserve.”

Watch the “Angel Baby” video above.

As NBA players adapt to the league’s new rules that no longer reward offensive players for committing “non-basketball moves” to draw fouls against defenders, the preseason has been a breeding ground for growing pains. On Tuesday evening, Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook was the latest victim of the amended protocols.

Early in the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors, he baited Andrew Wiggins into biting on a shot fake and initiated contact in hopes of landing two free throws. Instead, the whistles stayed silent and Westbrook’s jumper clanked off the back rim.

Following the game, Westbrook, a notoriously poor outside shooter, said he doesn’t deem these updated rules to be a notable adjustment for him.

“Ain’t too many people flying at me, so I’ll be alright,” he said with a smile and laugh.

When a member of the media replied, “you got one today,” Westbrook playfully retorted, “I know, I was surprised.”

“Not much of an adjustment for me,” he continued, “but guys who actually use it all the time, there definitely could probably be an adjustment for them.”

Westbrook will not be the final player to go viral for this newfound gaffe, but he may be the only one who can actually say there won’t be a considerable adjustment and have his words ring true. He is an excellent player in many respects. Shooting gravity is not one of them, and his cognizance of that provided a joyful interaction Tuesday night.

Last week, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, best known for being “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” and slinging bad puns while steering a riverboat down the Amazon with Emily Blunt, shocked the world by appearing on Tech N9ne’s new single “Face Off” with a surprisingly competent rap verse. Your mileage may vary on whether or not it was actually “good,” but he executed the thing about as well as anyone could expect — especially if, as he brags in the closing ad-lib, he really did in one take.

Save some of that surprise for his next trick, though — which, according to his new interview with Billboard about his rap debut, could very well be a country song. Asked whether he was thinking about doing more music, he replied, “Yeah, I would love to. Now I’ve been hit up by all those friends, like, ‘Okay, so when are we doing our s–t?’” However, as it turns out, it isn’t just rappers seeking a hot 16. Growing up as he did in Charlotte and Nashville, he’s also got a lot of love for country music. “I think there’s something down the road where I may collaborate with some artists in that genre as well,” he says. “Some of those guys are my friends — like, for example, Jamey Johnson, Mickey Lamantia, Gethen Jenkins. There’s a real authenticity there, and, you know, maybe I could pick up my guitar.”

You can watch the video for “Face Off” above.

After a run of excellent EPs in each of the last two years, Dijon’s proper debut album has finally been announced. Absolutely was written, recorded and produced in a short few weeks at a house in upstate New York, where Dijon and a tight-knit group of collaborators locked down and created the album.

Dijon also released a live performance video today that’s a flat out magical and intimate window into the aforementioned recording process of the album. Entitled simply “playing the first song from my album,” the clip opens with a scruffy looking Dijon on a sampler and small mixing board and guitarist Mk.gee in an antique style living room. The music starts to hum, the guitar builds the vibe and Dijon wastes no time getting into his extremely evocative delivery. As the video builds and the camera slowly starts to show more of the room, we’re introduced to the other collaborators, each adding another powerful element to the song, including a particularly dashing slide guitar. Dijon dances through the room in almost manic fashion and it renders the music more gripping with each of his twists and turns. This is a fantastically sweaty tune and it’s clear that there’s more magic that emanated from these sessions, awaiting us on the album.

Check out the video above.

Absolutely is out 11/5 via R&R/Warner.

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