Around the Tubes: 4/21/2017

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Bob Marley & the Wailers, Sheryl Crow, Will, Animal Kingdom, American Race, Jackson, Al MadrigalL: Shrimpin’ Ain’t Easy, Power, and Alfa Anderson.

- Bob Marley & the Wailers’ classic Exodus album, the ninth studio album of the band, was released on June 3, 1977, featuring a new backing band including brothers Carlton and Aston “Family Man” Barrett on drums and bass, Tyrone Downie on keyboards, Alvin “Seeco” Patterson on percussion, and the I Threes, Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths and Rita Marley on backing vocals, and newest member Julian “Junior Marvin” on guitar. The album was released on June 3, 1977, just six months after an assassination attempt was made on Bob Marley's life in Jamaica in December, forcing him to flee to London, where Exodus was recorded. On June 2, UMe will release a version of Exodus 40 - The Movement Continues in a two-CD package that includes the original album and the Ziggy Marley “restatement”; a three-CD set (and digital equivalent) that includes the original Exodus, Exodus 40 - The Movement Continues and Exodus Live. A limited edition gold vinyl version of the original 1977 album will also be available.

- Tune in to the AUDIENCE Network concert special Sheryl Crow airing Friday, April 21, at 9:00 via DIRECTV Ch 239, AT&T U-verse Ch 1114 and DIRECTV NOW. As she nears the release of her ninth studio album titled Be Myself--out April 21 via Warner Bros. Records--multi-platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and musician Sheryl Crow will be the featured artist on AT&T AUDIENCE Network. The show will delve into the American music icon's history in an interview with series host Ted Stryker as well as a full concert featuring her hits and new fan favorites.

- In celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday on Sunday, April 23, TNT is releasing the premiere date and a new trailer for its upcoming series Will, slated to launch on Monday, July 10, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) across TNT's U.S. platforms.

- n anticipation of the return of Animal Kingdom, check out the latest trailer featuring season two of TNT’s hit series. Brace yourself for what the Codys are up to as family bonds are broken and new alliances are formed. The second season of Animal Kingdom is slated to launch Tuesday, May 30, at 9:00 on TNT.


In celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday on Sunday, April 23, TNT is releasing the premiere date and a new trailer for its upcoming series Will, slated to launch on Monday, July 10, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) across TNT's U.S. platforms.


- Showtime will air the television premiere of the critically acclaimed documentary Jackson on Tuesday, May 2 at 7:30. From award-winning director Maisie Crow (A Life Alone, The Last Clinic), Jackson is an intimate look at the lives of three women caught in the complex issues surrounding access to abortion in the Deep South.


- In American Race, formerly The Race Card, a two-night television event from Turner's TNT, Charles Barkley is taking a journey across the country to explore the issue of race from different angles and engage in thoughtful but spirited dialogue with a diverse cross section of Americans. He brings with him a truly ambitious goal of building the kind of mutual understanding that can lead to productive solutions. TNT's American Race will air over two nights – Thursday, May 11, and Friday, May 12 – with two episodes each night at 9 and 10 p.m. (ET/PT).

- Comedian and I’m Dying Up Here star Al Madrigal returns to the stage in the debut of his new one-hour comedy special Al MadrigalL: Shrimpin’ Ain’t Easy on Friday, May 5 at 9:00. ET/PT on Showtime. Madrigal’s sidesplitting stand-up kicks off the first of three standalone comedy specials from the stars of the new Showtime drama series I’m Dying Up Here premiering Sunday, June 4 at 10:00. Following Madrigal’s special will be the premieres of Andrew Santigo: Home Field Adventure on Friday, June 2 and Erik Griffin: The Ugly Truth on Friday, July 7.

- Starz’s most watched series ever returns when Power: The Complete Third Season arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on June 13 from Lionsgate. With record-breaking ratings for its premiere, season three — with its all-star cast, including Omari Hardwick (TV’s ”Being Mary Jane”), Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson (The Hangover), and Naturi Naughton (TV’s “Mad Men”) — finds James St. Patrick fighting to maintain his new lifestyle on the right side of the law.

- Alfa Anderson, former member of the iconic funk soul band Chic (Le Freak, Good Times, Everybody Dance), will release a new single, "When Luther Sings," in honor of her longtime friend Luther Vandross 66th birthday. The rousing, heartfelt tribute is written by Anderson and co-produced by multi-talented Bert Price. Available nationwide on April 20, When Luther Sings is the first single from Anderson’s long-awaited debut solo album, From My Heart (set for release summer 2017).

I Want My Music Television: 4/18/2017

Still Feel Like Your Man - John Mayer


John Mayer have done some soul infused songs before, but this is the first time he has done what sounds like a straight up RnB song. But I could have done without the really bad dancing.


Only Songs - The Wild Reeds


This song by OThe Wild Reeds may be my favorite song of the early year.


Lights Out – Royal Blood


I have a short leash these days when watching new music videos, you better do something quickly or I may move on. About fifteen seconds into this video for Royal Blood, I was typing the name of the next video I was going to watch and right before I hit enter, something creeped out of the ceiling. Okay, I am glad I finished it, because this video is freaky.


Good With God – Old 97’s featuring Brandi Carlile



An Hour and 60 Minutes, ha, good one Old 97's, though why get Jenna Fisher to replace Matt Pinfield?

The Voice Season Twelve Knockout Round Power Rankings

So no key adviser this season. I guess they could not find anyone as big as the guy from Fun to help out this season. (Oh wait, Shaina Twain is coming in next week to mentor the Top 12). Instead for the first time ever, the contestants got to watch their opponent practice. Yawn. So basically fodder knew they were going home days before their performance instead of minutes. Except for some head scratching Steals. Seriously, what the fork? Lilli was the only one this round worthy of a reprieve. The other three should have been reserved for Felisha and… um, the Knockouts were pretty meh this season as a whole. Almost everyone gave their worst performance of the season. And much like the Steals, of the rumored Comeback Picks, I wonder why bother to them except for one. No spoilers, so here are the contestants we know for sure will be performing tonight.

1. Lauren Duski (Team Blake): Sure she has given the same performance three times but she has yet to falter. And without a clear frontrunner this season, being country on Team Blake, she may be the closest we got to a frontrunner right now.

2. Lilli Passero (Team Alicia Adam): Her weakest performance of the three, but like I said earlier, you can say that about just about everyone this season. Still leaps and bounds above Ashley. It seems like Alicia has been employing Pharrell’s keep the weaker singer if it seems like the other is going to get Stolen philosophy (which I hate). And on the plus side, it looks like it will be easier to get to the top 12 on Adam’s team.

3. Vanessa Ferguson (Team Alicia): I guess we now know why Alicia got rid of “Felisha Keys” because Vanessa is a much better imitation of her.

4. TSoul (Team Blake): Well that was kind of weird and I kind of liked it.

5. Aliyah Moulden (Team Blake): The best of the way too many teenagers this season, but it concerns me that she already went country.

6. Casi Joy (Team Blake): One of the few times I thought someone gave their best performance this round.

7. Chris Blue (Team Alicia): If you catch me on the right day, I may call Superstition the greatest song of all time. I will never call this the greatest Knockout performance of all time.

8. Brennley Brown (Team Blake Gwen: Well I was wrong about Blake letting her go just to Steal her back in the Knockouts (he ended up Stealing her opponent because, maybe he did not hear who won?). I still find her a bit squeaky.

9. Anatalia Villaranda (Team Alicia) – Her first two performances were high energy fun, but I am not sure if I want to her a teenage pop singer sing a country song about killing a dude.

10. Jesse Larson (Team Adam): He is fine already, but we have seen much better old rockers on this show before.

11. Hanna Eyre (Team Adam): I think I said this last time, but Hanna is much better when she keeps it young and fun, another song about adult love just seems off.

12. JChosen (Team Gwen): I am always annoyed when singers put too many gymnastics in their vocal performance; it gets really annoying after a while. Pick your spot s dude.

13. Stephanie Rice (Team Gwen Alicia): I was going to wonder why Alicia wasted a Steal but there was not much else out there worthy of one and this was not even the worst Steal of the season, not even the second worst.

14. Hunter Plake (Team Alicia Gwen): Looking at iTunes, Hunter is going to be this season’s token boring white dude who gets to the finals despite being very bland. Hopefully Gwen finds a way to screw this up.

15. Josh West (Team Adam): Sometimes you can tell who is going to win just by the pairing. Josh seems to be Adam’s favorite, but I liked Johnny much better. Josh may have the look but sound bar room karaoke.

16. Troy Ramey (Team Gwen): I liked his Blind Audition, but since then he was montaged and gave a slurry, weird Knockout performance. Not a good trajectory.

17. Ashley Levin (Team Blake Alicia): She started out bad and just got worse. And yet Alicia picking her over Lilli was not even the worst decision this season.

18. Mark Isaiah (Team Adam): Montage win… yawn. And though they put up the full performance on YouTube, I could not bring myself to watch him sing Justin Beiber. Hopefully they find a way to montage his Playoff too.

19. Quizz Swanigan (Team Alicia Gwen): I was going to call this the worst use of a Steal ever until….

20. Aaliyah Rose (Team GwenBlake: What the flying fork?!?! I thought Gwen’s Steal of Quizz would go down as the worst ever. No, this may have been the worst use of a Steal ever and worst Knockout performance ever. What the fork Blake, if you wanted to curry favors with your girlfriend, Steal Johnny.

Putting these placements into my patent pending formula to see who has the best team:

Blake – 69
Alicia – 56
Adam – 49
Gwen - 36

Despite the embarrassing Steal, Blake still had four of the top six. On the flip side, Gwen only had one person in the top half of the list. Adam’s Steal helped keep him out of the cellar as the rest of his team is in the bottom eleven. So it is really the Blake, Alicia, and Lilli show to me. Hopefully they can put those two teams on the same night so I can completely ignore the other night other than watching Lilli on YouTube and hopefully remembering to vote for her. But who cares what I think, here is what the iTunes
buyers purchased this round:

1. Hunter Plake (23)
2. Stephanie Rice (60)
3. Brennley Brown (63)
4. Lauren Duski (111)
5. Vanessa Ferguson (137)
6. Hunter Plake and Jack Cassidy (139)
7. TSoul (162)
8. Chris Blue (187)
9. Troy Ramsey (221)
10. Casi Joy (241)
11. JChosen (255)
12. Josh West (272)
13. Jesse Larson (327)
14. Lilli Passero (343)
15. Hanna Eyre (360)
16. Aliyah Moulden (535)
17. Hunter Plake – Carry On (613)
18. Mark Isaiah (785)
19. Jonny Gates and Sammie Zonana (1025)
20. Aaliyah Rose (1047)
21. Casi Joy - Blue (1066)
22. Brennley Brown and Lauren Duski (1189)
23. Anatalia Villaranda (1120)
24. Stephani Rice – Piece By Piece (1203)
25. Ashley Levin (1405)

And if you are looking for Quizz, he could not even crack the top 1500 so clearly I was not the only one scratching my head when he was Stolen. Now if you average their peaks from all three rounds this is where they rank this season:

1. Lauren Duski (135.3)
2. Stephanie Rice (179)
3. Hunter Plake (211)
4. Casi Joy (233.3)
5. Chris Blue (266)
6. Lilli Passero (279.6)
7. JChosen (400.6)
8. Vanessa Ferguson (421)
9. Brennley Brown (450.6)
10. TSoul (549.3)
11. Mark Isaiah (684)
12. Anatalia Villaranda (1178)
Only charted two of their three songs
13. Troy Ramsey (242)
14. Jesse Larson (370)
15. Josh West (437.5)
16. Aliyah Moulden (495)
17. Hannah Eyre (516.5)
18. Ashley Levin (822.5)
Only charted one song
19. Quizz (441)
20. Aaliyah Rose (1046)

Like I have said that without a clear frontrunner, Lauren may be the closest we got. I am not sure what iTunes buyers hear in Stephanie or Hunter. I am also surprised Lilli is not selling better. That indie-folk lane that she kind of controls this season usually sells very well (though not necessarily translates to votes). Amy Vashal even had that throwback vibe and rivaled Jordan that season on the iTunes charts (yet inexplicably could not even make it to the Twitter Save portion of the Semi-Final). So I am hesitant to even predict she will make the top 12 even though she is doing much better than everyone on her team, only Mark had all three songs chart and she averaged four hundred higher than him. And I guess iTunes votes do not even count this round because there will be instant results. I think they did this last season but I stopped watching a long time before that.

But I will still make some predictions even though they seem harder than usually this season. Except for Blake. His team is always the easiest to predict. And his top three will likely make the Semi-Finals

Team Adam:
America Saves: Lilli, Jesse (or Adam’s comeback artist, but I do not want to spoil)
Adam Saves: Josh (or Lilli if his Comeback Artist takes her spot)

Team Alicia
America Saves: Chris, Ashley
Alicia Saves: Anatalia

Team Blake
America Saves: Lauren, Casi
Blake Saves: TSoul

Team Gwen
America Saves: Brennley, Troy
Gwen Saves: Quizz (because Gwen hates America)