Around the Tubes: July 18, 2020

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 Into the Dark, The Go-Go's, James Bay, Sara Bareilles, Paul McCartney, Shannon LaBrie, Benee, somegirlnamedanna, Shaylen, The Soundflowers, Command Sisters, and Unfit.

- Navigate the mysterious world of Into the Dark: The Current Occupant by visiting Hulu's Twitter page and choosing your own adventure! Try to escape the psych ward and return to power through a series of mind-bending scenarios, or be doomed to wander the ward forever!  INTO THE DARK: THE CURRENT OCCUPANT is Now Streaming on Hulu!

- Showtime announced the premiere date for Director Alison Ellwood’s documentary feature THE GO-GO’S has shifted. THE GO-GO’S will now premiere on Friday, July 31 at 9pm ET/PT, with an encore replay on Saturday, August 1 at 7:20pm ET/PT.  Director Alison Ellwood’s documentary feature, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, chronicles the first all-female band to play its own instruments, write its own songs and soar to No. 1 on the album charts. The Go-Go’s made history. Featuring candid testimonies, Ellwood’s film charts the meteoric rise to fame of a band born of the L.A. punk scene that not only captured but created a zeitgeist.

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multiplatinum singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist James Bay interviews and gives his debut performance of “Chew On My Heart” on The Today Show. During the appearance James Bay spoke about the meaning behind “Chew On My Heart,” and what he’s been doing during quarantine with Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer. Watch the interview and performance HERE.

- Grammy® Award-winner and Tony® and Emmy® Award-nominated singer, songwriter, actress, and author Sara Bareilles unveils the Little Voice: Season One, Episodes 1-3 (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack).  Released via Loud Robot - an independent music label out of J.J. Abrams’ production company, Bad Robot – and Epic Records, the five-track set features music from the first three episodes of the new Apple original series, Little Voice, debuting globally on Apple TV+ today.  Not only did Sara notably write and record new songs for the series, but she also serves as an executive producer alongside J.J. Abrams and Jessie Nelson.  Get it HERE.

- Paul McCartney today releases the ‘Beautiful Night’ EP as part of the forthcoming re-release of his acclaimed 1997 album, ‘Flaming Pie’. Due for release on July 31st, ‘Flaming Pie’ marks the thirteenth installment in Paul’s GRAMMY Award-winning Archive Collection. Listen HERE.  The EP recreates the original 1997 ‘Beautiful Night’ maxi-single, featuring the remastered Flaming Pie single, ‘Beautiful Night’, a 1995 demo of the song, an alternate ‘Run Through’ recording, and ‘Oobu Joobu Part 5’ - a medley of Beautiful Night-themed chat, alternate mixes and interview recordings of Paul and Ringo Starr speaking about the song.  A newly remastered music video for Beautiful Night, originally filmed in 1997, is also released today. Watch HERE.

- Soulful songstress Shannon LaBrie, is set to release a new LP, titled Building, on Aug. 14. Listeners got a first taste of the album with her current single “Firewalker,” a heroic anthem that continues to gain traction. NPR described the anthem as, “a spirited statement to keep soldiering on” while American Songwriter calls it, “a ray of light that can guide you through each day.” Produced by multi-Grammy Award-winners, Brent Maher and Charles Yingling, Building will be available on all digital retailers.  The forthcoming LP is now available for digital pre-save HERE and physical pre-order HERE.

- New Zealand’s sensation BENEE shares her new single, “Night Garden” feat. Kenny Beats & Bakar, out today—listen HERE and watch the lyric video HERE!  For the track, the songstress recruited tastemaker-approved and Elton John-and Virgil Abloh-endorsed London artist Bakar and influential hip-hop producer and beatsmith Kenny Beats [Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs, Denzel Curry, Rico Nasty]. Together, these three disruptors cook up an entrancing and engaging anthem. Unmistakable and unpredictable production from Beats twists through airy guitar as BENEE hums the haunting hook, “In the night garden, things are out there creeping.” Meanwhile, Bakar turns up with a clever and catchy cameo of his own. The track unites three diverse and dynamic talents from three cultures on one broodingly bold bop unlike anything else any of them have done.   

- Emerging as one of the year’s most buzzed-about breaking artists, somegirlnamedanna shares a new single and music video entitled “california” today. Listen HERE via LAVA/Republic Records. Watch official music video HERE.  Most importantly, it heralds the arrival of her debut twenty one, twenty two EP to be released July 31.  On “california,” somegirlnamedanna opens up to say, "Distance and love combined is such a difficult thing.  "california” is about being separated by thousands of miles, and wanting to be with someone, but it just isn't even close to reality.  I wrote this from a place of hope, almost a dream state wanting something that doesn't feel realistic.” 

-  Shaylen drops a brand new single entitled “Forgive Myself” via The Heavy Group/Republic Records.  Listen to “Forgive Myself” HERE.  “Forgive Myself” is about learning one of the hardest lessons in life…self-forgiveness. Written and produced during self-isolation, the song shows the brutally honest pen-game that has become the hallmark of Shaylen’s reputation. “Forgive Myself” was executive produced and co-written by Jackson Foote from the much beloved electro pop group Loote and produced by Boston from Rice N’ Peas (Bazzi, Kiana Ledé, Anne Marie).

- The Soundflowers, featuring Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn, debuts the official video for “Your Look (Glorious)”—watch HERE! The full-length video was executive produced and shot by Prince Jackson via his production house King’s Son Productions.

- The powerhouse duo Command Sisters, comprised of Charlotte [vocals, keys] and Sarah Command [guitar, vocals], release the music video for their single “I Like It” via 21 Entertainment/Republic Records/Universal Music Canada.  WATCH THE “I LIKE IT” VIDEO HERE!   Filmed before social distancing measures were in effect, the video plays off the sisters’ unique aesthetic, focusing in on the color red with a mind-bending visual capture of their distinct sound, style and talent. “I Like It” was recorded in Los Angeles by award winning producer Tim Pagnotta (Walk The Moon, Weezer, Blink 182, Neon Trees).

- Is Donald Trump fit to hold the office of President of the United States? Unfit is an eye-opening analysis of Trump by leading U.S. mental health professionals and nonpartisan political strategists – on the record for the record, out of a Duty to Warn.  Featuring the shocking, first, on-camera interview with George Conway that will roil the West Wing of the White House.  WATCH THE TRAILER NOW

Into the Dark: The Currant Occupant

Well, I guess this month’s installment is better late than never coming two weeks after Independence Day. Although given the nature of the subject of someone who may or may not be president waking up in the psychiatric ward with a bout of amnesia, it is still pretty relevant as we still have four months left in a campaign with two dudes in their seventies with cognitive decline. Oh real life, the scariest story of them all.

The Current Occupant stars Barry Watson, coming off playing Rupurt Murdock’s son in The Loudest Voice, is the guy who comes to believe he may be the titular character of the White house. It sort of has a similar feel as last year’s July installment where you are left guessing what is real and what is not, and who is telling the truth and who is not. Can the doctors and nurses be trusted or are the patients more trustworthy. But unlike Culture Shock, there is no alternative reality, this is all darkness with someone sinking into insanity.

The Current Occupant has some political bona fides as it is written by Alston Ramsay who previously worked as a speechwriter in D.C. for the likes of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, General David Petraeus, and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. This episode does not really add anything new to the is this guy really crazy or not sub-genre of horror, but it still is well executed. Then considering the source, you will be left wondering just how much could be true.

Into the Dark: The Current Occupant premieres tomorrow on Hulu.

Into the Dark Season Two Power Ranking:

1. Uncanny Annie (October)
2. A Nasty Piece of Work (December)
3. Pooka Lives! (April)
4. The Current Occupant (July)
5. Good Boy (June)
6. Delivered (May)
7. Crawlers (March)
8. Pilgrim (November)
9. My Valentine (February)

57 Channels and Only This Is On: July 12, 2020

Snowpiercer: Well we finally learned what happened to Mr. Wilford and, oh my, did not see that coming. I do kind of want to see a flashback for confirmation that Jennifer Connelly kicked him off the train to die. But the people that want to kill her for that are pretty short sited if she was the one that built it and has the best chance to keep it going. Somehow I feel Layton will actually be the one to save her.
You can download Snowpiercer on iTunes.

The Chi: Wait, what does that white guy have to do with anything? We saw Keisha at the bus stop, made eye contact with Ronnie, when the bus went away, she was gone. Could that have been the bus driver? Is the bus driver kidnapping women alone on his bus? But don’t most buses have cameras? Seems like it would be hard to pull off.

Black Monday: Oh snap, the gay dude just killed himself for being outed as a homosexual. Granted this was the eighties back before we just kind of assume the most ardent Conservatives are secret homosexuals. Well that will put a wrinkle in Blair’s legislation he wants passed.

Stargirl: Yeah, that was a dumb mission to go on, especially going down into the lair. At least Dr. Midnite was smart enough to turn around when the goggles stopped working.

The Challenge: Total Madness: Oh wow, they let Dee say more than five words this week. Of course she then promptly gets the boot. Her getting edited out really hurt the last couple episode narratively. #ReleaseTheDeeCut
You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Okay, Deke misremembering the lyrics of his “originals” was pretty funny. I did not expect Coulson to show up as Max Headroom thought, thought they would just make a backup LMD. Though this trek to the eighties were fun, what exactly happened to the rest of the crew and how did they hook back p with Deke and Mac.
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: This show really drags when they is not a weird back guy to fight or at least team up with. But we did get the shocking ending of Dorothy ordering a hit on Baby Doll. Killing a personally just is not on the par of killing an imaginary friend.

In the Dark: Oh wow, Dean actually killed himself, I thought they would continue to find a way to keep him around kind of like this season when he really should have gone to prison after admitting to killing a kid. Then the blind chick’s other other boyfriend found out she was trafficking drugs. So what exactly is next season? Is she just going to go on the run? Seems kind of hard for a blind chick.
You can download In The Dark on iTunes.

The Bold Type: Called it at the end of last season, Kat totally Lady boned they conservative chick. I feel like I deserve a cookie.

Blindspot: Oh wow, they caught Madeline with two episodes to spare. But there were still the Zip things which Jane got caught in a room with. Although, if Weller was able to get to the door, hoe was Jane not able to slip out? Are they really going to reset her memory yet again? And why were the evil people setting it off while they were in the vicinity? Would they not worry about losing their memory?
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.