Around the Tubes: January 12, 2022

       

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on The Dropout, Conversations with Friends, Eddie Vedder, Aerosmith, Foxes, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Cat Stevens, Futurama, I Love You for That, Vice, and Attica.

- Check out the official trailer and key art for Hulu's "The Dropout." The limited series premieres on Thursday, March 3rd with three episodes. New episodes stream weekly.  Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. Hulu’s limited series “The Dropout,” the story of Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) and Theranos, is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye? 

- Check out Hulu’s teaser for upcoming original limited series "Conversations with Friends" based on Sally Rooney's best-selling novel starring Alison Oliver, Sasha Lane, Joe Alwyn, and Jemima Kirke. "Conversations with Friends" premieres with all 12 episodes on Hulu and BBC Three in May 2022.  "Conversations with Friends" follows Frances (Alison Oliver), a 21 year old college student, as she navigates a series of relationships that force her to confront her own vulnerabilities for the first time.

- Eddie Vedder unveils his highly anticipated new album, Earthling, via Seattle Surf/Republic Records. It is available on all streaming platforms HERE, on cd (available now) and deluxe cd, vinyl & cassette (pre-order) available HERE.  He celebrates the arrival by sharing the opener and latest single “Invincible.” The track echoes with raw energy, cinematic synths, heavenly harmonies, and lush guitars.  Fans can also tune in for an exclusive, intimate conversation between Vedder and Bruce Springsteen presented by Amazon Music. In the special, which was filmed on Bruce’s farm in New Jersey, the two break down Vedder’s new album, Earthling - from production and appearances by Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr, Elton John and Andrew Watt, to Vedder’s songwriting. Directed by Thom Zimny, the special will debut on Amazon Live Friday, February 11^th beginning at 2PM EST and will be available exclusively for 48 hours. The interview will be made available on Eddie Vedder’s YouTube page on Sunday, February 13^th.

-  In the first of many announcements celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the four-time GRAMMY® winning and Diamond-certified rock legends Aerosmith, one of their earliest recordings, Aerosmith – 1971: The Road Starts Hear (UMe), will make its CD and digital debut on April 8. This rare recording from 1971 was recently discovered in Aerosmith’s Vindaloo Vaults and was originally only available as a limited-edition cassette and vinyl release for Record Store Day in 2021. The heavily sought-after RSD release quickly sold out and debuted on the Billboard 200, hitting No. 2 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, No. 12 on the Top Rock Albums chart, No. 13 on the Vinyl Albums chart, and No. 19 on the Top Album Sales chart.  The Road Starts Hear can now be preordered/presaved, HERE. In addition, the band’s official online store will also feature a new 1971 collection of exclusive merchandise, available HERE.

- Foxes (Louisa Rose Allen) releases her highly-anticipated new album, The Kick on [PIAS] Recordings. Including the recent singles "Body Suit", "Absolute", "Sky Love", "Dance Magic" and "Sister Ray", The Kick is Foxes’ first album in over five years. Serving as a form of escapism, the record was written and recorded via zoom with producer Ghost Culture (Daniel Avery, Kelly Lee Owens) during the height of the pandemic.  LISTEN TO THE KICK.  Inspired by the desire for freedom that the world collectively shared over the last 18 months of lockdowns, the near-animalistic desperation to socialise, and a longing to dance again, Louisa naturally pivoted the sonics to feed that escapism and create a record that simultaneously feels close to the euphoric, dancefloor-filling pop roots that brought us hits like ‘Let Go For Tonight’, ‘Youth’ and ‘Body Talk’, while still feeling completely fresh.

 

- After independently releasing a series of singles and building a core fan base, Vancouver Island sensation and singer/songwriter Lauren Spencer-Smith partnered with Island Records and Republic Records, both divisions of Universal Music Group (UMG). The innovative partnership allows Lauren Spencer-Smith to keep her independent spirit via her own imprint while tapping into premium services from both labels.  The collaboration was structured with manager and business partner David Ehrlich.  Listen to “Fingers Crossed” — HERE.

- Fifty years since its release, the original motion picture soundtrack for Hal Ashby’s 1971 classic cult film “Harold and Maude,” made up exclusively of songs by Cat Stevens, is now available in new 180g 1LP / 1CD / Digital release formats via A&M/Cat-O-Log/UMe. The new edition of the soundtrack combines Cat Stevens’ nine original songs, as well as dialogue from the film, for the first time.  Hal Ashby’s 1971 film about the unlikely friendship-turned-love story of suicidal teenager Harold Chasen (played by Bud Cort) and 79-year-old free spirit Maude (played by Ruth Gordon) is now widely praised as a bona fide cult classic. Filled with dark humor and existential drama, the film represents the potentially glorious benefits that can arise from a balanced partnership between conservative pragmatism and colorful free-spirited idealism. It reveals the deep lying synergy that exists between seemingly opposing views and how, when united, they can flourish to their mutual advantage.

- The future is looking bright for Fry, Leela and Bender at Hulu.  20th Television Animation and Hulu announced today the return of Matt Groening and David X. Cohen's brilliantly subversive animated sci-fi comedy, FUTURAMA.  The announcement was made by Craig Erwich, President, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment and 20^th Television Animation Head Marci Proietto.  The order is for 20 new episodes and the series will go into production in February, with a 2023 premiere.  The show’s returning voice cast includes stars Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman.

- SHOWTIME has officially started production on I LOVE THAT FOR YOU, the half-hour comedy series starring and executive produced by Emmy^® nominee Vanessa Bayer, with Molly Shannon and Jenifer Lewis also leading the cast.  Previously titled I LOVE THIS FOR YOU, the eight-episode series began production in Los Angeles last week and is set to premiere this spring.  Inspired by Bayer’s own story of overcoming childhood leukemia, I LOVE THAT FOR YOU centers on Joanna Gold (Bayer) who dreams of becoming a host at a home-shopping channel. Shannon plays Jackie, the charismatic star of the network and Joanna’s idol. Lewis plays Patricia, the network’s icy, enigmatic founder and CEO. Additional series regulars include Paul James, Ayden Mayeri, Matt Rogers and Punam Patel.

- SHOWTIME has renewed the Peabody Award-winner and two-time Emmy^®-nominated documentary series VICE for an upcoming third and fourth season. Season three will premiere Sunday, May 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with the first eight episodes airing weekly on Sundays leading to a midseason finale on June 19. The remaining eight episodes of the season will air later this year. Known for delivering immersive reporting from the frontlines of global conflict, civil uprisings and more, this season of VICE will cover a new slate of groundbreaking stories from its team of global correspondents.  Each half-hour episode of VICE relentlessly pursues untold stories of social justice, civil rights and identity, tackling complex geopolitical stories from remote parts of the world and on domestic grounds. The VICE reporting team includes a diverse group of award-winning journalists, including Hind Hassan, Alzo Slade, Seb Walker, Paola Ramos, Gianna Toboni, Ben C. Solomon, David Noriega, and Krishna Andavolu. The series was honored with a 2021 Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for excellence in journalism.

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films has received the first Oscar nomination in its history, with the feature-length documentary ATTICA from Emmy^® winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders, The Murder of Emmett Till) and co-director Traci A. Curry in final contention for Best Documentary Feature at the March 27 ceremony. ATTICA recounts in vivid detail the five-day 1971 prison rebellion at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York, which took the lives of 29 inmates and 10 hostages – the deadliest single day of violence Americans inflicted on each other since the Civil War. ATTICA can be seen for free for viewing through the end of February’s Black History Month on Sho.com and YouTube, as well as across multiple streaming and on-demand platforms.

- Showtime Networks Inc. and Bleecker Street have entered into a new and exclusive three-year output agreement, effective in March, under which SHOWTIME will exhibit high-profile Bleecker Street feature films across its on-air, on demand and streaming premium services. Each film will come to SHOWTIME within five months of initial release. The deal will comprise up to 12 films per year, all of which will be released theatrically by Bleecker Street,

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 6, 2022

  

Claws:  Really, we are supposed to believe Uncle Daddy went to gay heaven?  Dude is definitely going south of the border.  But what a horrible set up job.  Desna just puts all her fingerprints over the gun before even planting it, and then shoots Uncle Daddy with the gun.  It is going to be really hard to set him up now.  I would not be disappointed if Desna joins Uncle Daddy, but she is probably going to get away.

 

Billions:  So Mike Prince wants the 2028 Olympics for New York City?  Umm, who is going to break it to him that those games were already awarded to Los Angeles?  That is about as bizarre as Wags saying Frey would never do that to Henley.  Huh?  They had such a contentious relationship that they named their reunion tour “Hell Freezes Over.”  I do not know, seems like there was a time Frey would have outted Henley for performing a private concert for Kim Jung Un.

 

Snowpiercer:  So Wilford was going to freeze off Melanie’s arm and just decides against it just because Layton went by him (I am I the only one who just now realized that Layton was his last name?).  It will be interesting if Layton’s discovery will be able to win over any of Wilford’s faithful when the trains join back up.

 

Pam & Tommy:  Well this is turning out to be the longest Funny or Die sketch ever.  As of now, I am leaning towards “Die.”

 

The Book of Boba Fett:  I never thought I would see the day when Raylan Givens got outdueled.  But he is not dead, right?  Cad Bane did shoot him once, but riddled the deputy multiple times.  We got to hear what Raylan was going to tell the town and maybe get some insight of what was with the box of sand the Pykes took out to a desert.  Not that Boba will be lacking soldiers; he got the Wookie, the cyber punks, Fennic, Mando is coming back, possibly with Grogu and his tiny armor with him (obviously he is choosing the armor over the lightsaber, but why not let him have both, Luke).  Maybe Ahsoka who was just randomly at Luke’s academy for no apparent reason other than maybe make us remember she has a spinoff coming.  We may also see some surviving Tuscan Raiders join the fight.  While the Pykes just have Cad Bane.  Although Emilia Clarke has been the Mephisto of the Star Wars universe, so maybe she and Crimson Dawn comes by to even the odds.

 

Single Drunk Female:  How do you do an episode entitled “Shamrocks and Shenanigans” that takes place on St. Patrick’s Day and not feature any House of Pain songs?