Around the Tubes: April 22, 2023

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, The Horror of Dolores Roach, John Mellencamp, The Offspring, Joy Oladokun, The Weeknd, Lyn Lapid, and Frawley.

- PBS and WORLD Channel announced today the presentation of Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, an award-winning documentary feature that explores the complex history of Black soldiers in the United States military. Director and producer Dru Holley weaves together the testimony of historians, experts and descendants of Buffalo Soldiers with archival photographs, reenactments and animation to tell the story of how newly free Black Americans enlisted in the U.S. Army, a reliable path to income and greater respect, and in the process helped to both fulfill America’s Manifest Destiny and disrupted the lives of Indigenous peoples. Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts will premiere Monday, June 12 at 10pm ET on PBS and Monday, June 19 at 8pm ET on WORLD Channel’s Local, USA series. The film will be available to stream on the PBS app, WORLDChannel.org , YouTube and on the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel.  “The rise and role of Black Americans in the military is an important and overlooked part of American history, from conflicts abroad and on Indigenous lands at home,” said Chris Hastings, executive producer for WORLD Channel at GBH in Boston. “WORLD Channel is proud to bring Buffalo Soldiers to viewers on Juneteenth. With this film we hope to honor the contributions of brave Black soldiers and officers, and to acknowledge the painful legacy of westward expansion and colonial pursuits.”

- Prime Video announced that the new horror dramedy series The Horror of Dolores Roach, from Blumhouse–producers of M3GAN– Spotify, and GloNation, based on the hit podcast of the same name, will premiere all eight episodes on July 7, with the official first-look images out now. The eight-episode Amazon Original series will be available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world. On July 7, The Horror of Dolores Roach will be a part of the savings, convenience and entertainment that Prime members enjoy in a single membership.   The Horror of Dolores Roach, based on the hit Spotify podcast series of the same name, is a contemporary Sweeney Todd-inspired urban legend of love, betrayal, weed, cannibalism, and survival of the fittest. Dolores Roach (Justina Machado) is released after an unjust 16-year prison sentence, and she returns to a gentrified Washington Heights. Dolores reunites with an old stoner friend, Luis (Alejandro Hernandez), who lets her live and work as a masseuse in the basement under his empanada shop. When the promise of her newfound stability is quickly threatened, “Magic Hands” Dolores is driven to shocking extremes to survive.

- John Mellencamp’s forthcoming new album Orpheus Descending is set for release June 2 via Republic Records. In anticipation of upcoming record, Mellencamp is sharing the album track “Hey God.” Listen/share HERE, watch/share the official video HERE and pre-order the album HERE.  His twenty fifth album produced by Mellencamp and recorded as his own Belmont Mall Studio. One of his most personal records to date, standout tracks “Hey God” and “The Eyes of Portland” focus on social issues Mellencamp continues to passionately advocate for.  

-  Pearl Jam will hit the road in August and September performing nine shows across St. Paul, Chicago, Indianapolis, Fort Worth and Austin. Special guests Inhaler will open the Chicago, Indianapolis and Austin shows. Support for the St. Paul and Fort Worth dates will be announced in the coming weeks.  A special ticket pre-sale for all tour dates begins today for eligible members (active as of April 19, 2023) of Pearl Jam’s fan club, Ten Club.  General public tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster Verified Fan, which requires advance registration in order to participate. Ticketmaster Verified Fan registration begins Today, April 20 at 10am PT and closes on Tuesday, April 25 at 5pm PT.  The Verified Fan sale begins on April 28 at 10am venue local time. To register, please visit: https://verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/pearljam

- The Offspring announces a special limited-edition 15th-anniversary reissue package of their acclaimed record, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, out June 16 via Round Hill Records/UMe. Available for the first time on vinyl in many years, this special edition will feature a bonus 45 with two new live tracks recorded at Hellfest in 2022, re-imagined artwork on the cover, and art lithos for each song. There will also be a digital version of the record that will be released along with new animated artwork for streaming services.At the time of release, Rise and Fall, Rage And Grace cracked the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and went to #4 on Top Alternative Albums in the US, along with reaching #3 in Japan, #3 in Australia, #4 in Canada, and #6 in France. In addition, “You’re Gonna Go Far Kid,” the band’s #1 most streamed track with over 1.9 billion global streams across streaming services, is featured on the album. To this day, it continues to be one of the band’s most illustrious records, and the RIAA recently awarded it a Gold Certification.  Pre-orders for the 15th-anniversary package of Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace are available now, HERE.

- Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun’s new song, “Taking Things For Granted,” is debuting today. Listen/share HERE.  Of the song, Oladokun shares, “I wrote ‘Taking Things For Granted’ about the way the things we've been through shape the way we grow up to see the world. Producing this song was one of my favorite moments of making this record because it was equal parts honest and experimental.”

- The Weeknd drops his newest single “Double Fantasy” featuring Future (XO Records/Republic Records). This single is the first original song off The Weeknd’s upcoming HBO Original series The Idol and includes production from himself along with Mike Dean and additional co-production from Metro Boomin.   The new series is co-created by Sam Levinson (HBO’s “Euphoria”), Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Reza Fahim, and stars Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp. The Idol will premiere at this year’s annual Festival De Cannes in France as an Official Selection Out of Competition and is set to debut on Sunday, June 4 at 9:00pm ET/PT. The series will air on HBO and be available to stream on Max.

- Today, 20-year-old up-and-coming songstress Lyn Lapid unveils the official music video for her latest single “poster boy”—watch HERE. To celebrate her new song and era, Lyn also revealed her forthcoming sophomore EP to love in the 21st century will be released this summer, and she’ll also be embarking on a North American tour. The “to love in the 21st century” Tour will kick off in San Diego on May 21st and make stops in New York on June 13th, Los Angeles on June 28th, and more. See the full list of tour dates below and at www.lynlapidmusic.com/tour/.  Inspired by her first love and rom coms like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Summer I Turned Pretty, Lyn says of the video, “The ‘poster boy’ music video was by far my most favorite video I’ve put out. Everyone from the crew to the extras were all so lovely to work with, and it felt like one big hang between friends. One thing that was funny was the solo dancing scene with Hanbit (the ‘poster boy’) at the very end was the very first scene we had to do together, along with our (almost) kiss at the very end. Truly a one of a kind icebreaker for me. Thankfully Hanbit was super down to earth, which helped me with my attempt at acting in the video. I’m so proud of everyone who made the video possible, especially the director, Caro Knapp, who was especially lovely to work with.” 

- After generating over 100 million streams and drumming up buzz, rising New Jersey-born and Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter Frawley returns with her new single “Crying My Eyes Out” available now via Republic Records/ More Than Friends. It notably marks her first solo release of 2023.  Listen to “Crying My Eyes Out”: HERE.  The track’s understated acoustic guitar and bold piano underscore her soaring and soul-stirring vocal delivery. She opens up through vivid lyrics that cut deep on the chorus as she laments, “You look so in love, and I’m here crying my eyes out.”

57 Channels and Only This Is On: April 16, 2023

 

The Blacklist:  So is this season just going to be a greatest hits of former blacklisters?

 

The Mandalorian:  Who could have guessed Grogu was a Daniel Bryan fan?  I have to assume that is why he kept punching the “Yes” button.  Though I do not quite understand why the evil guys were so keen on killing all the Mandalorians, but just tied up Din.  Why spare him?

 

The Challenge: World Championship:  What a glorious two weeks with Wes and Johnny going out back to back.  But what was hilarious about Johnny going out, was that he was the biggest defender of letting the peanut gallery help people during the elimination, but no one bothered to tell him that he had the wrong sun.

 

Survivor:  That new twist would have been almost interesting if the Control a Vote happened in secret without anyone else knowing that it happened.  What is the point in having someone declaring to everyone whose vote they were stealing and who they were being forced to vote for?

 

Titans:  Why did the “Previously On” focus so much on Beast Boy when he was not even in either episode?  But I am really just ready for this show to end.

 

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies:  Okay, the second debate song was the first song that was almost catchy.

 

School Spirits:  Huh?  So how exactly was Maddie able to hear the ghosts?  Why was ghost lady able to take over her body?  Why did Maddie become a ghost because of it?  Why was there so much blood?  None of that finale made sense.

 

Yellowjackets:  Three episodes and no sign of javi or adult Van and here we get them both in quick succession.  Now the question is, where exactly was javi this whole time and how did he survive when Jackie turned into a popsicle?  Does it have to do with the melted snow?  I could not tell what was poking out of it, kind of looked like a black rock.  When Van started to poke around, I thought she was going to find some sort of hatch.

 

Except it is becoming clear that Yellowjackets is not that kind of show.  Fan theories went wild in the offseason with many people believing, including myself, that Lottie was the leader of some wild cult that started back in the wilderness.  But it became clear this episode that Lottie is not some nefarious cult leader but both Lotties are severely broken.  The elder one is going to therapy and the younger one seemed to be unwillingly pushed into the prophecy role by some of the other girls.

 

We do know that the girls eventually break into factions, was this where the first division is?  Van was with Lottie at the bear heart ritual, but this week she was very adamant that it was Tai supernatural powers that found Javi.  But Mari was still backing Lottie.  Is this going to devolve into the people who think Lottie is their savior and those that worship Tai? 

 

Speaking of out of control fan theories, I thought Walter was going to be some big bad, but he is turning out to be just a male version of Misty.   I am shocked they did not end up forking.  But if there is something this show needs is a big bad for the girls to fight.  But like I said before, Yellowjackets is not that kind of show.  It is because clear this is just a show about generational trauma, and nothing else.

 

Had it not been for those two appearances, my biggest takeaway from this episode was Jeff saying, “We only have one kid.”  That eliminates that his first kid is just some twenty-five year old living his (Lottie did call the baby a “him”) life away from his parents.  So where is the kid?  My wild fan theories really want to say that he is still in the Canadian wilderness or grew up in Lottie’s cult, but it is becoming clearer that the baby did not make it back to civilization.