Around the Tubes: August 12, 2023

 

- DNA evidence speaks when victims can’t. There are over 100,000 cold cases in America. Only about 1% are ever solved – and, increasingly, advancements in forensic science are key to cracking these long-running mysteries.  COLD CASE FILES: DNA SPEAKS is a new, 10-part documentary series focusing on murder cases that remained unsolved for decades and were ultimately cracked with DNA evidence. It explores these stunning scientific developments – as well as the unwavering dedication of families and investigators – that eventually brought the killers to justice.  The Emmy-nominated Cold Case Files was the original forensic science crime show when it first aired in 1999. This brand-new series is narrated by the original host and executive producer, celebrated journalist Bill Kurtis, and builds on the success of the original with spectacular cinematography, extraordinary crime scene footage, and cutting-edge science.  CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NEW OFFICIAL TRAILER

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Bay returns with a brand-new single entitled “Goodbye Never Felt So Bad” out now via Mercury/Republic Records. It notably marks his first release of 2023 and first new music since his 2022 third full-length album, Leap.  Listen to “Goodbye Never Felt So Bad”—HERE.

- 3 Doors Down releases the 20th-anniversary Digital Deluxe Edition of their legendary sophomore album, Away From The Sun.  Filled with timeless hits and heart-pounding energy that defined an era, Away From The Sun features chart-toppers “Here Without You” and “When I’m Gone.” Remastered from 24-bit sources by the renowned Dave Donnelly, the iconic album’s original twelve tracks of powerful melodies and emotive lyrics have been revitalized to capture the essence of the band’s groundbreaking sound. The deluxe version also includes ten bonus tracks, including unearthed treasures like “Pop Song” and “Living A Lie,” both making their long-awaited digital debut, as well as the hidden gems “When I’m Gone (Live – Early Version)” and “Here Without You (demo),” which was recorded at a house in Mobile, AL in the early stages of the album’s creation. Rounding out the bonus material are three previously unreleased studio recordings, including “Long Day,” “Something In My Mind,” and a striking Lynyrd Skynyrd cover of “That Smell,” plus three tracks produced by Rush’s Alex Lifeson during the original recording sessions: “Dangerous Game,” “Wasted Me,” and “Dead Love.” A 1LP Limited Edition Color Vinyl of the original album will also be available on November 10. Preorder the LP or Listen to the Digital Deluxe Edition of Away From The Sun HERE.

- Back with a bright summer anthem, 19-year-old Southern California singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Claire Rosinkranz releases a new single entitled “Pools and Palm Trees” today–listen HERE! The song sets the stage for her highly anticipated debut album Just Because, due out on October 6^th via slowplay/Republic Records. Pre-order/Pre-save Just Because HERE.  On “Pools and Palm Trees,” acoustic guitar echoes through airy production as Claire’s candid and conversational lyrics take hold. She sings, “I miss you a lot…‘cause you feel like pools and palm trees swaying in the breeze.” The track reflects the sunny spirit of her signature musical style.

- Steely Dan’s 1977 multi-platinum jazz-rock masterwork, Aja, has been remastered from analog and will be reissued on vinyl for the first time in more than four decades on September 29^th via Geffen/UMe. Aja marks the latest release in Geffen/UMe’s extensive reissue program of Steely Dan’s classic ABC and MCA Records catalog, which returns the band’s first seven records to vinyl – most of which haven’t been available since their original release. Overseen by founding member Donald Fagen, the series launched in November 2022 with the group’s legendary 1972 debut, Can’t Buy A Thrill, followed by 1973’s Countdown To Ecstasy in May 2023. The band’s beloved third album, 1974’s Pretzel Logic, was just released last month.  Aja has been meticulously remastered by Bernie Grundman from an analog, non-EQ’d, tape copy and will be pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at 33 1/3 RPM. Additionally, Aja, like all the titles, is being released as a limited edition premium 45 RPM version on Ultra High-Quality Vinyl (UHQR) from Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds. Analogue Productions is also releasing this series of titles on Super Audio CD (SACD). Visit here for more details and to order.  Pre-order Aja: https://steelydan.lnk.to/AjaVinylPR

- POV, America's longest running non-fiction series continues its 36th season with Peabody Award-winning director/producer Marco Williams’ personal film, Murders That Matter. The PBS alum documents five years in the life of Movita Johnson-Harrell, an African American Muslim mother in Philadelphia, as she transforms from a victim of violent trauma into a fierce advocate against gun violence in Black communities. Though her story is local, it nonetheless remains a siren call in the wake of escalating gun-related deaths that ultimately impact Black and other communities of color throughout the U.S.  A co-production with ITVS, Murders That Matter is scheduled to make its world premiere on Monday, October 2, 2023 at 10 pm ET/9C (check local listings) and will be available to stream until December 25, 2023 at pbs.org, and the PBS App. In addition to standard closed captioning for the film, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities.

Previewing Billions Season Seven

 

Poor Michael Prince, he was brought in to replace Bobby Axelrod but just one season after jettisoning Bobby to some nondescript European city, presumably to never be seen again, Axe is back.  Not only is he back, but front and center in the seventh and final season poster for Billions, pushing Prince to the edges.  Making things worse is that Bobby is barely in the episodes given to critics.  Another character that has not been seen in a while may actually have more screen time than Axe in those  episodes.

 

But hey, at least Prince gets to open the season with a very eye opening scene.  Unfortunately that is directly followed by a “5 months earlier“ chyron.  That gets us closer to the end of last season which ended in a high stakes game of chicken which left Prince $3.5 billion cheaper and Chuck in jail, though the latter was short lived as New York State Attorney General Dave Mahar bailed him out.  Prince would move on as he has bigger fish to fry.  After failing to bring the Olympics to New York, now he is trying to run for president as an Independent.

 

But this is an end of the era.  It has been announced that the seventh will be final season of Billions (though Millions and Trillions are currently in development along with versions of Billions set in Miami and London… geez).  And it is time to wrap things up if they think they need Bobby Axelrod to save the show after just one season without him even though the show had gotten stale with Bobby and Chuck going after each other for the previous five seasons (aside from that one stretch when they were on the same side).  The show even seems to run out of pop culture references, there is an awkward Nirvana references early in the season and I was left wondering if they were cribbing other shows’ with a couple of reference.   Like most Showtime shows, this one seems to be ended one to three seasons too late.

 

Billions airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime, though you can stream episodes on Fridays on Paramount+ with Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: August 6, 2023

  

Cruel Summer:  This season was a big downgrade, but if you are going to go out, go out hard.  I was slightly disappointed that the death was sort of an accident, but they did make up for that to have Isabella very intentionally killing the dude.  Do not ask me why the police did not bother to check security tapes until six months after the guy went missing.  But kudos to who ever thought it was a good idea to turn some crappy White Zombie song into some moody folk song.  That was hilarious.

 

Justified: City Primeval:  It looks like Raylan has grown.  There were multiple time he had no problem with one guy killing another guy.  But the show was much better without his daughter around.