Around the Tubes: June 14, 2025

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Elton John. Kool & The Gang, Marcus King Band, Bob Marley, The Kinks, Lyn Lapid, and Madison Bailey.

- Elton John - Live from the Rainbow Theatre with Ray Cooper will be released on July 25 via UMe. One of Elton’s most celebrated performances, the live album was initially released on a limited vinyl run for this year's Record Store Day. Now receiving a wider release, it will be available both digitally and on CD for the first time, alongside a vinyl repress. The CD and digital editions include a brand-new bonus track, "Goodbye," plus the original twelve-song tracklist, personally curated by Elton, and additional liner notes.  In May 1977, Elton John took the stage at London’s iconic Rainbow Theatre with percussion legend Ray Cooper for a six-show residency. These performances were the first of 233 Elton-and-Ray only shows that would follow, and featured the live debut of deep cuts; “Roy Rogers”, “Cage The Songbird”, “Idol”, and “I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)”. Out on Vinyl, CD & Digitally on July 25^th via UMe, Pre-Order HERE

- This year, Kool & The Gang Co-Founder and namesake Robert Earl “Kool” Bell will celebrate his 75^th birthday on October 8, 2025. Turning up the temperature and tempo in honor of #Kool75, rising Australian DJ and producer Young Franco has delivered a dancefloor-ready Remix of the Kool & The Gang classic “Get Down On It” out now!  Listen HERE. Young Franco brings 21^st century house music energy to the track, underscoring the instantly recognizable hook with a fast-paced beat and glossy synths. His Remix of “Get Down On It” pops off as a summer-ready dance track tailormade for clubs, pool parties, festivals, and beyond.

- The Marcus King Band unveils a further taste of new music with “Carolina Honey” out now via American Records/Republic Records. Listen/share the song HERE.  “Carolina Honey” follows “Honky Tonk Hell.” Listen/share the song HERE. Watch/share the lyric video HERE.  “‘Carolina Honey’ is all about how I met my wife and what a significant impact that chance meeting had on my life that one night after a show in Raleigh, NC,” says King. “I woke up still hurting from the night before - still feeling I didn’t have much to live for. I’d given up on any thought that I could ever be ‘happy.’ All that changed when Little Bird walked into my life. After my set, Briley came backstage to say hello - she started playing Linda Ronstadt and singing and for the first time I saw something or someone in front me that gave me ‘hope.’ Someone I wanted to be my BEST self for - Someone I wanted to grow old with, someone that made me want to grow old ‘at all.’ ‘Carolina Honey’ takes the listener through my mentality that day, my change of heart that night and my burning desire for her to feel the same way too.”

- The Marley family, UMe, and Island Records are continuing to honor Bob Marley's legacy with a year-long celebration commemorating his 80th birthday milestone, his importance in the uprising of global music, and the fight for social justice and equality.  In celebration of the 45th anniversary of Uprising, an exclusive merch capsule is being released, which includes unique items and a special, limited-edition “liquid sunshine”-filled vinyl reissue of the album that is housed in a special die-cut sleeve. Uprising was the final album released during Bob Marley’s lifetime and features fan favorites “Could You Be Loved,” “Redemption Song,” and “Forever Loving Jah.” Preorder the “liquid-sunshine" LP and check out the exclusive merch options, HERE.

- One of the greatest songs ever written, "Sunny Afternoon," was number 1 on July 7th, 1966, when England won the World Cup. The Kinks today release a live version recorded at their 1993 Royal Albert Hall show, taken from the last chapter of their Journey Trilogy’s celebrating the bands 60th anniversary   The Journey – Part 3. Listen to "Sunny Afternoon (Live From The Royal Albert Hall, 1993)" HERE.   “As far as performances go, it was a high point achievement of the Kinks,” Dave Davies said of the Royal Albert Hall show.

- As she continues the North American leg of her BUZZKILL World Tour, Gold-Certified singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Lyn Lapid surprises fans today with a cover of Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind”— listen HERE!

- Turning the page on another bold creative chapter, critically acclaimed actress and buzzing singer-songwriter Madison Bailey shares an emotionally charged new single entitled “Raincheck” featuring KAIRO out now via Republic Records. It marks her first release of 2025 and heralds more music to come. Listen HERE.  On the track, an airy loop gives way to a breezy head-nodding beat accented by soft synths and delicate strains of guitar. Madison wrestles with her insecurities out loud. She admits, “To be honest I’ve been off the rails awhile, getting hard to fake a smile,” going on to ask, “So, can I get a raincheck?” Nigerian-born global pop duo  KAIRO responds on a bouncy verse evocative of the same introspective and irresistible spirit. Together, their energies and vocals entwine in perfect harmony.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 8, 2025

 

Mobland:  Wait, did we know that Kevin’s kid was actually his brother?  And since he called his wife his father’s sloppy seconds, does that mean it was an arranged marriage just to keep up appearances?  It does seem that way considering they never had a kid of their own.  I was a little surprised Maeve knew considering how she tried to kill Conrad’s other illegitimate and now so okay with it she wants Eddie to kill Harry.  I am sure there is some racism baked in there.

 

I was also a little lost on the lawyer. I had absolutely no recollection of her at all when she sat down with Harry.  It probably did not help she looked too much like Harry’s wife.

 

But after everything that went down, Maeve is a psychopath who wants Harry dead, his wife is so angry with how their live turned out that she stabbed him, why is Harry so intent on staying?  What did the Harrigan’s do for him that he is this loyal despite have a golden parachute to get him out of there?  Is it going to turn out he is also an illegitimate child of Conrad?  That may be the closest to a rational explanation I can think of.  Except for the whole Harry’s daughter hooking up with Conrad’s kid thing.

 

The Walking Dead: Dead City:  So, everyone is dead now?  Weird they killed off the old lady, it felt like her and Hershel had some weird connection, now we will not see how that pans out.

 

The Librarians: The Next Chapter:  I am not sure how exactly I am supposed to watch this show.  Only the first episode is currently On Demand.  I saw that Kanopy says there are putting new episodes there weekly, except there has been no new episodes this week.  So what day of the week should we expect new episodes and how long from the premiere will they be up?  I hope they do not expect me to watch live when episodes air like a caveman.

 

Nine Perfect Strangers:  I completely forgot to write about the show, but here we are halfway through the season and really nothing is happening except a new drug trip every episode.  At least they decided to get weirder this season.  Enough with the micro-dosing they did in the first season, they are going on full trips this time around.

 

Leverage: Redemption:  The whole black and white thing was confusing.  I never quite figured out what it meant.  I originally thought it was showing that happened a while ago, but it seemed to go back and forth between color during the same timeline. And did they not make a big deal about Harry shaving in the first episode and now the beard was back without any mention.