Around the Tubes: October 18, 2025

     

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Obituary, Sebastian Maniscalco: It Ain't Right, Kool & The Gang, Elton John, The Black Crowes, Carly Rae Jepsen, Iron Maiden, Men Without Hats, Dropkick Murphy, Fall Out Boy, Ludacris, Couch, Taylor Swift, Suspicious Minds.

- Hulu has debuted the official trailer for “Obituary.”  The second season of “Obituary” is now streaming all 6 episodes on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S.

- "Sebastian Maniscalco: It Ain't Right" premieres Friday, November 21 on Hulu, and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, in the US, and on Disney+ internationally.  Filmed live at the legendary United Center arena in Chicago, Sebastian Maniscalco’s "It Ain't Right" goes all in on family chaos, aging, and the little things that drive us all nuts—with his one-of-a-kind comedic bite.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® Inductees and iconic New Jersey R&B group Kool & The Gang unveil their new Greatest Hits collection via Island, Mercury Records, and Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). It notably stands out as the band’s first new vinyl release in decades.   Greatest Hits is pressed on a limited-edition 1LP platinum ice vinyl as a special online exclusive as well as black 1LP vinyl and 1CD.   Order HERE through the group’s Official Store.

- Half a century after it dominated charts around the world, Elton John’s seminal album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy will receive a 50th Anniversary Edition reissue, out on October 24th via UMe. The special reissue will be available on multiple formats, including 2LP, 2CD, and 1LP, Live At Midsummer Music, Wembley Stadium 1975, which was the album’s live debut, as well as a booklet containing never-before-seen entries from Elton’s personal diary. All available to pre-order now here.  In 1975, Elton John was in the midst of a prolific run of unimaginable success, having broken into the mainstream in 1970 to become the biggest star on the planet. His 9th album in six years, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, would break new ground in a plethora of ways. A concept album devised with Elton’s longtime collaborator and lyricist Bernie Taupin, it told the chronological story of the early years of Elton (Captain Fantastic) and Bernie’s (the Brown Dirt Cowboy) musical careers in London as they struggled to break through.

- GRAMMY and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-nominated rock band, The Black Crowes, led by founding brothers Chris and Rich Robinson, are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their seminal 1994 album Amorica with a deluxe reissue box set. The deluxe box set, available as a 5LP or 3CD set, chronicles the band's evolution through the songs that became Amorica.  Amorica is set for release on November 14, 2025, via UMe – pre-order/pre-save HERE.  To mark the reissue, The Black Crowes unveiled “Bitter, Bitter You,” an unreleased track from the Amorica era that captures the raw emotion and sonic edge of the original sessions – listen HERE.

0 Diamond-certified and GRAMMY® Award-nominated pop singer and songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen celebrates a decade of her unanimously acclaimed third full-length album, E•MO•TION, with a special 10Th Anniversary Edition out October 17, 2025 via Interscope/UMe. It arrives in multiple configurations such as Digital Deluxe, ATMOS, and various exclusive Vinyl variants. The Vinyl pressings include 1LP Blue Swirl Color Vinyl, 1LP Zoetrope Vinyl, and 2LP Magenta Swirl Color Vinyl with a special alternate cover plus an insert of the original cover.  Order/Save HERE.  E•MO•TION (10Th Anniversary Edition) notably features six bonus tracks, including both the Kyle Shearer and Rostam remixes of “Run Away With Me” and four previously unreleased tracks, “More,” “Guardian Angel,” “Back Of My Heart,” and “Lost In Devotion.” Listen to the bonus track, “More,” now HERE.

- Exactly 40 years to the day since it was first released, BMG are pleased to announce a brand new, beautifully packaged, limited collectors 2LP color vinyl edition of IRON MAIDEN’s classic album LIVE AFTER DEATH.  Available to pre-order in the U.S. as a Walmart exclusive.  Featuring the original revered gatefold sleeve artwork, the album comes with two 140g vinyls (one in blue, the other in yellow) featuring the 2015 audio remastering. The package also includes a replica 24-page World Slavery Tour program, bringing back to life the original tour program for new generations. 

- Men Without Hats—one of Canada’s most enduring and beloved new wave bands—are back with their upcoming album ‘On the Moon,’ out November 14, 2025. Their latest single, “In Glorious Days,” out now, continues the group’s exciting new chapter, following the viral success of “I  The 80s,” which has earned over two million views and streams in just three months.  Written by frontman Ivan Doroschuk and Grammy and Juno Award-winning producer Brian Howes, “In Glorious Days” represents the band’s first experience with true creative collaboration. The track captures the spirit of classic Men Without Hats while embracing a modern synthwave aesthetic that bridges the past and future of their sound. “Working with Brian was effortless—the song came together naturally,” Ivan says. “It’s a hybrid of the classic MWH sound with a fresh sonic sensibility. I can’t wait to play it live—it’s going to be a new crowd favourite.”  On The Moon Streaming Links: https://mwh.ffm.to/onthemoon

- Dropkick Murphys have announced the full routing for their 2026 For The People...In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour with The Aggrolites and Haywire supporting on most dates. The trek kicks off February 9 in Portland, ME and culminates March 13, 14, 15 and 17 in Boston with the band’s annual run of hometown dates during St. Patrick’s Day week. Tickets for the For The People...In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour go on sale this Friday, October 17 at 10am local time at www.DropkickMurphys.com. Tickets for the previously announced Boston dates are on sale now, and lineups vary for the Boston shows.  The 2026 St. Patrick’s Day weekend shows in Boston are also a celebration of the band’s 30th birthday and include a special family-friendly afternoon mini-concert and meet & greet at MGM Music Hall at Fenway on March 14 at 2:00 PM. This special afternoon event benefits the band’s charitable foundation, The Claddagh Fund, and each adult ticket buyer can bring two kids under 13 for free.

- One of the hidden gems on Scorpions’ From The First Sting is the orchestral version of “Wind of Change” from the Moment of Glory album, recorded in 2000 with the Berliner Philharmoniker — a symphonic reinterpretation of their iconic anthem, now also available on DSPs.  In celebration of their sixth decade as a band pioneering German hard rock group Scorpions will be releasing From The First Sting (BMG), a thrilling collection the raw energy, unforgettable anthems, and iconic moments from their illustrious career. From The First Sting is the band’s only career-spanning collection and will be available on a deluxe 2LP & 2CD bookpack and 2CD format for European and Rest of the World fans, as well as 2LP vinyl and 1CD format for fans in the Americas.  PRE-ORDER ‘FROM THE FIRST STING’ HERE.

- GRAMMY® Award-nominated iconic multiplatinum rock band Fall Out Boy celebrates two decades of their influential 5x-Platinum breakthrough album From Under The Cork Tree with today’s release of a special new 20th Anniversary Edition via UMe. The original LP’s 13 songs are newly remastered, while the collection notably boasts previously unreleased alternate and acoustic versions as well as remixes, live recordings, and B-sides such as their highly sought-after Gorilla Biscuits cover of “Start Today” that was originally recorded for Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland Soundtrack in 2005. It also captures key performances from this era with special “Live On BBC Radio” tracks. From Under The Cork Tree (20th Anniversary Edition) is available in multiple configurations, including a massive 3LP Deluxe Box, 2CD Deluxe Box, and Super Deluxe Digital. Order the 20th Anniversary Edition now HERE and shop the anniversary collection now HERE.  Beyond the unreleased material, both the 3LP Deluxe Box and 2CD Deluxe Box feature a treasure trove of extras. Each Box houses an exclusive letter to fans penned by bassist and primary lyricist Pete Wentz, a “Prom” photo from the “Dance Dance” music video, and a comic book cover illustration drawn from the “A Little Less Than Sixteen Candles, A Little More Than ‘Touch Me” music video. Other extras include memorabilia from the seminal Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour 2006, such as a tour poster, setlist, ticket stub, and tour sticker laminate.

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning hip-hop legend, actor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Ludacris celebrates the 25th anniversary of his breakout Def Jam South Debut Album, Back For The First Time, with a brand-new Vinyl version out now. It is pressed on classic black 2LP Vinyl and available for purchase on Ludacris’ official artist store HERE.  Reigniting southern hip-hop, Ludacris vaulted to the forefront of the culture when he originally dropped Back For The First Time on October 17, 2000—exactly 25 years ago today. Upon arrival, the album bowed at #4 on the Billboard 200 and captured #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. It eventually earned a 3x-Platinum certification from the RIAA. Among a myriad of heaters, it boasted the 2x-Platinum-certified classic “What’s Your Fantasy” [feat. Shawnna], which reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and graced the soundtrack of the cult classic comedy How High. Plus, it spawned the seminal “Southern Hospitality” [feat. Pharrell]. Thus far, the record has amassed hundreds of millions of streams.

- Boston-based indie retro pop/soul seven-piece band Couch pine over a new crush with groovy jam, "Slow Burn" out now ahead of their splashy debut album Big Talk due out next week, October 24, and is available to pre-save now. Most recently, the group made their national television debut on CBS Saturday Sessions–see here.  The group is gearing up for their lengthy international headline tour, with several dates already sold out, beginning November 6 in Detroit, hitting marquee rooms across North America, the UK and Europe including Roadrunner (Boston), 9:30 Club (DC), The Fonda (LA), Brooklyn Steel (NYC) with Stephen Day, Night Talks, and Thumber. See all dates and tickets via couchtheband.com/tour.

- Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, earns the biggest first week in music history with over 4 million U.S. and 5.5 million global album-equivalent units. Upon release, the album shattered countless records and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking another historic milestone in Swift’s career. Dominating across all platforms, The Life of a Showgirl amassed more than 1.5 billion global streams, securing the largest debut of 2025.

- SUSPICIOUS MINDS, a timely docuseries that investigates the disturbing rise of artificial intelligence as a trigger for delusional thinking, premieres TODAY (October 17) on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Substack and more. The series is created and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sean King O'Grady (The Mill, Our American Family) and Executive produced by Mandy Teefey and Selena Gomez.  Link to Episodes 1&2: https://www.youtube.com/@agoricmedia

57 Channels and Only This Is On: October 12, 2025

 

Task:  We finally got a face to face with Tom and Robbie.  Though I guess it was more face to back of the head for most of it.  We also got a fairly anticlimactic reveal of the mole.  There has to be another shoe to drop otherwise why do cryptic with the Martha Plimpton phone call last week?

 

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon:  Wait, there are still lepers in the world?  That seems like something that got cured a while ago.   Or maybe it is something easily curable with modern medicine, but without it, leprosy has returned.  Kind of sucks in a zombie apocalypse you contract a disease that kind of makes you look like a zombie.  But I get Carol not coming, but maybe Daryl should have taken someone else.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  I am not a fan of starting a episode and then giving us "x amount of time earlier" title card.  That trope seemed very unnecessary here.  The Silver Alert bit would have been just as funny if we did not know it was coming, probably funnier.  But what a way to realize that Dylan and Becky Ann Baker are married.

 

I am shocked that I have spotted all the title sequence easter eggs so for this season.  Though this one was pretty obvious as the creepy kid showed up (at least) four times.  I was wonder how they could possibly incorporate that in the show and it did not disappoint.  I am surprised that none of the trio got locked in the basement with the kid.  Maybe that will happen in a future episode.

 

Speaking of Bash Steed offspring, the most interesting clue this week may be that the mayor’s assistant is Bash’s niece (or, more likely his great grandniece).  My mayor prediction seems to be looking better every week.  I am pretty sure he wacked Nicky, but I think there could be someone else who did Lester.

 

But the big money wrench into any theory is why did the billionaires steal the finger?  That was extremely suspicious.  And why would that be a prize?  It has to tie into the casino plans, but what could a rotting finger have to do with that?  But the Celebrity Game bit with all of the Oliver stories helping them win is the highlight of this season so far.

 

The Lowdown:  Hooking up with the widow.  That is an interesting way to work on the case.  I cannot image it will end very well though.

 

Survivor:  It is really time to stop it with these three tribes nonsense.  One team always loses most, if not all, of the Immunity Challenges and it is just boring seeing the same team going to Tribal every week.  Then why even do the Immunity Challenge this week?  Now you are going to have unbalanced tribes with the swap next week.

 

The Challenge: Vets and New Threats:  Okay, the Stake a Claim makes more sense seeing it in practice.  But it is weird that the participants did not get to change their clothes into something more athletic.  Almost as weird, everyone else just had to sit there for what had to be over an hour if it took them 35 minutes to make it up the mountain.  I wonder if they will switch it up if anyone else stakes a claim later this season.  It was kind of a boring competition.

 

Peacemaker:  So, every DC project for the next couple years it just going to have the big bad (and maybe a few good guys) of every movie and show joining Peacemaker in that dimension until their inevitable attempt at Infinity War / Endgame. Oh joy.  That just made an already lackluster finale worse.  And what the fork was up with the random Nelson cameo?