The Voice Season 5 Battle Round Power Rankings

As we enter the third season of The Steal, they were one again hit or miss. I thought Juhi, Will, Monika, and Stephanie all deserved their Steals. The other four were really head-scratching. I was with Blake in that Cee-Lo should have stolen Barry Black, but then again Cee-Lo was the only one that ended up using both Steals wisely. Maybe had Blake not wasted both of his Steals on Knockout Round fodder, he would have had one to use himself on someone much more worthy like Barry. Donna Allen was the only other singer that we saw that stood out to me as Save-worthy. I did like Lupe Carroll’s Blind Audition so I do wish he would have gotten a Steal, or they should have at least shown him singing Africa which I am guessing had to be better than some of the Battles they actually showed. Oh well, here is my updated ranking of those that did move on to the Knockout Round.

1. Austin Jenckes (Team Blake): Every season there always is a Battle or two where it sound like less like a duet and more of a Motown group with a single lead singer, this was the case for this Battle where Austin was Smokey Robinson and Brian came off as one of the Miracles.

2. Caroline Pennell (Team Cee-Lo): When Cee-Lo said she had to sing Justin Beiber I feared for Caroline because Beiber (and teen pop in general) has been a curse to anyone who sings him because there is just a cheesiness to him and teen pop in general. But wow, Caroline took this corny pop song and found a beautiful darkness in it. I do not know who did the arrangement for the song, be it Caroline, Anthony, Cee-Lo, or the band, but kudos to them.

3. Holly Henry (Team Blake): I will not complain anymore about how and why Holly was montoged, I did enough of that yesterday. The five seconds we got to hear her sing Torn on the show were solid and the studio version is really good (click Holly’s name, or any contestant’s name, to buy it on iTunes). I did have to put Austin and Caroline above her because theirs were the only great Battle Round performances, but Holly’s performance of The Scientist remains the best performance so far this season.

4. Preston Pohl (Team Adam): Dude can sing MGMT, then follow that up with The Temptations, and he did them both justice. Make you wonder what else Preston has in his musical quiver.

5. Ray Boudreaux (Team Blake): There really is not much to Ray, but he is just clean and smooth and could be a dark horse when people start voting.

6. Destinee Quinn (Team Christina): Destinee has a glaring flaw during her Blind Audition with a lack of consistency. She definitely ironed that out by her, if her future performances are as good as her Battle Round performance, she could end up as Christina’s last person standing.

7. Jacquie Lee (Team Christina): When Jacquie started out, I could not help but think to last season when Amy Whitcomb sang the song and Blake said (badly paraphrasing because I am too lazy to get the direct quote), “The song ended a whole lot better than it started.” It was a rough start and it seemed like House of the Rising Sun is just a very hard song to start (especially for the ladies that cannot reach the bottom as well as Eric Burdon can) and it looks like Jacquie drew the short straw have to start off the song. But like Amy, Jacquie ended the song a lot better than it started. Briana may have been more consistent, but Jacquie at her best was definitely better than Briana at her best during the song.

8. Matthew Schuler (Team Christina): A silly song choice, but I would take it over the well worn songs that many of the coaches forced on their singers.

9. Olivia Henken (Team Christina): Well that was fun. I found her audition a little too mediocre Carrie-oke, but Done. was much more entertaining. Hopefully she sticks to more fun upbeat songs otherwise I give the edge to Destinee for Christina’s token absurdly attractive country singer.

10. Monika Leigh (Team Cee-Lo Cee-Lo): I was a little surprised that Blake paired Monika and Ray together, more than any other coach, Blake pairs his favorites with ones he is ready to dump. I thought bother were destined to at least make it to the Knockout Rounds on his team, if not the Live Shows. This ended up being Blake’s best Battle (granted half of his were montaged) and though Ray was slightly better, Monika got one of the few well deserved saved this season.

11. Juhi (Team Cee-Lo Adam): I was ready for Juhi to leave the show after her screeching during the rehearsal, but by the time she hit the stage, she was much better and definitely deserved to win her battle. She does need a little more fine tuning and I definitely trust Adam to do that better than Cee-Lo. So how the battle ended may be the best for her in the long run. I also have to say I have long thought that Twitter was the internet for stupid people. That thawed a little when Prince joined the site and it thawed a little more when Juhi tweeted this after her Battle:

@CeeLoGreen And although there's pain in my chest I still wish you the best! I'm like Forget you <3
— Juhi (@Juhix3) October 22, 2013

12. Cole Vosbury (Team Cee-Lo): I am having trouble to believe that the dude who sang The Theme to the Jefferson’s in the Blind Auditions and then sang Toto’s Africa was any worse than half of the Battles we had to sit through this season.

13. Jonny Gray (Team Cee-Lo): After his Blind Audition, I was hoping Cee-Lo would find a great song that suited him, and a little Tom Petty did the trick.

14. Will Champlin (Team Adam Christina): The most evenly matched Battle this season, maybe ever. I would have given the slight edge to Will because he has a little more something to his voice…

15. James Wolpert (Team Adam): …where James’s voice, though good, can be as bland as his look. If he is going to rock the accountant look, hopefully he just embarrasses the look and starts singing some Weezer, Ben Folds, or Barenaked Ladies.

16. Grey (Team Adam): Kind of the female version of Ray, it is hard to pinpoint what is good about her voice other it is the kind of voice you can sit back and soak in. But after two bland pop songs, I do hope she does something a little more interesting in the Knockout Round.

17. Stephanie Anne Johnson (Team Christina Cee-Lo): Every Blind Auditions there are a couple contestants who have to choose between two or more coaches and after they pick, I sit that and shake my head thinking they should have went with the other one. Then inevitably they are paired with someone during the Battles who the coach likes much better to the point they give them a song that is much more suited to the other singer and once again I shake my head thinking, you really should have picked that other coach. Stephanie was on of those contents who thought would have been much better off choosing Cee-Lo over Christina. Luckily for Stephanie, she eventually found her way to Cee-Lo’s team.

18. Briana Cuoco (Team Christina Blake): Wins the award for most improved. Although for someone whose reasoning for going with Blake because he won three straight year, I would think someone who knows the show this well would know Blake only uses his Steals as fodder I the next round. Lucky for Briana, the show has added a Steal to the Knockout Rounds. So maybe she may find her way back to Team Christina because I would be shocked if she made it to the Live Shows with Blake.

19. Amber Nicole (Team Christina): There is always a montage contestant that wins a Battle or two every season, but Amber winning was still a bit shocking because I thought the producers were setting up Timya as one of the frontrunners this season and not only did she lose, she did not get a Steal. But Amber definitely deserved to win this Battle.

20. Tamara Chauniece (Team Cee-Lo): Montage win. Yawn.

21. Lina Gaudenzi (Team Christina Adam): Lina was all over the place during her Blind Audition, she was a bit better this round, but I am not sure it was worth a steal.

22. Shelbie Z. (Team Blake): For the first three seasons, Blake only took one country artist to the Live Rounds, and only one of them advanced one round when they got there. Last season there were five country singers better than any of those in the first three seasons including Savannah Berry who did not even make the Live Shows. Shelbie reminds me of those in the first three seasons who will likely be one round and done unless Blake saves her. I would even venture to say one of Christina’s country singers may actually go further.

23. James Irwin (Team Adam): Maybe the second most even Battle of the season, but I could not help but thinking who ever won would end up being Knockout Round fodder on Adam’s team.

24. Tessanne Chin (Team Adam): I liked her Battle Round performance more than her Blind Audition, but her beating Donna was one of the most egregious decisions of the round.

25. Kat Robichaud (Team Cee-Lo): During the Blind Auditions, I feared that with Cee-Lo Kat would easily go over the top with her performances and that came to fruition with a cringeworthy performance of the severely overused karaoke staple I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing. I could not help thinking during the performance that the montages could not have been as bad as this. Seriously, they skipped of Africa for this performance?

26. Ashley DuBose (Team Adam): You have to wonder just how bad a performance of a song that featured not one but two coaches had to be to get the montage treatment. And judging by Adam’s stinkface when Ashley told him what she will be singing in the Knockout Rounds, she will probably not make the Live Shows without a Steal.

27. Anthony Paul (Team Cee-Lo Christina): I am not entirely sure what Christina saw in this guy, when I think back to his Battle, my only memories are of Caroline who just dominated the song.

28. Josh Logan (Team Christina): During his Blind Audition, Josh sounded a lot like Alex Clare, and during the Battle Rounds it sounded like he was trying to sound like Adam Levine too, but this time around he failed massively. I really have no interest in listening to copy cats. Michael not winning this battle was the second biggest mistake made by any coach made this round.

29. E.G. Daily (Team Blake): Montage win. Yawn.

30. Brandon Chase (Team Blake): Montage win. Yawn.

31. George Horga Jr. (Team Cee-Lo): It is really never a good sign when half the coaches spend most of their time talking about a bum note (that first “Best I ever had” was really bad) and after you are gone the other three coaches talk about how shocked they were when you were picked. Cee-Lo has made some of the dumbest decision on the show and nothing will probably ever beat Erin Martin over The Sheilds Brothers, but this may very well be number two.

32. Nic Hawk (Team Adam Blake): One of the most entertaining people this season, but his voice is just too musical theater for a singing competition. Blake likes to waste his Steals on Knockout Round fodder, but Nic was the most unworthy Steal in the series history.

Now it is time to see who has the strongest team coming out of the Battle Rounds (going in I had Cee-Lo followed by Adam, Christina, and Blake pulling up the rear). I gave the person last one point and firs 32 points and added the points up by teams and here is how they stack up:

Christina – 146
Cee-Lo – 134
Blake – 124
Adam – 124

So Christina leapfrogs Adam and Cee-Lo while Adam sinks all the way to last. But who cares what I think, here is how high each singer reached during the Battle Round (I also included any Blind Auditions italics that made the charts over the past two weeks to give you a sense about who the iTunes population is most enthusiastic about). Those that are not on this list did not make the top 1500 Overall chart (at least i never saw them on it).

1. Caroline Pennell (35)
2. Jacquie Lee (77)
3. Preston Pohl (77)
4. Preston Pohl – Electric Feel (113)
5. Briana Cuoco (218)
6. Holly Henry – The Scientist (257)
7. Destinee Quinn (261)
8. Austin Jenckes (271)
9. Holly Henry (272)
10. Caroline Pennell – Anything Can Happen (273)
11. Juhi (280)
12. Jonny Grey (293)
13. James Wolpert – Love Interrupted (312)
14. Tessanne Chin (324)
15. Matthew Schuler (330)
16. James Irwin (336)
17. Amber Nicole (362)
18. Will Champlin (386)
19. James Wolpert (404)
20. Josh Logan (407)
21. George Horga Jr. (492)
22. Matthew Schuler – Cough Syrup (538)
23. Lina Gaudenzi (539)
24. Grey (569)
25. Jacquie Lee – Back to Black (589)
26. Anthony Paul (620)
27. Ray Boudreaux (628)
28. Shelbie Z. (665)
29. Olivia Henken (687)
30. Jonny Grey – All These Things I’ve Done (942)
31. Tessanne Chin – Try (1050)
32. Kat Robichaud (1090)
33. Cole Vosbury (1295)
34. Austin Jenckes – Simple Man (1346)
35. Brandon Chase (1417)
36. Nic Hawk (1418)

What is striking about this list is that three montaged contestants actually made this list (Holly, Cole and Brandon) and charted higher than three that had their full performance aired (Nic, Monika, and Stephanie). Holly alone did better than 20 other contestants that were show in their entirety. Here is how the teams shake out based on iTunes using the same methodology above:

Adam – 213
Christina – 189
Blake – 145
Cee-Lo – 120

Adam is on the top of the list followed by Christina, it helps when they had one montage Battle between them. If you are counting both the Blinds and Battles, Blake’s contestants were montaged five times, Cee-Lo four times, Christina twice, and only one for Adam. Then Adam’s contestants closed out four episodes, Christina twice, Blake once, and Cee-Lo only once, and that was the final Blind Audition. Gee, I wonder who the producers want to win. Keep in mind aside from winning the first season neither Adam or Christina finished better than third, and if there were no team quotas back in season two, they may not have finished that high. Clearly the producers have their favorites but if you want to know who the real front runners are when the Live Rounds starts, here is how the contestants rank if you average how high each of their songs charted during both rounds.

1. Preston Pohl (49)
2. Caroline Pennell (112.5)
3. Holly Henry (147.5)
4. Matthew Schuler (204.5)
5. James Wolpert (264)
6. Tessanne Chin (271.5)
7. Jonny Grey (277.5)
8. Austin Jenckes (290.5)
9. Jacquie Lee (297)
10. Will Champlin (358)
11. James Irwin (410)
12. Destinee Quinn (450)
13. Josh Logan (436.5)
14. Ray Boudreaux (489)
15. Grey (542)
16. Briana Cuoco (604.5)
17. Lina Gaudenzi (709.5)
18. Juhi (826)
19. Olivia Henken (847.5)
20. Brandon Chase (884.5)
21. Shelbie Z. (989)
22. Nic Hawk (1024.5)
23. Cole Vosbury (1191)

Despite being montage, Holly, is sitting at number three. It makes me wonder just how high she could have gotten if they showed more than five seconds of her singing. As I write this Preston and Holly are the only two that still have both of their songs in the top 1500, so those are your two front runners right now. Then really any of those in the top nine on this list I think have a chance of winning (interestingly enough, the top nine is evenly divided between the four teams with Adam getting the extra singer). Outside the top nine, I think Ray and whichever of Christina token absurdly attractive country singer makes it to the Live Shows could be dark horses. Everyone else I would put their chance of winning somewhere between slim and none. I do know the token absurdly attractive country singers are facing off in the Knockout Round because Entertainment Weekly released all the pairing. Here are who will be going against each other with who I think will win listed first and with the ones I am most confident listed in order of confidence.

Team Adam
Preston Pohl vs. Lina Gaudenzi
Tessanne Chin vs. Ashley Dubose
James Wolpert vs. Juhi
Grey vs. James Irwin

Team Blake
Holly Henry vs. Nic Hawk
Shelbie Z. vs. Briana Cuoco
Austin Jenckes vs. Brandon Chase
Ray Boudreaux vs. E.G. Daily

Team Cee-Lo
Jonny Grey vs. Cole Vosbury
Kat Robichaud vs. Monika Leigh
Caroline Pennell vs. George Horga Jr.
Stephanie Anne Johnson vs. Tamara Chauniece

Team Christina
Matthew Schuler vs. Will Champlin
Jacquie Lee vs. Anthony Paul
Josh Logan vs. Amber Nicole
Olivia Henken vs. Destinee Quinn

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 10/27/13

Once Upon a Time: Wow, these characters are stupid. You do not need Bellfire to crack the star map code: everybody knows the way to leave Neverland is take the second star to the right and go straight on ‘till morning. Now the hard part will be getting your hands on some fairy dust.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Homeland: They could have easily had written out the Brody family after last season, and I am sure most viewers hoped for it, but I thought the writers had a real opportunity to look at the effects of the family left behind after learning their father and husband turned out to be a national pariah. Instead they just had Dana start up a crazy love affair with someone who may be a fratricidal murderer. I also figured that Carrie would eventually find her way back to the CIA by being a double agent against whoever the shady lawyer represented, but I would have never guessed that it was the plan from the start by Saul and Carrie.

The Walking Dead: You would think that if people know that everyone is already infected and you are living with old people that can kick it in the middle of the night, you would take more precautions to keep that from happening. Sure it would make for a less interesting show, but if I am living in a prison during a zombie apocalypse I would not be content with a sheet as a door, I would at the very least shut the door while I am sleeping or if there is a shortage of keys at the very least put some sort of noisemaker on the sheet if someone tries to stalk in at night.

We do get two mysteries during the episode, who is feeding the zombies rats at the gates, is it someone nefarious or one of the stupid kids feeling sorry for them? Then who is the person who lit the infected people on fire? Could it be the same person? I am guessing not as it seems the rat person may be a double agent for The Governor why the firestarter is just a concern, overzealous, health freak.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Revenge: So who tried to Conrad is going to be an actual mystery complete with a silly hashtag. Alrightly. I did not give much thought to it after it was revealed that the brakes were messed with. So I guess I should guess who did it: Victoria’s other son.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Revenge on iTunes.

Masters of Sex: It may get a little weird seeing Tinkerbell on Once Upon a Time and then an hour later seeing her sans her fairy costume an hour later. But anyway.

The Voice: I am a hug fan of montages, there are plenty of performances I sit through that I wished were montage. Except this season not only was number one on my Power Rankings, Holly Henry, was montage, so number two, Cole Vosbury. I really have a hard time believing that either of their battles was possibly worse than the Kat vs. R. Anthony Battle. What made things worse there were a couple of Battles that featured Steals that would have been montaged. Did anyone really need to sit through Grey vs. Nic even if there was a Steal involved? Blake's Steal of Nic was already the worst use of a Steal when it happened, and looked even worse when three montaged contestants, Holly, Cole, Brandon Chase, all charted higher than Nic.

I do sometime wonder if The Voice even knows who their audience is. Holly was one of only two contestants to make the top 25 on iTunes for their Blind Audition (only one other person made the top 100, and three more made the top 200). And yet everyone who bought her song had to wait a full month from her audition to see she got montaged on the final episode of the Blind Auditions. It says something that the montage segment has the second most views from Battles this week currently on YouTube (and the one video with more views was from Monday which was on the internet a full 24 hours longer) while Holly and Cilla’s After the Battle video of all the Battles, even the ones from the first week and doubling all but one other video. Holly's version of Torn even made the top 100 on the iTunes pop charts, higher than all but four other Battles this season. The Voice has been spending a lot of footage this season on Tessanne Chin, Kat Robichaud, and Matthew Schuler this season, but I am willing to bet Holly, Austin Jenckes, and Preston Pohl will get a lot more votes starting next week.

The unknowing of the audience of the show extends to the coaches when you had multiple awkward situations this week where the people that got stolen actually outsold the winning. In the last two seasons of Steals, that only happened once that I am aware of when Caroline Glaser charted higher than Danielle Bradbery by only a couple spot. Again Will Champlin just barely outsold James Wolpert. But then there is Juhi who charted over 200 spots higher than George Horga Jr.

Speaking of the Juhi vs. George battle, there have been plenty of stupid reasonings as to why a coach picked someone. Blake’s I am going to stick with what I know during his country or bust plan last season being one of the dumbest. But that was overtaken this season by Cee-Lo reason why he picked George, who was so unmemorable that I originally thought his Blind Audition was montage and then he went on to hit the worst note of the season, over “Baby Einstein” Juhi because he knew this was what he was doing while Juhi was also contemplating college. Seriously Cee-Lo, do not give that boy any false hope, pull that band aid off now because music is probably not going to be George’s best option especially if you are just going to dump him in the Knockout Round. That was the second worse decision Cee-Lo has ever made on the show just behind Erin Martin over the Shields Brothers.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download songs performed this week with the widget at right.


How I Met Your Mother: Does CBS own Indiana Jones stock or something? Two weeks ago The Big Bang Theory focused an entire episode around Raiders of the Lost Ark. Now How I Met Your Mother built their episode around a scene from The Last Crusade. I assume that 2 Broke Girls will spend an episode calling Han Short Round to check off The Temple of Doom. I wonder which CBS sitcom will be stuck doing homage to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Hopefully it was We Are Men and since it was canceled it will never see the light of day. No one needs to be reminded of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

The Blacklist: Really, that is where they are going to end the episode? Right when Lizzie’s husband shows her his shoe box of goodies? I hate when show like this. The only thing worse is when they do not start the very next episode where they left off and do not explain what happened until the middle or end of the next episode. I am guessing that, as I theorize when Lizzie first discovered it, that the box was planted there by Red (or maybe even those watching them) just to mess with her. If husband really is a double agent, why not bolt town after he realizes he has been made? Or at the very least kill wifey and make it look like an accident, why confront her?
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: One thing really missing from the show (aside from good acting; at least they got the Token Hot Chick into her underwear this episode) is a long term antagonist. I was happy to see the evil doctor back thinking she may be it. Except she quickly died. Maybe the girl in the flower dress will become that. Unless of course she dies in the next episode she appears in.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: I have predicted it from the beginning, and we finally got actual visual confirmation, no dream sequences, no speculation, that Allison is actually alive. Now why is Ezra trying to kill her? And how did he get Mona, CeCe, and the rest of The “A” Team to carry out his evil doings? And why don’t these teenage girls ever go to the police when people are trying to harm them? And why doesn’t Hanna wear a corset every episode?

Ravenswood: I actually liked the set up of the show during Pretty Little Liars, but by the time the show premiered, I got bored really quick. It may have been a better idea just to give Caleb a Ravenswood storyline in Pretty Little Liars as opposed to giving him his own show. Or maybe they could have transitioned a little better by having a Liar or two stick around a couple minutes, especially Hanna in that costume. I am one hundred percent pro corset after seeing Hanna in that dress. I am still a little confused with what the show is about. So every time a solder comes home from war in Ravenswood, five teenagers die, and all happen to look exactly like the teenagers who died previously? Huh? After that ending, if it was not for the “next week on” package, I thought Ravenswood might have been a one episode special and not an actual series.

Sons of Anarchy: So that is Tara’s master plan? Fake a pregnancy then try to get Gemma to make you miscarry, and when she does not, panic and do it yourself? Alrighty. Seems a little convoluted and evil genius from a Bond overthinking to me.
You can download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Survivor: Blood vs. Water: Oh Kat, the first time you strategize in two seasons and it fails miserably. I really hope Redemption Island does not have any more puzzles so Kat has a chance of getting back in the game (granted does sorting numbers twenty at a time even quaify as a puzzle?). Either that or Hayden falls on the sword and takes her place.
You can stream recent episodes on cbs.com. You can also download Survivor: Blood vs. Water on iTunes.

Nashville: I was hoping that Layla was really going to turn out to be the oh shucks girl they introduced her as because I thought that would be the best foil for Juilette. But apparently she is undermining. I did not even realize what she did to Scarlett until Will called her out for it. If anything I thought Layla was taking pot shots at Danielle Bradbury, the most recent winner of The Voice.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Nashville on iTunes.

Once Upon a Time: Wonderland: Anastasia turning out to be the Red Queen was one of the easiest "plot twists" to spot ever. I saw thatcoming as soon as they showed just part of her back in bed. But I kind of want to see a show where Anastasia turns into the Red Queen, that would be a much more interesting show than the one they made.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Once Upon a Time in Wonderland on iTunes.

Parenthood: Let’s be honest, the beginning of this season has been mostly a bore. It did pick up a bit this week as Kristina’s conversation with Hank and drunk Joel were entertaining. But I do wonder if the dip in quality this season is linked to Camille’s new cat face which is really distracking. Seriously old people, just age gracefully, it is much better to look old than look like an alien.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes.

Best of the Week: 10/26/13

Quote of the Week: Our relationship is just starting and now I've, like, embarrassed all his friends. Who wants to date someone that doesn’t make the merge? (Kat Edorsson, Survivor: Blood vs. Water)

Song of the Week: This Town – Deacon Claybourne and Scarlett O’Conner (Nashville)

Scene of the Week:


And yes you can download If I Didn't Have You (Bernadette's Song) on iTunes

Big News of the Week: It’s the Start of the Jason Campbell Era in Cleveland: You want to know just how much it sucks to live in Cleveland, I actually got excited when I heard the Browns were benching Brandon Weeden after throwing two underhanded throws in consecutive weeks (in Weeden’s defense, only one of them was intercepted). Keep in mind Campbell will be the twentieth starting quarterback since the Browns returned in 1999.  That is two ahead of the Dolphins, the second most over that time period.  The league average is 11.3.  As Bill Simmons would say, God hates Cleveland.

Preview Picture of the Week:

“Death and the Maiden” Ravenswood, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family

Free Download of the Week: Speak a Little Louder – Diane Birch (NoiseTrade): Earlier this week I reviewed Diane Birch’s latest album (see Musings from the Back 9: Music Edition) and if you want to get sense of the album you can download this three song sampler which also includes a fourth song, Nothing but a Miracle off her debut album.

New Album Release of the Week: Under the Influence: Holiday Edition - Straight No Chaser

New DVD Release of the Week: Springsteen & I

Video of the Week: Just in time for the next Thor to be released into theaters, the new Captain America trailer is out and Winter Soldier features some familiar faces (Nick Fury, Black Widow), some new ones (Robert Redford as one of the senior leaders of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Anthony Mackie as Falcon, a guy who can fly and talk to birds) and some dude with a mask (anyone who has read Winter Soldier knows who it is; or just anyone who recognizes him). Conspicuously absent is Emily Van Camp as another S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (she is not playing Kristen from statistics) or anyone from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. which probably did not even start casting by the time Winter Soldier wrapped shooting (though maybe Steve Rodgers may show up on the television show in the future to promote their movies, or even better, Natalie Portman; but the best bet is Emily Van Camp, who is already on ABC television, will pop up in a cameo eventual). Captain America: Winter Soldier hits theaters in April which is around the time we will probably get our first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxies which will feature Vin Diesel as a tree and Bradley Cooper as a raccoon.


Next Week Pick of the Week: American Blackout, Sunday at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel: It does seem like our power grid going down is not a question of if rather a question of when (remember when some downed trees took out the eastern seaboard all the way to Canada and Ohio a decade ago; it is as east to shut down the western seaboard and Texas). The National Geographic Channel takes a look at what very well might happen with cell phone footage to add to the realism. Check out my full preview of American Blackout here.

Around the Tubes: 10/25/13

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Being Human, Springsteen and I, Zombie Night, Conan, The Pete Holmes Show, ABC Family premiere dates, Falling Skies, renewal news, Face Off, Wake up Call, and Opposite Worlds.

- Being Human may not return until January, but you can check out a first look now:


- Springsteen & I is a unique feature music documentary celebrating rock icon, Bruce Springsteen and his hordes of adoring fans. Filmmaker Ridley Scott says, “This beautifully crafted film provides a unique insight into the powerful bond between a recording artist and those who connect so profoundly with his music.” Inspired by Scott Free London’s (who served as executive producers) critically acclaimed feature film Life In A Day, fans around the world submitted clips sharing stories about their relationship to Springsteen and his iconic music. Filmmakers capture these moments & include never-before-seen archive footage of Springsteen’s performances throughout his career, and his incredible music. Directed by Baillie Walsh and produced by Ridley Scott Associates / Black Dog Films, this is the ultimate filmmaking experience. Springsteen & I is a film for the people, by the people – filled with beloved songs and the stories they lived. Tonight at 9:00 on Showtime, audiences everywhere will learn how the sound of Springsteen became the soundtrack of America and feel the impact he has had on fans worldwide for the past four decades.

- Don't miss Zombie Night on Syfy, tomorrow at 9:00, when two families meet an army full of zombies! Checkout the trailer below:


- TBS and Team Coco are inviting fans of Conan O'Brien to participate in a special celebration marking the host's 20th anniversary in late night. The Team Coco website is hosting 20 Years of Conan: The "Best Of" Fan Poll, which asks fans to choose their favorites from Conan's 3,300+ hours of late night madness. Fans can vote in four categories:Favorite Conan Character, Favorite Conan Guest, Favorite Conan "Desk Bit" and Favorite Conan Remote. Starting Monday, Oct. 28, TBS's CONAN will take a look back at Conan's late-night hosting career with memorable clips from the past 20 years.

- Conan is also getting a little company next week with TBS launching The Pete Holmes Show right after him at midnight. Here is the line up of guests for Pete’s first two weeks.

Monday, Oct. 28 – Kumail Nanjiani, plus Pete visits Jon Stewart in New York
Tuesday, Oct. 29 – Allison Williams
Wednesday, Oct. 30 – Jim Jefferies, plus Pete visits NBA All Star James Harden in Houston
Thursday, Oct. 31 – Chelsea Peretti

Monday, Nov. 4 – Ike Barinholtz
Tuesday, Nov. 5 – Anthony Jeselnik
Wednesday, Nov. 6 – Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael
Thursday, Nov. 7 – Deepak Chopra

- I hope you already have your 2014 calendar because ABC Family just announced their winter premieres. On Tuesday January 8:00, Pretty Little Liars will return followed by a new season of Twisted. Then on Monday January 13 at 8:00, there will be a new season of Switched at Birth followed by new episodes of The Fosters.

- In casting news, Oscar winner Mira Sorvino will dropping into Falling Skies next season for a multi-episode arc.

- In renewal news, Showtime has order up a fourth season of Homeland and a second season of Masters of Sex while the fourth season of Franklin and Bash will be coming your way summer of 2014.

- Syfy announces that its critically-acclaimed hit reality competition series Face Off will return for a sixth season in January 2014, introducing 14 new makeup artists in what will be Face Off’s boldest season yet. In the new season the contestants will face extreme challenges that will inspire them to create the most magnificent characters and creatures in Face Off history. And coming this November, Syfy debuts two original Face Off specials –Naked and Painted and Judges’ Favorites.

- TNT has greenlit a new series starring and executive-produced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who most recently headlined TNT's The Hero. In Wake Up Call (working title), Johnson will lend a helping hand to everyday people who are facing enormous challenges in their lives. TNT has ordered eight one-hour episodes of Wake Up Call. Wake Up Call is slated to premiere in 2014.

- Also greenlit, this time by Syfy, Opposite Worlds is an all-new reality competition series - with an interactive twist - from Eyeworks USA. Set to premiere January 21, 2014, Opposite Worlds will run for 12 episodes over six weeks (two episodes per week), with the second weekly episode featuring a live element (a first for a Syfy reality series). In Opposite Worlds, 14 people from all walks of life face off in opposing teams that live in a house separated into two distinctly different worlds: one past and one future, each with its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Adding to the drama is a glass wall dividing the house into the two environments, allowing the teams to watch, envy and dread each other's every move.
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Previewing American Blackout

Ten years ago one late afternoon I was playing video games when the power flickered off and back on. I did not think much to it, turned the television and Playstation back on, but about a minute later the power went out completely. Power outages happen way more often than they should around here, but if you wait it out, the power will turn back on within the hour. But this power outage was different. By nightfall, the lights were still out and did not come back on until much later that night. I was lucky because in places the power did not turn back on for two days and was up to that point the second worst blackout in history.

Considering this happened almost a year after 9/11, conspiracy theories quickly popped up suggesting terrorists attack on out power grid (R.E.M. even referenced this in their song, Bad Day: “The lights went out, the oil went dry, we blamed it on the other guy.”). They were wrong; it was a tree growth and computer glitch that brought down the deteriorating power grid. This was not much more reassuring that a terrorist attack.

But what if terrorists did launch a cyber attack on our power grid and it took ten days to find and fix the malicious code? That is the basis of American Blackout. The special looks like something National Geographic Channel would air after the fact with many eye witness accounts via cell-phone and various camcorders (note to self, get a solar powered battery to charge my portable devises if this were to really happen).

Though it features a lot of different culminated “footage” it focuses mainly on four different groups and how they survived the hypothetical ten day blackout. There is the couple who lives on the 24th floor of a Manhattan (please note you need electricity to get water above eight stories). There is a group of four students stuck in a dorm elevator and since it is the end of the trimester, there will not be many people around to hear their pleas. There is a resident NYC blogger who is left home alone because his mom is a nurse who cannot make it home. There is also a pregnant woman who is already two days late when the power went out. And being that this airing on the same channel that airs Doomsday Preppers, of course there is a family of preppers.

Each storyline could have been its own found footage horror movie because American Blackout gets dark, real dark, and I am not just talking about the lack of light at night. They go worst case scenario in many of the storylines, and then, when you do not think it cannot get any worse, it somehow does. What makes scarier than most horror movies is that everything that happens in the special is very plausible. And since neither President Bush nor Obama have really done much to improve our electrical grid, a major blackout may not be a question of if but when, and you definitely will want to check out American Blackout to see what may be ahead.

American Blackout premieres this Sunday at 9:00 on National Geographic Channel.

Musings from the Back 9: Music Edition XVIII

After being a critical darling for years, Kings of Leon shot for rock supremacy with their fourth album Only By the Night (okay, technically they tried with their previous album but failed) and became the biggest band in the land thanks to throbbing rock songs like Use Somebody and Sex on Fire. Like most rock bands, they did overindulge with their follow up (of course they brought in a black southern church choir for the album’s first single). Then on cue, like every other brotherly based band (see the Gallagher’s, the Robinson’s, the Davie’s et. al.), they imploded on themselves while on tour. After a three year layoff repairing those bruises, the Followill brothers (and one cousin) are back with Mechanical Bull. Sure it will not do as big as Only By the Night, and maybe not even Come Around Sundown, but it sounds like the most fun they have ever had. Case in point is first single Supersoaker: no “serious” rock band has been this silly and catchy since U2 released Discotheque. Songs like Family Tree are just as fun. They do occasionally try for stadium anthems again like Come Back Again, but the album is much better when they are clearly just sitting back and having some fun.

Mechanical Bull gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.


Diane Birch quite possibly made the best seventies blue eyed Philly soul album of this century with her debut Bible Belt. But that was four years and since then it sounds like Birch updated her sound by a decade because sophomore outing Speak a Little Louder is a decidedly more eighties shoe-gazing new wave sound which is more in the line these days with the music of Daughter than Mayer Hawthorne. Speak a Little Louder is a more synth driven, darker sound than her debut. Although the music of the title track is very reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Stranger In Moscow (I would have never thought of Jackson as a shoe-gazing fan of synths, but after making this connection, it makes his sound more interesting than I first thought). The best song on the album Tell Me Tomorrow which is the most upbeat, and least synth dependent song on the album. There are a couple of other influences throughout the album, Love and War has a disco beat to it, Pretty in Pain is the closest she get to the sounds of her debut, while Frozen Over sounds like a long lost Pat Benatar song. I appreciate Diane trying to expand her sound, but I do prefer the Philly soul version. Now I wonder which nineties genre will inspire her for her third album.

Speak a Little Louder gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.


The latest trend for legacy artists is to rerecord their biggest hits with the biggest stars in country today. Both Lionel Richie and John Fogerty have done so in the past year. The latest to do so is Willie Nelson. But do not expect Willie to just piggyback past artists. First off, as the title To To All the Girls... suggests, Willie only duets with the fairer sex. And do not expect Willie to bring out his biggest hits and just add a female voice to them, really aside from Always on My Mind there is not a massive hit of Willie’s on this album. Half of the songs on the album are written by other people like Bill Withers and even Folgerty’s own Have You Ever Seen the Rain, one of the album’s best as recorded with his daughter Paula. And though he brings out heavy hitters like Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood, most of his duet partners are his contemporizes like Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn as well as some newbies like Brandi Carlile and Melonie Cannon. All the songs are ballads and at eighteen tracks, that does drag on a bit. But like his fellow Highwayman Johnny Cash, Willie is still aging quite well.

To All the Girls… gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Previewing Trust Me I’m a Game Show Host

With a name like Trust Me I’m a Game Show Host you know the show will either be really good or a massive train wreck; really worth watching either way. Since the titular hosts are comedians D.L. Hughley and Michael Ian Black you can already tell is it much closer to the former. The show is quite simple, both hosts give a contestant a fact, one which is true and one that is not, and then the contestant has to decide which host to trust.

If there is a problem with Trust Me I’m a Game Show Host is for a quiz show, there really are not my questions. There are only six rounds in the half hour, compared to Jeopardy which can squeeze up to fifty-one questions in the same time period. Sure a lot of the time gets chewed up by Black and Hughley as they try to convince the contestants why they should trust them and not the other guy, usually in humorous ways. Plus when it comes down to it, the contestants have a 50-50 chance of getting the questions right.

Besides the host, another reason to turn into tonight’s premiere if the first contestant for the show Ambree who may be the most likeable game show contestant you will ever see. So likeable I spent most of the time hoping they invite her back as the show’s Vanna White later in the season (it has not happen yet in the episodes I have seen). Not that she would want to comeback because she uncomfortably laughed at all the sexual and racially tinged jokes (one of the first questions involves a, um… ladies first ever self pleasuring devise) the host lobbed at each other. That uncomfortableness continues next week with a youth pastor (who is overexcited as most youth pastors) who also had his fair share of religious jokes. If you did not know Black was Jewish prior to the episode, you will by the end.

Trust Me I’m a Game Show Host airs Tuesdays at 10:30 on TBS. Check out a promo below:

I Want My Music Television: 10/21/13

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Gorilla – Bruno Mars


I probably do not give Bruno Mars enough credit because I find the majority of his music bland and I really only have room for one animal sex song on in my library and that slot goes to Closer, but I have to take this time to thank him for casting Freda Pinto in his latest music video.


Submarines – The Lumineers


When I saw the dude drink the submarine, I could not help think of the scene in Poltergeist (or maybe one of the many sequels) where the dude drank the demon worm in the bottle of Tequila and very bad things started to happen to him. Thanks The Lumineers, now I will not be able to sleep again for days. I just got over watching that scene as a child.


If I Loved You – Delta Rae


C’mon chick from Delta Rae, you cannot just walk out on a dude after you get a puppy with him. That is just bad form.


Let Me Go - Avril Lavigne featuring Chad Kroeger


It was weird enough to hear Avril Lavigne and the dude from Nickelback got married and he was going to produce her latest album, but did they really need to record a song and creepy video together?

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 10/20/13

Once Upon a Time: That was a weird scene with Mulan and Sleeping Beauty. Was Mulan coming back to tell Sleeping Beauty she loves her? That was just a weird scene to have between two minor characters on the show especially when one of them has a boyfriend.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Homeland: Since he was in the season trailer, it was only a matter of time before Brody showed up. But did they really need to devote the whole first thirty minutes and about eighty percent of the whole episode to him? And I missed why the Guatemalans are helping him. They are not Muslim so it is not for religious fanaticism. They said it was for some sort of “favor” so it has to be one big favor if they are going to pass on the bounty on his head to protect him.

The Walking Dead: Poor Beaver Cassidy Casablancas, he just has a hard times around roofs. The show has come up with some creative zombie scenes, but raining zombies has to be near the top. Cassidy was not the only familiar face to pop up in the premiere, there was the chick from Rome, the dude from The Waterboy, and I am pretty sure that was the best friend from Everybody Hates Chris. Unfortunately only one made it out of the premiere alive. But I would not be too surprised if any of them quite literally come back to bite the group in the behind.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Revenge: I was suspicious last week when Aiden showed up last week eager to help Victoria bring down Emily yet did not reveal the most damning secret about her, so it was not much of a surprise that it turned out that Aiden was planted there by Emily to stir things up.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Revenge on iTunes.

The Voice: When Nic Hawk got stolen, I thought to myself, wow that is the least deserving Steal ever. Fast forward an hour later and I am saying the same thing about Anthony Paul. And if it is like last two seasons where they front load the more noteworthy steals in the first week, it may not be the last time I say that. There is also an enthusiasm gap for the Steals this season. If you think back to the last two seasons, coaches were breaking their buttons trying to steal Amanda Brown, Sasha Allen, and Caroline Glaser, but this season the coaches are waiting for contestants to say their goodbyes to push their buttons.

There also seems to be an increase of co-ed battles this season. It seemed in the past there may only be one per team if the genders were unequal. If my eyes were right whole spotting them in the previews, all but two of Blake’s battles are co-ed and half of Cee-Lo’s are too. I bring this up because of the first six co-ed battles this week (including montages); the fairer sex won the first five with only Ray Boudreaux prevailing for the guys. The best of the bunch was Caroline Pennell vs. Anthony Paul, though it is not a good sign when the best performance of the week revolves around a Justin Bieber song.

You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download songs performed this week with the widget at right.


The Blacklist: Did the show really just completely rip-off Breaking Bad? And just how does one explain creepy chemical scars all over your body to one’s wife? Um… I am asking for a friend.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Blacklist on iTunes.

The Goldbergs: I cannot confirm nor deny I watched scrambled porn back in the day, but I will admit I would occasionally watch WWF pay per views.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Goldbergs on iTunes.

Sons of Anarchy: I do not know why, but I really enjoyed that last scene with Jax making the cops apologize to all the Sons. What I did not like was the return Boydette Crowder. Seeing her on screen just makes my head hurt. It was also weird that the district attorney telling the mirror she was going “hood” which only turned out to be her taking off her wig to show her braids. Alrighty.
You can download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Survivor: Blood vs. Water: Wow, the Loved Ones actually won something. Way to slide down a giant ramp and throw a ring on one of four pegs. That challenge was extremely lame. Unfortunately we have not gotten much of Kat this season, but her closing her hoodie was the best part of the episode.
You can stream recent episodes on cbs.com. You can also download Survivor: Blood vs. Water on iTunes.

Nashville: When Rayna said she was dropping out of of Juliette’s tour my first thought was I hope her label makes Juliette take Layla out on the road with her. Thankfully that seemed to be the case. These two on the road together should be more entertaining than when Juliette and Rayna shared the bill.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Nashville on iTunes.

Best of the Week: 10/19/13

Quote of the Week: My father used to say that all the time, that and who does one have to orally gratify to get a drink around here? (Sheldon Cooper, PhD., The Big Bang Theory)

Song of the Week: Royals – Lorde (Revenge)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: The Lorde Backlash Begins: There is an old saying that the only certain things in life are death and taxes. In the age of the internet, there is also the inevitable backlash to anything that becomes too popular. I first downloaded Lorde’s Royals back in March; I was taken aback by the stark song and anti-commercialism by a teenaged foreigner. By the time the summer hit, Royal started popping up in a few summer jams playlists (including my own) and then became a fixture in the iTunes top ten. By September Lorde finally pushed her way past the cheesy pop singer she makes fun of in her song and landed at number one where she has pretty much had on lock for over a month except for when a new high profile song is released and displays her for a day or two.

And now the inevitable backlash has begun because in this day and age, you will always find a contrarian or million of them. First out the gate is some feminist blogger who claims Royals is racist with the title: Wow that Lorde song is racist. Wow, you are a moron. The writer claims that putting people with gold teeth, Cristal, and Maybachs means that Lorde is unfairly targeting wealthy rappers. How many black people drive around in their Maybach’s sipping Cristal through their gold teeth? Less than one percent? Anyone who thinks Lorde’s is racist because they think she is attacking black people in her song is vastly more racist.

What is worse is the writer goes on to say, “Why aren’t we critiquing wealth by taking hits at golf or polo or Central Park East?” Right in between the lines about gold teeth and Maybach is the line , “Blood stains, ball gowns, trashing the hotel room.” Which is obviously directed at rock stars of the Caucasian variety. And I do not know many, if any rappers that have, “Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash.” That sound more like the very white Richard Branson than Jay-Z. And the song is not even a complete take down of the rapper lifestyle because Lorde is driving Cadillac’s in her dreams. But most importantly, people with gold teeth need to be ridiculed and so does the writer of this article.

Preview Picture of the Week:

"Grave New World" Pertty Little Liars, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family

Free Download of the Week: Expired Lover – Emily Kinney (Noise Trade): I had two takeaways from The Walking Dead this week, 1) why are the killing off all the guest stars I recognize and, 2) when did the other Greene sister get hot? Last season, the Greene sisters entertained the prison with some song and apparently the other Greene sister is an actual singer, get her first single off her upcoming album for free.

Deal of the Week: Vampires Sale: Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Priest, and Underworld

New Album Release of the Week: Smoke and Mirrors - Brett Dennen

New DVD Release of the Week: Brave Enough: Live at the Variety

Video of the Week: The 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations were announced this week headlined by Nirvana (for those that did the math and did not think they were eligible for another three years, the band released a single Love Buzz back in 1988). I was surprised to see Hall and Oates on the list because I would have assumed the greatest duo in rock and roll history would already be in there. This is the second time the Rock Hall is actually letting fans vote (before you start spamming the website, keep in mind the top five vote getters from the fan vote will go on the Fan’s Ballot which will be only one of over 600 ballots). In a measure of full disclosure, I voted for Hall and Oates, N.W.A., Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens, and The Replacements. Again, this is the first year Hall and Oates made the ballot even though they have been eligible for the past sixteen years. I have to wonder if it was their horrible eighties music videos like Adult Education that has kept them out of the Hall all these years.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Ravenswood, Tuesday at 9:00 on ABC Family: After creating a show based on another book written by the Pretty Little Liars failed, ABC Family is taking a more direct approach with a direct spin-off of their biggest show. Over the past season the Liars have taken a couple trips to creepy Ravenswood including the season finale which will also be the setting of its Halloween special. In the hour they have to explain when Caleb is just going to up and move to the town without warning. Supposedly there is a curse so maybe it will keep him from leaving and keep Hanna and the rest of Rosewood forget him. Unless they are going to continue their relationship on two different shows.

Around the Tubes: 10/18/13

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Life According to Sam, Treme, Nicole Atkins, Heroes of Cosplay, Beast of the Bering Sea, On the Menu, Modern Family, and Holidaze.

- This fall, noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. recounts the full trajectory of African-American history in his groundbreaking new six-part series The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. premiering Tuesdays, October 22, 29 – November 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2013, 8:00 on PBS (check local listings). Written and presented by Professor Gates, the six-hour series explores the evolution of the African-American people, as well as the multiplicity of cultural institutions, political strategies, and religious and social perspectives they developed — forging their own history, culture and society against unimaginable odds. Commencing with the origins of slavery in Africa, the series moves through five centuries of remarkable historic events right up to the present — when America is led by a black president, yet remains a nation deeply divided by race. This Tuesday is The Black Atlantic which explores the truly global experiences that created the African-American people. Beginning a full century before the first documented “20-and-odd” slaves who arrived at Jamestown, Virginia, the episode portrays the earliest Africans, both slave and free, who arrived on these shores. But the transatlantic slave trade would soon become a vast empire connecting three continents. Through stories of individuals caught in its web, like a 10-year-old girl named Priscilla who was transported from Sierra Leone to South Carolina in the mid-18th century, we trace the emergence of plantation slavery in the American South. The late 18th century saw a global explosion of freedom movements, and The Black Atlantic examines what that Era of Revolutions — American, French and Haitian — would mean for African Americans and for slavery in America.

- In 1998, Dr. Leslie Gordon and Dr. Scott Berns learned that their two-year-old son, Sam, had progeria, a progressive aging disorder so rare that fewer than 250 children in the world had it at the time. Little was known about the disease, and all children with progeria died of heart attack or stroke at an average age of 13. Told there was no treatment or cure, they refused to accept that as the final verdict. Directed and produced by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine (the Oscar®-winning Inocente), Life According to Sam chronicles one courageous family’s relentless pursuit of a treatment and a cure, even as his parents empower their son to enjoy his life to the fullest. Life According to Sam debuts Monday at 9:00, exclusively on HBO.

- Treme is returning to HBO for its forth and final season in December but you can check out the first teaser below:


- Psychedelic folk-rocker Nicole Atkins has announced a PledgeMusic campaign in support of her upcoming album, Slow Phaser. The New Jersey born Atkins is known for her big voice, introspective lyrics, expansive arrangements, and has drawn frequent comparisons to musical legends Roy Orbison and Nick Cave. Atkins chose PledgeMusic's direct-to-fan platform to share the record making experience with her fans. Pledge your support now at pledgemusic.com.

- If you have been enjoying Heroes of Cosplay on Syfy, you are in luck because they have added an additional six episode to its first season. New episodes will air in 2014.

- Sharknado star Cassie Scerbo will return to Syfy to battle sea vampires in the new Original Movie Beast of the Bering Sea, premiering Saturday, November 9 at 9:00. In Beast of the Bering Sea, Scerbo and Jonathan Lipnicki (Jerry Maguire) play a sister and brother team prospecting for gold, who accidentally disturb a colony of blood-sucking amphibious predators (sea vampires) in an underwater cave. Kevin Dobson (Knots Landing) co-stars in this production.

- TNT has greenlit the new series On the Menu (working title), television's first cooking show ever to give viewers the chance to taste the winning dish after every episode. The network has ordered 10 episodes of the series, which is slated to launch in 2014. What's the one thing missing in every cooking show on television? Viewers don't get to taste the food…until now. On the Menu is the first cooking competition show ever to give viewers at home the chance to taste the dishes they see on screen. Each episode of On the Menu will center on a different American food business – ranging from restaurant chains and stadium concession stands to amusement parks and cruise lines. Passionate home cooks, working in conjunction with professional chefs, will be challenged to create the business' next signature menu item. The winning dish will immediately go on the menu, giving viewers at home the chance to go try the dish the very next day.

- Need some more Modern Family? Check out this behinds the scenes video:


- It is never too early to plan your Christmas television watching itinerary, and this winter Jennie Garth (Beverly Hills, 90210) and Cameron Mathison (Dancing with the Stars) prove you can go home again, in the all new ABC Family original movie Holidaze, premiering Sunday, December 8 at 8:00. The movie airs as part of ABC Family’s annual 25 Days of Christmas programming event. Mary Kay Place (Big Love) also stars.

Let Me See Your Skeleton Well Before Your Life Is Done

Back in August, John Mayer dropped his second album in fifteen months. Paradise Valley pretty much sound like the cheerier B-side to Born and Raised. Something must be in the water supply on the folk-rock circuit because The Avett Brothers are back with Magpie and the Dandelion just thirteen months after the release of their last one. After recording the folk version of U2 album I and Love and You, the band reconvened with producer Rick Rubin to release their most mellow, traditional folk album The Carpenter and had enough material left over to release an entirely new album.

Much like the latest John Mayer album, Magpies and Dandelion definitely sound like it was recorded during The Carpenter session (probably because it was) but may even be mellower than its predecessor. One of the few upbeat tracks, which happen to be the best song, Another Is Waiting which harkens back to the group’s pre-Rubin days ware their sound was more raw and unrefined. Other than that, one of the few other upbeat tracks is the album opener Open Ended Life which featured a rare electric guitar. Do not worry Avett purists, it is a sign of a new direction and the song also features plenty of banjo and even a harmonica for good measure.

I do wish that Open Ended Letter was sign of a slight change in direction because most of the rest of the album just comes off as B-sides of songs off The Carpenter. Really. Magpies and Dandelion and The Carpenters is essentially just a double album just happened to be released a year apart. The album does deviate a few other times from the mellower side of folk, Morning Song soars like then anthemic songs from I and Love and You or the sweet vocals and acoustic guitar live track Sounds Like the Wheels (if you have never seen The Avett Brothers live or at the very least listen to one of their live albums, remedy that soon). Still, if The Avett Brothers release another album in just thirteen months, I will not be complaining.

Song to Download – Another Is Waiting

Magpies and Dandelion gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Everybody’s Thinking That They’ll All Be Delivered Save it in a Box Like Lost and Found

Two years ago, Pearl Jam celebrated their twentieth anniversary with a Cameron Crowe directed documentary and now the band is back after their longest layoff in between albums (four) with their tenth album, Lightning Bolt. While many of their peers from the alt-rock nineties are content with putting out albums for an excuse to hit the nostalgia circuit with new songs giving fans an excuse to go to the bathroom, Pearl Jam hit a career resurgent with their 2006 self titled album which was their best album since their early nineties output.

That continues with Lightning Bolt, the first couple songs that recall those first three albums. Getaway is just classic, straight ahead rock reminiscent of Last Exit. That is followed up by Mind Your Manners and the band has not been this agro since Spin the Black Circle. Lightning Bolt may be at its best when it has its more classic rock elements like on the title track which would have been in heavy rotation on AM Radio in the seventies as well as the first couple tracks.

It is not all retro for the band and they have clearly grown up over the last couple years. Sure the band has recorded a few ballads in their days, some with power behind them, but Sirens may be the band’s first traditionally sounding power balled they have ever recorded, complete with an “ah, oh” repeating ending. The song will certainly raise a few lighters when performed live in concert (for better or worse; it may take a couple weeks before I decide which side I fall down on). For a song more on the pure ballad side, Sleeping By Myself may be the sweetest song the group has ever done and sound like something that would sound less out of place on Eddie’s ukulele album than a Pearl Jam album.

The album does get a little interesting in the middle with Infallible, Pendulum, and the swinging Let the Records Play but they are not the big chances they took on Vs. or Vitology. Lightning Bolt ends with another uncharacteristic ballad Future Days that may have also been written during Vedder’s ukulele period, this time complete with strings. But it is another sweet and hopeful song that shows that the band is one of the few that actually ages well. If Pearl Jam continues on this path, it may be a while before they get to the album full of “bathroom“ songs phase of their career.

Song to Download – Future Days

Lightning Bolt gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.