Around the Tubes: August 8, 2020

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 Tesla, Bob Marley, Cut Copy, The Go-Go’s, Patti Smith, James Bay, Taylor Swift, Music Gives: Together #forStJude, and Wizard World Virtual Experiences.

-  In Theaters and On Demand August 21st TESLA.  Brilliant, visionary Nikola Tesla (Ethan Hawke) fights an uphill battle to bring his revolutionary electrical system to fruition, then faces thornier challenges with his new system for worldwide wireless energy. The film tracks Tesla’s uneasy interactions with his fellow inventor Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan) and his patron George Westinghouse (Jim Gaffigan). Another thread traces Tesla’s sidewinding courtship of financial titan J.P. Morgan (Donnie Keshawarz), whose daughter Anne (Eve Hewson) takes a more than casual interest in the inventor. Anne analyzes and presents the story as it unfolds, offering a modern voice to this scientific period drama which, like its subject, defies convention. Winner, Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.



- Amazon Music announces [RE]DISCOVER, a new global brand developed to support artist catalogs across all music genres. Launching today with Bob Marley as the first Artist of the Month, the [RE]DISCOVER brand showcases carefully curated artist playlists across various genres and takes listeners on a career-spanning journey of musical discovery, or re-discovery, through the featured artist’s entire body of work. Learn more about [RE]DISCOVER Bob Marley here.  “[RE]DISCOVER was inspired by what many music fans recognize as one of the great joys of the streaming era: our ability to discover or rediscover great music,” said Adam Block, head of catalog music for Amazon Music. “With [RE]DISCOVER, we’ve created a dedicated umbrella under which all catalog music and the stories that accompany them can be experienced. Whether you’re hearing Bob Marley for the first time, or being reminded of his music again, the reward of that experience is real. We’ve created a destination for catalog music that aims to engage both existing fans, and create next generations of them.”

- Beloved Australian electronic act, Cut Copy return with their third single for 2020, “Like Breaking Glass,” out now via Cutters Records/The Orchard. The track is taken from the four-piece’s greatly anticipated sixth studio album, Freeze, Melt, to be released on Friday, August 21. “Like Breaking Glass” summons the quintessential Cut Copy sound from the vault, with high-end sonics and a reverb-laced backbeat upping the mood, while Dan Whitford’s unmistakable vocals conduct a choir of assorted textures, unsuspecting at every turn. Rising and falling vectors tear through warm synth-work and dance-tingling beats, mimicking sentiments behind the physicality of deep love and a heartbreak’s violent rhythms through the body. 

- Watch The Go-Go’s perform their new, critically acclaimed single “Club Zero” (UMe) on Monday, August 10, as part of “The 19th Represents: 2020 Virtual Summit.”  This week-long virtual summit from Aug. 10-14, is to elevate the voices of women who are reshaping the American story and commemorate the centennial of its namesake 19th Amendment. “The 19th Represents: 2020 Virtual Summit” will be live-streamed daily from 2:00-4:45 p.m. ET/1:00-3:45 p.m. CT. Registration is free and available at www.summit.19thnews.org.  “The 19th Represents” lineup will include keynote conversations with voting rights activist Stacey Abrams; former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton; U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris, Tammy Duckworth and Catherine Cortez Masto; Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Melinda Gates; and U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.

- Patti Smith presents an evening of words and music celebrating her latest memoir, Year of the Monkey. This will be her only staged program of 2020.  For this one-time event, fans from around the world will be able to see Patti Smith on stage at the Murmrr Theatre in Brooklyn, where she will read from Year of the Monkey and play songs with her longtime bandmate Tony Shanahan.  This event will be filmed by acclaimed cinematographer Matthew Schroeder with a broadcast scheduled on September 4^th @ 9:00PM Eastern Time.

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multiplatinum singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist James Bay shares a brand new Acoustic version of his latest single “Chew On My Heart.”  Check out “Chew On My Heart” (Acoustic) it HERE!  Recently, James performed a gripping 45 minute, 10-song solo set on YouTube in support of #SaveOurVenues- the UK crowd fundraiser started to protect UK grassroots music venues at risk for permanent closure dur to COVID-19. He performed new and old songs as well as a surprise Whitney Houston cover of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” In addition, James performed “Chew On My Heart” on The TODAY Show and the first full band performance of the song on Mahogany Sessions.

- Taylor Swift’s spectacular run last week continues this week with Billboard’s Hot 100 chart announcement. folklore, her 5 star album, debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200 this week and her single “cardigan” lands at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the only artist in history to simultaneously debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Hot 100. No artist in the history of Billboard’s charts has ever debuted at both top spots, 200 chart and #1 on the Hot 100 chart.  With all 16 songs from folklore charting on Billboard Hot 100, Taylor Swift becomes the female artist with the most simultaneous debut entries. Taylor is the first artist ever to debut three songs in the Hot 100’s top six spots in a single week and is the first woman to debut two songs in the top five simultaneously with “cardigan” at #1 and “the 1” at #4. In addition, Taylor set a new record as the female artist with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with 113 entries.

- Music’s biggest names in pop, R&B, country, Latin, indie, Gospel and more will unite to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®️ for a virtual festival called Music Gives: Together #forStJude, on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 5 p.m. ET. The livestream will have all the makings of a summertime celebration – great music, delicious food and special edition souvenirs – with content across six stages to help raise awareness and support for the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.®  In addition to music spanning multiple genres, the concert will include intermissions with culinary content from some of America’s most recognized chefs to make at home and enjoy during the festivities. Viewers can tune in and watch on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok with additional announcements on Twitter.

-  Wizard Entertainment, Inc. (OTCBB:WIZD) brings more “Wizard World Virtual Experiences” featuring stars of iconic franchises across its digital video platforms in the coming days and weeks. Today, "X-Men: Animated Series" takes the virtual stage, with voice actors Cal Dodd (Wolverine), Chris Britton (Mr. Sinister) and George Buza (Beast) joining artist/director Larry Houston at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. On Tuesday Hallmark movies standouts Julie Benz, Amy Acker, Arielle Kebbel, Brant Daugherty, David Alpay, Cerina Vincent and Marshall Williams begin their group Q&A at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. On Sunday, August 16, the “Legends of Tomorrow” headliners Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, Jes Macallan, Adam Tsekhman and Courtney Ford appear, starting at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.  This is in addition to the previously announced sessions on Saturday, August 8 with "LEGO Masters," The Newlyweds: Tyler and Amy Clites; The Bearded Builders: Boone Langston and Mark Cruickshank; and The Eccentrics: Samuel and Jessica Ragzy Ewud at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT; and on Saturday, August 22 featuring headliners—and Wizard World favorites—from “Smallville,” including Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, Erica Durance, Laura Vandervoort, Sam Witwer and the newly added Alan Ritchson at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: August 2, 2020

The Alienist: Angel of Darkness : Oh wow, only four episodes in and we already know who the killer is. Though plenty of questions remain, most importantly, why is she doing this?
You can download The Alienist: Angel of Darkness on iTunes.

The Chi: So Ronnie heard Keisha, actually went to the house where she was, heard her screaming… and left. Did he think it was best not to confront the dude and is coming back later? I know we still have four more episodes left this season, but at this point they are just stretching thing out. Though I do wonder if Ronnie is the one to save Keisha, will Kevin forgive him for shooting Coogie?

Stargirl: Wait, is Brainwave Jr. really dead? They had a memorial for him but no one discussed how he died nor did they show a body. I still think he might show up. And did Brainwave Sr. do something to the Shining Knight and is that why he is talking like Rain Man? Although since he keeps talking about dragon, that may be a Dragon King reference.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Wait, did they just kill Daisy’s mom before Daisy is born? They also seemed to imply that Fitz is dead before Deke’s mother is born. Shouldn’t they be disappearing Marty McFly style? But I am proud of myself that I actually recognized John Garrett and did not have to go to Google just to see who the fork that was like I do when characters take multiple seasons of (or are played by different actors like in the case).
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: Ugg, they did not kill Dorothy in time. Oh well, maybe The Beekeeper will show up in time to save the world next week.

Around the Tubes: August 1, 2020

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 Helstrom, Rick and Morty, Snow Patrol, The Go-Go's, Evie Irie, somegirlnamedanna, Benee, Soundwalk Collective, Guns N’ Roses, Bastille, Little Steven, Taylor Swift, People Puzzler, Our Cartoon President, and, Vice.

- Talk about some family drama! Join Helstrom showrunner Paul Zbyszewski and cast--Tom Austen, Sydney Lemmon, Elizabeth Marvel, Robert Wisdom, Ariana Guerra, June Carryl and Alain Uy--for one hell of a sneak-peek look and conversation around bringing this terror-filled comic to life during our Comic-Con@Home panel which is now live..  Helstrom will premiere Friday, October 16^th only on Hulu!



- America’s favorite crazy scientist and his grandson return for more misadventures when the latest season of Adult Swim’s hit series Rick and Morty: Season 4 arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on September 22, 2020. From creators Justin Roiland (“Adventure Time”) and Dan Harmon (“Community”), go on an intergalactic journey across the multi-verse with the award-winning comedy, featuring all 10 episodes from Season 4, and outrageous bonus content including A Day at Rick and Morty: Inside Season 4, Inside the Episode for every episode, Creating Snake Jazz, and more. Rick and Morty: Season 4 is priced to own at $24.98 SRP for the DVD ($29.98 in Canada) and $29.98 SRP for the Blu-ray ($39.99 in Canada), which includes a Digital Copy (U.S. only). Rick and Morty: Season 4 is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.

- Snow Patrol have announced details of a brand-new EP. Written and recorded during lockdown, The Fireside Sessions will be released on 21^st August and is made up of five songs written with the band’s fans during a series of streams on Instagram Live dubbed ‘Saturday Songwrite’. In a nod to this collaboration, The Fireside Sessions will be released under the banner of Snow Patrol And The Saturday Songwriters. The EP was produced by Iain Archer. It will be released digitally and on CD and will be preceded by the single Reaching Out To You on 30^th July.

- The Go-Go's, the iconic all female L.A. punk band, will release their first new recording in nearly 20 years, "CLUB ZERO," on July 31st on UMe. The band can be seen working on an early version of the song in their new documentary THE GO-GO'S, directed by Alison Ellwood (Laurel Canyon, History of the Eagles) which premieres July 31st at 9 pm ET/PT on SHOWTIME. View the official trailer HERE and music HERE,  Propelled by the spirited, melodic punch we've come to expect from the Southern California band, as well as a catchy, call-to-action chorus, "CLUB ZERO" will certainly join the ranks among an esteemed catalog of Go-Go's classics.

- Evie Irie has been hailed as “one to watch” by her peers and music blogs alike blogs. Like some sort of pop alchemist, the Australian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist turns self-described “weirdness” into universal wonder within her music. By 15-years-old, her talent and drive convinced mom and dad to allow her to move to Nashville where she cut her teeth at countless open mics before winding up in Los Angeles for a short time—a journey chronicled on her 2019 debut EP, 5 Weeks In LA.  Tallying over 6 million streams in a few months’ time, she garnered widespread acclaim from the likes of Refinery29, Idolator, and Atwood Magazine who christened her “one of the most promising teens of pop music today” on its “2020 Artists to Watch.” Simultaneously, she shared the stage with everyone from Sigrid to Bastille.

- Receiving widespread critical acclaim and affirming herself as a rising artist to watch this year, somegirlnamedanna presents her much buzzed about debut EP, twenty one, twenty two, today. Listen HERE via LAVA/Republic Records.  Of the EP, she commented, “twenty one, twenty two represents the journey that the last year has taken me on: the ups and downs, and the love and the heartbreak. To me, this ep has been about self-discovery and the path to self-acceptance. I think it’s easy to forget that people are not living the perfect lives portrayed on social media, and these songs were inspired by the real challenges and downswings that many of us face behind the screen. I want people to remember they are not alone in these times and I hope we continue to display our vulnerabilities and traits that make us human in popular culture.”

- New Zealand’s sensation BENEE drops the official video for her latest single, “Night Garden” feat. Kenny Beats & Bakar—watch HERE!  The animated video, created by animator and illustrator Alisa, follows BENEE as she goes on a haunting adventure in the Night Garden. “Night Garden” has been praised by Billboard, The FADER, E! Online, Teen Vogue, HYPEBEAST, UPROXX, Stereogum and many more, as E! Online hails it as a “somehow pleasantly paranoid piece,” while HYPEBEAST calls it “seriously smooth” and The Sunday Times praises it as “a spare, strung-out, pop-noir gem.” BENEE recently performed the song for MTV PUSH—watch her stripped-back performance shot in New Zealand’s Auckland Art Gallery here.

- With their new album Peradam due for release on September 4th, 2020 via Bella Union, today Soundwalk Collective with Patti Smith have shared new track “Knowledge Of The Self” and an accompanying video that features editing and a visual collage by Anastasia Ivanova. Watch and listen HERE.  Of the track, which features Anoushka Shankar on sitar, Patti Smith says: “We have to, in order to be free of all of the things that we are attached to, even ideas of ourselves, or masks that we put on or Band-Aid’s upon our transgressions, in order to achieve this freedom, we have to peel away everything, every defence we have, every defence that we put up for ourselves. I think that Daumal is directing us to do this but in a benevolent way, although there is no way to protect anyone from the pain of enlightenment, you have to grope about, and you have to strip down.”

-  On September 25, 2020, Guns N’ Roses’ 2004, multi-platinum best of compilation Greatest Hits (Geffen/UMe) will be released on vinyl for the first time. Previously only available digitally and on CD, Greatest Hits will be pressed as a 2LP set on 180gram audiophile black vinyl, a 2LP set on silver colored vinyl with red and white splatter, plus a 2LP picture disc available exclusively through the band’s official store. The vinyl edition of Greatest Hits will also feature the band’s single “Shadow of Your Love,” which hit No. 5 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Originally recorded in December 1986, “Shadow of Your Love” made its debut on the 2018 box set Appetite For Destruction.  All three versions can each be pre-ordered here. 

- Bastille’s electrifying new song might feel like a bit of a surprise release, not least to the band themselves, but as frontman Dan Smith says, “We finished the song, and it felt urgent. We didn’t want to sit on it.”  A thunderous, furious, short sharp shock, “WHAT YOU GONNA DO???” feat. Graham Coxon comes after the dust settled on the band’s acclaimed third album Doom Days—the final instalment in a trilogy that’s spanned eight years and brought Bastille multi-platinum sales, global success and a position as one of the world’s most-streamed bands. Fans may have grown accustomed to albums arriving with fully formed, meticulously executed, creative ecosystems, but this time it’s all change.  LISTEN TO “WHAT YOU GONNA DO???” feat. Graham Coxon HERE AND WATCH THE OFFICIAL VIDEO HERE!

- Little Steven’s acclaimed career-spanning box set, RockNRoll Rebel – The Early Work is out now via Wicked Cool/UMe. The 13-disc CD/DVD set collects all of the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s solo records between 1982 and 1999, including newly remastered editions of six classic albums: Men Without Women (1982), Voice Of America (1983), Freedom – No Compromise (1987), Revolution (1989) and Born Again Savage (1999), as well as the landmark protest record, Sun City (1985), by Artists United Against Apartheid, the supergroup of musicians brought together by Van Zandt, record producer Arthur Baker and journalist Danny Schechter, to fight racial injustice in South Africa. Men Without Women, Voice Of America, and Freedom – No Compromise each include an exclusive DVD featuring a classic full-length live concert video from the same era as the album.

- Seven days ago, Taylor Swift surprised fans with the unexpected release of her critically-acclaimed 5 star album, folklore. Since its release, folklore has cemented itself as the top selling album of 2020.  folklore stands out as the #1 album in the world with global sales over 2 million worldwide and over half a billion total streams on audio and video in just one week. It has reached #1 on iTunes in more than 85 countries. The album marks the biggest UK debut for a female artist in 2020 and becomes her most streamed album in it’s first week in the UK.  The stunning lead single from the album, “cardigan,” debuted #1 on the Global Spotify chart, claiming the most daily Spotify streams in 2020. It also reaches #1 on iTunes song chart and was the most added song at Top 40 and Hot AC radio airplay charts nationwide. The song was also added straight to the A list on BBC Radio 1 in the UK.

- Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, has announced Emmy® Award winner Leah Remini as host of new pop culture crossword game show, PEOPLE PUZZLER. The half-hour original series is anticipated to premiere in early 2021.  In PEOPLE PUZZLER, three lucky contestants will put their pop culture knowledge to the test to complete iconic, PEOPLE PUZZLER crosswords.  The player who has won the most points after three rounds will move on to the Fast Puzzle Bonus Round where they will have the opportunity to win a cash prize.

- The SHOWTIME animated series OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT will continue its third season on Sunday, September 13 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. Executive produced by multiple Emmy^® winner Stephen Colbert, showrunner R.J. Fried and Late Show executive producer Chris Licht, OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT sets its sights on the most consequential election in history to determine who will be the next Cartoon President. Can Cartoon Joe Biden overcome his frequent gaffes and basement isolation to unseat Cartoon President Trump, who’s struggling to win re-election? Season three ended in March of this year with nine episodes and will conclude with the final nine half-hour episodes tied to the 2020 Presidential election.   For a sneak peek at the new season, go to https://youtu.be/QNS45O0635w.

-  SHOWTIME has picked up a second season of VICE, the award-winning documentary series that recently wrapped its first season on the network and received a 2020 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special. Delivering immersive reporting from the frontlines of global conflicts, civil uprisings and beyond, the VICE team of journalists rapidly adapted this past season to cover stories of the Covid-19 pandemic and its rippling effect on local communities around the world, reporting from high-risk epicenters in New York, Italy, Brazil, Iran, Cambodia and more. The announcement was made today by Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

Previewing The Go-Go's

The start of Alison Ellwood’s (History of The Eagles) latest documentary The Go-Go’s, it says the band was the first all-girl band to pay all their instruments and write all their singers and were successful. Not too surprising of a factoid. Then the film ends with that same fact but adds that they are the first all-female band who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to reach Number One in the Billboard chart and that no other band has matched that achievement. Now that was surprising. But when you think about it, Hole had a dude in it. Bands like L7 and Bikini Kill did not put much of a dent on the charts. Granted upon further reflection, I guess the band formally known as The Dixie chicks do not count because they are country? And to save you a google search, The Bangles topped out at number two on the albums chart, but had two number one singles and five top ten hits. So that fact does have a few asterisks to it.

I was hesitant to watch The Go-Go’s after watching Showtime’s Duran Duran documentary that pretty much seemed like an extended version of their Behind the Music episode. The Go-Go’s also had a very memorable Behind the Episode where their squeaky bubblegum pop image was dirtied up with tails of drugs and sex. But this documentary seems much more comprehensive than the salacious VH1 episode that aired over two decades ago.

We get a much more in depth look at the early life of the bandmates; include the two early members who did not make it to the first album. The band does not even release their first album until half way through the film, roughly the same time as a full episode of Behind the Music. So we get a lot more detail of that early time in the bands history with the 1979 punk rock scene where being terrible was cool.

Then we get the story of their three successful eighties album where, yes, the drugs and inter-band squabbles brought down the band as detailed in the Behind the Music episode but pretty much ends with the band. There is very little discussion of Belinda Carlisle’s successful solo career and the only time any of their various reunions in the nineties and 00’s were mentioned was a vague reference that when the band in present day is filmed writing their first new song since 2001. I may have not spent much time thinking about the band in the last thirty years, but after watching The Go-Go’s, the doc does make a decent case for their inclusion into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Go-Go’s premieres tonight at 9:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This is On: July 26, 2020

The Alienist: Angel of Darkness : Thankfully we are finally done with the boy prostitutes serial killer storyline and can move on. Oh, the new season is about a baby serial killer? That is actually worse somehow.
You can download The Alienist: Angel of Darkness on iTunes.

The Chi: Okay, we finally learn what happened to Keisha: kidnapping by a creepy dude. Thankfully they did not drag that out all season (though we may still have to wait until the end of the season until she gets free). Oh, and Ronny hears her. Although, does he know where it is coming from. It is in the middle of a blackout. But I got to say, blackout episodes are always entertaining, more shows should do it.

Black Monday: Wait, so everything last week was part of Mo’s plan? That was very convoluted. And a bit confusing. Why did Horatio Sanz confess to Black Monday? If he confessed, why is Dawn in prison too? And if the other Lehman brother was the patsy, why did no one arrest him? Granted, if he can survive being crushed in a car, I am sure he can survive a wolf mauling.

Stargirl: So am I really supposed to believe Brainwave Jr. is dead? The guy does have the power to create a force field around himself to keep him from being crushed. I am sure he will show up in the finally just as it looks like the Injustice Society is about to prevail and save the day. But is Starman really alive and sending e-mails? Seems like it would be hard to survive an icicle through the heart.
You can download Stargirl on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Well that was an interesting take on Groundhog Day which each reboot getting shorter and shorter. I also liked that we apparently started on the hundred take and we later learned that Coulsen was also part of the loop. But poor Enoch, dude gets left behind multiple times in the past and then has to sacrifice himself to save everything. Although, is he dead-dead? Can they not just put that power source back in him at some point? And what was with Simmons crying after getting the memory suppressor out? The only thing I could think of is could it be possible that Fitz is already dead?
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: Please let the Constantine knock off kill Dorothy because she is really bringing down this season. Okay, the Scants turning everyone dumb were pretty funny. And we finally got an Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Mam update though it seems like the sex ghost are replacing him as the recurring gag this season..

Blindspot: Earlier this season Weller’s dad came back during his hallucination and I thought that was a weird person, of everyone who has appeared, to bring back. Weller Sr. and Jane’s first boyfriend who I had to look up. I guess they were saving everyone else for the finale. Though I feel bad for everyone who was relegated to just turning their heads in Times Square. But in the end Jane died… I think. That could have been the hallucination for the optimist I guess. Or maybe she actually died when that bomb went off last episode. Really, she breathed all that in and only need a simple antidote to survive?
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: July 25, 2020

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 Taylor Swift, Alison Brie, Summer Sonic, Morgan Harper-Jones, Evie Irie, South of Eden, Katy J Pearson, and Nelly.

- Most of the things Taylor Swift had planned for the summer of 2020 didn’t end up happening but…there was something magical that did happen, the surprise release of her 8^th studio album, folklore.  “Before this year I probably would’ve overthought when to release this music at the “perfect” time, but the times we’re living in keep reminding me that nothing is guaranteed,” said Taylor. “My gut telling me that if you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world. That’s the side of uncertainty I can get on board with.”  This spectacular 16-song album was produced by Aaron Dessner, Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift and features a musical collaboration with Bon Iver. CD, Vinyl and Cassette editions of the album will feature one bonus track.  “cardigan” - the first official single release from folklore - is also released today. It is written by Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner and produced by Aaron Dessner. The accompanying music video was directed by Taylor Swift.

- Alison Brie and Dave Franco Wrote a Rom-Com in Two Weeks:


- One of the world's biggest annual music festivals, Summer Sonic, will stream legendary archive live performances on July 22 and 23 for Free via the Summer Sonic YouTube channel: Here.  Day 2 (Thursday, July 23) of the streaming event will present epic sets from Green Day (2012), Nine Inch Nails (2009), Rihanna (2012), The Prodigy (2008), and X JAPAN (2011).

- Hailing from Rochdale in Greater Manchester, 23 year-old newcomer Morgan Harper-Jones has today shared her debut EP Breathe, including a new reimagined version of Whitney Houston's iconic "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Watch and listen to it HERE.  A talk all night, tales for days, brutally honest songwriter and storyteller, Morgan Harper-Jones has been perfecting her craft and performing across the north west of England for a few years; in early 2020 she stepped into focus and introduced herself to the wider world with a simply stunning debut release. "Breathe" went on to draw praise from a slew of radio stations including BBC 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne & Tom Robinson, BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, BBC Introducing in Manchester, The Selector/BBC 1Xtra’s Jamz Supernova, and more.

- Buzzing as a bona fide artist to watch, seventeen-year-old Sydney-born singer/songwriter Evie Irie unveils a new single entitled “Little More Love” today. Get it HERE via Republic Records. Check out the official lyric video HERE.  The song heralds the arrival of her much-anticipated new project, The Optimist EP, releasing on August 14, 2020.  On the “Little More Love”, Evie comments, “I wrote this song in a time when I felt the world needed a little more love. A year later I have realised that love isn’t just something we need in moments of struggle, love should always be a constant.”  

- After their announcement that they have officially signed to Lava/Republic Records, Columbus, OH four-piece South of Eden release the official music video to their new single “Dancing With Fire.”    Watch the official music video for “Dancing With Fire” Here!  On the music video the band said “ “We wanted this to be a personality piece, and with all of us in quarantine we knew the best way to do that was to show what we have accomplished leading up to this release. John Payne, our media man, has been following us around for the last two years! The best thing to show with raw music is raw footage.”

- Katy J Pearson is pleased to announce news of her debut album, Return, which will be released on November 13th, 2020 via Heavenly Recordings. Alongside this news she has shared new track "Fix Me Up" and its accompanying video. Watch and listen HERE.  Speaking about about the track Katy said: "Quite an old song now, but it’s still very special to me! It’s very personal and is really about wanting independence in life after messy situations. In times of darkness feeling that pang of loneliness; wanting someone else to be there to help you put all the pieces back together - which I’m sure is something we can all relate too."

- Nelly, the St. Louis-bred hip-hop juggernaut revered for No. 1 hits like "Grillz," "Hot in Herre," "Dilemma," and "Shake Ya Tailfeather," will re-release his stone-classic debut album Country Grammar on July 24 via Republic/UMe. Hailed upon release by Rolling Stone as "the best thing to come out of St. Louis since Redd Foxx," by NME as the "album of the year so far" and by People, who proclaimed that Nelly "marked his hometown of St. Louis as a major contender," Country Grammar debuted at No. 3 on the Top 200 and soon vaulted to No. 1. In 2016, the RIAA certified the album Diamond, selling more than 10 million copies to date, a feat which placed Nelly among rock superstars like Led Zeppelin, the Doors and Bruce Springsteen.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: July 19, 2020

Snowpiercer: I had a theory that there was a second train out there with Mr. Wilford that is actually the train we saw in the movie, I just never thought we would see it, at least not this soon. Especially considering Jennifer Connelly just admitted to killing him. Not her first lie I guess. So are there other tracks? I guess that would be smart in case something happens and you can just switch over. But this show has taken some major liberties with just how physics work, but the train boarding the other train may be the most absurd of them all.
You can download Snowpiercer on iTunes.

The Chi: Make Chicago great again… oh my. I guess it could be worse, Kanye could be running to the mayor of his hometown. I may have to vote none of the above if I were I were in Chicago.

Black Monday: Is Mo really going to give himself up to save everyone else? I think he has another plan working that will probably take out the other Lehman brother. Hopefully it is a better plan than Blair’s claiming he cured of homosexuality.

Stargirl: That was the weakest episode since they stopped spending so much time on on Stargirl herself. But I do have a new theory that the janitor is one of the Seven Soldiers of Victory that happens to have eight members. Unfortunately an upcoming episode title seemingly confirms this.

The Challenge: Total Madness: What an apropos way to end a disappointing season that was bogged down by the Dee mess by having Johnny win for the first time since he screwed over Sarah. On the bright spot, it will likely be a very long time until we see another season. Granted, the Challenges house have probably passed around worse diseases than the Coronavirus.
You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: How did they make anew Coulsen so fast? Did they have a spare? And what happened to the Max Headroom version? And what does it mean to the future that the one guy who should have been sacrificed to HIVE keeps royally forking up history? Does Daisy even get born if her mother is not at that commune?
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: Wait, if the original primary is black, why does the body look like Jane instead? And why does she still look like Jane now that the original primary has taken back control? And why did the Chief leave Robotman in space?

Around the Tubes: July 18, 2020

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 Into the Dark, The Go-Go's, James Bay, Sara Bareilles, Paul McCartney, Shannon LaBrie, Benee, somegirlnamedanna, Shaylen, The Soundflowers, Command Sisters, and Unfit.

- Navigate the mysterious world of Into the Dark: The Current Occupant by visiting Hulu's Twitter page and choosing your own adventure! Try to escape the psych ward and return to power through a series of mind-bending scenarios, or be doomed to wander the ward forever!  INTO THE DARK: THE CURRENT OCCUPANT is Now Streaming on Hulu!

- Showtime announced the premiere date for Director Alison Ellwood’s documentary feature THE GO-GO’S has shifted. THE GO-GO’S will now premiere on Friday, July 31 at 9pm ET/PT, with an encore replay on Saturday, August 1 at 7:20pm ET/PT.  Director Alison Ellwood’s documentary feature, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, chronicles the first all-female band to play its own instruments, write its own songs and soar to No. 1 on the album charts. The Go-Go’s made history. Featuring candid testimonies, Ellwood’s film charts the meteoric rise to fame of a band born of the L.A. punk scene that not only captured but created a zeitgeist.

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multiplatinum singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist James Bay interviews and gives his debut performance of “Chew On My Heart” on The Today Show. During the appearance James Bay spoke about the meaning behind “Chew On My Heart,” and what he’s been doing during quarantine with Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer. Watch the interview and performance HERE.

- Grammy® Award-winner and Tony® and Emmy® Award-nominated singer, songwriter, actress, and author Sara Bareilles unveils the Little Voice: Season One, Episodes 1-3 (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack).  Released via Loud Robot - an independent music label out of J.J. Abrams’ production company, Bad Robot – and Epic Records, the five-track set features music from the first three episodes of the new Apple original series, Little Voice, debuting globally on Apple TV+ today.  Not only did Sara notably write and record new songs for the series, but she also serves as an executive producer alongside J.J. Abrams and Jessie Nelson.  Get it HERE.

- Paul McCartney today releases the ‘Beautiful Night’ EP as part of the forthcoming re-release of his acclaimed 1997 album, ‘Flaming Pie’. Due for release on July 31st, ‘Flaming Pie’ marks the thirteenth installment in Paul’s GRAMMY Award-winning Archive Collection. Listen HERE.  The EP recreates the original 1997 ‘Beautiful Night’ maxi-single, featuring the remastered Flaming Pie single, ‘Beautiful Night’, a 1995 demo of the song, an alternate ‘Run Through’ recording, and ‘Oobu Joobu Part 5’ - a medley of Beautiful Night-themed chat, alternate mixes and interview recordings of Paul and Ringo Starr speaking about the song.  A newly remastered music video for Beautiful Night, originally filmed in 1997, is also released today. Watch HERE.

- Soulful songstress Shannon LaBrie, is set to release a new LP, titled Building, on Aug. 14. Listeners got a first taste of the album with her current single “Firewalker,” a heroic anthem that continues to gain traction. NPR described the anthem as, “a spirited statement to keep soldiering on” while American Songwriter calls it, “a ray of light that can guide you through each day.” Produced by multi-Grammy Award-winners, Brent Maher and Charles Yingling, Building will be available on all digital retailers.  The forthcoming LP is now available for digital pre-save HERE and physical pre-order HERE.

- New Zealand’s sensation BENEE shares her new single, “Night Garden” feat. Kenny Beats & Bakar, out today—listen HERE and watch the lyric video HERE!  For the track, the songstress recruited tastemaker-approved and Elton John-and Virgil Abloh-endorsed London artist Bakar and influential hip-hop producer and beatsmith Kenny Beats [Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs, Denzel Curry, Rico Nasty]. Together, these three disruptors cook up an entrancing and engaging anthem. Unmistakable and unpredictable production from Beats twists through airy guitar as BENEE hums the haunting hook, “In the night garden, things are out there creeping.” Meanwhile, Bakar turns up with a clever and catchy cameo of his own. The track unites three diverse and dynamic talents from three cultures on one broodingly bold bop unlike anything else any of them have done.   

- Emerging as one of the year’s most buzzed-about breaking artists, somegirlnamedanna shares a new single and music video entitled “california” today. Listen HERE via LAVA/Republic Records. Watch official music video HERE.  Most importantly, it heralds the arrival of her debut twenty one, twenty two EP to be released July 31.  On “california,” somegirlnamedanna opens up to say, "Distance and love combined is such a difficult thing.  "california” is about being separated by thousands of miles, and wanting to be with someone, but it just isn't even close to reality.  I wrote this from a place of hope, almost a dream state wanting something that doesn't feel realistic.” 

-  Shaylen drops a brand new single entitled “Forgive Myself” via The Heavy Group/Republic Records.  Listen to “Forgive Myself” HERE.  “Forgive Myself” is about learning one of the hardest lessons in life…self-forgiveness. Written and produced during self-isolation, the song shows the brutally honest pen-game that has become the hallmark of Shaylen’s reputation. “Forgive Myself” was executive produced and co-written by Jackson Foote from the much beloved electro pop group Loote and produced by Boston from Rice N’ Peas (Bazzi, Kiana Ledé, Anne Marie).

- The Soundflowers, featuring Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn, debuts the official video for “Your Look (Glorious)”—watch HERE! The full-length video was executive produced and shot by Prince Jackson via his production house King’s Son Productions.

- The powerhouse duo Command Sisters, comprised of Charlotte [vocals, keys] and Sarah Command [guitar, vocals], release the music video for their single “I Like It” via 21 Entertainment/Republic Records/Universal Music Canada.  WATCH THE “I LIKE IT” VIDEO HERE!   Filmed before social distancing measures were in effect, the video plays off the sisters’ unique aesthetic, focusing in on the color red with a mind-bending visual capture of their distinct sound, style and talent. “I Like It” was recorded in Los Angeles by award winning producer Tim Pagnotta (Walk The Moon, Weezer, Blink 182, Neon Trees).

- Is Donald Trump fit to hold the office of President of the United States? Unfit is an eye-opening analysis of Trump by leading U.S. mental health professionals and nonpartisan political strategists – on the record for the record, out of a Duty to Warn.  Featuring the shocking, first, on-camera interview with George Conway that will roil the West Wing of the White House.  WATCH THE TRAILER NOW

Into the Dark: The Currant Occupant

Well, I guess this month’s installment is better late than never coming two weeks after Independence Day. Although given the nature of the subject of someone who may or may not be president waking up in the psychiatric ward with a bout of amnesia, it is still pretty relevant as we still have four months left in a campaign with two dudes in their seventies with cognitive decline. Oh real life, the scariest story of them all.

The Current Occupant stars Barry Watson, coming off playing Rupurt Murdock’s son in The Loudest Voice, is the guy who comes to believe he may be the titular character of the White house. It sort of has a similar feel as last year’s July installment where you are left guessing what is real and what is not, and who is telling the truth and who is not. Can the doctors and nurses be trusted or are the patients more trustworthy. But unlike Culture Shock, there is no alternative reality, this is all darkness with someone sinking into insanity.

The Current Occupant has some political bona fides as it is written by Alston Ramsay who previously worked as a speechwriter in D.C. for the likes of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, General David Petraeus, and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. This episode does not really add anything new to the is this guy really crazy or not sub-genre of horror, but it still is well executed. Then considering the source, you will be left wondering just how much could be true.

Into the Dark: The Current Occupant premieres tomorrow on Hulu.

Into the Dark Season Two Power Ranking:

1. Uncanny Annie (October)
2. A Nasty Piece of Work (December)
3. Pooka Lives! (April)
4. The Current Occupant (July)
5. Good Boy (June)
6. Delivered (May)
7. Crawlers (March)
8. Pilgrim (November)
9. My Valentine (February)

57 Channels and Only This Is On: July 12, 2020

Snowpiercer: Well we finally learned what happened to Mr. Wilford and, oh my, did not see that coming. I do kind of want to see a flashback for confirmation that Jennifer Connelly kicked him off the train to die. But the people that want to kill her for that are pretty short sited if she was the one that built it and has the best chance to keep it going. Somehow I feel Layton will actually be the one to save her.
You can download Snowpiercer on iTunes.

The Chi: Wait, what does that white guy have to do with anything? We saw Keisha at the bus stop, made eye contact with Ronnie, when the bus went away, she was gone. Could that have been the bus driver? Is the bus driver kidnapping women alone on his bus? But don’t most buses have cameras? Seems like it would be hard to pull off.

Black Monday: Oh snap, the gay dude just killed himself for being outed as a homosexual. Granted this was the eighties back before we just kind of assume the most ardent Conservatives are secret homosexuals. Well that will put a wrinkle in Blair’s legislation he wants passed.

Stargirl: Yeah, that was a dumb mission to go on, especially going down into the lair. At least Dr. Midnite was smart enough to turn around when the goggles stopped working.

The Challenge: Total Madness: Oh wow, they let Dee say more than five words this week. Of course she then promptly gets the boot. Her getting edited out really hurt the last couple episode narratively. #ReleaseTheDeeCut
You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Okay, Deke misremembering the lyrics of his “originals” was pretty funny. I did not expect Coulson to show up as Max Headroom thought, thought they would just make a backup LMD. Though this trek to the eighties were fun, what exactly happened to the rest of the crew and how did they hook back p with Deke and Mac.
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: This show really drags when they is not a weird back guy to fight or at least team up with. But we did get the shocking ending of Dorothy ordering a hit on Baby Doll. Killing a personally just is not on the par of killing an imaginary friend.

In the Dark: Oh wow, Dean actually killed himself, I thought they would continue to find a way to keep him around kind of like this season when he really should have gone to prison after admitting to killing a kid. Then the blind chick’s other other boyfriend found out she was trafficking drugs. So what exactly is next season? Is she just going to go on the run? Seems kind of hard for a blind chick.
You can download In The Dark on iTunes.

The Bold Type: Called it at the end of last season, Kat totally Lady boned they conservative chick. I feel like I deserve a cookie.

Blindspot: Oh wow, they caught Madeline with two episodes to spare. But there were still the Zip things which Jane got caught in a room with. Although, if Weller was able to get to the door, hoe was Jane not able to slip out? Are they really going to reset her memory yet again? And why were the evil people setting it off while they were in the vicinity? Would they not worry about losing their memory?
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.