Around the Tubes: June 9, 2023

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Goliath, Secret Chef, MisterWives, Noah Kahan, 3 Doors Down, Steely Dan, Night Talks, Greta Van Fleet, Jeremy Zucker, Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, How Do You Measure a Year?, POV, Loudmouth, and The Venture Bros.

-  SHOWTIME SPORTS announced GOLIATH, a three-part documentary series examining the historic life, career and impact of Wilt Chamberlain, one of the greatest, most emulated and most misunderstood athletes of all time. Brash and confident, Chamberlain changed the way the game is played, broke records and racial barriers and challenged the unwritten rules for all athletes, especially black basketball players, conforming to his own standards on or off the court. GOLIATH will debut on demand and on streaming on Friday, July 14 for all Paramount+ With SHOWTIME subscribers before making its on-air debut on SHOWTIME^® on Sunday, July 16 at 10 ET/PT with episodes premiering each Sunday. GOLIATH is produced by Village Roadshow Television and Gotham Chopra’s Religion of Sports in association with Kevin Garnett’s Content Cartel, Happy Madison Productions and Heeltap! Entertainment.

- Hulu Original "Secret Chef," June 29, 10 episodes (all-at-once).  From Executive Producer and chef David Chang, comes a sly twist and playful turn on the food competition series. Ten contestants from all walks of life – from professional chefs and home cooks to social media influencers – are isolated in a secret underground kitchen labyrinth connected by a series of conveyor belts. Guided by a mischievous animated talking hat, the chefs are tasked to perform a series of cooking challenges. However, there are no judges, and the chefs must rate each other's final dishes in blind taste tests. With their true identities concealed, everything will be hidden except the one thing that matters most … the food. 

- New York City/Los Angeles-based alt-pop group MisterWives share track and video, "Ultraviolet" out everywhere now. The stripped-down latest track uncovers the struggles that lie beneath the surface in pursuit of self-love. The band's highly anticipated fourth studio album Nosebleeds is due out July 14 and available for pre-order now. Plus, The Don't Look Down Tour with Bishop Briggs will set out across North America this fall beginning September 8 with tickets on sale now via misterwives.com/tour.  "Ultraviolet," out today, shows a more vulnerable side of lead singer Mandy Lee as it closes the forthcoming fourteen track collection with a steady moment of reflection, one that grapples with comparison and encourages self-care and compassion. The idea for the song emerged after Lee came across a photo series by artist Debora Lombardi who photographed flowers under ultraviolet light. Lee explains, "These flowers became technicolor revealing fluorescent hues and glittering patterns that were only visible under UV when in complete darkness which made me think about how much light and beauty is uncovered in ourselves when we’ve been through the dark."

- Critically acclaimed Vermont singer and songwriter Noah Kahan solidifies himself as the biggest breakout artist of the year with the release of Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) out now via Mercury Records/Republic Records–listen HERE! Fans have eagerly awaited this extended version of 2022’s celebrated album, which includes seven new songs and Kahan’s latest single “Dial Drunk.” Prior to its release today, the track had already amassed millions of views online, with fans singing its every word during live performances on the “Stick Season Tour.”  Recently, Kahan was the most-talked about artist at Boston Calling Music Festival, performing to a crowd of 40,000 fans during his Saturday evening set. His performance received critical acclaim from the likes of The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, Boston.com, and many more, with Consequence hailing Noah as “New England’s newest favorite son.” Watch impressive videos HERE and HERE. Not to mention, this week, he continued his “Stick Season Tour” with the first of two sold-out shows at New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall. Tonight, he is set to perform a sold-out show at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. The “Stick Season Tour” marks Noah’s biggest and most successful run to date with 300,000 tickets sold–see the full list of upcoming tour dates below, and stay tuned for more exciting announcements to come soon.

- 3 Doors Down commemorates the anniversary of their sophomore album, Away From The Sun, by finally unleashing the original video treatment for “When I’m Gone,” which has been buried in the band’s archives for the last two decades.   Abandoned initially in favor of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the US Military to perform on the USS George Washington, the impactful video from that collaboration has garnered over 160 million views while showcasing the band’s captivating live performance intertwined with poignant moments of military reunions. The video stands as a testament to the shared values and unwavering support that has defined the profound connection between 3 Doors Down and the US Military.  However, fans can now watch the newly unearthed video on the 3 Doors Down Official YouTube Channel, HERE. Directed by the brilliant Marc Klasfeld and set against the backdrop of rural Mississippi, this Film Noir-inspired masterpiece takes viewers on an unforgettable journey through a funeral procession and burial ceremony, paired with the intensity of the band’s live performance that leads to an unexpected twist. As the band members become entombed in the muddy depths of their own graves, their captivating performance takes on an entirely new meaning blurring the lines between music, life, and death. 

- Steely Dan’s broadly acclaimed third album, Pretzel Logic, will return to vinyl for the first time in over 35 years on July 28^th via Geffen/UMe. Originally released in 1974, the best-selling album marked the band’s first to break Billboard’s Top 10, on the strength of their most successful hit, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” plus such favorites as “Any Major Dude Will Tell You,” “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo,” and “Barrytown.”  Pretzel Logic marks the latest release in Geffen/UMe’s extensive reissue program of Steely Dan’s classic ABC and MCA Records catalog, which returns the band’s first seven records to vinyl – most of which haven’t been available since their original release. Overseen by founding member Donald Fagen, the series launched in November 2022 with the group’s legendary debut, Can’t Buy A Thrill, followed most recently by 1973’s Countdown To Ecstasy in May 2023.  Pre-order Pretzel Logic now: https://steelydan.lnk.to/PretzelLogicVinylPR

- LA-based indie rock/pop trio Night Talks share their bouncy, bright track and ominous video "Roll On" out everywhere now. "Roll On" takes an energetic, dynamic look at isolation to find slices of hope and amusement.  Behind an irresistible rhythm and glittering guitar riffs, "Roll On" captures the collective monotony and idleness that ripped through the world throughout 2020. The subject matter contrasted by the bubbling beat finds slivers of optimism and eagerness that linger and leave a lasting impression. Reflecting on writing this song during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inevitable aching comparison that came with it, frontwoman Soraya Sebghati says, "It was a really tough time to be an independent musician with no real infrastructure, especially when looking at other, more successful acts, who were still able to release albums and play on late-night television." The band powered through the fear and uncertainty that made productivity and excitement difficult to bring this track to life. Sebghati continues, "The only thing we could do was work on writing songs and other small projects, and that’s exactly what this song came out of. We wanted to capture the feeling of what it literally feels like to be stuck inside your apartment, unable to do much of anything."

- Grammy-winning rock band Greta Van Fleet is debuting their new track “Farewell For Now;” listen HERE and watch/share the visualizer HERE.  “On ‘Farewell For Now’ we express the sentiment of our longing to stay on stage and savor the magic created by the audience-music phenomena,” notes bassist Sam Kiszka. “But we must pack up and go to the next place to do it all over again; as always, we’ll be back soon.”

- Multi-Platinum Certified singer, songwriter, and producer Jeremy Zucker’s much-anticipated new EP is nothing sacred? is out today—listen HERE! Zucker’s 5-track project includes his latest single “cindy” alongside previously released songs “OK” and “internet crush,” as well as new songs “i need you (in my life)” and “a dying world…” Watch the visualizer for “cindy” HERE!  On the honest and reflective offering, Zucker looks both inwards and outwards and attempts to answer some of life’s important questions. Jeremy explains, “is nothing sacred? is a shout into the void. a question born of frustration, and a call to action. for a while, i thought it was cool to not care. it felt easier to lost myself in dopamine-fueled swipes than to call up a friend. i chose to be aloof instead of open – not by ego but out of fear. fear of rejection, fear of seeming awkward, fear of not fitting in. to me, not caring meant removing the possibility of getting hurt. it took me a long time to realize just how isolated that had made me. i think we’re losing sight of what makes it so special to be a human in this world: caring about people. being selfless, loyal. appreciating what’s in front of you.”

- PBS and WORLD Channel present Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, an award-winning documentary feature that explores the complex history of Black soldiers in the United States military. Director and producer Dru Holley weaves together the testimony of historians, experts and descendants of Buffalo Soldiers with archival photographs, reenactments and animation to tell the story of how newly free Black Americans enlisted in the U.S. Army.  Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts will premiere Monday, June 12 at 10pm ET on PBS and Monday, June 19 at 8pm ET on WORLD Channel’s Local, USA series. The film will be available to stream on the PBS app, WORLDChannel.org , YouTube and on the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel. This film provides the perfect opportunity to educate viewers on Black History in time for the Juneteenth holiday.

- Oscar®-nominated HBO Documentary short HOW DO YOU MEASURE A YEAR?, from longtime HBO collaborator Jay Rosenblatt (HBO’s Oscar®-nominated “When We Were Bullies,” “Phantom Limb,” “The Darkness of Day,” “Human Remains”), debuts WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14 (9:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max, in celebration of Father’s Day.  Synopsis: For 17 years, filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt filmed his daughter Ella on her birthday in the same spot, asking her the same questions. In just 29 minutes, we watch her grow from a toddler to a young woman with all the beautiful and sometimes awkward stages in between. Each phase is captured fleetingly but makes an indelible mark. Her responses to her father’s questions are just a backdrop for a deeper story of parental love, acceptance, and ultimately, independence.  

- POV, America’s longest running non-fiction series, provides a balanced, in-depth look at Kathryn, a woman paralyzed by late-stage ALS in the wryly moving family portrait, Eat Your Catfish.  Reliant on round-the-clock care, she clings to a mordant wit while yearning to witness her daughter's wedding. Narrated by Kathryn and pictured entirely from her point of view, co-directors and producers Adam Isenberg, Senem Tüzen and Noah Amir Arjomand — who is Kathryn's son — deliver a brutally frank and darkly humorous portrait of a family teetering on the brink, grappling with the daily demands of disability and in-home caregiving.  Eat Your Catfish makes its national broadcast premiere on POV Monday, July 24, 2023 at 10pmET/9C (check local listings) and will be available to stream at pbs.org, and the PBS App until October 22, 2023. In addition to standard closed captioning for the film, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations.

- SHOWTIME announced today that LOUDMOUTH, the definitive look at  Reverend Al Sharpton directed by Josh Alexander, will premiere on SHOWTIME streaming and on-demand platforms Friday, June 16,  in honor of Juneteenth. The critically acclaimed documentary feature, which premiered at Tribeca Festival^® in June 2022, chronicles Reverend Sharpton’s path from racial justice firebrand to elder media statesman, and his work for social change from the streets of 1980s Brooklyn to 2020 Minneapolis, with never-before-seen footage on the front lines, in the media and in the corridors of power, to paint an intimate and revealing portrait of this tireless activist. LOUDMOUTH will make its SHOWTIME on-air premiere Sunday, June 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.   Often controversial, occasionally fallible, and always quotable, Reverend Sharpton has spent a lifetime confronting America's deafening complacency in the fight against racial injustice -- amplifying the ugly truths about the ongoing impact of structural racism on our nation many would prefer to ignore. Sharpton has been a polarizing figure, inspiring both love and hate on local and national stages. LOUDMOUTH follows a tireless warrior who has never ducked a fight in his mission to transform the status quo. The film features commentary from President Barack Obama, Reverend Jesse Jackson, James Brown and Senator Chuck Schumer.

-  Get ready as The Venture Bros. are back in an all-new original movie picking up right after the events from the shocking season 7 finale! Based off one of Adult Swim's longest-running, award-winning original adult animated series, The Venture Bros.: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart will be available to purchase Digitally on July 21, 2023 and on Blu-ray Disc on July 25, 2023.  Returning in their original series roles are James Urbaniak (The Fabelmans) as Dr. Venture, Patrick Warburton (Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events) as Brock Samson, Michael Sinterniklaas (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Dean Venture, Chris McCulloch (Superjail!) as Hank Venture and Doc Hammer as Dr. Mrs. The Monarch.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 4, 2023

 

Fatal Attraction:  Wait, the daughter is some slutty stalkers because of one conversation with Lizzie Caplan?  Really?  And she chooses to stalk… Johnny Crowder?  And I though Lizzie Caplan being murdered by the new husband was going to be the most inexplicable twist of the season.  Who could have guessed those two insignificant characters in the previous episodes would end up being so important to the finale?

 

The Blacklist:  How lucky were we that we got three episodes over the past week?  Lucky in that we are three episodes closer to the finale.  Yet we still got a month and a half to get there.  We did get a little more Siya backstory but I am still waiting for some bigger connection to Red and the season as a whole.

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  Oh yeah, Daniel is still alive, but the only thing I remember from him last season was that maybe he was brain damaged.  I guess he has recovered.  But so much for a mother’s intuition, where is Maury to say “you are not the mother”?

 

Saint X:  Note to showrunners, if you are going to do a murder mystery, do not have the twist be there was no murder.  I never thought Gogo and Edwin did it, but c’mon, at least have the boring white dude do it.  Though I missed how the sister knew he saw his sister right before she died.  Oh well.  At least the show gave us the strong message that if you have anti-man sex, it will ruin your life.  Happy Anti-Man Pride Month everyone.

 

Class of ‘09:  Would the FBI really let Kate Mara continue to be a field agent after she lost an eye?  Seems like having peripheral vision would be very import if you are working in the field.  But I wonder if the computer guy is the same guy who died in the future.  But I do not care enough to look it up.

 

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies:  That “race” looked like they were going five miles per hour.  But I am surpised they could not find a way to have both boys stay.  Speaking of boys, holy Zucko sighting.  Though clearly it is not Danny, who is likely in middle school with Rizzo and Frenchie.  Did everyone from the original movie have an older sibling?

 

Around the Tubes: June 3, 2023

  

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Kenny Rogers, The Beach Boys, Jack Johnson, Jhené Aiko, and Fellow Travelers.

- Kenny Rogers’ first posthumous album, Life Is Like A Song, out today via UMe, is a heartfelt collection of songs that were near and dear to the late legend but in most cases never released. Curated and executive produced by the Country Music Hall of Famer’s widow, Wanda Rogers, the album features eight never-before-heard recordings, spanning 2008-2011, and showcases Rogers’ range through an array of original material and covers, including interpretations of Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” and Lionel Richie’s “Goodbye,” as well as the artist’s long-sought-after lost duet with Dolly Parton, “Tell Me That You Love Me,” presented here in a never-before-released, newly remixed form. A digital deluxe edition includes two bonus tracks: a cover of the Mack Gordon/Henry Warren standard, “At Last” (made famous by Etta James), and the Buddy Hyatt-penned original, “Say Hello to Heaven.” Life Is Like A Song is available now on CD and vinyl as well as digitally. The release marks the first new non-Christmas studio album by Rogers in 10 years and the only non-compilation/non-reissued full-length album to be released on vinyl since 1991.  Stream or purchase Life Is Like A Song: https://kennyrogers.lnk.to/LifeIsLikeASongPR

- Widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, The Beach Boys’ magnum opus, Pet Sounds, changed the notion of what an album could be when released in May 1966, forever altering the course of popular music. Breaking away from the surf rock that made them global stars, The Beach Boys’ 11^th album in just four years couldn’t have been more different than what came before, especially the acoustic rave-up, Beach Boys’ Party!, featuring their smash hit “Barbara Ann,” that preceded it by only a few months. Influenced by The Beatles’ Rubber Soul and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound production, creative visionary Brian Wilson took a left turn from their standard formula of upbeat songs about girls, surfing and the Southern California lifestyle and sought to create what he called “a complete statement.” In turn he produced an album like nothing before, one that revolutionized modern music by venturing into uncharted musical territory, both in composition and production, employing innovative recording techniques and pioneering the use of the studio as an instrument. Across 13 exquisite tracks, Pet Sounds pushed the boundaries of sonic experimentation, introducing a rich tapestry of complex, orchestral arrangements, unconventional instrumentation like Theremin and Coca-Cola bottles for percussion, flawless, trademark harmonies by Al Jardine, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love and new addition Bruce Johnston, and deep, introspective lyrics that went beyond anything the group had ever sung about. The record influenced The Beatles and their longtime producer George Martin to push the creative envelope when making their groundbreaking album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts, and paved the path for countless generations of musicians and producers. Today it remains one of the most pivotal and beloved albums ever made.  Stream Pet Sounds In Dolby Atmos:  https://TheBeachBoys.lnk.to/PetSoundsinAtmosPR

- Multi-platinum musician Jack Johnson’s new remix album, In Between Dub, is out today through Brushfire and Republic Records and available through all digital platforms and and select retailers on CD and Vinly,  In Between Dub, a hand-selected collection of some of Johnson’s favorite songs over an incredible two-decade career, features a reimagined collaborative compilation of classic Johnson tracks remixed by some of Reggae’s most influential names like the late Lee “Scratch” Perry, Dennis Bovell, Nightmares on Wax, and Subatomic Sound System.

-  Sleep Soul, a fresh R&B-inspired take on the traditional baby sleep music genre presented by Jhené Aiko, reveals its latest installment Sleep Soul: Relaxing R&B Baby Sleep Music (Vol. 3). Listen to the new project – HERE.  Curated by Jhené, Sleep Soul: Relaxing R&B Baby Sleep Music (Vol. 3) encompasses 20 soothing tunes crafted to inspire and maintain a good night’s sleep. Vibrant R&B melodies melt into downtempo rhythms encased in warm synths tailored to receptive young ears. “Sleepy Bear Soothing Serenade” opens the album with mesmerizing echoes and ambient rain sounds across a soft soundscape. “R&B Lullaby Dreams” and “Counting Sheep With Brown Noise” pacify and precipitate rest. Finally, “Sweet Dreams With Sleepy” provides a delicate conclusion to the evening with a gentle twinkling piano melody.  Expanding the vision yet again, Sleep Soul has introduced a merchandise store with premium infant clothing. The release consists of a baby beanie, onesie, and Sleepy The Bear plushie that gently plays Sleep Soul Vol. 3 album from a hidden speaker inside. Check out the full store – HERE.

- SHOWTIME has released the first teaser for its new limited series FELLOW TRAVELERS. The eight-episode drama is created by Oscar^® nominee Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, HOMELAND) and stars Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart, The Boys in the Band), Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Jelani Alladin (The Walking Dead World Beyond), Allison Williams (Get Out, Girls) and Noah J. Ricketts (American Gods). Bomer and Nyswaner will executive produce with Robbie Rogers (All American, My Policeman) and Dee Johnson. Daniel Minahan (Halston, American Crime Story: Versace) will executive produce and direct the first two episodes. Co-produced by Fremantle and SHOWTIME, FELLOW TRAVELERS will premiere on Paramount+ With SHOWTIME later this fall.   To watch and share the teaser, go to: https://youtu.be/hC5DsDt0FGQ.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 28, 2023

 

Fatal Attraction: I am still pretty confident that Lizzie Caplan is not dead.  That is all I really can say because not that much interesting in this episode.

 

The Blacklist:  When they first called that person “agent Malik” I thought someone was impersonation Siya’s.  It was not until someone called her “Meera” that realized these were flashbacks.  Hopefully we get more of this the rest of the season because it is the only interesting part.

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  Not only did Morgan and Grace give up their kid, so did Dwight and Sherrie.  What happened these last couple years that all four just gave up like that?  We got some vague flashbacks last week, but it is still a bit puzzling.  Also puzzling, cutting of the index finger of someone you want to make a cure for zombieism.  That could come in handy, kind of stupid to cut it off.

 

The Clearing:  Yeah, I called the adult lady to be one of the kidnapped girls very early on.  Okay, I did think was going to be the most recent kidnapped girl.  I wonder if she will show up in the current timeline.  I wonder what happened to all those kids.

 

Saint X:  I have been saying the frumpy chick was the murderer all season, but after the penultimate episode, I am starting to have doubt.  I am beginning to think the “mistake” she talked about a couple episodes ago was to suggest the devil’s threesome.  Then after spending all season thinking that

 

Class of ‘09:  So they are done with the character of the week already?  Poor boring white dudes never got their own episode.  So are we to assume the one boring white dude lost his arm in the building collapse? 

 

Survivor:  Well, that was a bottom five season.  It has been a while since there has been a good one.  I looked back at my rankings and have not given any season over a “5” since David vs. Goliath. 

 

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies:  Why is Olivia’s parents given their blessing to her teacher?  How do they not think that is gross?

 

Yellowjackets:  I am confused.  Is that really the end of the Adam storyline?  Are the cops really going to believe that Kevyn killed him because Walter cyber framed him?  Are they just going to overlook that Kevyn had two bullets in him.  Oh, and that he actually died by being drugged.  And drugged at the same compound and day that a high school classmate also died from an overdose whose needle was injected into her chest.  Oh, and another one of his classmates and the owner of the compound had a bullet in her shoulder.  How exactly do they explain all that?  And wouldn’t six Yellowackets being on the premises  where two deaths and one shooting attract massive media attention.  Is this chapter really over or is Walter just being delusional when he said he fixed everything?  Feels like the Yellowjackets should be in a bigger mess than they were when it was just Adam.

 

But on the bright side, at least Coach Ben finally realized he should try to kill all those crazy benches.  Hopefully the writers take this extended writers’ strike to realize what went wrong and spend the downtown thinking up a coherent third season that can right the ship.

 

Around the Tubes: May 27, 2023

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Searching For Soul Food, Benee, Lauren Spencer Smith, Noah Kahan, Asia, and Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozahdahs.  

- Check out the official trailer for Hulu’s food and travel series, “Searching For Soul Food.”   The series premieres all episodes on June 2, 2023 on Hulu   Searching For Soul Food” follows rock star celebrity chef, Alisa Reynolds, as she discovers what soul food looks like around the world. As she seeks out the food, she’ll also explore the stories, the people, and the traditions of each place she visits, bringing her own flavor right along with her. The international journey finds Chef Reynolds exploring the culinary worlds of Mississippi, Oklahoma, Appalachia, South Africa, Italy, Jamaica, Peru and Los Angeles. 

- Alt-pop musician BENEE has collaborated with New Zealand mental health charity Youthline and leading neuroscientists on a new single, “Bagels,” scientifically designed to help reduce anxious feelings.  LISTEN TO “BAGELS” HERE.  Written and produced specifically to support young peoples’ mental wellbeing, “Bagels” uses musical elements identified by Auckland University of Technology (AUT) neuroscientists to relax the nervous system, modify brain activity and ease feelings of anxiousness.

- Lauren Spencer Smith, the singer songwriter with a booming voice and over one billion global streams, shares her romantic new single “That Part.” “That Part” is a beautiful pop ballad about leaping heart-first into a relationship — the single comes on the heels of the announcement of her debut album Mirror, due 7/14 which is accompanied by a 42-city global headlining MIRROR Tour.  The track builds upon the momentum of Lauren’s 2023 releases, “Best Friend Breakup” (Euphoria Magazine called it, “a full story, worked by the juxtaposed, unfiltered feelings of traded melodies and sharper beats); and “Fantasy” a collaboration with GAYLE and Em Beihold that confronts toxic relationships.  These songs followed Lauren’s previous two RIAA platinum certified singles, “Fingers Crossed” and “Flowers.”  

- Critically acclaimed Vermont singer and songwriter Noah Kahan proudly announces his new mental health initiative, The Busyhead Project. Sharing its name with his 2019 debut album, The Busyhead Project will join forces with a handful of national and local organizations to increase mental health awareness, amplify discussion, and democratize resources. Its first goal will be to raise “$1 million for mental health” with Noah donating a portion of every ticket sold on the upcoming summer leg of his “Stick Season Tour”. Impressively, over $325,000 has already been raised for The Busyhead Project.  LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BUSYHEAD PROJECT HERE

- BMG Music has released the legendary ASIA studio album Phoenix with a highly collectible double vinyl edition, available today, May 26^th. Asia are the multi-platinum selling English rock band who formed in 1981 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021. Their 1982 self-titled debut album reached number one in several countries, including nine weeks topping the US charts, with lead single ‘Heat Of The Moment’ making the top 40 in over a dozen, including US #4.  Pooling the talents of John Wetton, Carl Palmer, Geoff Downes and Steve Howe, ASIA immediately became the epitome of a supergroup of rock aristocracy and the natural heir to its members’ legendary bands of the 70s – King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer, The Buggles and Yes.

- Raw, real, and rife with shocking revelations, this new unscripted series follows 10 Muslim American sisters whose faith and bonds are put to the ultimate test while trying to navigate cultural expectations, their careers, and love in Los Angeles. The number #1 rule The Sozahdah sisters swear by is “family over everything.” But what happens when the secrets these sisters hold sacred are revealed and the TV show they thought would bring them together threatens to tear them apart?  Check out the official traile for the new Hulu unscripted series "Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozahdahs."  All episodes premiere June 7, 2023 on Hulu.  Trailer: HERE

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 21, 2023

 

Fatal Attraction: So Lizzie Caplan really killed the old lady.  Cool.  But they teased us with blood in her apartment, I am still pretty convinced it is not hers and she is still very alive.

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  So there was a big time jump where the baby we once knew is now a precocious little girl.  Gee, where have I seen this before?  But am I really supposed to believe that Morgan just gave up and did not even try to get

 

Saint X:  Much like Yellowjackets, the earlier timeline is more interesting, but the crazier the sister get, the more entertaining the present day timeline gets.  Hopefully she gets crazy enough to confront Gogo in the next episode.

 

Class of ’09:  Unlike Yellowjackets and Saint X, the earliest timeline is the least interesting part.  I could actually do without it completely.  I even kind of forgot if there was any ’09 timeline this week.  At least the other two are kind of tying into each other as we see why each are into the Minority Report type program.  But I do not get why they are doing a character of the week for a show that is an eight episode mini-series

 

The Challenge: World Championship:  So TJ said his final starts now at the end of the elimination and then they let everyone get a good night’s sleep right afterward.  Does that really count as TJ’s final?  But really just another run of the mill Challenge finale.    They really should switch things up.

 

Survivor:  What happened between Rotu and Sika that they will only vote for each other and just let Tika run the game.  This was the last time to do something about the trio, even if they forced a tie.  Letting Tika run this game already made this a bottom 5 season.  But it has been a while since there has been a above average season.  It is time for a hard reboot, and not one that involves more scavenger hunts.  

 

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies:  Wait, Susan had an abortion?  I remember they forked, but I missed that a doctor took care of it.  And when did Dot get interesting?  She seemed like such a background character all season.

 

Yellowjackets:  Well that is an interesting way to play Russian roulette.  I guess I should specify that I was referring to drawing the Queen of Hearts because Lottie wants to play in the current timeline.  At the time, I was wondering if there was any significant to Javi drawing the King, but I guess if they do not kill the Queen; the King is a worthy alternative.  So all that time, Javi never did tell anyone where he was.  It looks like he was about to tell Natalie, but then the wilderness took him.

 

But at least it looks like Coach Ben found where Javi’s hiding spot with plenty of tiny bones, so it looks like Akilah’s dead buddy’s family might be there too.  So we may be able to put two and two together on what Javi was doing when he was missing.  But the one big unanswered question is: who exactly is the person who told Javi he should not go back?  Was it Other Tai?  Could there be someone else down there?  We only have one more episode to learn the answer to or it might be a long wait with the writer’s strike.

 

So is this where the warring tribes are split?  Nat vs. Lottie?  Will Lottie’s crew take the cabin and Team Nat will be in the tree?  I am having trouble figuring out who would actually follow Nat.  It seems to be just Travis, Ben, and maybe Shauna and/or Tai.  I could see Misty playing both sides.  I wonder if we will get a hard split by the end of the season or will be have to wait until the next one.

 

Then in present day, all the secrets came out and Lottie’s big solution is to sacrifice one them to the Wilderness and everything will be alright again.  Ooof.  I am not entirely sure if everyone says no.  Well, maybe there will be a Javi situation and the Wilderness will take someone and those girls will get a reprieve like Nat did back in the nineties.  One of Lotttie’s purple people has to be disposable.

Around the Tubes: May 20, 2023

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Futurama, Imagine Dragons, John Mellencamp, Lord Huron, Lyn Lapid, Willie Nelson, Noah Kahan, Greta Van Fleet, Revival Season, Charlie “Bird” Parker, and The Venture Bros.

- Season 11 of “Futurama” is set to premiere on Monday, July 24th with one episode. New episodes will be released weekly on Mondays on Hulu.  After a brief ten-year hiatus, Futurama has crawled triumphantly from the cryogenic tube, its full original cast and satirical spirit intact. The ten all-new episodes of season eleven have something for everyone. New viewers will be able to pick up the series from here, while long-time fans will recognize payoffs to decades-long mysteries – including developments in the epic love story of Fry and Leela, the mysterious contents of Nibbler's litter box, the secret history of evil Robot Santa, and the whereabouts of Kif and Amy's tadpoles. Meanwhile there's a whole new pandemic in town as the crew explores the future of vaccines, bitcoin, cancel culture, and streaming TV.

- Hulu announced a forthcoming documentary film “Imagine Dragons Live in Vegas”, a love letter to the band and the city that helped make them one of the biggest acts in the world. An intimate look at performances of the band’s chart-topping hits during their current “Mercury Tour” and archival interviews, Dan, Wayne, Ben and Daniel recount the evolution of the band, from where they started to where they are now, the highs and the lows. The Hulu Original Documentary premieres Friday, July 14. Internationally, “Imagine Dragons Live in Vegas” will be available to stream on Star+ in Latin America and on Disney+ in all other territories at a later date.  Far from the days of playing in dive bars and casinos across the Las Vegas Strip, Imagine Dragons returns home to perform at the city’s largest stage, Allegiant Stadium, in a triumphant concert film that showcases the band's rise to fame and the city that helped shape their sound.

- John Mellencamp is gearing up to release his much-anticipated album Orpheus Descending. Today, he shares another taste from the LP with new song “The Eyes Of Portland”—listen/share HERE and watch/share the official lyric video HERE.  Orpheus Descending will now be released June 16 via Republic Records. Pre-order the album HERE.  “The Eyes Of Portland” follows “Hey God.” Listen/share HERE, watch/share the official lyric video HERE.

- Lord Huron unveiled a new song entitled “Ace Up My Sleeve”, which was featured in the new film The Starling Girl, notably scored by Lord Huron vocalist/guitarist Ben Schneider.  The Starling Girl opens in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on Friday, May 12, with additional markets following on Friday, May 19. The film was written and directed by Laurel Parmet and stars Eliza Scanlen, Lewis Pullman, Wrenn Schmidt, Austin Abrams, and Jimmi Simpson.  Listen to “Ace Up My Sleeve”—HERE.

- 20-year-old buzzing songstress Lyn Lapid continues her new musical chapter with her latest single “ok with it,” accompanied by the official music video, both out now on Mercury Records/Republic Records–listen HERE and watch HERE. The song is the newest track from Lyn’s forthcoming EP, to love in the 21^st century, out this summer.  Across “ok with it,” acoustic guitar brushes up against a fluttering synth loop as Lyn’s vocals practically hover atop the verses. Her voice swoons on the refrain, “it's the end and i'm ok with it” as horns carry her harmonies off to the heavens. With its emotionally charged lyrics and unshakable hook, “ok with it” illustrates her natural progression as a songstress and performer all at once.

-  In celebration of the legendary Willie Nelson turning 90 this year, several of his beloved albums from the 1990s and 2000s that were never released on vinyl at the time will be pressed on vinyl in a variety of options over the next few months. The releases will kick off June 23 with his 2002 collaborative album, The Great Divide, followed by 1998’s acclaimed, cinematic, Daniel Lanois-produced Teatro on August 4 in honor of its 25^th anniversary. Willie’s 2000 ode to the blues, Milk Cow Blues, will come on September 15 as a double LP, while 1996’s stripped-back and emotionally raw Spirit will bow on October 20, just ahead of the American icon’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on November 3. The Great Divide and Milk Cow Blues will be making their vinyl debuts while Teatro and Spirit return to vinyl due to popular demand after being available in limited capacity but now long out-of-print.  All albums will be available on 180-gram black vinyl as well as a limited edition color variant on 140-gram vinyl, exclusively available at uDiscover Music and WillieNelson.com. The Great Divide and Spirit will be pressed on clear vinyl while Teatro and Milk Cow Blues will be on translucent red vinyl and orange vinyl respectively. The LPs are available for pre-order now here: https://WillieNelson.lnk.to/90thVinylPR

- Critically acclaimed, Vermont singer and songwriter Noah Kahan reveals the upcoming release of Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) out June 9th via Mercury Records/Republic Records. The highly anticipated, extended version of 2022’s breakout album will feature seven new tracks, including “Dial Drunk,” which has already received an incredible response from fans online after Noah began teasing the song on social media, amassing millions of views to date. Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) will arrive just in time for Noah’s summer leg of the “Stick Season Tour,” which is completely sold out and includes two nights at New York’s Radio City Music Hall and one night at Los Angeles’ The Greek Theatre.  Noah says, “I deeply appreciate your patience and your support for this project, and I am so incredibly grateful to be able to continue telling this story. I can’t believe I get to do this for a living, and I can’t imagine a better community to make music for.”

- Grammy-winning rock band Greta Van Fleet is debuting their new track “Sacred The Thread;” listen HERE and watch/share the visualizer HERE.  “I always like to think that some people’s first impression of Greta Van Fleet in concert is, ‘Wow, these guys really like dressing to the left and blowing shit up,’” notes frontperson Josh Kiszka, adding, “this song is particularly important to me because it’s about my jumpsuits.”

- A new era has begun, platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and Gen Z pop king Conan Gray unleashes an infinitely catchy new single and music video entitled “Never Ending Song” out now via Republic Records.  Listen to “Never Ending Song” HERE. Watch the music video HERE.  Powered up by bright and bold neon synths, it updates eighties New Romantic vibes with 21^st century style and spirit with production courtesy of the legendary Max Martin.

- Revival Season – comprised of rapper BEZ and Jonah Swilley, a founding member of Mattiel and also known for his production work with Moonwalks and Night Beats – today share "Chop", their latest single for Heavenly Recordings.  Claustrophobic as hell and crunching down in all the right places, "Chop" is a close-quarters, rapid fire hip-hop track from the Atlanta based duo. Talking about the track they said: "This one came together naturally, and gives you a look into future lyrical and production themes coming from us The video happened the same way, just us walking through downtown Nashville making people uncomfortable."

- Throughout his brief but influential life, Charlie “Bird” Parker made an enormous impact on popular music and laid the foundation for modern jazz. The jazz titan, inarguably one of the greatest saxophonists of all time, grew up in Kansas City, Mo., and spent much of his adult life in New York. Nonetheless, the city of Los Angeles looms large in his musical life as he spent more time in L.A. than anywhere outside of K.C. and N.Y. From 1945-1954, Parker made half a dozen trips to the City of Angels where he recorded many of his greatest musical triumphs. In December of 1945, Parker and Dizzy Gillespie changed music forever by bringing the sound of bebop from the East Coast to the West Coast for a fabled two-month residency at Billy Berg’s Supper Club in Hollywood billed as “Bebop Invades the West.” Parker would end up staying in L.A. for an extended amount of time during which he gigged around town, recorded at a Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) concert, and made pivotal recordings for the nascent Dial label. Following a drug-fueled physical and mental collapse at the infamous July 29, 1946 “Lover Man” session, he was committed to Camarillo State Mental Hospital for a six-month stint for his struggles with addiction. Shortly after being released in January 1947, Bird would stick around for a few more months, which included a well-documented two-week engagement at the Hi-De-Ho Club, before heading back to NYC. He would return to L.A. four more times: briefly in November 1948 with JATP, for a three-month stay during the summer of 1952, and for shorter visits in 1953 and 1954.  Stream/purchase Bird In LA now: https://charlieparker.lnk.to/BirdInLA

- *Date Changed*  For the first time ever, all episodes from Adult Swim's award-winning original adult animated series are brought together in one set with The Venture Bros.: The Complete Series. Get ready to experience thrilling action-packed adventure along with acute family disfunction and binge all 82 episodes from the seven season run along with all the previously released special features. The Venture Bros.: The Complete Series will be available to purchase Digitally and on DVD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment on June 13, 2023.

Previewing Ghosts of Beirut

 

“This is a fictional account of deeply researched events.”  That is how Ghosts of Beirut starts off.  It is not quite The Great’s “An occasionally true story,” but an interesting way of telling us this ripped from the headlines story may or may not actually be how the story went down.  The titular character is Imad Mughniyeh, the founder member of Lebanon’s Islamic Jihad Organization, second in command of Hezbollah, and was credited to killing the most Americans before the 9/11 attacks including the 1983 U.S. embassy bombing.

 

The show follows Mughniyeh follows him as a 21-year-old though his over quarter century reign of terror threw his eyes and the CIA and Mossad agents they tried to hunt him down.  The fictional retelling of his story is intertwined with real talking head comments from journalist and the agents who were in the CIA at the time and well as real footage of newscasts reporting many of the terror attacks credited to Mughniyeh.

 

Covering multiple decades in four episodes means a lot of jumping around and with much of the emphasis on Lebanese characters and many Mossad agents the show has plenty of subtitles.  Still Ghosts of Beirut is an important highlight on someone most Americans do not even know the name even if they lived through the eighties and definitely remember his warpath.  The limited series stars an international cast including Dina Shihabi (Jack Ryan, Archive 81), Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding), Garret Dillahunt (12 Years a Slave), Iddo Goldberg (Snowpiercer), Hisham Suleiman (Munich, Fauda), Amir Khoury (Image of Victory) and Rafi Gavron (A Star is Born).

 

Ghosts of Beirut airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime, but you can stream or watch all four episodes On Demand starting Friday.