57 Channels and Only This Is On: September 15, 2024

 

 Snowpiercer:  Um… didn’t Layton spend more time outside unprotected than the guy who froze to death a couple episodes?  But are we going to get a full out battle next episode?  Might as well go out with a bang.

 

Only Murders in the Building:   Celebrities playing exaggerated version of themselves can be tricky.  I was not really feeling the new Three Amigos after the first episode.  But by the end, the Perfect Strangers montage, unhinged va Longoria, and Eugene Levy getting punched in the face were extremely hilarious.  I also did not like Howard last season.  He just seemed forced as the stage hand, though I like him much more as basically a thankless unpaid intern for the podcast.  Though, now I am wondering what happened to his boyfriend?  Probably hanging out with all of Mabel’s exes in obscurity never to be heard from again. 

 

But that was an ominous ending.  Who was that weirdo on the other end?  And could that be Melissa McCarthy?  I kind of assumed that she would be playing Jan in the movie, but being some weirdo might be the better role for her.

 

 Tell Me Lies:  I was excited to get more of the future timeline in the first season, but now it kind of feels like a momentum killer.  Especially since it was a silly duel bachelor / bachelorette party which was only done to get Lucy and Stephen in the same room at the same time.   The earlier timeline remains more interesting.   Great scene with Lucy fulfilling her promise of outing Stephen’s secret if he continues to mess with her.  But she made one crucial mistake in not telling Diana that one of her sorority sisters saw Stephen and Macy together that night.  Now the question is, what, if anything does she do with that information.  Stephen is not in prison in the future, so it seems like nothing is a good guess.

 

The Old Man:  So the old man was not hallucinated the bad guy at the end of his episode?  But I am confused how Maeby went from having a fight to the death with her father to caving hunting with each other.

Around the Tubes: September 14, 2024

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Snow Patrol, Miranda Lambert, The Weeknd, The Beatles, Elvis Costello, Joy Oladokun, Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler, Bon Jovi, The Carpenters, Iron Maiden, Sabrina Song, and Flip Side.

- SNOW PATROL recently released their stunning new album ‘The Forest Is The Path’   featuring new single ‘Everything’s Here And Nothing’s Lost’  ‘The Forest is the Path’ is the Northern Irish band’s eighth studio album and marks their eagerly awaited return after six years, following 2018’s ‘Wildness’. It is produced by Fraser T Smith (Adele/Dave/Stormzy) and the band. Now comprising the trio of Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly and Johnny McDaid, Snow Patrol offered the first tastes of their extraordinary new album with singles ‘The Beginning’, ‘This Is The Sound Of Your Voice’ and ‘All’.  LISTEN

- With NPR’s “All Songs Considered” lauding Miranda Lambert as “the most accomplished and consistently great artist in contemporary country music” as Postcards from Texas leads today’s discussion of the most impactful new releases, the show also declares, “This is an album that proves that she’s a backbone of country; she can make these really beautiful, minimalist country songs that get to the heart of very clear, concise ideas about love and homeland.” Listen to the latest project from the most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history HERE.  “Usually when you make a record, it’s a snapshot of the past two or three years and where you are in that moment,” reflects Lambert. “Postcards from Texas instead draws on all the different stages of my life and my career, all the influences that have ever inspired me, and gives you a really full picture of who I am.”

- The Weeknd has officially released his latest song and music video, “Dancing In The Flames,” from his forthcoming album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. Directed by Anton Tammi and director of photography Erik Henrikkson, the single’s artwork, music video, and promotional photography by Eddy Chen were all shot on the new iPhone 16 Pro. Rare behind-the- scenes footage of the stunning new visual premiered earlier this week during Apple’s  “It’s Glowtime” event, along with an early preview clip of the music video.  LISTEN TO THE NEW SONG HERE.

- Originally compiled for U.S. release between January 1964 and March 1965 by Capitol Records and United Artists, seven Beatles albums have been analog cut for 180-gram audiophile vinyl from their original mono master tapes for global release on November 22 by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe. Out of print on vinyl since 1995, the seven mono albums are available now for preorder in a new eight-LP box set titled The Beatles: 1964 U.S. Albums In Mono, with six of the titles also available individually.  All seven albums – Meet The Beatles!; The Beatles’ Second Album; A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Sound Track); Something New; The Beatles’ Story (2LP); Beatles ’65; and The Early Beatles – feature faithfully replicated artwork and new four-panel inserts with essays written by American Beatles historian and author Bruce Spizer. The albums’ new vinyl lacquers were cut by Kevin Reeves at Nashville’s East Iris Studios. The box set collects the seven albums, and all except The Beatles’ Story are also available individually.  Preorder The Beatles: 1964 U.S. Albums In Mono box set & individual LPs: https://thebeatles.lnk.to/1964USAlbumsPR.  Watch / embed the brief trailer: https://thebeatles.lnk.to/1964USAlbumsUnboxingPR

- Elvis Costello’s King Of America & Other Realms celebrates and explores the songwriter’s lifelong love, fascination, and influence of American music, spanning his many albums and inspired collaborations with some of the most celebrated musicians, songwriters and producers in this music, including his longtime creative partnership with T Bone Burnett.  Compiled by Elvis Costello, the six-disc Super Deluxe Edition box set, King Of America & Other Realms, releasing November 1 via UMe, traces Costello’s musical travels from Hollywood, Calif. – where the King Of America album was recorded – to a brand-new take on that album’s opener, “Brilliant Mistake,” recorded in Cape Fear, N.C. in early 2024, via Costello's recording adventures in New Orleans, Oxford and Clarksdale, Miss., Nashville and Memphis, Tenn. This one-of-a-kind 97-track musical journey is guided by Costello in a newly self-penned 35-page essay beautifully illustrated with numerous rare and never-before-seen photos in a 57-page booklet. The discs are housed in a handsome 12” x 11.5” package. A startlingly beautiful cover shot by Terence Donovan reveals the majesty and absurdity of a king in his velvet and bejeweled crown and embroidered denim jacket.  Stream “Indoor Fireworks” (2024 Remaster)  Pre-order King Of America and Other Realms here: https://elviscostello.lnk.to/KingOfAmericaDeluxe

- Acclaimed singer, songwriter, producer and performer Joy Oladokun will release her anticipated new album, Observations From a Crowded Room, October 18 via Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records (pre-order/pre-save here). In advance of the release, two new songs, “NO COUNTRY” and “I’D MISS THE BIRDS,” are debuting today.  Written, produced and largely performed by Oladokun alone, the album marks a personal and creative turning point for the Nashville-based artist and was crafted during a period of intense introspection and questioning. The 15-track collection—comprised of 12 songs and 3 spoken interludes—finds Oladokun reflecting on her place in the world, both as a person and an artist, while blending her pop-folk roots with electronic and psychedelic elements. Earlier this year, Oladokun shared two additional album tracks: “QUESTIONS, CHAOS & FAITH” and “DRUGS,” which received critical attention from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, OUT Magazine and more.

- After weeks of teasing “brent forever” online and building fans’ excitement for a long-awaited brent reunion, Multi-Platinum singers, songwriters, and producers Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler finally reveal they’re teaming up once again for their new brent chapter—brent iii the album is set for release on November 1st via Mercury Records. brent iii marks the duo’s first full-length album together and follows their two previous brent EPs—2019’s brent and 2021’s brent ii, which heralded the Double-Platinum “you were good to me” and Gold “this is how you fall in love,” respectively.  To celebrate the announcement of the upcoming 11-track album, Jeremy and Chelsea reveal the first single “black & white” today—listen HERE and watch the official music video HERE. On the track, softly strummed chords brush up against Chelsea’s clear delivery as she muses, “Now I remember just how good it can be. I’d spend my whole life with you if you let me.” Jeremy also channels that lovestruck sentiment, harmonizing on the refrain, “You put color in my black & white.”

- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band BON JOVI will release its classic compilation album, Greatest Hits, on 2LP vinyl today, September 13, 2024. It will be available in various configurations at retail and through the artist store, including 1LP and 2LP variants on standard black vinyl and exclusive colors.  BON JOVI first unveiled Greatest Hits on October 29, 2010. Upon arrival, it bowed in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200 in addition to capturing No. 1 on the U.S. Top Rock Albums Chart and the U.S. Top Hard Rock Albums Chart. It also eventually earned a platinum certification from the RIAA and logged an impressive 352 weeks on the Billboard 200. Across the pond, it crashed the charts at No. 2 and reached quadruple-platinum status.  The album collects seminal anthems from the band’s first three decades, spanning everything from “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love A Bad Name” and “Bad Medicine” to “It’s My Life,” “Always” and “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” in addition to a pair of songs specifically recorded for Greatest Hits: “What Do You Got?,” which became a top 10 hit, and “No Apologies.”   Pre-order on the group’s official D2C store HERE.

On November 1, A&M/UMe is set to celebrate the upcoming holidays in a merry big way with the release of the Carpenters’ Christmas Once More, an all-new Christmas collection featuring 16 timeless Carpenters holiday classics personally curated by Richard Carpenter. This newly remixed and remastered 16-track set includes perennial Carpenters holiday favorites such as “Sleigh Ride,” “(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays,” Richard's own “Merry Christmas, Darling” featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and many more.  All 16 tracks, which have been culled from the Carpenters’ most cherished holiday albums, will be available in multiple formats, including CD, black vinyl, limited-edition gold vinyl, digital download, streaming, and ATMOS. Listen to or preorder Carpenters’ Christmas Once More HERE.

- BMG will be releasing IRON MAIDEN Powerslave on November 15^th as a limited-edition vinyl pressings to mark this historic album and is true collector’s item. Powerslave is available to pre-order https://lnk.to/pwsl40PR.  In celebration of the 40^th Anniversary of IRON MAIDEN’s landmark album Powerslave, a brand-new edition will be released as the band’s first-ever zoetrope picture disc, featuring unique zoetrope artwork and the 2015 remastered audio of the album. The original sleeve has been expanded and contains new artwork and exclusive ‘Powerslave at 40’ liner notes from band founder Steve Harris.   In addition, there is a Walmart Exclusive version that included a Lenticular 3D Album Art sized print.

- Brooklyn-based alt-pop singer-songwriter and producer Sabrina Song will embark on a fall North American tour supporting indie singer-songwriter Carol Ades. See a full list of dates below and find tickets on sale now here.  The news comes following Song's release of her expansive debut full-length album You Could Stay In One Spot, and I'd Love You The Same out everywhere now. The expressive, earnest LP sees the musician take stock of her life as a twenty-something in New York City–reflecting on the love, loss, growth and gratitude–and what may come of it all.

- Hosted by Jaleel White (“Family Matters”), FLIP SIDE is a new comedy game show where two teams of players compete to guess how they think two different groups of people feel about the same issue. Every question has laugh-out-loud fun and surprises as the teams try and guess the top answers. The team that knows people best will play for the chance to win $10,000!  FLIP SIDE is a Game Show Enterprises Studios production for CBS Media Ventures with Jay James, Corin Nelson and Rich Sirop serving as executive producers. T. Jones serves as co-executive producer. Cleve Keller and Dave Noll (Keller/Noll) and Ken Ross serve as executive producers. 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: September 8, 2024

Snowpiercer:  Oh hey, Melanie is still around.  But did they just reveal that the nerdy scientist caused the deep freeze?  That is a very big twist to present this late in the show.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  I was wonder about that what happened to what Sazz wrote.  Of course Mabel knows of the forensic stuff that will show you where blood (and other bodily fluids) was.  As we learned, that was the phase that was used when they switched out Charles for Sazz.  But how actually does that help with the investigation?  Hopefully this is not another misunderstanding like the Savage-Sandwich mistake from season 2.

 

I have also said that I do not believe someone is actually dead until I see a body.  Though, I am not sure if someone seeing their ghost counts as seeing the body.  I guess the cops can do a DNA test on the ashes which should confirm or not that is Sazz (though again, until there is a flashback, I may still have a sinking suspicious that she could have planted some DNA in the ashes).  Detective William’s return in season three cannot be topped, but her coming in with a SWAT team comes close.

 

Right after season three ended, Jan was very high on my murder board; her old apartment was even on the other side of the Arconia.  Granted there does seem to be retconning of that side of the building to make them all seem like weirdos.  But at least they are very funny weirdos.  I wonder how much time we will spend over there.  We still need to meet Christmas guy, and I have to image Charles will have a run in with the person with the hall pass.  We also need to figure out what is up with the pig. 

 

But back to Jan, it does not seem like she was involved, she definitely seemed too distraught to have killed Sazz, and of course there was the whole being in jail alibi.  So, if not Jan, who?  Clearly it was someone in the creepy room.  But whose room is that and what is with the pig?  Of course there has to be something more to that because I am sure they can figure out whose room that is from the person that took over from Bunny.

 

 Tell Me Lies:  Ooo, two future scenes in the premiere, there were only two of all last season.  But there were none in the second episode, so I wonder if we will get any more scenes until the final.  I was guessing there might be and that is why they shaved off Stephen’s hideous wig, so they would not have to keep putting that ferret on his head.  But why exactly is Lydia mad at Lucy for?  Does she get her brother in trouble for maybe raping Pippa?  It did seem like whatever she is mad about, it happened more recently to have been something that happened in sophomore year.  But I did call very early that Diana was Pippa’s secret lover.  Granted, it pretty much had to be her unless it was someone we had not met yet.

 

The show was a bit vague with what happened to Wrigley’s brother.  Where is he?  Was there ever a follow up about Macy?  It seemed like every at the party last season was able to figure out that what Wrigley and his brother were talking about was about Macy.  I do wonder if we will see the brother at all this season, the actor is no longer listed in the cast.  Could they really kill him off-screen?  I have always assumed since he is not at the future wedding that he is either dead or in jail.  I am more leaning towards dead every passing episode.

 

But poor Bree, she was the only pure character at the end of last season.  Now it seems like all these heathens have finally been able to corrupt her and she might actually hook up with… Lucifer?  That is really going down a dark path.  Now the question is, has she learned that the person Evan cheats on with was Lucy by the engagement part?  If not, will it come out sometime after the party, but before the wedding?  Hopefully we do get more than future scenes this season than just the end of the season.

 

The Challenge: Battle of the Eras:  Trivia is always the best challenge, but for some reason they really try to mess it up.  Why did two people get dunked every wrong question?  Why did the person who answered wrong not get dunked?  Also Challenge trivia is not the most entertaining as it is more entertaining when they mess up fourth grade knowledge.

 

Around the Tubes: September 7, 2024

   

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Benee, Weezer, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, America, ABBA, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Paisans for Kamala.

- Ahead of its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, Hulu has announced the premiere date for the highly anticipated original film "Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band."  The film premieres on October 25, 2024, on Hulu and Disney+.  Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band offer the most in-depth look ever at the creation of their legendary live performances - sharing fly-on-the-wall footage of band rehearsals and special moments backstage - as well as hearing directly from Springsteen on the topic. Fans get the chance to experience professionally shot footage from the 2023-2024 tour for the first time ever - while following the band through their one-of-a-kind preparation process, and onto performances for tens-of-thousands across continents.

- Kicking off what promises to be another bold and bright creative chapter, Multi-Platinum alt-pop visionary BENEE returns with a brand new single entitled “Sad Boiii,” out now via Republic Records—listen HERE. It notably marks the first release from the New Zealand-born and Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter since 2023, and it also heralds more music to come soon. The song is released alongside the music video, directed by Nikki Milan Houston and featuring a very special guest, Cotton the lamb—watch HERE.  On this highly anticipated release, BENEE leaps forward by looking back, nodding to a formative musical memory in the process. The track captures the breezy energy of a New Zealand summer into its loosely strummed guitar chords and island-inspired beat. At the same time, the sun-kissed soundscape only gives her lyrics more gravity. Over the production’s buoyant bounce, she exhales, “No, I don’t want another sad boiii.” As always, her dynamic approach simply enchants.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning multi platinum alt rock icons Weezer will celebrate three decades of their seminal full-length debut LP, Weezer a.k.a. the Blue Album, with the release of the Blue Album 30th Anniversary Edition on November 1, via Geffen/UMe. This must-have for any Weezer fan will be available in multiple configurations, including a massive Super Deluxe Edition 4LP + 10-inch + 7-inch box set as well as a Deluxe 3CD set, and digitally. Pre-order any of these amazing options HERE.   To herald the arrival of Blue Album 30th Anniversary Edition, Weezer just shared the earliest known recording of “Undone – The Sweater Song (Third Practice).”  Listen HERE.

- In celebration of its 40^th anniversary, Capitol Records and Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), in conjunction with Frank Sinatra Enterprises, announce the October 25 release of Frank Sinatra’s L.A. Is My Lady with Quincy Jones and Orchestra.  The vinyl is a reproduction of the 1984 LP release and features the original 11 songs. The CD and digital versions will appear as Deluxe Editions featuring six bonus tracks, three previously unreleased, plus the original liner notes by Stan Cornyn with new notes by Charles Pignone that include revealing quotes from the main participants. Long-time Sinatra engineer Larry Walsh created new mixes for this release.

-  Capitol Records/UMe announces the first-time vinyl release of Dean Martin’s Greatest Hits on November 1, 2024. This 1LP collection of 13 classic tracks will be pressed on standard black vinyl available in retailers nationwide and on exclusive limited-edition color vinyl available for pre-order, HERE.  Greatest Hits notably boasts 13 of Dino’s biggest hits and signature songs on one comprehensive compilation. These range from “That’s Amore” and “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” to “Volare (Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu)” and “Sway (Quien Sera),” among others. Fittingly, the album concludes with the heartfelt “Return To Me (Ritorna-Me).”

-  For nearly five decades, an unforgettable live performance from the iconic band AMERICA at the Hollywood Bowl lay dormant as a lost treasure. That night included many surprises: a stunning rendition of the band’s smash hit, “A Horse With No Name,” replete with an orchestra conducted by Sir George Martin, the world’s most famous producer; skywriting and fireworks that went hilariously awry; and a program of songs that have since become indelibly imprinted in popular consciousness.   That special night is widely available for the first time ever as America – Live From The Hollywood Bowl 1975 (Primary Wave Music; distributed by Sun Records). The record comes out almost exactly 49 years to the day of the performance (the show took place on September 5th, 1975). The never-before-heard tapes were recently restored and recently mixed and produced from the original master tapes. Previously issued in limited quantities on Record Store Day, the 20-track album is now being released on CD, on a new red vinyl variant, and digitally.  Stream/purchase the album here

- he 50th anniversary of ABBA’s victory in the Eurovision Song Contest on April 6^th 1974 has been thoroughly celebrated all over the world – not just the triumph with ‘Waterloo’, but the group’s amazing accomplishments and their position as one of the world’s major pop bands. And the celebrations aren’t over yet! In October 2024, Polar Music International will issue a magnificent box set of ABBA’s single A-sides: The Singles – The First Fifty Years. The compilation brings together, for the first time, not only every ABBA single issued by Polar up until 1982 but also the singles released in conjunction with 2021’s Voyage album.  The Singles – The First Fifty Years is the ultimate celebration of ABBA’s pop music genius!  Linkfire: https://abba.lnk.to/TheSingles50Years

- GRAMMY® Award-winning and Country Music Hall of Fame members The Oak Ridge Boys are excited to announce their new album, Mama’s Boys from Lightning Rod/Thirty Tigers, set for release on Friday, October 25. This project marks their fifth collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb and was recorded at Historic RCA Studio A and Blackbird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. To build anticipation for the album, the first single, “I Thought About You, Lord,” featuring Willie Nelson, is available for download and streaming on all digital platforms today and has been premiered exclusively by Whiskey Riff!  To preorder: orcd.co/mamasboys

- With the stakes higher than ever in the 2024 election, the Italian American community is rallying together to flex its political and celebrity influence in support of the Harris-Walz ticket. Paisans for Kamala, organized by the Italian American Democrats, is hosting a star-studded Sunday Sauce Kickoff on September 8th at 6 PM ET. This event isn’t just another organizing call—it’s a family-style gathering where participants will share stories, recipes, and the values that define their heritage, all while mobilizing to support the Harris-Walz ticket. At this virtual dinner table, you’ll hear from some of the most prominent Italian American figures, including Robert De Niro, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Marisa Tomei, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Alyssa Milano, Lisa Ann Walter, Anthony Scaramucci, Rosa DeLauro, and Jim Messina. Not only will they discuss why they’re doing everything possible to make sure Kamala Harris is the next president, but they’ll also share their favorite family recipes, traditions, and what makes their heritage so important.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: September 1, 2024

  

Snowpiercer: I feel like I missed an episode, I do not remember what happened to Roashe at all.  But we are getting the inevitable teamup between Wilford and Layton.  I am sure that will end well.

 

Orphan Black: Echoes:  Apologies for the “Thanos was right” type statement, but is cloning the smartest people in attempt to solve climate change and other major issues at the time really that bad?  Sure, very unethical to do this without permission but it should do more good than harm.  But a bad ending to a bad show.  I audibly laughed when the bad guy killed the younger Jessica Jones only for there be another one with a bad wig.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  Backula!!!  Though, he is kind of on top of my murder board after the first episode.  But the big question is: is he a good enough shot to kill someone from across the street and through glass?  Maybe I should scroll through his IMDB to see if he has any sniper experience.  There were moments that I thought maybe Sazz did not die as my number one rule in television shows, if you do not see a body, then they are not dead (and even if you see the body, there is still a chance they are not really dead).

 

I guess the Bulgarian replacements pretty much confirm it was her, but I still go back to my number one rule on television.  Until I see a flashback, I will probably still have an inkling she somehow survived.  But then who is the body?  Could Sazz have put something in the incinerator and have spare parts to make people think she is dead?  Though the killer presumably cleaned up after themselves.  It is weird that the camera made note of Sazz writing something with her blood, but the killer then cleaned it up.  Unless some forensic equipment will be able to detect it.

 

The Challenge: Battle of the Eras:  Well, looks like Tony Time is already over.  Moron.  I usually complain whenever the peanut gallery helps one contestant, but that was just karma that everyone ganged up on Tony.

 

The Ark: Myonly take away from this episode: nerd sex.  I am kind of glad this is not on premium television.  I am not sure I wanted to see a more graphic version of that scene.