Around the Tubes: September 12, 2024

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Wicked, Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler, Marcus King, Slash, and The Oak Ridge Boys.  

- In partnership with the global release of Universal Pictures’ new cinematic event, Wicked, today Republic Records and Verve Records announce that the most anticipated soundtrack of the year, Wicked: The Soundtrack, will be released via Republic Records / Verve Records on November 22, to coincide with the film’s arrival in theaters.  Pre-order Wicked: The Soundtrack HERE. Watch the Wicked musical event spot HERE.  Based on one of the most beloved and enduring stage musicals of the past two decades, the film adaptation of Wicked is destined to the the film event of the holiday season. Wicked: The Soundtrack will include the iconic songs “Defying Gravity,” “Popular,” “Dancing Through Life,” “The Wizard And I” and more like you’ve never heard them before!  Full track listing below.

- Multi-Platinum singers, songwriters, and producers Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler return today with their second single offering from their highly-anticipated forthcoming brent iii album titled “A-frame,” out now—listen HERE. brent iii the full-length album is set for release on November 1st via Mercury Records and will be followed by the duo’s Brent Forever: The Tour across North America this fall.  Jeremy and Chelsea wrote “A-frame” on a writing trip together in a cabin in Big Bear, CA, inspired by the A-Frame’s natural acoustics and reverb. The song instantly transfixes as it urges a return to a simpler life and simpler love, with both artists singing, “Sitting by the fire, with a bottle of gin. Baby it’s your world, I’m just happy that you let me in.”

- GRAMMY®-nominated singer-songwriter Marcus King announced new acoustic tour dates with stops at The Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA, The Caverns in Pelham, TN, and more. Tickets are on sale today at 10am local time, available on https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/tour/  Alongside the announcement, King today released two new renditions of “Hero” (from Mood Swings) and “8 A.M.” (from The Marcus King Band’s Carolina Confessions). The new versions feature Drew Smithers on guitar, who will be joining King on the acoustic run, and King on guitar & vocals. Recorded live at the legendary Bluebird Cafe during his sold-out performances from this summer, the pristine new recordings highlighted the organic guitar playing of Smithers and further accentuated King’s soulful powerhouse vocals in an intimate live setting.  Listen to new renditions of “Hero” and “8 A.M.” HERE.  Watch live performance of “Hero” HERE

- On SLASH’s critically acclaimed sixth solo album Orgy of the Damned, the iconic, GRAMMY^® Award-winning guitarist, songwriter, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, goes back to what has always been at the heart of his playing: the Blues.  Released on May 17, 2024, Orgy of the Damned is available worldwide everywhere on Gibson Records HERE. A first for SLASH, Orgy of the Damned spent 13 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart in the U.S. The new album also debuted as the #1 Blues Album in the U.S and the U.K., #2 on the U.S. Rock Albums Chart, as well as achieving Top 10 Chart positions in 7 countries around the world.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning and Country Music Hall of Fame members The Oak Ridge Boys have announced the release of their upcoming album Mama’s Boys, set to drop on Friday, October 25 via Lightning Rod/Thirty Tigers. This album marks their fifth collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb and was recorded at Nashville’s legendary RCA Studio A and Blackbird Studios. Building anticipation for the release, the third single, "That’s The Way Mama Made It," written by Leroy Powell, David Cobb, and Duane Allen, features the newest Oak Ridge Boy, Ben James on lead vocals and is now available for download and streaming on all digital platforms, with an exclusive premiere on RFD-TV.  “Leroy Powell came into the control room with parts of a song going around in his head,” shares Duane Allen. “He was almost in a writer’s trance. David Cobb and I were there early. Leroy needed help with lines and words. Very quickly, the structure of the song fell in place. I felt it should be a Ben James feature, so we recorded the tracks in a key at the top of my range. You may have heard about songs being written in Nashville, and you go right into the studio and record it. This is it!!!!”  To preorder: orcd.co/mamasboys

57 Channels and Only This Is On: October 6, 2024

  

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: The Book of Carol:  I never thought any show could have a dumber name than High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, but this may actually take the cake.  At least High School Musical was likely in on the joke of the silly name.  This is just stupid.  Also stupid: flying to France in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.  No way am I getting in that thing.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  We finally meet Dudenoff… and he is dead (seems obvious the Westies are cashing the checks).  So do we have a serial killer on our hands or just two killers who had the same idea to get rid of a body?  This makes me wonder if the power goes of randomly in any of the first three seasons.  But I guess this exonerates the Brothers Sisters.  But they never did explain why the one’s footprint was on the windowsill.  Did she visit her mentor; look out the window and just leave?  I wonder if that will come back up.  But I did get a vibe from the writer who threw the directors under the bus this week.  The guy does have 20/10 vision which would make for a good sniper shot.  Granted he did have an alibi during his episode, though he would not be the first person to fake an alibi.

 

 Tell Me Lies:  I never thought we could possibly get a Thanksgiving episode as good as Slapsgiving during How I Met Your Mother, but this may have topped that.  There was at least more slapping.  Sure, it was convoluted how they got everyone in the same place at the same time, but it was definitely worth it.

 

The Challenge: Battle of the Eras:  Sigh, another week, another Era 1 player going home.  So Rachel is just the captain every week now?  What if she goes home next week?  Can they no longer send in Era 1?

 

Joan:  Great soundtrack, the rest of the show is forgettable.  Who knew the greasy guy from Fear the Walking Dead was still working?  I cannot remember seeing him in anything since he was killed off.

 

Agatha All Along:  I am still not all that interested in the trial of week format, but Aubrey Plaza being unhinged upped the entertainment level infinitely this week.

 

The Ark: Oh wow, they made it to the planet, but not surprising some did not stay.  People gotta be on the titular ship.  So are they just going to have two storylines next season?  Not that I think there will be a next season.  With Chucky canceled, this will likely follow.