Around the Tubes: November 9, 2024

  

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on The Session Man: Nicky Hopkins, Nia Smith, Olivia Newton-John, Carpenters, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Alice Phoebe Lou.

- The Session Man: Nicky Hopkins, a documentary film that tells the story of the prolific virtuoso session pianist Nicky Hopkins, is now available to stream in North America on Amazon and additional TVOD/PPV platforms. The Session Man will also be released on DVD in December 2024. For all viewing information, please visit www.thesessionmanfilm.com.  “Often described as ‘THE GOLDEN ERA of ROCK and ROLL,’ the road to success was littered with wannabe rock stars who believed that being self-taught on guitar or drums was a sure road to stardom. Ironically, many rock musicians from that era that became household names were self-taught. But others like Elton John and Nicky Hopkins were classically trained at respected institutions like The Royal Academy of Music in London. Unlike Elton, Nicky Hopkins was a side man. As a session pianist, his prolific output in the recording studio – over 250 albums – is testimony to the esteem that his virtuoso piano skills was held in by rock musicians and record producers. Whilst Nicky was celebrated by his peers, he was not a famous name. As Bob Lefsetz said about THE SESSION MAN film, ‘If your eyes light up when you hear the name Nicky Hopkins, you will want to see this movie.’"– Director Mike Treen

- British Musician Nia Smith has released her highly anticipated debut EP Give Up The Fear, with transcendent new single “Don’t Cry.” On her long-awaited 5 track debut EP, Nia Smith is making soaring, cinematic, soulful songs with raw and open lyrics about her life, all delivered through her distinct, unfaltering voice.   Nia worked with an impressive team of collaborators on the EP including Ed Thomas (known for his work with Jorja Smith, Stormzy), Violet Skies (Diana Ross, Cat Burns) and Jimmy Napes (Alicia Keys, Sam Smith).  Listen to Give Up The Fear: HERE.  Listen to “Don’t Cry”: HERE.

-  Just in time for the holidays, the newest single from Angels in the Snow, Olivia Newton-John’s highly-awaited holiday album, arrives, adding a special warmth to the season’s chill. “All Through the Night (Reimagined),” featuring the legendary Michael McDonald, is out today, blending Olivia’s angelic voice with McDonald’s soulful, unmistakable sound. This reimagined duet captures the spirit of a classic, bringing two Grammy-winning icons together for a song that feels both timeless and new.  McDonald, a five-time GRAMMY®-winner and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is known for his work with the Doobie Brothers and for solo hits like “I Keep Forgettin’” and “On My Own.” Now, in this holiday duet, he lends his signature voice to Olivia’s rendition of “All Through the Night.” The track releases today on all major streaming platforms, accompanied by a touching lyric video that captures the song’s warmth and reflective spirit. (Stream the single and pre-order the album HERE). 

- A&M/UMe celebrates 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, are available now in multiple formats, including CD, black vinyl, limited-edition gold vinyl, digital download, streaming, and ATMOS. Listen to or order Carpenters’ Christmas Once More HERE.

- Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ little known 1974 concert album, Saturnight: Live from Tokyo, is scheduled for release in the U.S. for the first time ever, 50 years after it was released only in Japan, due to contractual restrictions. Remastered from the original production master for the first time since its original release, the record will go on sale exclusively as part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday annual event on November 29^th. It will be available as an “RSD First” release on 180-gram Orange Splatter color vinyl. The LP has been cut at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios and will be packaged for the first time in a gatefold sleeve that includes lyrics and new liner notes from the band’s 1974 tour manager, Carl Miller, and bassist Bruce Lynch.  To pre-order or find it at a record store near you, visit: https://recordstoreday.com/UPC/602468083009.  Saturnight was recorded on June 22^nd, 1974, at Sun Plaza Hall in Nakano, Tokyo, Japan on the Japanese leg of Cat’s 1974 “Bamboozle World Tour.” The tour comprised 50 shows across North America, Europe, Australia and Japan to support the release of Buddha and the Chocolate Box. Cat had long felt an affinity with the aesthetic elegance and spiritual depth of Japanese culture, especially the principles of meditation and reflection upon which their traditions of poetry, design and craftsmanship are founded.

- Globally adored singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou idealizes a love story that hasn't even begun on “Better.” Buoyant melodies pave the way for Alice's honeyed vocals as she depicts the early, untouchable bliss of a new love that won’t necessarily stand the test of time. Nostalgic, vintage keys  dress the track in thoughts of cherished memories, sweetening the mirage of intense, fleeting connections — Stream.  Recorded at Cedar Creek Studio in Austin, TX while on the road with Clairo, the independently released track sees Alice joined by David Parry on guitar, Dekel Adin on bass and percussion, and Ziv Yamin on drums and piano.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: November 3, 2024

 

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: The Book of Carol: Oh yeah, eye guy is still around.  And I forgot he is a good guy now after not murdering a child.  Welcome back I guess.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  “I still haven’t watched The Wire yet” is probably something I might say if someone had a gun to my head.

 

But season four made the same mistake season three did in the killer reveal was a bit too melancholy instead of laugh out loud funny like the first two seasons.  Sure I chuckled a little at the bit on the ledge and let out a laugh when they zoomed in on Jan (for a second there, I thought they might be setting up Marshall as the murder for the next season which could have been interesting halving the killer be the next victim, oh well).  But neither was so funny I had to rewind because missed what came next because I was laughing so hard like with Charles being drugged or the Killer Reveal Party.

 

It was also disappointing with all the doubles this season and with all the mentions of the plot holes in the first season that the twist was Marshall killed Sazz and disposed of her body by himself while the potholes seemingly were just Sazz trying to tighten up her script.  I wonder if the references to the potholes were just the writers winking at their mistakes or are they just toying with us and will finally let us know who wrote Jan’s note and who poisoned Winnie (who finally made her triumphant return to the show; more Winnie next season) by the final season?

 

We also got our usual set up to the next season.  Poor Lester.  But there was also the Téa Leoni cameo as the wife of “The Neck” (I guess Nina Lin’s husband being called “The Neck” back in season  two is just a coincidence and one of the writers really like calling people “The Neck”).  So here is my prediction, Lester is somehow tied into “The Neck” and Téa Leoni had him killed to get the New Three Amigos on the case. 

 

Survivor:  Oh wow, another vote out where the person leaving had a mental breakdown.  Where are they finding these people?  It is time to go back to casting regular people with regular jobs instead of these annoying superfans.  And what a horrible advantage where you have to secretly give the advantage to someone else.  And the choice made it even more lame.

 

The Challenge: Battle of the Eras:  So we are just going to bounce back and forth between alliences every week, aren’t week?  It is time for a shake up.

 

Agatha All Along:  Oof, those last two episodes were horribly paced.  First we got the unnecessary gratuitous big fight, then a way too long flashback that just killed the finale.  But it ended up being much like WandaVision, great premise that just sputtered out at the end.