Saturday, June 02, 2012

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 6/02/12


Quote of the Week: We've all had nights in our life where we've made mistakes for free. (Pete, Mad Men)

Song of the Week: You Really Got Me – The Kinks (Mad Men)

Preview Picture of the Week:

The Pretty Little Liars are back


Big News of the Week: Summer Television Begins: Summer is the time to get caught up on television you missed (on my to watch list are Dexter seasons 3-6, the final season of Big Love, the first season of Game of Thrones, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 3, and the most recent season of The Middle) there are a few new shows on television that I will be checking out in real time. Here is what I’ll be watching this summer and their premiere dates.

Mondays
June 11, 9:00 – Bunheads (ABC Family)

Tuesdays
June 5, 8:00 - Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family)
June 5, 10:00 – Franklin and Bash (TNT)

Wednesdays
June 6, 10:00 – Royal Pains (USA)
June, 13, 10:00 – Dallas (TNT)

Thursdays
June 28 at 10:00 – Wilfred (FX)

Sundays
June 17, 9:00 – Falling Skies (TNT)
July 15, 8:00 – Leverage (TNT)
July 1, 10:00 - Weeds (Showtime)


The Killing: I have tried to avoid complaining about The Killing this season as I just patiently wake until Rosie Larson’s killers is revealed and then never watch this show ever again. But this week was so absurd I could no longer bite my tongue. I should have known something was going to go horribly wrong when the teacher showed up in the previously segment because the show came off the tracks in the episode where he got beat up by Stan, then exonerated of killing Rosie (surprise: he was saving Muslims from genital mutilation) leaving the cops with no suspects and back at square one. But the biggest slap to the dace is the whole metal institution storyline where we learn Linden was way too unstable to get a job back on the police force let alone be the lead detective of a high profile murder. She should have not even been allowed out, especially let out early. But apparently the mental health industry is just as inept in Seattle as their police department. Luckily they did insert a good laugh into the episode after Gwen mentioned the basketball video went viral yet only had about 1,500 views. A real viral video gets that many views in a minute, not a couple of hours.
You can download The Killing on iTunes.

Mad Men: I am not a fan of shock for the sake of shock, and you can say a lot of things about Mad Men like it is boring or slow moving, but it always avoids shock value (Peggy’s surprised baby and Don’s murder dream aside). Then Joan became a high class hooker. This really made her and Pete unredeemable (not that Pete was al that redeemable in the first place). Really all the partners but Don were complicit. And why would Joan want to be a partner with the people that pimped her out? The money argument for her son is moot because Roger would certainly make sure he is cared for. And why was Roger on board? Is he really okay with his former girl toy and baby mama giving herself away to some skeevy executive? I bet if Megan did not succumb to the casting couch this episode, I would not be surprised if that is coming soon. Unless Megan is part of the new generation who actually value their morals over quick advancement.
You can download Mad Men on iTunes.

Hatfields and McCoys: Can something both exceed and fall short of expectations? Even with quality actors Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton at the lead I feared that it would still be this low budget style mini-series, but it was nice to see History went all out (except casting from the J. Crew catalogue circa 1880 for the Romeo and Juliet storyline and if the dog was any more well groomed he would have had been wearing a Petsmart hanker chief). But on the other hand it still paled in comparison to Deadwood which was set around the same time. But I am completely on board for more History miniseries. And may I suggest their next one focus on another famous American rivalry: the Raymond Burr / Alexander Hamilton dual.

Free Download of the Week: Nothing's Real But Love – Rebecca Ferguson

Deal of the Week: Modern Classic for $2.99: Apparently Amazon’s definition of “modern” is the last twenty years because Achtung Baby and Low End Theory are both deeply discounted. You can also gram even more modern albums by Kanye West and Coldplay for the low price.



New Album Release of the Week: That's Why God Made the Radio - The Beach Boys

New DVD Release of the Week: Pretty Little Liars: The Complete Second Season

Video of the Week: Whenever there is a gratuitous shot in a movie trailer showing as much of a woman's backside as allowed by the FCC, they might as well tattoo on the posterior "This movie suck but we are hoping you will still come to see this derriere on the big screen." With that said, The Apparition may have the greatest horrible tagline ever in the history of cinema: "Once You Believe... You Die"



Of course since the booty in question belongs to Ashley Greene, I already have this movie added to my queue.

Next Week Pick of the Week: Pretty Little Liars, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family: I am probably more excited than an old dude should be for the return of the show, but Pretty Little Liars hit is strike going into the homestretch of the second season. Now that we know who A is (Mona) now we get to try to figure out who is also part of “The A-Team” and who is the shadowy figure behind her (meaning my theory that Allison is not as dead as they would have us believe is still alive as I think Allison is). Oh yeah, we also have another murder mystery to solve after Mya showed up dead in the final seconds of the finale.



Friday, June 01, 2012

Yeah, You Can’t Front on That


Check Your Head - Beastie Boys

Like most people, I came to Paul’ Boutique late and let face it, as great as it was, License to Ill was a novelty album for sophomoric guys. Really, Check Your Head is when I became a true fan of the Beastie Boys and that is why it is this month’s induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame. Released just eight months after Nevermind, the Beastie Boys rode the wave of alternative music mixing live instrumentation, the first time they played on the majority of the songs since their punk beginnings while keeping their hip-hop esthetics. Check Your Head pushed the boundaries of rap as far as Paul’s Boutique did but was assessable right off the bat.

Pass the Mic was a great introduction to the Boys new sound as the first single from the album, the passing of the mic would satisfy the hip-hop purists while attracting the new alternative crowd with the fuzzed out guitars. Later in the album they would go full out rock stars with Gratitude (setting the stage for one of their biggest hits Sabotage off their next album). And much like Sabotage, the song is built around a killer bass groove courtesy of MCA.

Even though they plugged in for the album, there are plenty of clever samples that made Paul’s Boutique revolutionary. So What-Cha Want is built off of When the Levee Breaks. And like a few songs on Paul’s Boutique, Finger Lickin’ Good drops the track and just lets a couple seconds of Bob Dylan’s Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues before going back to the weird mix of Aquarius and Dance to the Music. The Biz vs. The Nuge lives up to the name as it is just Biz Markie singing over Ted Nugent’s Homebound. And what would Pass the Mic be without the Jimmie Walker famous “Dynamite!”

They push their sound even further in the second half of the album when they go back to their punk roots with punky version of Sly Stone’s Time for Livin'. Something’s Got to Give is a trippy ride. They even throw in some funky instrumentals for good measure. We may have lost a true legend a couple weeks ago in MCA, but his work with the Beastie Boys will live on forever with the great albums he left behind.



Thursday, May 31, 2012

I Want My Music Television - 5/31/12


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

Lost In the World - Kanye West



Sure it has been over a year since Kanye West released his last album and has even dropped one with Jay-Z since then, but you can rush the man when it comes to his art. I’m a bit surprised he does not take Chinese Democracy style time to record new albums.


Payphone - Maroon 5



When I first heard the new Maroon 5 song I thought to myself, who uses a payphone anymore? It is nice that they explain this at the beginning of the video that his cell phone is broken. What is not explained is why when they got out of the bank, why does Adam Levine say to the cops, we are bankers. That could have alleviated the whole car chase sequence.


Ships in the Night - Mat Kearney



With the intro talking about how many miles, I was like, “what?” But as soon as Mat Kearney appeared on screen in the different locations, I realized that this was a very clever, if not extremely time consuming, concept.


Stuck on You - Meiko



If only I could cook, I would sure like to try Meiko’s recipe here but I am against any recipe that calls for a prep time over whatever time it takes to make a grilled-cheese sandwich.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Today We’re Younger than We’ll Ever Gonna Be


What We Saw from the Cheap Seats - Regina Spektor

In the past I have talked a lot about “quirky pop,” the sub-genre that was popularized by iPod commercials in the middle of last decade which is too weird for mass consumption but still manages to be highly assessable. I am not entirely sure who created the sub-genre, but Regina Spektor certainly perfected it. The Soviet born pianist has an eclectic delivery and sometime crams more words than you would expect into a line but still manages to deliver a beautiful song almost every time.

Now on her sixth album (and third since Fidelity became the closest thing as a smash hit for her) Regina has not changed much for What We Saw from the Cheap Seats. Mike Elizondo, who produced four songs off her last album and is best known for his work with Dr. Dre and Fiona Apple’s Extraordinary Machine, is back full time co-producing with Spektor which could explain why this album sounds a bit tighter production wise than her previous albums. But that is not necessary a bad thing like on Don’t Leave Me (Ne me quitte pas) which is an updated version of a song from her second album Songs (but sans any English in the title). Where the original is just Regina and her piano, the piano parts on the updated version is replaced by synthesizers and drums and a brass section is added. This may upset purists, but the song is much better with the makeover.

Even with the tighter production, the album still retains its fair share of quirkiness, for better or worse. The worse is on Open where Regina makes these weird and terrifying gasping sounds. But her beat boxing, scatting part of Oh Marcello works much better. I am still undecided on the loud pounding blows during first single All the Rowboats. And only Regina Spektor could tell the title character of Ballad of a Politician to “Shake what your mama gave you.” Though quirkiness if what people are drawn to Regina Spektor for, she still shows that she can write and perform more traditional and beautiful love songs like How.

Song to Download – Don't Leave Me (Ne me quitte pas)

What We Saw from the Cheap Seats gets a Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE] on my Terror Alert Scale.



Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Contest: Win Frozen Planet on DVD


Frozen Planet Blu-Ray cover


Scooter Update: This contest has ended and the winner will be contacted soon.


Yesterday was the unofficial start of summer and the season started in style with 90’s across the country. To help you cool down this summer, I am giving away the DVD of the original BBC series Frozen Planet. If you remember a couple weeks ago I reviewed the series (see: You’re as Cold as Ice) and since I was recently sent a second copy, and instead of using the DVD’s as cup coasters I have decided to give the copy to you the reader. All you have to do is fill out the form below and for fun tell me what you plan to do this summer to keep yourself cool (besides watching Frozen Planet of course). Check out the trailer below.



You can enter the contest once a day until the contest ends Friday, June 8 at 11:00 PM EST. The winner will then be picked at random from all eligible entries and will be contacted shortly after so I can get your shipping address. This contest is only open to people with a shipping address in the United States. For more on the series, check out the link above to my in depth review or head over to frozenplanetdvd.com. And yes this copy is the David Attenborough narrated version, not the version the recently aired on Discovery with Alec Baldwin as the narrator. For those that cannot wait or would prefer the Blu-Ray (or are reading this after the contest has ended), the Amazon links are below for purchase.



This contest has ended


Sunday, May 27, 2012

Previewing Witness: G.I. Homecoming


Tomorrow is Memorial Day which means a lot of hot dogs, potato salad, and some croquet (unless it does get over ninety like the weatherman suggest it will; which begs the question, why is there not a croquet video game yet?). But let’s not forget what the day is truly about: honoring those that have served and are serving our country. So when all the hamburgers have been eaten, plop the family down in front of the television as members of the military surprise their loved ones on Witness: G.I. Homecoming airing at 10:00 on the National Geographic Channel.

Since 9/11, over two million soldiers have been deployed overseas, some not to return. But many more have come home safely and in the past decade we have all seen emotional homecomings be it on local, national news or even on YouTube. Witness takes a look at some of the more memorial surprise homecomings and the stories behind them with home movies, war zone footage shot by the soldiers and original, first-person account of the soldiers and their family. The segments range from a father waking up his kids in the middle of the night to an elaborate like a surprise reunion in center field of Fenway Park. If you tune in, make sure you have a box of Klenex on hand because there will be tears.

Witness: G.I. Homecoming airs Memorial Day at 10:00 on the National Geographic Channel. What a clip below:

Graduation Surprise


Saturday, May 26, 2012

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 5/26/12


Quote of the Week: Yes my bad-boy prom date is gay. He just doesn’t know it yet, so I’m basically his beard. Pre-beard. His stubble. (Alex, Modern Family)

Song of the Week: Cocaine – Eric Clapton (Men At Work)

Scene of the Week:



Big News of the Week: Dan Harmon Fired: In true Hollywood fashion, the executives at Sony decided to not renew the contract of Community creator and executive producer Dan Harmon very late last Friday (it is where everyone likes to dump bad news in hopes it gets buried in the weekend). Even with its late release time, the internet still exploded the way only the internet can. Personally I could care less. Sure Harmon’s high concepts led to some great television, but he also had much more swings and huge misses. I really do not care who is behind the show as long as I continue to get my weekly dose of Alison Brie. And all the vitriol towards Song and NBC are pretty unwarranted. By all accounts Harmon is a douche who is hard to work with. You may be able to pull that off if you are Aaron Sorkin and are getting great rating (but even he got pushed out the door at The West Wing eventually) but you certainly cannot if you are pulling in The CW style ratings. And a note to the new showrunners: more Annie Edison please.

Preview Picture of the Week:

The Newsroom coming to HBO


Mad Men: Just when I thought the show could not come up with anything more distracting than a topless Rory Gilmore, Kinsey reappears as a Hare Krishna / Star Trek fan-fic writer. Coolbeans and touché Mad Men writers.
You can download Mad Men on iTunes.

Modern Family: What a horrible tease. I thought next season we would get more Dylan next season with Haley moving in with him, but no, she had to go ahead and get into college. Booo. Maybe she will get knocked up by the time next season comes around (while Gloria somehow gets unpregnant). And I may have pinpointed what was wrong with this season (aside from a lack of Dylan), they try to shoehorn in too many emotional moments like after a very funny telenovela bit they had to go ahead and ruin it with Mitchell having a very unfunny breakdown.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

Modern Family on iTunes


Revenge: Just when I thought the show was heading for yet another disappointing payoff when Emily ended up not killing the Albino, but then just as Emily was going to tell Jack everything, Not-Amanda shows up all pregnant (oh snap!) and Victoria got blow up in a plane by the Albino (double snap!!). Sure anyone who has ever watched a soap opera know there is a 0.0% chance that Victoria is actually dead (unless it turns out Madeleine Stowe is even harder to work with than Dan Harmon), same with Charlotte’s overdose, but at least we get to spend the next four months trying to figure out just how she comes back from the dead. Oh yeah, and real-Amanda’s mother is not quite dead as they had us believe. Somebody get Stowe’s Bad Girls co-star Mary Stuart Masterson on the phone.
You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Revenge on iTunes.

Awake: When the series premiered I predicted that the series finale would reveal that Det. Britton was the one that died in the car crash and his wife and kid were alive and well. Well two out of three is not bad. But it turns out I was right that both worlds were not real, I think (unless the Asian doctor was right and Britton cracked again creating a third reality which is what we were seeing at the end and a potential second season would have been split between three different realities; just the thought of that kind of makes me glad that it stopped after one season).
You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Awake on iTunes.

Free Download of the Week: If you missed my review of the debut from Kimbra (see I Can’t Explain Away the Way I Feel) I pointed out ways you could download three of her songs for free: you can get Warrior courtesy of Converse, Cameo Lover on iTunes, and Good Intent over at MTV.com. And in addition to those three, you can also grab Settle Down for the same price on Amazon MP3. That is 30% of her album you can get for free.

New Album Release of the Week: What We Saw From The Cheap Seats - Regina Spektor

New DVD Release of the Week: Gone

Video of the Week: It is ironic that when I was forced to read The Great Gatsby back in high school I had visions of Jay-Z, Kanye West and Jack White singing U2 going around in my head even though none at that point in time had released any music let alone back in the twenties where the book was set. It also donned one me that the book would make possibly the greatest 3-D movie of all time. Thank you Baz Luhrmann for bringing all of this to fruition with his adaptation of the film.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Hatfields and McCoys, Monday at 9:00 on History: Kevin Costner and Paxton play the patriarchs of the most famous feud of all time in the History mini-series which airs over three straight days.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Around the Tubes - 5/25/12


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 CBS, History, Pretty Little Liars, Insane or Inspired, Veep, Anger Management, South Beach Tow, and PBS.

- CBS was once again the most watched network of the season and to thank its viewers for keeping them on top, CBS is giving everyone a “Good-eBag” where you can download select episodes of current hit series like How I Met Your Mother and Survivor. And that is nor all, the network is hitting the road to travel to 60 cities in 60 days that may include such as face-to-face encounters with CBS personalities, video chats with CBS stars, previews and screenings of new series, contests, giveaways and more. Head over to cbs.com/thanks for download links and cbs.com/buzz for city dates (which will be announced soon).

- Also going on tour this summer is History for a Cross-Country Cookout featuring the cast of Pawn Stars, Rick Dale of American Restoration and the 80-foot Ultimate Smoker and Grill that can cook up to 2,000 pounds of BBQ at once. Head over to history.com/cookout for dates and cities.

- We are a week and a half away from the new season of Pretty Little Liars, and to get you “A” fix until then, you can go on the Pretty Little Puzzle Hunt to unlock an exclusive clip from the new season.

- New show alert! Tonight on Syfy, new show Insane or Inspired, check out a promo below:

Heroes – Insane or Inspired – Launch promo


- Check out the video below for the latest deleted scene from HBO’s Veep. If that is not enough Veep for you, head over to Vulture for outtakes from Selina Myers’s Obesity PSA.



- We are a month away from Charlie Sheen’s return to television and here is the latest clip from Anger Management:



- South Beach Tow wrapped up its second season earlier this week, but do not fret, the show just got renewed for a third season set to air in the fall.

- After their successful Downton Abby series and the upcoming London Olympics, PBS is going even more British this summer with new British series and returning favorites to the channel that feature heavy accents. Here is the line up for the most recent British Invasion this summer:

Series Premieres:

QUEEN & COUNTRY,Sundays, July 1-22, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET – This summer, all eyes are on Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s second longest-reigning monarch, as she marks her Diamond Jubilee. PBS celebrates her 60 years on the throne with Trevor McDonald’s QUEEN & COUNTRY,offering viewers a look at the customs surrounding the monarchy – from Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace to the Queen’s royal visits — and tours of historic royal places.

MICHAEL WOOD’S STORY OF ENGLAND,Tuesdays, July 3, 8:00-10:00 and July 10-17, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET – Historian Michael Wood filters the 2,000-year history of England through the story of one small town located in the heart of the country: Kibworth, Leicestershire. From the Roman era to the Norman Conquest, the Black Death, the English Civil War, the Industrial Revolution and World War II, the four-part series intertwines the local and national narratives, marking the milestones that changed the town and country forever.

New Episodes of Popular Shows:

MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!presents new episodes of its best British mysteries. With the premiere of “Endeavour,”Sunday, July 1, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET,viewers get the back story of famed detective Inspector Morse. Shaun Evans stars as the rookie constable who nearly resigns, until a murder turns up that only he could solve. Then Kevin WhatelyandLaurence Fox return as Inspector Lewis and DS Hathaway in “Inspector Lewis, Series V.” In four new episodes, airing Sundays, July 8-29, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET,the two tackle murder and mayhem in seemingly perfect academic haven ofOxford.

British Favorites Return to PBS:

QUEEN VICTORIA’S EMPIRE,Tuesdays, June 19-26, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET, takes a look at England’s transformation from a small island nation into an industrial superpower. With personal accounts and lush re-enactments, it is a story of influential men and a powerful queen who ruled over one-fifth of the world’s population for a remarkable 64 years.

MONARCHY: THE ROYAL FAMILY AT WORK, Mondays, June 11, 2012, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET and June 18-July 9, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET, provides an exclusive look inside the modern British monarchy. As she turned 80, Queen Elizabeth II allowed creation of this intimate series, which showsthe commonwealth’s most famous family as they travel abroad, work at the palace and meet people from all walks of life.

This Fall on PBS:

CALL THE MIDWIFE, Sundays, September 30 to November 4, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET– Based on the best-selling trilogy by the late Jennifer Worth, CALL THE MIDWIFE is a fascinating portrayal of birth, life and death in a world drastically different from ours. This six-part series offers an unconventional twist to Sunday-night British dramas and brings mid-20th-century London to life, focusing on the joys and hardships of a group of midwives working in London’s East End.

MASTERPIECE CLASSIC “Upstairs Downstairs,” Season 2
Sundays, October 7 to November 11, 2012, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET - The saga continues at 165 Eaton Place, with new characters upstairs and down, in a six-part sequel to the much-loved MASTERPIECE series from the 1970s. Set in 1936, the lives of masters and servants have never been so captivating, as two new arrivals make their mark and Lady Agnes reveals a dark secret. Alex Kingston (“ER,” “Doctor Who”) joins the cast. The six-part series follows MIDWIFE, starting October 7. Viewers can catch up on the first season with a three-hour marathon September 30.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Previewing Men at Work


The dudes of Men at Work

Last night’s Revenge essentially ended the Spring television season, but do not fret sun adverse people because the summer season starts tonight when TBS launches a new comedy Men at Work tonight at 10:00 (with a second episode premiering at 10:30). With the addition of Conan O’Brien, you would think the channel would have reinvested in its lineup but in the two years since signing the late night host, all they have show for it was a one and done eighties college show and a bunch of shows presented by Tyler Perry.

All that is about to change starting tonight when the first of two new sitcoms hit the channel that have nothing to do with Tyler Perry as well as the recently acquired Cougar Town which will premiere early next year (hopefully with a new name). They are also getting into the unscripted genre with four new shows also coming next year. And most importantly a show called Norm MacDonald Is Trending is currently in development and I am hoping for a pick up any second now.

Back to tonight. Men at Work does not exactly reinvent wheel or even copies the much hyped comedies of the day like Cougar Town, Men at Work is decisively old school. Just how old? The work referenced in the title is at a magazine. Nope, not even an online Zine, but a paper and ink kind. Not old enough for you? The secondary plot centers on a girlfriend trying to get one of the main characters to talk dirty to her just like the famous Seinfeld episode. Granted what Men at Work came up with was much dirty than asking if those were, “the panties your mother laid out for you.”

You have also seen these characters plenty of times before. James Lesure (Mr. Sunshine) is the horn dog, Adam Busch (The Jury) is the nerdy one, Michael Cassidy (Hidden Palms) is the douchebag with a heart of gold, while Danny Masterson (Joe’s Life) just got dumped and is living his own version of Swingers but without any new cool language (unless coining the word whorange counts) and instead of any swing music there is a song by The Avett Brothers (sorry, no Down Under usage, at least not yet).

Severely missing from the cast is anyone of the female persuasion. There is not even a sassy secretary at their place of business. Amy Smart (who apparently is doing a favor for Road Trip co-star Brekin Myers; oh yeah, did I forget to mention the show was created by that dude from Road Trip who also wrote the first three episodes? Hopefully he does not owe Tom Green any favors) shows up to break up with Masterson so there is always a chance she may show up again. But the only likely actress we will see more than once after the first episode is Busch’s girlfriend played by Meredith Hagner (Lights Out) because he really cannot break up with her because she is the boss’s daughter (who will show up in the form of J.K. Simmons in the second episode tonight and also gets the best laughs of the early season).

Sure Men at Work will probably get crushed by critics, and for the most part it will warranted, but I have to admit that I laughed more than once during the first episode. There is a sly Three's Company reference if you can catch it and it is hard to hate something that hard that makes fun of Dane Cook. The show may not reinvent the wheel but there are plenty of people who do not think it needs reinvented like all the people who were glad to see Tim Allen back on television last fall when he swapped three boys out for three girls and very little else.

Men at Work airs Thursdays at 10:00 on TBS.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

You Can’t Explain Away the Way I Feel


Vows - Kimbra

After years of pop radio being filled with bland pop and watered down rap with an occasional adult contemporary or country crossover song, Foster the People crashed the Top 40 last year with the weirdest hit song since the alternative craze of the nineties when MTV was still pushing buzzworthy bands. Their success opened up the door for more weird pop songs by fun. and the xylophone heavy Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye, both of which have kept more traditional pop songs from boy bands, Justin Bieber and the Call Me Maybe chick out of the number one spot on the Hot 100 since fun. topped the chart back on St. Patrick’s Day.

As good as the Goyte song is, let’s face it, Kimbra is what takes a good song and makes it great. We have all heard their fair share of kiss off songs, but rarely do we ever get to hear the other side of the story in the same song (I am sure the guy referenced in Since U Been Gone would have liked the chance to refute some of the claims in that song). I cannot remember it happening since Positive K’s I Got a Man. After two verses and a chorus of accusations of being coldhearted, Kimbra comes in and shoots back about how manipulative he is. Oh, snap.

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression and Kimbra did a very good job with her first impression here in the States. Even with Somebody That I Used to Know still at number one, Kimbra is ready to make a name for herself with her debut album Vows being released this week in America. Vows is the left of center pop music that you would expect from the small sliver of Kimbra you heard on the Gotye track, but it is a little jarring with how angry that song was that her album is very happy and hopeful and filled with tales of a much healthier relationship.

Right off the bat, Kimbra is ready to Settle Down, and raise a family and even has names picked out (Nebraska Jones). Throughout the thirteen tracks she shows off a vocal charisma that rivals her flashy persona using her voice as an instrument and not just a vessel to deliver lyrics be it the peppy boom’s in Settle Down or the haunting ooo’s in Plain Gold Ring. Musically the songs on Vows are so diverse you are not going to confuse one song from another be it the RnB flavor of Something in the Way You Are, the disco feel of Cameo Lover, Good Intent is the catchiest pop song on the album, the horns infused rock of Come Into My Head, the techno beats of Sally I Can See You.

As good as the previous songs on the album are, none are as good as the bonus track of Warrior, the song Kimbra did with Mark Foster (of the People fame) and producer A-Trak is the best song on the album and none of the songs reach the high of Somebody I Used to Know. But Vows lays down the foundation of what could be a great sophomore album, the way Adele took the massive jump inbetween her first two albums.

Song to Download – Something in the Way You Are

You can also download for free from this album Warrior courtesy of Converse, Cameo Lover on iTunes, and Good Intent over at MTV.com.

Vows gets a Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE] on my Terror Alert Scale.



Tuesday, May 22, 2012

I’m a Good Man with a Good Heart, Had a Tough Time, Got a Rough Start


Born and Raised - John Mayer

It dawned on me while listening to the new John Mayer new album that all his previous albums had a musical theme. Room for Squares was his pop album. Heavier Things was his blues album. Continuum was his soul album. And Battle Studies was his crappy concept album about dating and breaking up with Jennifer Aniston. It is clear listening to Born and Raised that he has entered his folk phase. The album even features about as much harmonica as electric guitars. Most of the album is just him as part of a four piece band with an occasional guest like trumpeter Chris Botti, violinist Sara Watkins formerly of Nickel Creek, and David Crosby and Graham Nash (sans Stills or Young) doing backing vocals.

Of course one of the main reasons Mayer may have retreated to the frozen country of Montana was that his stupid mouth got him in trouble time and time again in the promotion of his last album when talking about his racist genitalia and sexual napalm. When first single Shadow Days hit, it sounding like the singer was apologizing for saying too much again when he opens the song with the lines, “Did you know that you could be wrong and swear you’re right” and adds in the chorus, “I’m a good man with a good heart. Had a tough time, got a rough start.”

It turns out repentance is a big theme of Born and Raised. On If I Ever Get Around to Living It is hard not to think he is talking to himself when he asks somebody, “When you gonna wise up boy?” And I may not be a shrink, but Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey (which is followed by water, water, water, sleep) kind of sounds like a lyrical excuse for his spoken words. Then in the verses, there are lines like “The only deal I ever signed, the old devil drew a dotted line. The stage was set, the words were mine, I’m not complaining” which is followed by “it’s just a phase, it’s not forever (but I still might have a ways to go).”

Mayer saves his biggest regrets for the title track, a heartbreaking tale of his parents dissolving marriage which is worthy of the country sound where he laments it is “such a waste to grow up lonely.” But it is not all doom and gloom because the album actually ends with the Born and Raised (Reprise) is a bit more optimistic in a sitting around the firepit and singing a song with your friends at the end of the day kind of way. Born and Raised was a nice diversion into folk, hopefully John Mayer’s rock opus is coming next.

Song to Download – Queen of California

Born and Raised gets a Terror Alert Level: Elevated [YELLOW] on my Terror Alert Scale.



Monday, May 21, 2012

You Give a Little Heart, Give a Little Soul


The Brighter Side - Meiko

On her first album, Meiko created some of the quirkiest indie, acoustic guitar based, snarky songs that it is surprising she was not featured in an iPod commercial. She was basically Sara Bareilles with a guitar that would take an extra step across the preverbal line. With her snark in full view four years later it is surprising how mature she sounds on her sophomore album The Bright Side and stays serious for the most part (a song titled Good Looking Loser notwithstanding).

Not just mature but she at times even sounds sexy and she clearly has the voice for it. This is no more evident than on the first single Leave the Lights On where she coos over a subtle electro beat about secrets and something between the sheets. It may take a few listens for fans of her first album to get used to the dancey beat, but the song pushes her places that no one could have thought of after her debut. When the Doors Close takes those sensibilities from the first single and slows them down to great effect.

For those that loved that first album, there is still plenty to draw you in. Stuck on You and Let it Go are as catchy as anything on her freshman outing and you probably won’t be able to wait until she comes to your hometown so you can sing them back to her. But the highlights of The Bright Side are where Meiko expands her sound. I’m in Love is Meiko’s Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Sgt. Pepper moment with an ultra-catchy sing-a-long with some new instrumentations. The growth culminates on the last track, the sultry New Orleans jazz of I Wonder. If Meiko can make a leap like this musically from her first album to her second, I personally cannot wait for what she has in store for the listeners on her third.

Song to Download – I'm In Love

The Bright Side gets a Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE] on my Terror Alert Scale.


Sunday, May 20, 2012

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 5/20/12


Once Upon a Time: I call shenanigans. How it is after countless numbers of times that Emma has touched the book that this time is the time she touched it and all the saddened started to believe? Shenanigans. And why, at this point, does no one go with true love’s kiss to begin with? It popped in my mind last week when Henry first ate the turnover yet no one realized that it could cure him until after it happened. I am a bit surprised that the curse ended up breaking at the end of the first season finale. So are there going to be any fairytale flashbacks next season? It seems silly if there is going to be magic and everyone knows their past in the real world.
You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Mad Men: Like last week when all I could think about was why is Rory Gilmore giving it up to the obnoxious Pete Campbell (and what the frack was Mr. Belding doing there), this week all I could think of after the episode was why was Rory Gilmore topless on Mad Men? I vaguely remember Betty eating whip cream out of a can and the Jewish alien throwing a hissy fit, but the stunt casting on the show this season is really getting distracting. Almost as distracting: titling the episode Dark Shadows the same week the movie reboot is released to theaters.
You can download Mad Men on iTunes.

How I Met Your Mother: The first half reminded me of the most recent Community clip show that was not an actual clip show where the writers complied all their half baked ideas into one show. The second half was pretty predictable as I saw Barney proposing to Quinn via magic trick only for the bride turning out to be Robin miles away, the same for Victoria showing up to the bar on her wedding day with Ted driving her back to the church. Granted I did not see him driving past it. Not that I really mind because much like Robin, I think Victoria is the best girlfriend Ted has had and certainly the only one I would like see ending up the mother. Though it would be hard to explain how she turns out to be the mother if Ted met the mother at Barney’s wedding as previously stated.
You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

Suburgatory: Holy James Ingram< sighting! I actually thought James was going to turn out to be Lisa’s real father but I guess her brother is still in play. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Suburgatory on iTunes.

Revenge: I am always against the “x amount of time early” cold open to an episode, but to promise a death early on only for it to turn out to be a dog is cruel and inhumane. Just how many death sequences can one show screw up?
You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Revenge on iTunes.

Community: For the second half the season, it has been fun watching each episode trying to figure out the exact moment where Chevy Chase really got fed up with the absurd storyline. I think we had a winner with the 8-bit episode. As much as I loved the old school Nintendo games, it was hard not to think that Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’s ode to the time period in gaming was much better with its live action homage. And it is odd that they ended the season not with the epic heist episode but the more low key (or as low key as an episode with an evil doppelganger trying to hack off someone’s arm can be) trail episode especially since they just did a Law and Order episode not too long ago. It was like the season Buffy the Vampire Slayer vanquished the Big Bad in the penultimate episode and spent the finale dreaming about cheese.
You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Best of the Week - 5/19/12


Quote of the Week: Being voted out I was really, really upset. All three of you hurt me very, very badly. And Kim, I am just destroyed by you. But what I kinda want to tell you is that I have a secret that I want to tell you. When I was little I went through two open heart surgeries when I was 12 years old and in order for me to have kids I had to have another open heart surgery in twelve years which means 22 baby. So I will be going in next year and I am doing it again. So I had to hide that from you guys, so I didn’t want to show you that weakness. But that’s why I don’t have time to be mad at you three. (Kat, Survivor)

Song of the Week: One Hundred Ways - James Ingram (Suburgatory)

Scene of the Week:



Big News of the Week: Network Upfronts: When the network announce their fall schedule, everyone naturally looks to see what is worth watching next season (check out my list of The Five New Shows of the Fall that Will Suck the Least). But also a fun game is trying to figure what will be canceled first, so fun that Grantland even created a Fall TV Cancelation Fantasy League last year. And since every draft needs its own Mel Kiper, I will go ahead and throw my hat in the ring with my first mock draft. Please note that the mock draft has absolutely nothing to do with quality (critical darling Lone Star took home the first canceled award two years ago), but what I think will be canceled first.

1. Guys with Kids (Wednesdays at 8:30 on NBC) – This has everything you look for in a potential cancelation: it looks horrible (Jamie Lynn Sigler doing comedy), in a killer timeslot (established comedy Suburagtory, Survivor, and the train wreck that will be Britney Spears), and a horrible lead in (fellow new show Animal Kingdom; it is clear one of these two show will get canceled early on, I am hoping for the crappier one). Really you could make a case for every new show NBC is premiering this fall, but they cannot possibly cancel everything, can they? Somehow Whitney and Up All Night even got second seasons.

2. Ben and Kate (Tuesdays at 8:30 on Fox) – Also a three tool show as above, but not to the same extent. Although also a tough timeslot (The Voice and Dancing with the Stars result shows and NCIS), it does not air against any other comedy at that hour so if you are against reality shows and are under sixty this may be your only option, and though not strong, Raising Hope does have a built in audience and people may tune into The New Girl early.

3. The Mob Doctor (Mondays at 9:00 on Fox) – The chick from My Boys is playing a doctor. A doctor for the mob. Seriously. Bonus points for airing in the former Lone Star timeslot. Poor Matt Saresen, maybe it is time to stop auditioning for doctor roles.

4. Last Resort (Thursdays at 8:00 on ABC) – Speaking of cursed timeslots, since Ugly Betty, scripted shows that have occupied this timeslot have included Flash Forward, My Generation (was only beaten out by Lone Star for first cancelation of 2010 because it started later), Charlie’s Angels, and Missing. I have a feeling a serialize show about a rouge submarine will not change the timeslot’s luck.

5. Partners (Mondays at 8:30 on CBS) – For the last couple seasons CBS has used The Big Bang Theory and 2 and a Half Men to launch new shows but strangely this season they paired up both shows on Thursdays leaving the aging How I Met Your Mother, that routinely got out-rated by the freshman show that followed it 2 Broke Girls, to launch its lone comedy this fall. Also, have I mentioned that Sophia Bush and Brandon Routh are cast in this supposed comedy? And isn’t Partners just How to Be a Gentleman from last season but instead of an ambiguously gay homosexual, there is an actual gay homosexual? But as Gentleman showed us, CBS has shown in the past a quick hand at pulling horrible comedies that would be the highest rated show not named Modern Family on any other network so expect the not quite canceled yet Rules of Engagement back in this timeslot by Thanksgiving.

Preview Picture of the Week: New show Bunheads about a Vegas showgirl turned small town dance instructor premieres June 11 and ABC Family has released its first pictures from the show, here is one:

Sutton Foster from Bunheads coming to ABC Family


Free Download of the Week: Good Vibrations – Beach Boys (Google Play)

New Album Release of the Week: Born and Raised - John Mayer

New DVD Release of the Week: Sherlock: Season Two

Video of the Week: History’s latest miniseries Hatfields and McCoys premieres this Memorial Day and here is a clip to get you prepared:

Hatfields and McCoys: The Beginnings


Next Week Pick of the Week: Revenge, Wednesday at 10:00 on ABC: The first season of Revenge asked the very important question of: when does a guilty pleasure stop being guilty and becomes just a pleasure? I am still on the fence because there is still some pretty bad acting (silly teenagers) and I still am not happy how they resolved what the set up in the premiere, but I am still really looking forward to the finale. Hopefully unlike the least episode, there better be blood. And not just of the canine version (R.I.P. Sam).

Friday, May 18, 2012

Around the Tubes - 5/18/12


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 NBC, Veep, True Blood, The Geo Bee 2012, CMT Music Awards, Seventeen, The New Yorker, Oprah's Next Chapter, Forensic Firsts, Saturday Night Live, Mob Wives, and TNT:

- NBC unveiled its Fall schedule this week and here is a look of the new shows coming your way in about four to five months.

The Show, It’s the Thing


- Here is the latest deleted scene from the HBO show Veep:



- Last week HBO released its first posters for the new season of True Blood and this week they released a new poster created by you the fans of the show. Take a gander below:

True Blood HBO Poster


- Spelling enthusiasts have had the Spelling Bee for a while now, and not there is a Bee for those of us that are a fan of geography. The Geo Bee 2012 premieres Thursday 8:00 on National Geographic channel and will be hosted by Alex Trebek.

- The first list of performers for this year’s CMT Music Awards was announced so look out for Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band to take the stage Wednesday June 6 starting at 8:00.

- Modern Family‘s Sarah Hyland covers the June / July issue of Seventeen where she discusses a very serious illness where she has been battling kidney dysplasia and her life saving transplant she underwent in April.

- In the most recent issue of The New Yorker, Emily Nussbaum reviews ABC’s new series Scandal and more generally about race on television.

- Coming this Sunday on OWN, Carrie Underwood and her husband Mike Fisher talks to Oprah in their first joint interview on Oprah’s Next Chapter. Also coming to the shjow soon is Neil Patrick Harris (June 3) and Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker (June 10).

- New show alert! Forensic Firsts will premiere Sunday, June 17 at 9:00 on the Smithsonian Channel which will uncover the secrets behind the science of today’s criminal investigators.
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- For the first time ever, Saturday Night Live will be using new technology (the free Color app) to live broadcast backstage on their May 19th Season Finale featuring host Mick Jagger and special guests Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire. The cast and crew will be using Color, the new app that lets you instantly capture and share LIVE video broadcasts and photos with friends on Facebook. Essentially SNL will broadcast from their phone to yours, and fans will get a rare peek into what really happens backstage during the week of rehearsals and during the LIVE show and the commercial breaks.

- Mob Wives Season 2 Reunion – Part One hosted by Joy Behar airs this Sunday at 8:00. And you guessed it, Part 2 airs next Sunday. My sources tell me it will be intense and explosive.

- The major networks (and The CW) were not the only ones hold their upfronts this week, TNT and TBS both unveiled some projects they have in development, take a look at them below:

TNT Scripted Series in Development
King and Maxwell – Bestselling author David Baldacci's popular characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell aren’t your typical pair of private investigators. Both are former secret service agents, and their unique skill set (not to mention their razor-sharp chemistry) often gives them a leg up on both suspects and conventional law enforcement. Baldacci serves as a consultant on the project. Executive Producer: Shane Brennan. Produce r: Karen Spiegel and Grant Anderson. Studio: CBS Television Studios.

The Last Ship – In this exciting action/adventure project based on the popular novel by William Brinkley, the crew of a naval destroyer is forced to confront the reality of a new existence when a pandemic decimates most of the earth's population. Michael Bay (Transformers) intends to direct the pilot if it is green lit. Executive Producers: Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form, Hank Steinberg (showrunner and writer) and Steve Kane (writer). Production Company: Platinum Dunes.

Legends – This suspenseful, action-packed drama is being developed by Howard Gordon, Jeffrey Nachmanoff and Mark Bomback from the novel Legends by Robert Littell. The story follows a deep-cover operative named Martin Odum, who has an uncanny ability to transform himself into a different person for each job. But his own identity comes into question when a mysterious stranger suggests that Martin isn’t who he thinks he is. Executive Producers: Howard Gordon, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, Alexander Cary and Jonathan Levin. Studio: Fox Television Studios.

Lew Archer – Based on the title character from Ross McDonald's popular novels, this project from The Closer creator James Duff and Close to Home creator Jim Leonard follows the sleuth many consider to be "the original P.I." Executive Producers: James Duff, Jim Leonard (writer) and Steve N. White. Studio: Warner Horizon Television.

Tom Clancy's Homeland Security – This event-based procedural written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and set in Tom Clancy's world of espionage pits a select team of domestic intelligence operatives against enemies within and without, from narco-traffickers and nuclear terrorists to cyber-criminals and human smugglers. Executive Producers: Tom Clancy, Michael Ovitz, Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Chris George.

Untitled Steven Bochco Murder Mystery project – This suspenseful and intriguing crime drama will intimately dissect a single murder case over an entire season, from the commitment of the crime through the investigation, arrest and trial. Executive Producer: Steven Bochco (writer). Co-Executive Producer: Eric Lodal (writer).

Untitled Ron Shelton family drama – A disgraced football coach loses his high-profile job in Los Angeles and winds up moving his three kids and 70-year-old father to Louisiana. But this might just be the fresh start they need in this insightful drama from the writer/director of Bull Durham. Executive Producers: Ron Shelton (writer), Michele Weisler and Andrea Buchanan.

TNT Unscripted Series in Development
American Troubadours –From one of the executive producers of American Idol and film star Matthew McConaughey, this new reality competition series is on a mission to discover the best unsigned bar band in America, singer/songwriter bands that represent the greatest tradition of rock and roll. Executive Producers: Nigel Lythgoe, Matthew McConaughey and Anastasia Brown. Production Companies: Nigel Lythgoe Productions and J.K. Livin Foundation.

Cold Justice – This docu-drama, produced by EmmyĂ’ winners for such series as Law & Order, Project Runway and Top Chef, will follow former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and crime scene investigator Yolanda McClary as they crack cold cases. Executive Producers: Dick Wolf, Tom Thayer, Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz. Production Companies: Wolf Films and Magical Elves.
Rivals – From the producers of Laguna Beach and Jockeys comes this riveting series set in the glamorous world of thoroughbred horse racing. Executive Producers: Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein for BermanBraun; Gary Ravet for Promark Productions; and Gary Auerbach and Tina Gazzero for Go Go Luckey.

24/7: Los Angeles – OscarĂ’-winning documentary filmmaker Robert Port crafted this gripping, all-access look at the men and women who protect the streets of Los Angeles. Executive Producers: Robert Port, Michael Goldstein and Michael Larkin. Production Company: Port Films.

TBS Scripted Series in Development
The Kid – To try and get his game back, a young and socially naĂ¯ve golf prodigy named Quinn teams up with Joey, an unconventional new caddy. But much to the dismay of his father, Quinn learns more than just golf, as this new duo makes its way into the high-rolling, fast-moving big-time world of professional golf. The Kid is written by Donald Todd from a story by Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Bamberger and writer Jay Hass, along with David Morse (TremĂ©) and professional golfer Phil Mickelson's longtime caddy, Jim "Bones" Mackay. Executive Producers: Donald Todd, Greer Shephard and Michael M. Robin. Production Company: The Shephard/Robin Company. Studio: Warner Horizon Television.

Most Likely – It has been ten years since high school, and the former “most likely to succeed” star student returns to his hometown after losing his job. He winds up working for the former (and still) “most popular” jock in this mismatched buddy comedy penned by Josh Heald (Hot Tub Time Machine). Executive Producers: Conan O’Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger. Co-Executive Producer/Writer: Josh Heald. Production Company: Conaco LLC. Studio: Warner Horizon Television.

Zone Lord – Conan O'Brien serves as executive producer on this sitcom with an intergalactic twist. Three roommates awake one morning to discover an evil but very hip alien has moved into their building, along with his diminutive navigator. Executive Producers: Conan O'Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger. Co-Executive Producer/Writer: Ross Venokur. Production Company: Conaco LLC. Studio: Warner Horizon Television.

TBS Unscripted Series in Development
Norm MacDonald is Trending – TBS has ordered a pilot presentation of this talk show from some of the executive producers behind Sports Show with Norm MacDonald and Real Time with Bill Maher. SNL alumnus and former "Weekend Update" anchor Norm MacDonald hosts as he and his team of correspondents sort through the churning mass of pop culture and social media to pull out the funniest, most bizarre and entertaining events so you don’t have to. Executive Producers: Norm MacDonald, Marc Gurvitz and Lori Jo Hoekstra.

Untitled Competition Game Show – This big, unique and physically challenging competition series is being developed by Jared Hoffman and produced by Alloy Digital's Generate Studios, which was co-founded by Jordan Levin and Pete Aronson. Executive Producer: Jared Hoffman. Production Company: Generate Studios.