Sting Reveals His "57th & 9th" Album Plans

A&M/Interscope Records has announced the release of Sting’s new album, 57th & 9th, his first rock/pop project in over a decade, on November 11. 

Now available for pre-order, 57th & 9th represents a wide range of Sting’s musical and songwriting styles, from the ferocious, Road Warrior-style imagery of “Petrol Head,” to the anthemic, “50,000” and the raucous, guitar-driven first single, “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You.” The album was recorded with Sting’s long-time collaborators Dominic Miller (guitar) and Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and includes contributions from drummer Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails, Guns n’ Roses), guitarist Lyle Workman and the San Antonio-based Tex-Mex band The Last Bandoleros. Riding a wave of inspiration, 57th & 9th came together impulsively, with sessions completed in just a few weeks.

“It happened very quickly, very spontaneously,” the ex-Police-,man says. “My idea always is to surprise myself and the people I'm working with—and, hopefully, the listeners.”

Earlier today, he debuted “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You” with a world premiere performance on the Kevin & Bean show at KROQ, LA’s premiere alternative rock station.

Bryan Adams' "Wembley 1996 Live" set for DVD release

On October 14, 2016, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Wembley 1996 Live by Bryan Adams on DVD  [MSRP $15.98].

This is the first ever DVD release of this famous Bryan Adams show and it is packed with classic tracks including: “Summer Of ’69”, “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”, “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started”, “The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You”, “It’s Only Love”, “Run To You”, “Kids Wanna Rock,” “18 ‘Til I Die”, “All For Love”, “Heaven”, “Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman” and many more! The storming rendition of “It’s Only Love” features Melissa Etheridge as a special guest.

It was July 27th, 1996 and a sell-out crowd in excess of 70,000 welcomed Bryan Adams to Wembley Stadium on his 18 ‘Til I Die Tour in support of the multi-platinum album of the same name. 18 ‘Til I Die had been released a few weeks earlier and hit the No.1 spot on the UK Albums Chart and gone Top 5 right around Europe. The show opened with the album’s first hit single “The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You” and immediately the stage was set for an energetic, hit packed performance which was received with wild enthusiasm by the huge crowd.
Wembley 1996 Live is a legendary show for Bryan Adams fans, finally being released on DVD for the first time. With Bryan Adams touring in the US and Canada this September, there is no better time to reconnect with this fantastic performer.

Romance Fiction Doc "Love Between the Covers" Out September 27

Romance fiction is the behemoth of the publishing industry; it outsells mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy combined. Yet no filmmaker has ever taken an honest look at the global community romance writers and readers have built - until now.
This funny and inspiring look into a billion-dollar industry turns up trailblazers who've found fortunes and fulfillment in romance, who are on the front lines of a revolutionary power shift in publishing. Creating online empires and inventing new markets are authors like pioneer of African American romance Beverly Jenkins, Shakespeare professor and romance rockstar Eloisa James, surgeon and lesbian romance legend Len Barot, and the incomparable Nora Roberts.

For three years, we follow the lives of five published romance authors and one unpublished newbie as they build their businesses, find and lose loved ones, cope with upheaval, and earn a living doing what they love. In the process, we discover a global storytelling sisterhood.
Love Between the Covers takes us into one of the few spaces where strong female characters are always center stage, where justice prevails in every book, and the broad spectrum of desires of women from all backgrounds are not feared, but explored unapologetically.

Gene Wilder, Star of 'Willy Wonka' and Mel Brooks Classics, Dies at 83

 The comic actor was at his best in 'The Producers,' 'Blazing Saddles' and 'Young Frankenstein' and teamed with Richard Pryor in four films.

Gene Wilder, the leading man with the comic flair and frizzy hair known for teaming with Mel Brooks on the laugh-out-loud masterpieces The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, has died, his family announced. He was 83.

The two-time Oscar nominee also starred as a quirky candy man in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and in four films alongside stand-up legend Richard Pryor.

Wilder's nephew, Jordan Walker-Pearlman, said that the actor died Sunday night at home in Stamford, Conn., after a three-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Continue at hollywoodreporter.com/news/gene-wilder

DEFYING THE NAZIS: SHARPS’ WAR” on DVD September 20

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing “DEFYING THE NAZIS: SHARPS’ WAR”, a new documentary co-directed by Ken Burns and Artemis Joukowsky on DVD. This is the story of a little-known but important mission by an American minister and his wife to rescue refugees and dissidents in Europe before and after the start of World War II.

“DEFYING THE NAZIS: SHARPS’ WAR” will be available on DVD September 20^th, 2016. The run time of the program is approximately 90 minutes on 1 disc, and the SRP is $24.99. The program will also be available for digital download.   

The film tells the story of Waitstill and Martha Sharp, a Unitarian minister and his wife from Wellesley, Massachusetts, who left their children behind in the care of their parish and boldly committed to multiple life-threatening missions in Europe. Over two dangerous years they helped to save hundreds of imperiled political dissidents and refugees fleeing the Nazi occupation across Europe.

The story is cinematically told through the letters and journals of the Sharps, with Tom Hanks as the voice of Waitstill and Marina Goldman as the voice of Martha. It features firsthand interviews with the now adult children whom the Sharps saved, as well as leading historians, authors and Holocaust scholars, including William Schulz, Deborah Dwork, Modecai Paldiel, Ghanda DiFiglia and Yehuda Bauer.

TriStar to Develop The Phantom Tollbooth Film

the tracking-board  reports that The Three Misfortunes of Gepetto scribe Michael Vukadinovich has been signed on to write a fresh take on the beloved children’s classic THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH for Sony's Tristar Pictures. The book, first published in 1961, was written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer.

The book tells the story of a bored young boy named Milo who unexpectedly received a magic tollbooth one afternoon and, having nothing better to do, decides to drive through it in his toy car. The tollbooth transports him to a land called the Kingdom of Wisdom, where he acquires two faithful companions, has many adventures, and goes on a quest to rescue the princesses of the kingdom from a castle in the air.

Donald De Line is producing through his De Line Pictures with Ed McDonnell of Maple Shade Films. Nicole Brown is the studio exec for Tristar.

The project has been in development for several years with various producers and only recently moved to Tristar from Warner Bros., where Gary Ross was previously attached to direct a script from Watchmen scribe Alex Tse. It’s no wonder that attempts to adapt the book to the big screen endure, as fans and critics alike favorably compare it to A Wrinkle in Time, Alice in Wonderland, and The Wizard of Oz. 

Vukadinovich, who landed on the 2011 Hit List and Black List with his spec The Three Misfortunes of Gepetto and later made his way to the 2014 Young & Hungry List, seems like an appropriate choice to adapt the book. He recently tackled drafts of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride for Disney and the The Wind and the Willows remake starring Ricky Gervais. He is currently adapting Matthew Quick’s YA novel Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock for Channing Tatum and TWC.

BBC Home Entertainment to Release THE HUNT, Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, on September 6

Natural history legend Sir David Attenborough (Life, Africa) narrates an extraordinary, intimate look at the animal behaviors of both predator and prey in The Hunt, available on Blu-ray and DVD with a bonus 50-mintue making-of special September 6, 2016 in the U.S. and December 6, 2016 in Canada. From multi-Emmy-winning executive producer Alastair Fothergill (Planet Earth, Frozen Planet), The Hunt explores the remarkable strategies employed by hunters across the world, from hotrod ants in the boiling Namib Desert, where the sand temperature reached 158˚F – hot enough to melt the cameraman’s boots – to polar bears of the frigid Arctic, filmed for the first time engaged in the mythical “meltwater pools hunt,” using holes in the ice to steal closer to their prey. The BBC AMERICA series is loaded with both filming and technology “firsts,” including the first time the world’s smallest marine animal – the South American marine otters – have ever been filmed.

A celebration of nature’s most determined, specialized and cunning predators and their equally cunning and elusive prey, The Hunt illustrates in dramatic detail the challenges animals face and the tactics they employ both on land and in the water, with each episode centering on one of our planet’s key habitats.

Special features include:

Making of The Hunt: This 50-minute making-of follows the crews as they capture some of the most memorable scenes from the series.


Technology Firsts:

The Hunt was the first to capture footage of tigers with a Cineflex, and not just from a jeep – they rigged an elephant with the camera in order to capture outstanding quality film of a tiger stalking and making a kill within the forest.
The crew used a specialized rig comprised of a tiny camera on a lightweight crane that allowed them to ‘fly’ over army ants, capturing them for the first time in ultra-slow-motion (120 frames per second). This is also the first time a full raid on another ant colony has been filmed.
The Chiroteuthis squid typically lives between 300-1000m deep – the pressure at this depth is enough to snap human bones. Because their natural habitat is so cold and dark, the crew had to recreate these conditions in a specially refrigerated room and film them under infrared lights.

Filming Firsts for Television:

Until now only a handful of underwater shots of the planet’s largest predator – the blue whale – existed, and none showed the full 90 feet of this animal in ultra-high definition. The crew spent 56 days at sea, from dawn till dusk, searching for whales with the goal of capturing them feeding. After 560 hours of work the success of the shoot came down to a spectacular seven minute feeding event on just one day.
The Darwin’s bark spider was only described by scientists in 2010 and has never been filmed for broadcast before. Like a real life Spiderwoman, females can spray silk in one continuous strand a distance of 25 meters in order to create a bridging line across a river from which they can hang their web. The bridging line is no ordinary silk, as its incredible elasticity makes it the strongest natural fiber on the planet – 10 times stronger than Kevlar, the material used in bullet proof jackets.
An Assistant Producer witnessed arctic foxes adopting a new strategy for capturing nesting Arctic little auks. There is little cover on the scree slopes beneath the cliffs, and the foxes run at the auks directly knowing they will be seen and the auks will take flight. This did not bother them as the crew observed a fox curling up into a ball and staying very, very still waiting for the moment when the auks’ attention was diverted by another predator. As the auks came in to land they forgot the fox was there, until it leapt vertically into the air to pluck an auk out of the sky. This behavior was captured by the crew for the first time.


Street Date: September 6, 2016 (U.S.) / December 6, 2016 (Canada)

Suggested Retail Price: DVD $39.99 ($49.98 in Canada) / Blu-ray $49.99 ($59.98 in Canada)

Length: Approx. 350 mins + bonus content / 2-disc set

Kicks OST out on September 9

Uni's Back Lot Music will release the soundtrack album for Focus World's Kicks – the debut feature film from director Justin Tipping – on September 9, it was announced Friday on Billboard.com.  The Kicks Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Dre, RJD2, Charles Bradley, Iamsu!, Marc E. Bassy and Brian Reitzell. The soundtrack will release day and date with the film's theatrical release on September 9 on CD. A vinyl version of the album is planned for release later this year.

The music of the film Kicks acts almost as another lead character in Tipping's urban coming-of-age tale set in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was important to have the film be reflective of a place and time, and local Bay Area artists like Mac Dre, Iamsu!, Roach Gigz, Dave Steezy and NanosauR help to do just that. Almost every song heard in the film is available as part of the soundtrack album. It also boasts songs that you can't get anywhere else from NanosauR, Jay Casio & Brian Reitzell.

 

The songs in the movie are held together by composer Reitzell's pulsating score, which often acts as the music bed for some of lead actor Jahking Guillory's poignant moments of spoken rap. Creating his own unique method of scoring films, Reitzell draws equally from his experience as a recording and touring musician. His vision for this film score was to create a seamless landscape of songs, score and source music. It also helps that Reitzell himself is from the East Bay area, where the film takes place. "I have always wanted to score a film based there," says Reitzell. "Justin [Tipping] captured the look and feel of the place in such a real way. It was a very natural process for me because I felt so connected to it. The people, the streets, BART trains, the music… it's under my skin."

 

Meatloaf's New "Speaking in Tongues" tune- Listen

Once again, Meat Loaf is showing his softer side with his powerful new tune, “Speaking in Tongues,” listen above, which EW recently premiered. The track is the second single from the rocker’s upcoming album, Braver Than We Are, which releases September 16.

Backed by piano and gospel singers, Meat Loaf delivers an anthemic mid-tempo performance that starts sparse but grows into a booming chorus with help from vocalist Stacey Michelle. The track was written by Meat Loaf’s longtime collaborator Jim Steinman, who helped write the singer’s massively successful Bat Out of Hell albums. “Jimmy had a piece of this that I’ve been listening to it for six years, and I’ve been bugging him like crazy to finish the song,” Meat Loaf said in a statement to EW. “Right before we finished the record, he finally did. The melodies are spectacular. And Stacy Michelle’s vocal part is beyond. I said to her, ‘Do a Merry Clayton vibe, like on the Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”,’ and she gave it to me.” The track is a bit of a shift from Meat Loaf’s forceful, grandiose lead single from the record, “Going All the Way,” which he released back in June.

PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT to DVD on October 25th

 PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT presents a feature-length chronicle about the life of Peggy Guggenheim, the collector, gallerist and Guggenheim family heiress who became a leading figure in the modern art movement as she assembled one of the world’s great troves of modern art and releases on DVD on October 25, 2016 from Music Box Home Entertainment.

The second feature directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland (Diana Vreeland: The Eye has to Travel), PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT reveals Guggenheim to be a remarkably vibrant character who was not only ahead of her time but helped to define it. As she moved through the cultural upheaval of the 20th century, she collected not only art, but artists. Her colorful personal history included trysts, affairs and marriages with such figures as Samuel Beckett, Max Ernst, Jackson Pollock, Marcel Duchamp as well as many others. While also fighting through personal tragedy, she maintained her vision to build one of the most important collections of modern art, which is today enshrined in her famous Venetian palazzo. Ultimately, PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT gives stunning insight into modern art and its most illustrious figures, while celebrating the formidable woman who brought them to fame.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ new studio album, Skeleton Tree, Out September 9

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ sixteenth studio album Skeleton Tree will be released globally on vinyl, CD  on September 9, 2016.

Skeleton Tree will be launched with screenings around the world of One More Time With Feeling, a unique feature film about the making of the album. A must-see in 3D, tickets for September 8 launch screenings of One More Time With Feeling are said to be going very quickly.

The tracklist titles for Skeleton Tree are as follows:
1.    Jesus Alone
2.    Rings of Saturn
3.    Girl in Amber
4.    Magneto
5.    Anthrocene
6.    I Need You
7.    Distant Sky
8.    Skeleton Tree

Small Bill$, from Regina Spektor, off of her New "Remember Us to Life"- Listen

In celebration of Regina Spektor’s seventh album Remember Us To Life, out September 30 on Sire/Warner Bros. Records, Stereogum premiered the track “Small Bill$”. check it out above from Baker & taylor. They noted “it’s a deep-grooving, bass driven banger with Spektor singing intricate cadences that border on rapping. She laces vivid, alluring tales over hard-hitting drums and quick violin flourishes before easing up on the hook with infectious, melodic la-la’s. Her control of temperament on this track is excellent.”

Ms Spektor is also set for a limited run of North American tour dates surrounding the release, beginning in Los Angeles on September 29. Tickets for all shows went on sale Friday, August 19, with the exception of a special show at Rough Trade NYC for which tickets are only available via a special lottery system accessible via the tour listing at ReginaSpektor.com.  See below for a
full list of dates.

Morton Schindel, Founder Of Weston Woods Studios, Dies At Age 98

Morton Schindel, founder of Weston Woods Studios, the leading provider of audiovisual materials adapted from award-winning children's books, died peacefully Saturday, August 20, 2016 at age 98.  Mr. Schindel produced more than 300 motion pictures and 450 recordings that are found in school and library collections worldwide.  His films have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Mr. Schindel found that a special filming technique was needed to faithfully transfer the artwork of children's picture books from page to screen. He developed the iconographic style of filmmaking, in which original artwork from an open book glides in front of a motion picture camera, giving the still imagery cinematic life.  By moving the pictures at deliberate, controlled speeds, the camera captures the mood and action that the illustrator conveyed on the pages of the book.

 

Born in Orange, NJ in 1918, Schindel moved to New York City after college and worked as a clerk in Stern's Department Store.  In 1941, he founded ELMOR Manufacturing Company, a machine shop, but he battled tuberculosis and in 1944-45, moved to Saranac Lake, NY to convalesce.  In 1949-50 he tried his hand at film, but the company he worked for, Teaching Films, went bankrupt and he became an independent producer.  In 1951, he was recruited to serve as Film Officer and Attaché in the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, and then returned to Connecticut in 1953 to launch Weston Woods Studios.  The company struggled in the early years, but in 1966, the federal government passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the first school libraries were opened.  Weston Woods' sales quadrupled overnight.

 

Jazz Harmonica Master, Toots Thielemans Dead at 94.. RIP

Toots Thielemans, a jazz harmonica player, guitarist and whistler whose 1961 composition “Bluesette” became a jazz standard, has died, the Associated Press reported Monday. He was 94.
Belgian broadcaster RTL reported that his manager, Veerle Van de Poel, said that "there were no complications. He died of old age, his body was simply worn out." 

More at http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-toots-thielemans-snap-story.html

Ben Hur (2016) Motion Picture Score Out Now!

Sony Classical proudly announces the release of Ben-Hur (Original Motion Picture Score), featuring the original score written by Academy Award® nominee Marco Beltrami. The soundtrack was made available on CD on August 12. The epic action adventure Ben-Hur, from Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, arrived in theatres nationwide on Friday, August 19.
Marco Beltrami is best known for finding a unique approach to scoring in each of his films. For the film Scream, he threw away conventional horror music clichés and instead called upon his concert music roots to explore a new sonic landscape. For The Homesman Beltrami constructed his own instruments that would meld the archaic and new. The creations were as tiny as a refitted lap steel guitar to giant, cross-ranch cables that could pick up wind and translate it into a haunting glow. Subsequently, his resume has expanded to include films ranging from epic drama to dark comedy. Beltrami has been nominated twice for Academy Awards® for Best Score (3:10 to Yuma (2007) and The Hurt Locker (2008)).
About his work on Ben-Hur, Beltrami says: “One of the fun things about working on Ben Hur was that I took ancient Greek and Roman instruments such as lyres, aulos, citira, tartold, and salpinx and processed them electronically to give the score a modern feel. We also had a traditional orchestra to give the score some scope, so overall it provides a unique emotional undercurrent to the story!"

Michael Buble Sets October "Nobody But Me" Album Release !

Michael Buble's new album NOBODY BUT ME will be released on October 21st, it was revealed by Warner Bros./ Reprise Records. Nobody But Me is the multi-Grammy, multi-platinum award winning singer's first album in three years and is his ninth studio album. It follows his critically acclaimed To Be Loved album which was his fourth album to reach No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 Charts.

 The exciting new collection of original pop tunes and beautiful standards highlight Buble's talent as a innovative interpreter of the American songbook as well as his gifted songwriting and producing style.

 Nobody But Me was recorded in Los Angeles and Vancouver and includes three new Buble' penned originals along with breathtaking reinventions of classics including "My Baby Just Cares For Me", "The Very Thought of You", Brian Wilson's "God Only Knows" and the Johnny Mercer classic "I Wanna Be Around". Guest artists on the album are Mehgan Trainor and Black Thought (of The Roots). The new album is co-produced by Buble along with Johan Carlsson for MXM Productions, Alan Chang, Jason "Spicy G" Goldman, The Monsters and Strangerz. The first single, the title track "Nobody But Me" is available now. The deluxe version of "Nobody But Me" includes three additional tracks.

Sister trio Joseph to Release New "I'm Alone, No You're Not" Album on August 26

Siren sister trio Joseph are gearing up to release their new album 'I'm Alone, No You're Not' (ATO) next week, but you can stream it early via NPR First Listen today. They hailed the album's "appealing mix of swoony delicacy and punchy anthems," saying, "sweetness and power aren't mutually exclusive." Listen here: http://n.pr/2bfVQBh

Joseph will make two release-week television appearances, performing on Conan on September 1st, and CBS Saturday Morning on September 3rd, following their TV debut earlier this summer on Fallon.

'I'm Alone, No You're Not' is out 8/26 via ATO Records and was produced by Mike Mogis (Jenny Lewis, Bright Eyes, First Aid Kit). Joseph were named a Spotify Spotlight artist for 2016, alongside artists like Gallant, Maren Morris, and Lapsley, and have racked up 3 million streams and counting across streaming platforms for "White Flag. "White Flag" is approaching Top 10 on the Triple A radio chart, and both "White Flag" and their song "S.O.S. (Overboard)" have charted on the Spotify Global Viral 50. Joseph made the festival rounds this summer, playing Bonnaroo, Sasquatch, and Pickathon, in addition to touring Europe with James Bay.

Watch the video for "White Flag" below, from B&T.

Stranger Things - Original Netflix Series Soundtrack Releasing on Two Volumes

Lakeshore Records will release the STRANGER THINGS - Original Netflix Series Soundtrack in two parts. Volume One releases on CD September 16th, with Volume Two releasing on CD September 23, 2016. Both volumes feature the original score by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, members of the popular Austin experimental synth band S U R V I V E.

 

“The directors were previously fans of S U R V I V E. They used a song from our first LP in a trailer they made to pitch their concept to Netflix. Once the show was picked up, they reached out to see if we were available to score the show,” Dixon stated. Stein added, “We discussed having a classic tone and feel to the music for the show but being reserved enough that it wasn't ’80s cheese, while offering a refreshing quality so that felt modern. This was one of the qualities that drew them to our music in the first place. Having a familiarity with classic synths worked, but with an overall forward thinking approach.”

 

STRANGER THINGS is the breakout Netflix original series set in 1983 Indiana where a young boy vanishes into thin air. As friends, family and local police search for answers, they are drawn into an extraordinary mystery involving top-secret government experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one very strange little girl.  A love letter to the ’80s supernatural classics that captivated a generation, STRANGER THINGS stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Matthew Modine, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton. 

Sir Paul McCartney Signs Worldwide Recording Agreement with Capitol Records

Paul McCartney has signed a worldwide recording agreement with Capitol Records, it was announced by Capitol Music Group (CMG) Chairman & CEO Steve Barnett.
     
"This is genuinely exciting for me; McCartney said. "Not only was Capitol my first U.S. record label, but the first record I ever bought was Gene Vincent's Be-Bop-A-Lula; on the Capitol label"
     
This historic business contract encompasses McCartnes entire body of post-Beatles work, from his 1970 McCartney album, through his decade with Wings, to the dozens of solo and collaborative works that have continually reaffirmed his standing as the most popular, influential and acclaimed artist in the history of recorded music. In a career that spans six decades, McCartney has sold more than 500 million records worldwide. He was recently named the United Kingdom's most successful albums artist of all time by the Official Albums Chart Company and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 for his services to music.

Paul McCartney is the recipient of countless accolades and awards. He is a 21-time Grammy winner, two-time inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, an Academy Award winner and honoree of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors, the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and France's Legion dHonneur.

McCartney is currently working on a new studio album, while a comprehensive plan for the artist's catalogue is being conceived by Capitol and Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) - in conjunction with the artist and his management team - and will be implemented beginning July 2017. The catalogue moves to Capitol/UMe from Concord, Paul's previous label partner on such Grammy-winning albums as Band On The Run (Best Historical Album, 2012), Kisses On The Bottom (Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, 2013) and Wings Over America (Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, 2014).

According to Barnett, "Paul McCartney's association with Capitol has long defined so much of our historic legacy, and all of us here are extremely proud and honored that he has chosen to come back home. Paul's indelible contributions to our culture are second to none, and his constant evolution as an artist and performer continues to inspire and enrich the lives of countless millions of people. We are overjoyed that Paul will be creating new music for years to come, and that Capitol will be helping to present it to the world."

Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said: "It would be simply impossible to overstate what an honor it is to welcome Paul back to Capitol. It's a homecoming of one of the greatest musical artists of all time to the label that first helped bring his incredible music to the world. Paul's astonishing career has shown no limits - in creativity, in commercial longevity, and in its impact on people and cultures in every corner of the globe. We are thrilled at both Capitol and UMG to be able to contribute to the next chapter in Paul's extraordinary career.
     
Michele Anthony, UMG's Executive Vice President of U.S. Recorded Music added, Sir "Paul's vital and legendary body of work as a solo artist remains essential, relevant and so highly in demand. We're beyond thrilled at the opportunity to put the global resources of Universal Music behind Paul's forthcoming work, as well as introducing his previous iconic albums to new generations of fans around the world."

Okkevil River RIP video- watch/listen

NPR Music recently premiered the epic, moving video for “Okkervil River R.I.P.”, written and directed by, and starring Will Sheff, along with acclaimed actor Tim Blake Nelson (O’ Brother Where Art Thou, Lincoln).

 

“Okkervil River R.I.P.” opens the upcoming album Away, out September 9 via ATO, and sets the tone for what Sheff sees as a turning point for his long-running indie-folk project. He says of the album: “Eventually, I realized I was writing a death story for a part of my life that had, buried inside of it, a path I could follow that might let me go somewhere new.”

Watch it at NPR, and pre-order Away now from B&T.

 

David Dye of the World Cafe called the track: “a gorgeous… song about soul-searching, finding the strength one needs to carry on in the face of adversity and finding solace in the ones we love.”

Okkervil River kicked off a series of underplays last month, in Portland, ME on July 14th. They played a sold out show at National Sawdust in NYC on July 20th, followed by a world tour upon the albums release in September.
 

Bon Iver reveal 22, A Million album release plans

Recently, Pitchfolk reported; Tonight, Bon Iver are debuting their new album in full at a live performance at Justin Vernon’s Eaux Claires Music Festival in Wisconsin. Now, the band have detailed their plans for its release. Over five years after Bon Iver arrived, 22, A Million will be out September 30 via Jagjaguwar. The tracklist is completely bonkers, with titles like “10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⊠ ⊠,” and “666 ʇ.” See the tracklist and cover artwork below.

Bon Iver have also shared extended versions of the first two songs from the record, “22 (OVER S∞∞N) [Bob Moose Extended Cab Version]” and “10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⊠ ⊠ (Extended Version).”Find those below as well, and check out the full album credits and list of collaborators for 22, A Million here. Musicologist and Vernon‘s longtime friend/former bandmate Trevor Hagen has penned a lengthy essay about Bon Iver and the new album; find that here.

more at http://pitchfork.com/news/67481-bon-iver-announce-new-album-22-a-million/?eml=2016August17/3699820/6011140&etsubid=35403737

Things are about to get very odd... With ODD SQUAD: CREATURE ENCOUNTERS from PBS Distribution, on DVD

Things are about to get very odd…! PBS Distribution today announced the release of “ODD SQUAD: CREATURE ENCOUNTERS” on DVD, the latest title from the multiple Emmy-winning live-action PBS KIDS series ODD SQUAD from The Fred Rogers Company. The new DVD, available just in time for Halloween, features five “odd” stories from the popular series, including a special extended adventure called “6:00 to 6:05.”

When it comes to dealing with bizarre situations and unusual creatures, the agents of the Odd Squad are always ready for the challenge. Fans can join agents Olive and Otto as they interrogate a mummy, a unicorn, and a robot that escaped from library books; work to find a powerful weapon capable of defeating the Hydraclops; and travel back in time to prevent dinosaurs from destroying headquarters. Using their wit, courage, and math and problem-solving skills, Olive and Otto work to save the day and set things right!
“CREATURE ENCOUNTERS” will be available on DVD beginning September 13, 2016. The DVD has a run time of approximately 75 minutes and an SRP of $12.99. This stories included within this new DVD are below.

“6:00 to 6:05” (extended adventure)
In this extended adventure, dinosaurs break out of the dinosaur room in Odd Squad headquarters and Olive and Otto must travel back in time to save the day.
“How to Interrogate a Unicorn”
When characters escape their books in the library, Olive and Otto must figure out how and why it’s happening and put a stop to it.

“The Trouble with Centigurps”
When Otto accidentally releases 100 small furry creatures in headquarters, he recruits Oscar to help get them back before Ms. O finds out.

 “Rise of the Hydraclops”
In order to save humanity, Olive and Otto must locate a treasure chest that Oscar buried.

 “Robert Plant”
Olive and Otto must find a way to stop Obfusco’s plant from taking over headquarters.

When the 43rd Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards were announced earlier this year, ODD SQUAD won four awards, including “Outstanding Writing in a Children’s or Pre-School Children’s Series” and “Outstanding Directing in a Children’s or Pre-School Children’s Series.” 

This live-action series is aimed at helping kids ages 5-8 learn important math and problem-solving skills. ODD SQUAD is created by Tim McKeon and Adam Peltzman and produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment and The Fred Rogers Company. The show airs daily on PBS KIDS (check local listings).

ODD SQUAD: CREATURE ENCOUNTERS
Street Date: September 13, 2016
Genre: Kids
Run Time: Approx. 75 Minutes
SRP: $12.99

Young The Giant's New Album, "Home of the Strange" Out Today

 Album Has Reached No. 1 at Alternative on iTunes; No. 3 Overall; Single 'Something To Believe In' is Trending at Top 10

"Here they flaunt a new-wave sheen that flatters them, replete with nifty electronic sound effects. [Sameer Ghadia] developed an edge of paranoid menace reminiscent of Muse's Matt Bellamy. It's a sound that comes from both everywhere and nowhere." -Rolling Stone

"On their third record, Home of the Strange, the group ascends...dishing out their richest and most varied project to date." -EW

"The Southern California quintet buffer their passionate indie rock with polished production, resulting in their funkiest offering to date...the most exciting in  their discography" -All Music

"'Home of the Strange' is a sleek, catchy pop-rock record." -Boston Globe

Young The Giant's highly anticipated third studio album Home of the Strange is out today via Fueled By Ramen.   With much of the band being first generation Americans or immigrants themselves, the new album broaches the theme of American and immigrant identity. As lead singer Sameer Ghadia recently explained to NPR's Weekend Edition, "I think it's maybe my narrative as a first-generation American. We have a lot of ties to India and that heritage and the tradition and the philosophy, cultural practices. But then, you know, we grew up here...And so home of the strange, I think, is the
place in between those two places." You can listen to the entire NPR interview below.

The wildly adventurous Home of the Strange, the band's third, was produced by Alex Salibian (Elle King, Mikky Ekko) with 2016 Grammy winner for Producer of the Year Jeff Bhasker serving as the album's Executive Producer. Lead single, "Something To Believe In," is currently trending in the top 10 at Alternative radio, and quickly climbing the chart. The band recently performed the hit song on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

NPR Interview; here

The Innocents; One of the best rated and top box office performing Foreign Language releases of the year is coming to Blu-ray, DVD on September 27 from Music Box Films.

THE INNOCENTS is director Anne Fontaine’s haunting and ultimately life affirming post-WWII drama about a young, forward-thinking French Red Cross doctor who comes to the aid of a group of traumatized young Polish nuns whose lives and faith have been dangerously tested. THE INNOCENTS is based on the true story of heroic French doctor and Resistance fighter Madeleine Pauliac.

The second World War is finally over and doctor Mathilde (rising star Lou de Laage) is treating the last of the French survivors of Nazi work camps in Poland. When a panicked Benedictine nun appears at the clinic begging Mathilde to follow her back to the convent, what she finds there is shocking: a holy sister about to give birth and several more in advanced stages of pregnancy. A non-believer, Mathilde enters the sisters’ fiercely private world, dictated by the rituals of their order and the strict Rev. Mother (Agata Kulesza, Ida). Fearing the shame of exposure, the hostility of the occupying Soviet troops and local Polish communists the nuns increasingly turn to Mathilde as they face an unprecedented crisis of faith.

Director Fontaine based her story on the diaries of Madeleine Pauliac that document the little known but, by most independent accounts, widespread sexual violence that occurred throughout Poland and elsewhere on the Eastern Front in the wake of the advancing Soviet Red. Army. “I was immediately taken with the story” says director Anne Fontaine. “I wanted to get as close as possible to what would have been happening within these women.”

Following its strong box office opening in NY and LA last month, THE INNOCENTS expanded to more than 150 engagements throughout the summer, and will make its nationwide debut via DVD, Blu-ray beginning September 27, 2016 (pre-book August 23rd). Filled with bonus materials including a “Making of” and an interview with filmmaker Anne Fontaine, the Blu-ray and DVD carry suggested retail prices of $34.95 and $29.95, respectively.

THE INNOCENTS had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and is among the most critically lauded releases of the year with a 92% rating and “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was a “Critics’ Pick” of The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Village Voice syndicate.  

The Innocents

Music Box Films Home Entertainment 
DVD RELEASE DATE: September 27, 2016 
PRE-ORDER DATE: August 23, 2016 
Price: DVD $29.95 SLP; Blu-ray $34.95SLP 
Director: Anne Fontaine
Screenwriters: Sabrina B. Karine, Alice Vial 
Cast: Lou de Laâge, Agata Buzek, Agata Kulesza, Vincent Macaigne, Joanna Kulig, Eliza Rycembel, Anna Prochniak, Katarzyna Dabrowska 
Running Time: 113 minutes  
Format: 1.85:1 
Sound Format: 5.1 Dolby Digital 
Rating: PG-13 
Country: France 
Language: French and Polish w/ English subtitles





Bonus Features
The Making of The Innocents
Director Q&A with Anne Fontaine
Interview with Anne Fontaine

Peter Gabriel's September DVD, BD Release info

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce a double release from Peter Gabriel on September 16, 2016. This features a reissue of the 2DVD set “Still Growing Up Live & Unwrapped” [MSRP $29.98] and for the first time a Blu-ray+DVD set of “Growing Up Live + Still Growing Up Live & Unwrapped” [MSRP $34.98] containing all the material from the original DVD releases plus the previously unreleased “Growing Up On Tour – A Family Portrait”.

The “Growing Up Live” concert film was recorded on the tour of the same name from 2002/3 and boasts key tracks Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes, Solsbury Hill, Digging In The Dirt, More Than This, Red Rain, Growing Up, Mercy Street, Here Comes The Flood and more. “Still Growing Up Live & Unwrapped” includes the concert film of the Still Growing Up tour from 2004 and the “Unwrapped” film (both shot in standard definition), which give a more intimate look at Peter Gabriel on tour and explore the world behind the songs featured in the shows. The Blu-ray+DVD set has all the material from these three DVD discs included on one Blu-ray disc and one DVD. Also included on the Blu-ray disc is the Family Portrait film.

In 2002 and 2003, following the release of his album “Up”, Peter Gabriel went on the road with his “Growing Up” tour, once again collaborating with production designer Robert Lepage to create a spectacular and theatrical live experience. The tour took in thirty-two cities across the USA, Canada and Europe with this concert film, directed by Hamish Hamilton, being shot over two nights at the FilaForum in Milan in May 2003 with Peter Gabriel and the band performing “in the round” at the center of the arena. Filmed in high definition, this was originally released on DVD in 2003 but never on Blu-ray. The DVD is now being reissued and the concert is being released on Blu-ray for the first time.
 

Stranger Things Original Score to Release in Two parts on CD

Lakeshore Records will release the STRANGER THINGS - Original Netflix Series Soundtrack in two parts. Volume One releases on CD September 16th. Volume Two releases on CD September 23, 2016. Both volumes feature the original score by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, members of the popular Austin experimental synth band S U R V I V E.

“The directors were previously fans of S U R V I V E. They used a song from our first LP in a trailer they made to pitch their concept to Netflix. Once the show was picked up, they reached out to see if we were available to score the show,” Dixon stated. Stein added, “We discussed having a classic tone and feel to the music for the show but being reserved enough that it wasn't ’80s cheese, while offering a refreshing quality so that felt modern. This was one of the qualities that drew them to our music in the first place. Having a familiarity with classic synths worked, but with an overall forward thinking approach.”

STRANGER THINGS is the breakout Netflix original series set in 1983 Indiana where a young boy vanishes into thin air. As friends, family and local police search for answers, they are drawn into an extraordinary mystery involving top-secret government experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one very strange little girl. A love letter to the ’80s supernatural classics that captivated a generation, STRANGER THINGS stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Matthew Modine, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton. The series is now streaming on Netflix globally.

KOKO: THE GORILLA WHO TALKS, out now on DVD

PBS Distribution released “KOKO: THE GORILLA WHO TALKS” on DVD. It’s been more than 40 years since Koko, the only “talking” gorilla in the world, captivated the public with her uncanny ability to communicate with humans. Her unique life, which she continues to share with Penny Patterson, the psychologist who adopted her as a baby, is revisited in-depth in this new documentary.

The program takes viewers back to 1971, when Project Koko started as Penny Patterson’s Ph.D. assignment to teach sign language to a baby gorilla. As Koko began to communicate with Penny, an intense bond formed between them and the teacher transformed into both mother figure and companion for more than four decades. The public’s fascination with Koko made her a star.

“KOKO: THE GORILLA WHO TALKS” is available now on DVD, out  August 9, 2016. The run time of the program is approximately 60 minutes and has an SRP of $24.99. The program will also be available for digital download.
Koko’s unique life has been filmed every step of the way; more than 2,000 hours of footage exist, capturing the dramatic moments, many of which appear in this film, including Penny’s battle to keep Koko from being reclaimed by the zoo where she was born, Penny’s clash with academic critics who doubt the validity of her claims, the founding of The Gorilla Foundation, and the image of Koko mourning the death of her kitten – a moment that bought her international fame. 

“KOKO: THE GORILLA WHO TALKS” is presented as part of a multi-title co-production deal among PBS, BBC and BBC Worldwide North America. The partnership provides a pipeline of the high-quality, entertaining factual programs that PBS and BBC audiences have come to expect.


KOKO: THE GORILLA WHO TALKS
Street Date: August 9, 2016
Genre: Documentary
Run Time: 60 minutes
SRP: DVD $24.99
Format: DVD

Regina Spektor Announces "Remember Us to Life" album

Regina Spektor returns with her seventh album Remember Us To Life out September 30 on Sire/Warner Bros. Records.

The new LP marks Spektor’s first outing since 2012’s What We Saw From The Cheap Seats, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Album Chart and her Grammy-nominated theme song “You’ve Got Time” for the hit Netflix show Orange Is The New Black. Recently it was announced that Spektor has recorded George Harrison’s classic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” for the animated film Kubo and The Two Strings, to be released on August 19th.

Remember Us To Life is composed entirely of all new songs recently written by Spektor, a change from past albums when she would record songs written throughout her career. Spektor gave birth to her first child in 2014 and she spent considerable time writing during and after her pregnancy. Says Spektor “I made more art and felt more inspired than I had in a long time.”

Spektor recorded with producer Leo Abrahams (David Byrne/Brian Eno, Frightened Rabbit, Paolo Nutini) in Los Angeles at The Village Studios. Says Spektor of Abrahams, “he is such a kind and talented musician. And person! I felt very grateful to work with him.”

Timothy B Schmit Announces September "LEAP OF FAITH" Album Release

TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT–groundbreaking vocalist, songwriter and bass player from the legendary rock groups EAGLES and POCO will release a solo album, LEAP OF FAITH, Friday, September 23 via Benowen Records. Recorded at his Los Angeles studio and co-produced with engineer Hank Linderman, LEAP OF FAITH is a strong mix of rock, country, Americana, R&B and even a bit of reggae.

In September, TIMOTHY will head to Nashville for the Americana Music Festival & Conference. On Wednesday, September 21 he’ll be on-hand to present at the Americana Music Awards show at Ryman Auditorium. The following night, he’ll perform a live concert during “Music City Roots” at Factory at Franklin which will be live-streamed on Thursday, September 22. The show will be broadcast nationally on PBS TV at a later date andother show performers include Willie Watson, Sean Watkins as well as Wynonna & The Big Noise. Then on Sunday, September 25, TIMOTHY and his band will perform a one-night-only concert at City Winery in Nashville (609 Lafayette Street). Tickets for the City Winery show will go on-sale starting Thursday, August 11.

LEAP OF FAITH marks the culmination of SCHMIT’s unhurried, yet inspired reflections of life. On his new albumhe goes further up the path he began to explore on his 2009 solo album Expando. “Again, I wanted to write this album on my own.” TIMOTHY further explains,”In any collaboration one has to make a series of compromises. That’s not a bad thing, it’s simply not what I’ve chosen to do with this project. I’m just putting it out there, and maybe some of these ideas might resonate with listeners.”

Illuminated by an array of fine musicians and singers, LEAP OF FAITH plays like a multicolored corona around SCHMIT’s distinctive artistry. From the jaunty opening track “My Hat” to the soaring harmonies and heartfelt reflections of “This Waltz,” this is more than another album in a great artist’s catalog.

Often writing and recording between touring with the EAGLES, this project took a little time, so the songs on LEAP OF FAITH seem to have a broad compass. “Slow Down” is a note to self on escaping life’s pressures coasting along on a reggae pulse sweetened by jazz giant Gary Burton’s vibraphone. “What I Should Do” has a Muscle Shoals feel; steamy, funky, and sensual. On, “Goodbye, My Love,” he takes us deep down into traditional country with Paul Franklin’s glistening steel guitar layered over the changes. And on “It’s Alright,” his most intimate song, SCHMIT needs only his own acoustic guitar to express profound love.

Ted Nash Goes Presidential

TED NASH BIG BAND PRESIDENTIAL SUITE: Eight Variations on Freedom is a creative musical take on history from GRAMMY-nominated composer/saxophonist TED NASH who transforms key moments from historic speeches – as read by influential figures from the worlds of arts, politics and sports – into an emotionally affecting suite of modern jazz.  The album releases on

Featured Guests are GLENN CLOSE reading Aung Sun Suu Kyi • DEEPAK CHOPRA reading Jawaharlal Nehru • ANDREW YOUNG reading Nelson Mandela • JOE LIEBERMAN reading John F. Kennedy • SAM WATERSTON reading Lyndon B. Johnson • DOUGLAS BRINKLEY reading Ronald Reagan • WILLIAM VANDEN HEUVEL reading Franklin Delano Roosevelt • DAVID MILIBAND reading Winston Churchill and special musical guest WYNTON MARSALIS.

Norah Jones back on October 7 with Day Breaks. Listen to her Carry On, NOW

Norah Jones has just announced her first album in four years, called Day Breaks. This follow-up to her  2012 release Little Broken Hearts will be out October 7th on Blue Note Records, and is said to be a return to her piano-based jazz roots.

“This new album feels full circle because I’m going back to my early influences,” Jones said in a recent press release. “After the first record, I drifted away from the piano a little bit. I still played it, but was more inspired to write on guitar. I really loved playing piano on this record.”

igniting her decision to go back to early sounds was the 2014 Blue Note Records at 75 concert in Washington, DC.  There, she performed a cover of Jesse Harris’ “I’ve Got to See You Again” with Wayne Shorter on saxophone, drummer Brian Blade, bassist John Patitucci, and Jason Moran on piano. Shorter and Blade joined Jones for this latest effort, as did organist Dr. Lonnie Smith.

Of the 12 songs on the record, nine are originals, with the three others being covers: Neil Young’s “Don’t Be Denied”, Duke Ellington’s “Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)”, and Horace Silver’s “Peace”. Along with the announcement, Jones has shared the video for soft and dusky lead single “Carry On”. Check that out below, from B&T.

 

The track listing for Day Breaks is as follows:
1. Burn
2. Tragedy
3. Flipside
4. It's A Wonderful Time For Love
5. And Then There Was You
6. Don’t Be Denied
7. Day Breaks
8. Peace
9. Once I Had A Laugh
10. Sleeping Wild
11. Carry On
12. Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)

Introducing the "Muddy Magnolias". LISTEN to their "Brother, What Happened"

Though Their debut album will not be out until October 14th, we thought it's important for you to get an early jump on THE next big thing, The Muddy Magnolias. These two singer/songwriters have performed alongside Gary Clark Jr., John Legend and the Zac Brown Band. They have also have caught the attention of influential music journalist Ann Powers, who premiered their powerful video for "Brother, What Happened" on NPR last week. Give the video a look-see, and make sure you are on the lookout for their album Broken People this fall

Enjoy!
. 

Amazonia arrives on DVD, October 4

Join Saï, one lost monkey on the journey of a lifetime, when Amazonia arrives on DVD on October 4 from Lionsgate. Narrated by Golden Globe winner Martin Sheen (TV’s “West Wing”), Amazonia will take you on an adventure into the world’s most untamed and mysterious rain forest like it has never been seen before! Over two years in the making, and awarded the Dove Family seal of approval, this family-friendly tale of hope and survival is “awesome…the scenery is

breathtaking” (The Dove Foundation). The Amazonia DVD special features include “The Making of Amazonia” featurette and bonus episodes from TV’s “Minuscule”, and will be available for the suggested retail price of $14.98.

 Amazonia seamlessly blends thrilling storytelling with breathtaking wildlife photography. As Saï, a tiny capuchin monkey, departs the big city for a new life, his plane is forced to land in the Brazilian rain forest. Abandoned and alone, he forages for food while observing the jungle’s endless varieties of wildlife. As predators approach, Saï’s incredible instincts rescue him from danger at the last minute. One fateful day, he learns he’s not the only capuchin in the Amazon…

Melissa Etheridge sets MEmphis Rock and Soul release date

Melissa Etheridge has announced the release of her new album MEmphis Rock and Soul, a tribute to Stax Records and the rich history of classic Southern soul, scheduled for release on October 7, 2016 via Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group. The album is a collection of deep soul covers associated with the original Stax label, including songs recorded by Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, The Staple Singers, William Bell and more. The album also features new, original verses written by Melissa on two of the tracks.

Etheridge showcases her signature rasp and unmistakable guitar prowess on the lead single "Hold On, I’m Coming.” The fierce take on a Sam & Dave standard premiered today on Billboard.

While the original Stax studio is long gone, Etheridge took to another hallowed local spot, Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studios (home to Al Green, Ann Peebles and others), to channel the classic Memphis sounds found on these soulful standards. MEmphis Rock and Soul was produced by Willie’s son Boo Mitchell, and features a backing band comprised of Hodges Brothers and other top Memphis musicians who are legends in their own right. Etheridge even recorded with Al Green’s famed RCA 77DX ribbon microphone ("No. 9”). MEmphis Rock and Soul also spotlights the empowering role Stax played in the Civil Rights Movement, a fitting theme for Melissa, who has become a pivotal voice of the modern LGBT rights movement.

Former Genesis singer, Ray Wilson, releasing his 6th solo album, Makes Me Think of Home

Makes Me Think Of Home, the 6th solo studio album from former Stiltskin and Genesis frontman, Ray Wilson, will be released on 7th October. Ray joined Genesis after the 1996 departure of Phil Collins.  This release comes hot on the heels of Song For A Friend, an acoustic album released
earlier this year and which garnered great reviews. Watch / listen, below to the brilliant new video for AMEN TO THAT the first track from former Genesis vocalist Ray Wilson's new album MAKES ME THINK OF HOME which is out on 7th October.  This electric album comes hot on the Heels of his critically acclaimed acoustic album Song For A Friend which came out earlier in the year.

Makes Me Think Of Home is a mix of pop, rock and prog which showcases Ray¹s remarkable voice.  The title track sees Ray looking back to his days living in Scotland, a country he left after finding love with a Polish dancer.  He moved to Poznan 8 years ago, and in this ambitious and very
moving track he reflects on his years trying to find peace and happiness in Edinburgh.

The album also contains subtle humour; particularly in the first single ³Amen To That². The track is accompanied by a multi-layered video production in which Ray showcases his acting skills as he takes on multiple characters in a range of unusual professions. The intense 7-day shoot produced what is undoubtedly the best video of Ray¹s career and which takes the instantly
memorable ³Amen To That² to another level, throwing in some unexpected twists along the way.

PBS to Release Brit Crime Drama, The Tunnel on dvd/BD

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing the critically acclaimed British crime drama “THE TUNNEL” on DVD and Blu-ray. “THE TUNNEL” from the makers of the Broadchurch series is set against the backdrop of Europe in crisis. When a prominent French politician is found dead in the middle of the Channel Tunnel, straddling the border between the UK and France, detectives Karl Roebuck, played by Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones) and Elise Wassermann, played by Clémence Poésy (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts I and II) are sent to investigate on behalf of their respective countries. The case takes a surreal turn when a shocking discovery is made at the crime scene, forcing the French and British police into an uneasy partnership. As the serial killer uses ever more elaborate and ingenious methods to highlight the moral bankruptcy of modern society, Karl and Elise are drawn deeper into his increasingly personal agenda.

“THE TUNNEL” will be available on DVD and Blu-ray August 9, 2016. The run time of this program is approximately 450 minutes on 3 discs. The DVD SRP is $49.99 and the Blu-ray SRP is $59.99. The DVD and Blu-ray also includes 20 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, cast interviews, and more.

Kelsea Ballerini Rolls On!!

It's been a year since the release of Kelsea Ballerini's The First Time (via Red Music), and the album shows no signs of slowing down! As the single "Peter Pan" continues to head towards the top of the country chart, Kelsea is attracting a whole new audience as the co-host of ABC's Greatest Hits show, which winds down with Thursday's season finale. However, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to television exposure for Kelsea this week. Last night, the songstress appeared on the Teen Choice Awards on FOX. She'll be interviewed and perform on Jimmy Kimmel tomorrow night, and later this week, she'll appear on ABC's "CMA-Country's Night To Rock" special. Also appearing on that particular special--our own Jason Aldean! 

Classic Folk Songs for Kids from Smithsonian Folkways

In Classic Folk Songs for Kids, curator Jeff Place culls a cross-section of 26 classics from the

Smithsonian Folkways vaults to tell an intriguing story of American signature sing-alongs.  The songs’ origins are as fascinating as the songs are fun: centuries-old European ballads, an American Revolutionary tune, 19th-century American folksongs, African-derived game songs, a sea chantey, a railroad jingle, camp songs, and even an opera song! And the singers themselves are a who’s who of American folk music artistry—Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Cisco Houston, Suni Paz, Tom Glazer, Lord Invader, and many more. 56 minutes, 40-page booklet with lyrics.
This is the 25th release in the Smithsonian Folkways Classic Series.
Release date- 7/15/16
Record Label Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
CD SLP: $11.98
Source Archive Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Copyright 2016 Smithsonian Folkways RecordingsGenre(s) American Folk; Children's
Download Liner Notes 

Seth Rogen And Zac Efron Are Back In NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING This October

AVAILABLE ON  BLU-RAY COMBO PACK, DVD AND ON DEMAND SEPTEMBER 20, 2016, (on Ocotber 18, 20016 for public libraries due to Uni's "rental Holdback" Policy) FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT  Just when you thought it couldn't get more outrageous, Seth Rogen (This Is The End, Pineapple Express) and Zac Efron (The Lucky One, That Awkward Moment) return in the hilarious, no boundaries comedy, NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING, coming to Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on September 20, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The follow-up to Neighbors, the explosively funny blockbuster, NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING features even more hysterically raunchy banter and outrageous antics, but this time the ladies have taken charge. The Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD include deleted scenes, gag reel, line-o-rama and more.

Now that Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) have a second baby on the way, they are ready to make the final move into adulthood: the suburbs. But just as they thought they'd reclaimed the neighborhood and were safe to sell, they learn that the new occupants next door are a hard-partying, out-of-control sorority, led by Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz). Mac and Kelly are forced to team up with their charismatic ex-neighbor and now secret weapon, Teddy (Zac Efron), since the ladies of Kappa Nu aren't going down without a fight. It's parenthood vs. sisterhood when the new neighbors assert their right to party just as hard as the boys.

Director Nicholas Stoller (Neighbors, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) delivers an over-the-top laugh fest with the new wild neighbors. Bring home the party with the riotously funny NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING that's "brilliantly funny" – Edward Douglas, Den of Geeks.

BONUS FEATURES on BLU-RAY and DVD
Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
Line-O-Rama
Nu Neighbors - Neighbors is back with a new direction and plenty of new cast members. Director Nick Stoller and Producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg talk about their initial ideas for the Sorority Rising, the traps they avoided in making their first sequel, and the big differences between the first film and Neighbors 2.
The Prodigal Bros Return - The not so beloved brothers of Delta Psi return... for a day. We hear from Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jerrod Carmichael and Zac Efron about their day on set while they catch us up on where they've been since the end of Neighbors.
Girls Rule - Neighbors 2 has added a new threat to Mac and Kelly's household in the form of the Kappa Nu women. Learn more about the experiences of the new women on set.
The Ultimate Tailgate - A behind-the-scenes look at the tailgate sequence.
Feature Commentary with Co-writer/director Nicholas Stoller and Producer James Weaver

The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet.
Blu-ray unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
Digital HD with UltraViolet lets you watch movies anywhere, on any device. Users can instantly stream or download movies to watch on iPad, iPhone, Android, smart TVs, connected Blu-ray™ players, game consoles and more.


FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Chloe Grace Moretz, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz
Casting By: Francine Maisler
Music By: Michael Andrews
Music Supervisor: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe
Costume Designer: Leesa Evans
Edited By: Zene Baker
Production Designer: Theresa Guleserian
Cinematographer: Brandon Trost
Executive Producers: Nathan Kahane, Joseph Drake, Ted Gidlow, Andrew Jay Cohen, Brendan O'Brien
Produced By: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver
Based on Characters Created By: Andrew Jay Cohen, Brendan O'Brien
Written By: Andrew Jay Cohen, Brendan O'Brien, Nicholas Stoller, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Directed By: Nicholas Stoller

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY:
Street Date: September 20, 2016 (public libraries- OCtober 18)
Copyright: 2016 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Layers: BD-50
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.40:1
Rating: Rated R for crude sexual content including brief graphic nudity, language throughout, drug use and teen partying
Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles
Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish and French DTS Digital Surround 5.1
Run Time: 1 hour 33 Minutes

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:
Street Date: September 20, 2016 (public libraries October 18)
Copyright: 2016 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Layers: Dual
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
Rating: Rated R for crude sexual content including brief graphic nudity, language throughout, drug use and teen partying
Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles
Sound: English Dolby Digital 5.1/Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish and French Dolby Digital 5.1
Run Time: 1 hour 33 Minutes