Cassian has just released his debut album Laps, this past Friday. Nine tracks across Laps feature a number of guests. Thandi Phoenix lends her vocals too Together whilst on Magical this features the vocals of ZOLLY (aka Phil Slabber from Crooked Colours).
The second half of ‘Laps’ is fully instrumental, following on from the above features.
Cassian has worked with the who's, who of the Australian dance music scene. From RÜFÜS DU SOL to Hayden James to What So Not.
Cassian has been on the Australian music scene for years now and has been recognised overseas for his epic production skills. So as we end the financial year, get your tax for 2019-2020 in order with the amazing Cassian.
The 2019-2020 US TV season didn't have that many bright stars. Aside from newcomers like Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (airing in Australia on Stan), 9-1-1: Lone Star (spin off of original series 9-1-1) and Batwoman.
However Prodigal Son is a gem within the rubbish of the last season. This is another series Greg Berlanti has his hands all over. Adding to his long list of series currently airing.
Airing on Foxtel's streaming services to binge now in Australia, Prodigal Son is a very easy and addictive watch. Originally set for 22 episodes, only 20 episodes were made for its first season. However the 20th episode kind of acts as a high drama finale.
Starring ex-Walking Dead Jesus character Tom Payne, looking a lot more handsome with shorter hair and less facial hair.
Everyone's favourite Lou Diamond Phillips also stars as Gil Arroyo, along with Michael Sheen as Dr. Martin Whitly and standouts Bellamy Young as Jessica Whitly & Keiko Agena as Dr. Edrisa Tanaka.
If you need something to watch during these winter nights/days, Prodigal Son might be for you.
In all honestly this was one of the best cut short seasons of the lot I have seen this COVID-19 effected season.
Looking forward to the second season, however as its filmed in New York, who knows when that will be.
It's been a little over a year since The Chi last aired. A lot has changed.
Series regular Jason Mitchell was sacked due to misconduct allegations at the end of season two. Therefore Brandon Johnson's characters absence was resolved in the season three première.
So it's like a Hugh Grant film, four weddings (well actually one) and a funeral in the first episode.
I love The Chi. Like City on the Hill it's probably one of Showtime's most under the radar series. Jacob Latimore as Emmett Washington is honestly one of the best looking folks on TV.
He is also a fairly decent singer too.
The wedding scenes are full of love and acceptance in this episode, whilst there is always drama nearby on The Chi.
Running for a solid ten episodes straight (unlike Billions which is now on it's first ever midseason break) until late August. This show is sure to keep you warm this winter.
With a great cast, great music (that wedding dance/flash mob scene to DJ Casper's Cha Cha Slide, YASS!) and fabulous writing The Chi is a standout Showtime series.
I am excited to see where season three will take their loyal viewers. Here is hoping it gets an early fourth season order.
Sophie Payten otherwise known as Gordi, is this week's (Mini) Monday Spotlight.
Gordi originally from Canowindra (central west of New South Wales) now calls Sydney home ahead of the release of her second album.
Our Two Skins lands this Friday on all streaming services. This is the follow up to Gordi's critically acclaimed debut Reservoir.
Gordi came onto the scene with the release of her debut EP Clever Disguise in May 2016. Following the releases, Gordi toured with Bon Iver, Of Monsters and Men, Highasakite & Ásgeir.
Gordi's debut album Reservoir, released on 25 August 2017. Gordi also featured on "Postcard" from Troye Sivan’s 2018 album Bloom. One of the most tender moments on Troye's breakthrough album.
Along with Troye Sivan, Gordi has also worked with Willaris. K on his single 'Indifferent'.
Throughout 2019, Gordi worked at Prince of Wales Hospital as a doctor. Following on from her medical studies at The University of New South Wales in 2018.
In January 2020, Gordi released her first single in almost three years called "The Cost", with profits going to the 2020 Australian Bushfire Relief.
Now with her second album almost her, singles you should already be familiar with include Sandwiches, Aeroplane Bathroom, Volcanic and the latest "Unready", released earlier this month.
So the countdown is on for Gordi's second release. It's already Triple J's feature album this week. Until Friday, get your fix on Gordi right here, right now!
Love Life is one of those random one of shows that Stan has snagged in Australia. Whilst it airs on HBO Max as part of its launch on May 27, 2020. The same say Netflix dropped that four part Epstein doco.
The comedy anthology series is created by Sam Boyd. Since the series finished airing it's ten episode first run, it has been renewed for a second season.
HBO Max may have its first small hit on its hands. Lead star Anna Kendrick is adorable as always playing leading, looking for love Darby Carter. Joining her in NY shared unit is
Zoë Chao as Sara Yang, Sasha Compère as Mallory Moore and Peter Vack as Jim.
We see a series of Darby's boyfriends and friends explored over multiple episodes. My favourite is Jin Ha as Augie Jeong. Augie is adorable and super loveable. Some of Darby's loves however are not that loveable which presents viewers with a slight problem. Unlikeable characters like Nick Thune as Magnus Lund.
The show is playful, fun with Hope Davis as Claudia Hoffman, Darby’s Mother providing a cross generational element to the series.
Who will be the lead next time around? A male, another big star like Kendrick? I am excited however for it.
With the last four episodes all landing the other week, this was an easy binge effort on my behalf. I found it an honest approach to finding love, after a few false starts along the way.
Hulu delivers again this June. Following a couple of hit series (Little Fires Everywhere & High Fidelity) that have seen me through a COVID binge phase. Love, Victor is a spin off series of the hit movie, Love, Simon.
Simon appears to Victor via DM's and can be heard as a voiceover.
Victor however is not like Simon from the movie. Simon had super liberal parents who embraced his homosexuality. Victor is from a Colombian family from Texas and is still deep, deep in the closet.
However two episodes in, Victor seems rather smitten with Mia as well as local assistant manager at the coffee shop Victor scores an after school job, Benji.
So far two episodes in out of the ten, I am hooked. Victor is cute, played by Michael Cimino, his mother returns from the now cancelled brilliant summer (USA summer season) camp drama Devious Maids, Ana Ortiz and Rachel Naomi Hilson as Mia Brooks.
It's very PG-13 so far, but kinda cute. Not all gay films have to be as wild as the recent Polish Netflix hit, 365 Days!
I am deeply saddened we are left waiting for the fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale, however shows like Love, Victor definitely help fill the void.
George Sear as Benjamin "Benji" Campbell is also cute, confident and I hope he has a happy ending at the end of the season.
As the show only landed mid week, no second season is a given yet, however I am sold. If you want some romance in your TV life, Love, Victor is sweet.
The Phenomenon that is Money Heist (Spanish: La casa de papel, "The House of Paper") has become my latest #COVID-19-BINGE-FEST.
All four parts are exceptional, edge of the seat kinda gear. Netflix has a huge hit on his hands here. With Part Four ending with a huge cliffhanger a fifth part has to come soon right?
I was way late to the party on this one, however like everyone else months of being home has been an easy time to catch up on a monster amount of streaming series.
I loved the shows tension it built each and every episode, parts one through four.
I am not revealing any spoilers that are not already out there. As this show dates back to 2017!
So for now, take my word and millions others around the world, Money Heist is a sound investment of your time. If all your other stories have wrapped up. Give this one a go. All four parts are streaming in Netflix now!
Caleb Harper (vocals), Kieran Lama (drums), Ashton Hardman Le Cornu (guitar) and Peppa Lane (bass) (replacing Amelia Murray (bass) in 2019) make up Spacey Jane.
Welcome to this week's (Mini) Monday Spotlight. Shining the spotlight on the best and upcoming talent from Australia and beyond.
the Fremantle four-piece built word-of-mouth buzz with two EPs whilst sharing the stage with the likes of Car Seat Headrest, Alex Lahey, The Jungle Giants, British India and Olympia.
The group had festival appearances at Wave Rock Weekender, Gizzfest 2017, Falls Downtown 2018 and WA Day's SOTA Festival.
Fast forward to 2019's Hottest 100, with their tune Good For You reaching #80 in the countdown. Good for You and some of Spacey Jane's previous hits can be found on their Triple J Unearthed profile.
The group secured the coveted Triple J feature album last week whilst getting a large feature including an interview with the King, yes Richard Kingsmill.
Spacey Jane are definitely the next talent to watch out of the West. Following a long line of Western Australian indie greats like Eskimo Joe, Jebediah, Red Jezabel, Turnstyle, Tame Impala, Spacey Jane very well may be your next favourite new act. Check out their tunes below.
Jeffrey Epstein is disgusting. Well was disgusting. Let's say that off the bat. But it's not just Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, the current Twitter in Chief, Ghislaine Maxwell and Alex Acosta disgraceful.
Filthy Rich landed on Netflix May 27, 2020 the exact same day HBO Max launched in the USA. Coincidence?
This documentary is mind blowing. Most of the facts are already out there, however the fact this was going on for decades is appalling.
Alex Acosta has a bloody lot to answer for. America you NEED to vote out those REPUBLICANS. But I am torn, Bill Clinton is also caught lying about his relationship with Epstein.
Not to mention America's leading man. Trump brushed aside his relationship with Epstein like his famous "grabbed em by the pu$$y" recording.
This makes me seriously question power, wealth and the legal system in general in the United States.
His suicide also raises a number of questions. It all ended just so soon. His will was also updated in his final days.
There is still a lot of legal work to be done here. A lot of the ring of people survivors mentioned also need to be held accountable. Face the music and bring some face back into the clearly broken American legal system.
Ghislaine Maxwell is also one of the most vile characters described in this four part series. Her part is sinister and requires her to be held accountable for her actions. Underage minors were used like a pyramid scheme to please the wealthy and powerful.
We need more people to speak up about the clear misuse of power in the lead up to most likely the most important election in the USA's history this November.
If Trump gains another four years, the country may continue spiral, be divided and the laughing stock of the remainder of the world.
This is a must watch. It's tough at times, but the survivors are so brave and fierce coming forward to put pressure on the people mentioned in this film. I feel disgusted celebrating the Queen's birthday last week when her son is clearly guilty. We cannot un-see that train-wreck of a BBC interview.
Well done to Netflix for bringing this to a wide audience.
It's been a minute since the last #COVID-19-BINGE-FEST, so let's revisit our staycation favourite past time. Binging TV series.
Just in time for Foxtel to launch its latest streaming effort, Binge. Yes Run was a quick seven episode drama/thriller/comedy combo. Featuring Nurse Jackie legend Merritt Wever as well as Domhnall Gleeson.
HBO has had some huge hits of late. The Outsider mini-series, Westworld season three made the critics happy whilst Succession is quickly becoming a cult HBO favourite.
Run is not HBO's best work. With HBO also launching their own streaming service HBO Max, they need more content once people finish the eight seasons of Game of Thrones.
I have loved a number of HBO 30 minute series over the years, namely Veep and Silicon Valley. Whilst Insecure is easily one of the best shows on TV right now.
Run is OK, it's an easy watch whilst Ruby + Billy keep you guessing over the seven episodes, I can't see this returning for a second season. Actually was a second season ever on the cards. A #RATED based on my many #COVID-19-BINGE-FEST series will be coming soon...
What a ride 2020 has been thus far. To be honest who knew how this year would play out. Australia was thrown into 2020 making international headlines with our bushfire crisis. Leadership was nowhere to be found on a federal level, well unless you went 10 hours across the pacific to Hawaii.
Shane Fitzsimmons locally in NSW lead with honestly and brutal home truths. Sometimes leaders need to drop the spin and deliver the real facts. Raw and truthful.
Unfortunately the fires were just the start of 2020. Throughout the fires, the smoke in and around parts of NSW my dog (shared with my partner and his family) was diagnosed with cancer.
I have no desire to have children and being gay it has never really been on my roadmap so pets are super special to me.
I still remember my childhood pets Ben and Max.
Maverick was a whole different pet. He had some much personality. He was a friend. He was like no other dog. His decline was swift, I cried lakes in the lead up to his passing and by March, 2020 he was gone.
Just like that one of my best friends was gone. In a small box, he was gone.
Whilst being treating he was a real mess. I carried him to the park to go to the bathroom, I woke up during the night when he had the runs and I tried my hardest to make the little guy comfortable. I truly loved Maverick with all my heart.
With not much time to grieve, 2020 took a whole new turn. COVID-19 hit.
I am lucky to have a steady job. I have worked from home since late March. No one I know has been impacted by the health crisis however through work and loss of hours, I know a number of people finding this time rough.
Everyone has an opinion about COVID-19, how we got here, how Australia is so lucky, how America and the UK is in a world of pain. I will not share my thoughts.
As COVID-19 became less of a drama in Australia, things went from bad to worse in the USA.
George Floyd was murdered by his local law enforcement. This was nothing new in the USA. A country with so many issues. Race relations has always been an issue. Gun violence, violence towards citizens from police and the black lives matter movement.
Like the rest of the world I was horrified about what happened to George Floyd.
This started a chain of events with protests and the movement growing across the world. Finally it feels like enough is enough. Could COVID-19 actually reset the world? Can there be real change in the USA in November?
Clearly the experiment of Donald Trump is a failed one. A once simple slogan, Make America Great Again is looking fairly untrue right now. Or in Kellyanne Conway's words, this Make America Great Again was an "alternative fact".
It's undeniable now America is a red hot mess. 100,000 plus dead due to COVID-19, 40,000,000 unemployed and growing whilst the country now is even more divided than pre Trump. Would Hilary have been able to avoid the shit show of Trump?
So 2020 is an interesting year. One thing seems to be ringing true. Nothing will be the same after COVID-19. Will it just be health wise around physical distancing or will we also get social change too?
The way forward of working will 100% different. Will live music ever return to normal? Will we get to ever return to "normal"?
So after 99 posts this is an honest post. A post about the year I lost my baby boy Maverick, a post about what the hell is happening.
This is for you Maverick I will always think about you and at the darkest times a Maggie Rogers song just spoke to me. I can't listen to this song anymore because it takes me back to Peace Park. With you sick and weak. With you trying to fight on. The one day in the park you got some energy from somewhere and interacted with another dog. The day I thought things might, just might get better.
This song is beautiful so was my little man Maverick. I will always think of you on April 1st, your birthday the pound gave you. How strange it is such a playful doggie was born on April Fools.
I had a couple of people recommend this slightly odd way series to me recently. So when I was smashing through my to watch list, I gave Upload a go.
Amazon has some gems on their streaming services, among them some great local stand up comedy from the likes of Anne Edmonds.
However let's chat about Upload.
Cousin of Arrow, Robbie Amell plays lead Nathan Brown. He dies and goes to some random afterlife.
It's nothing like the wonderful series Afterlife with Ricky Gervais, this has a whole new spin on death.
It's a ten episode season with a second season already in the works.
So far one episode in I am already committing to watching all ten episodes in the coming week(s). With Winter well and truly here, it's time to bunker down, await that tax return and add even more titles to my growing binge list.
So if you need a new series to binge, all ten episodes were loaded to the streaming service on May 1st.
It's back!!! As I approach post number 100 for 2020, 13 Reasons Why returns for it's fourth and final season.
After a groundbreaking first season, the following two were a little off the rails. My third season review fro 2019 is HERE if you are interested.
I have just finished the first half of the final ten episode fourth season. So far I am hooked. Again. Yes I am a sucker for a flash forward mystery teased over a television series
Cutting the episode count from 13 to 10 is in mind a great idea. This appears to be the way forward for a number of shows.
The shows first season was gripping and required the 13 episode order whereas season two and three could have really wrapped up in ten episodes.
Looking forward to seeing how the remaining 5 episodes play out. Netflix have done well during this production shutdown getting a number of series out for TV fans to indulge in.
With The Politicians second outing still to come Friday the 19th of June.
Until then 13 Reasons Why Season Four is screening now on Netflix.
Tom Russo, Joe White and Fran Keaney, Joe Russo and Marcel Tussie make up Melbourne five-piece Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever.
Sideways To New Italy was released Friday from the guitar-pop five-piece following up the 2018 debut Hope downs.
The group have also scored the Double J feature album this week.
The groups debut EP, Talk Tight, was released in 2016 closely followed up by their second EP, the French Press in 2017.
They performed at the St Jerome's Laneway Festival in 2018 as well as a number of other tour dates.
So on the Queen's Birthday holiday why not discover a new favourite act. This week it could be Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever last week it could have been Maddy Jane. Next week who knows? I got my weeks off wrong, however the Sunday Spotlight is taking some time off. Check out my other blog for some throwbacks to the 90's!
Following the first season's runaway success, the second season is back. It's titled Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story. Starring Christian Slater and Amanda Peet as Dan & Betty Broderick respectively. Two episodes of the follow up to the John Meehan Story aired this past week stateside.
Will it return to Netflix in Australia when the series concludes in the USA? The eight episode run is due to conclude on the 14th of July, i.e. next month. On my birthday eve to be exact.
Ok so is the second season as addictive as the first? For me I only got into the John Meehan (Eric Bana) series after heaps of folks were talking about it. This time other than watching the trailer and being excited about the previous season, I went in cold for this second run.
Like all anthology television series the reset button gets hit at the start of each season. Not only is it a new story and cast, in the USA the show has moved networks too!
From Bravo to the USA Network, the second season has a series of flash forwards and flashbacks. You feel sorry for Betty, whilst also start to dislike Dan.
It's interesting after Mr Robot seeing Christian Slater back on the small screen. What a comeback for the 90's mega star.
Whilst we are still under some kind of lockdown, limited entertainment options, TV series are still a big talking point. With so many shows creating so much noise and hype, will Dirty John cut through?Sadly I don't think season two is as strong as season one.
Time will tell as there is still six of the eight episodes to go. However two episodes in I am not sure this belongs as an eight part series (much like Defending Jacob) instead of a slick, well edited feature film.
My mum got into episodes one and two, so in a time of extra family time, I will be back for the remaining six episodes given my (USA) summer shows are all missing. Yes Queen of the South, The Handmaid's Tale, Animal Kingdom and the final season of Claws are all delayed.
Until next time (TV wise) the (Mini) Monday Spotlight is back after my fake news of it being off tomorrow due to the public holiday. This week it's time to check out the awesome Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. Love that band name, love it!
* Concluded 2 June, 2020 (yes not technically an April/May Finale however close enough in this weird era we live in. 2020 WTF)
Swan Thong concludes the fifth season run of this Arrowverse show that I thought would have only last a few seasons. However with a sixth season in the works, this show has no hope of slowing down anytime soon!
So the episode title sees Mr Swan Thong himself appear, yes Sisqó appears to perform the Thong Song. Oh boy. It basically sums up how bat shit crazy this show is. It clearly is the Arrowverse show that takes itself the least seriously.
Again we will see a new line up for the Legends of Tomorrow when it returns for it's sixth season. There is a bit of a wait too for this one friends. Like Dynasty, In the Dark, KUNG FU, THE REPUBLIC OF SARAH, Roswell, New Mexico and Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow will not return until at least late May/June 2021.
Never fear friends Black Lightning, The Flash, Batwoman (a little different in season two) and new series Superman & Lois return January 2021. Well at this stage.
Legends of Tomorrow is really a filler Arrowverse show, it's no A game show like The Flash or Arrow in it's earlier years.
The series has bounced all around the shop in it's fifth outing, from the "first" episode as part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths. We saw Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer / Atom, Caity Lotz as Sara Lance / White Canary, Jes Macallan as Ava Sharpe, Nick Zano as Nate Heywood / Steel, Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory / Heat Wave and Matt Ryan as John Constantine return. Plus a number of other misfits along the way!
Brandon Routh has left the show mid series as original cast are getting more and more rare.
Cliffhanger alert, Caity Lotz as Sara Lance / White Canary is missing! Yes into thin air! At least there was a bit of a cliffhanger as the episode really was bat shit crazy. Here is an explanation following the final Arrowverse show to take a break for the minute. Well Stargirl is still airing which has a small relation to the other shows.
One of my final pieces as part of the April/May Finales focuses on Killing Eve's Season three finale. Did it live up to the hype?
In one word for me, no.
For me season three was about solving Kenny's death and concluding some storylines. Kenny's death was not really solved by the end of the season and Dasha's death was not really all that believable considering the beating she already survived.
Also Niko surviving Dasha's attack was really unrealistic. His character had died a long time ago in this story of Eve and Villanelle. It would have made way more sense to have just killed him there and then. His storyline ended way back in season two for me.
Kenny was way more interesting and even he kicked the bucket at the top of this season.
Overall I thought the third season was good, not great. Sadly it's one of those shows with a great premise but nowhere to go after a few seasons.
With Eve and Villanelle both surviving a number of near death experiences already I almost feel like the already green lit fourth season may need to be the final chapter in this tale.
Whilst it has moments of excellence, the cat and mouse game is almost coming to a conclusion in my eyes.
Defending Jacob is the latest feature to appear on Apple TV+. The miniseries concluded it's eight episode run over the weekend. Dropping three episodes as a binge then week to week for it's final five episodes.
Critically I agreed with the criticism whilst the idea was great it may not have needed eight episodes to drag out the somewhat thin plot.
Based on the novel, Defending Jacob byWilliam Landay, however the show does have a slightly different ending to the novel. Spoiler Alert, soz. Also some major plot points towards the end of the series really make this a standalone version of the story. Some viewers who have already read the book may find this satisfying or not. I guess it's up to the viewer/reader.
Chris Evans is always handsome and great in a role outside of his Captain America life. Michelle Dockery as Laurie Barber (Evans husband and Jacob's mom) is excellent too. The story is really based around the three of them with some support from J. K. Simmons as Billy Barber and Cherry Jones as Joanna Klein.
I enjoyed this miniseries, however it could have been a tighter movie and the books resolution seems a little more satisfying to me.
I have to be honest through, I think Apple TV+ really needs to step up it's game. In Australia Disney+ is already at 2 million viewers. God knows how many paid subscribers Apple TV+ has. But I'm sure it's not many with the number of free one year subscriptions it gave away.
Defending Jacob is the kind of show though you can have on in the background and focus on something else whilst watching this.
Up next a look at the third season finale of Killing Eve.
It's back! The (Mini) Monday Spotlight is back with Tassie's Maddy Jane.
Not All Bad or Good, Maddy Jane's debut album was my feature album early last month. Whilst it was also featured on Triple J with an extension piece HERE.
So it's a welcome back to the (Mini) Monday Spotlight in June following the break all last month. It's a quick comeback as next week is another week off for Queen Lizzy's big birthday!
Maddy Jane came onto the scene in 2017, with tours supporting the likes of Harry Styles and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Streaming is also a measure of success in the digital/iso age, so with millions of streams for breakout tracks ‘Thank You and Sorry’ and ‘No Other Way’, Maddy is now reaching a global market.
After loads of heavy touring, Maddy has finally given us her debut full-length album, ‘Not All Bad Or Good’. You can stream the album below whilst checking out a Stay Home set too.
So as we were doing prior to May, get amongst a new (or existing) favourite new artist. The (Mini) Monday Spotlight is back baby! More new acts on the way in coming weeks. Welcome to winter dear readers.
