Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona

Episode: 10-28-25 – Hot Releases: Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV), Puscifer, Avatar, AI Rick Astley as Rock
Date: October 28, 2025
Host: John Holmberg
Co-hosts: Brett Vesely (Bert), Brady Bogen, Dick Toledo

Overview

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness is dedicated to the "Hot Releases" segment, where the crew covers new TV, music, and some AI-powered musical creativity. The banter is irreverent as always, mixing reviews, playful jabs, and off-the-cuff commentary about new content coming out this week—including crime shows, rock and alternative music, and even artificially generated covers of classic songs. The discussion is laced with the show’s signature playful sarcasm and commentary on broader pop culture issues.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. TV Releases & Quick Reviews

• Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV+)

  • [04:02] New mystery-thriller series starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson.
    • Plot summary: After a house explodes in an Oxford suburb and a local girl goes missing, two women dive into the ensuing conspiracy.
      • "It's an adaptation of a novel...the series picks up after a house explodes and a local girl goes missing...they find themselves at the center of a vast conspiracy." (Co-host, 04:02)
  • Out tomorrow; recommended for mystery fans.

• Miscellaneous Streaming Content

  • Nuclear Defense Documentary Controversy
    • [04:40–07:09] The hosts veer into a discussion about a new documentary (and a Catherine Bigelow movie) exploring the effectiveness of U.S. and international nuclear defense systems.
    • John questions the wisdom of publicizing perceived weaknesses, humorously skeptical about the whistleblower's intentions.
      • "Why do you want to be a whistleblower? Basically tell the world we’re lying about how good we are...they don’t need to know that." (John Holmberg, 05:13)
      • "If you’ve got 20 nukes heading to your nation, you better be 100%." (John Holmberg, 06:37)
    • Relates to comparisons with Israel’s missile defense, skepticism about military transparency, and general national paranoia.

• The Witcher Season 4 (Netflix)

  • [07:12] Brief mention that the new season starts Thursday. Little commentary, more of a heads-up.

2. Hot Music Releases & New Albums

• The Pretty Reckless - Christmas EP

  • [07:19–08:40]
    • Their Christmas EP features a cover of "Where Are You, Christmas?”
    • Hosts are divided; Bert isn’t a fan of Christmas music. John points out the adult lament of lost Christmas joy:
      • "She’s lamenting her Christmas past—she doesn’t feel it anymore." (John Holmberg, 08:26)
    • Playful discussion ensues about the early arrival of Christmas music on radio.
      • "It’s like the HIV of Christmas music...somewhere around the 20th, it goes full blown Christmas." (John Holmberg, 09:30)

• Puscifer – New Music ("Self Evident")

  • [10:18–11:21]
    • Maynard James Keenan’s side project.
    • Described as “avant garde” and “the weird one” compared to Tool and A Perfect Circle.
      • "This one's the really weird one...This is the avant garde." (John Holmberg, 11:01)
    • None of the hosts seem thrilled: "I’ve never liked a Puscifer album." (Holmberg, 10:27)

• Florence + The Machine – "Everybody Scream"

  • [11:21–12:01]
    • New single, but the video gets panned:
      • "Be glad you can't see this video... She shouldn’t be doing videos." (Brett Vesely, 11:53)

• Avatar – "Tonight We Must Be Warriors"

  • [12:08–13:01]
    • New rock from Avatar, which the hosts jokingly call "pirate rock."
    • John laments the lack of popularity for sea shanty-style rock:
      • "God dang it. I wish this pirate rock would have taken off." (John Holmberg, 12:43)
      • "Sea shanties...rock and roll sea shanties aren't bad." (John Holmberg, 12:51)

3. AI-Created Music Covers

Segment highlight: The hosts react to a slew of bizarre, AI-generated covers of classic songs in unexpected genres.

• AI Rick Astley in Metal (“Never Gonna Give You Up,” Metal Version)

  • [13:05–13:49]
    • The team is both amused and impressed:
      • "It Rick rolls itself." (John Holmberg, 13:16)
      • "That’s AI, you know." (John Holmberg, 13:39)

• AI Pantera Funk Version (“Walk”)

  • [13:58–14:38]
    • The funky reimagining is a hit:
      • "That’s great. I like when they...God damn it, AI, you’re winning a lot." (John Holmberg, 14:32)

• AI Rush Funk Version (“Tom Sawyer”)

  • [14:38–15:20]
    • Classic rock mixed with funk, met with more laughter and approval.
      • "Oh my God, that’s awesome. Make everything funk." (John Holmberg, 15:16)

• AI Ice Cube (“Today Was a Good Day” as 60s Soul)

  • [15:20–16:47]
    • The highlight of the AI segment; John jokes about abandoning life to listen exclusively to AI remixes.
      • "I’m quitting life and just going to dive into the..." (John Holmberg, 15:35)
      • "This is spectacular...That’s the future. Music, you’re all canceled." (John Holmberg, 16:25, 16:40)

4. Quick-fire: In-Studio Games and Banter

• N Word or F Word (the game, not aired for content)
  • [16:47–17:41]
    • The team guesses which explicit word shows up first in the Too Short track “Blow the Whistle.”
    • Playful banter about collared shirts and winning streaks—lighthearted and self-referential.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Christmas Music:

  • "It's like the HIV of Christmas music...somewhere around the 20th, it goes full blown Christmas."
    — John Holmberg ([09:30])

• On Nuclear Defense Documentary:

  • "Why do you want to be a whistleblower? Basically tell the world we’re lying about how good we are. Look, we got a great defense...they don’t need to know that."
    — John Holmberg ([05:13])

• On AI Music:

  • "God damn it, AI, you’re winning a lot."
    — John Holmberg ([14:32])
  • "I’m quitting life and just going to dive into the [AI covers]..."
    — John Holmberg ([15:35])
  • "That’s the future. Music, you’re all canceled."
    — John Holmberg ([16:40])

Key Timestamps

• [04:02] – Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV+) review
• [04:40–07:09] – Nuclear defense documentary & missile defense debate
• [07:12–09:30] – The Witcher S4 mention and Christmas music gripes
• [10:18–11:21] – Puscifer new release & side-project comparisons
• [11:21–12:01] – Florence + The Machine quick review
• [12:08–13:01] – Avatar new track & 'pirate rock' digression
• [13:05–16:47] – Hilarious parade of AI-generated covers and reactions
• [16:47–17:41] – "N Word or F Word" Too Short edition, in-studio jokes

Tone and Takeaways

The episode balances irreverent humor with genuine pop culture curiosity. While a large portion of the content is delivered tongue-in-cheek, there’s clear enthusiasm (and sometimes bafflement) for the range of new musical and TV content. A notable highlight is the crew’s amazement at AI-generated music, signaling a new wave of playful, “remixed” nostalgia. The hosts’ personalities shine through uncontrolled laughter, good-natured ribbing, and quick-fire bits that make the podcast accessible for casual and returning listeners alike.