Ear on TV: Week of 07.06.09: Playing for Change

Assuming for a moment that you're not one of the over 10 million that have seen the YouTube video of this collection of street musicians performing "Stand By Me," let me break it down for you (or better yet, scroll down and watch the video).

It begins the way the project itself began, with Santa Monica street performer Roger Ridley (pictured, and since deceased) introducing and performing the song on his acoustic guitar. From there the song builds in layers using live performances from the four corners of the world. By then end, more than 35 diverse musicians from 18 locations are heard riffing on the classic Ben E. King song. It's a fascinating mashup of styles and cultures, and its success has spurred an album (Songs From Around the World,) which entered the charts in the top ten, and functions as the thrilling opening to the documentary The Playing for Change Foundation, Peace Through Music.

They've since also collected several of the artists from the project and are touring, raising money for music schools for children all over the world. They brought the house down at Glastonbury last week, but on Thursday, the band will somehow squeeze all the performers on to Conan's sound stage, as they perform one of their dynamic covers.

Readers will note that the weekly calendar usually features a rock documentary or two, and while I do like myself a good rocdoc (this week's is the Palestinian rap film, Slingshot Hip Hop, airing on IFC,) I love a good rock mock documentary even better, and this week are the two greatest rockmocks of all time. On Monday, BRAVO is airing one of the all time great comedies of any genre, in the Rob Reiner-directed This Is Spinal Tap. The Tap are back with a new album, so is it any wonder the film would find it's way back on on the tube?

The other favorite airing this week, on IFC, is The Beatles famous foray into film, the Richard Lester-directed A Hard Day's Night, whose influence over film and television is so vast that it would require it's own post. Watch for the (blink-and-you'll-miss-it) onscreen debuts of actress Charlotte Rampling and the cheeky Phil Collins.



Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, July 6
BRAVO: This Is Spinal Tap: Spinal Tap
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Telepathe
IFC: From the Basement: White Stripes (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Death Cab for Cutie
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: The Lonely Island (REPEAT)
Tuesday, July 7
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Ben Harper (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Foreign Born]
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Andrew Bird
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: M83 (REPEAT)
Wednesday, July 8
IFC: A Hard Day's Night: The Beatles
IFC: From the Basement: Sonic Youth (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Amadou & Mariam (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Delta Spirit (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, Bill Clinton (REPEAT)
Thursday, July 9
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Levon Helm
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Dinosaur Jr.
IFC: From the Basement: The Kills, The Raconteurs (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Playing for Change
Friday, July 10
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Maxwell
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Ray LaMontagne
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Mos Def (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Slingshot Hip Hop: DAM, Palestinian Rapperz, ABEER, Arapeyat, Mahmoud Shalabi
Saturday, July 11
Zzzzzz

Happy "4th of July" from Galaxie 500

Next week, late 80's dream popsters Galaxie 500 ship orders of their first three albums finally reissued on vinyl. Today (1988,) On Fire (1989,) and This Is Our Music (1990) are all now classics in the indie rock genre, and to celebrate the occasion of our fine country's birthday, their giving away a free mp3 of the song "4th of July," (in exchange for your email, see below). Below is also a video for Damon & Naomi's "Song to the Siren."

Fun fact: The first drum kit used by the band (used by drummer Damon Krukowski) was a loaner from Harvard classmate Conan O'Brien. It's on a many songs from early recordings of the band.

The Philanthropist "Myramar": Mission of Burma

Just like last week, the best parts about The Philanthropist are actor James Purefoy and the music. Once again, the choice of narration through a flimsy construct (this time, a board of directors meeting where Teddy's job is at risk) threatens to deflate the episode, and this week it's worse because it's no longer Purefoy doing the narration. This time it's Jesse L. Martin - who is fine, but Purefoy's charm (and accent) go a long way in smoothing over the clunky exposition. And, once again, we're faced with the conceit of the rich white man making things better for the poor, third world resident of choice (this time, the girl with the kidney).

Besides Purefoy, the music goes a long way to helping you forget the problems. The template of going to another part of the world and using music from it (or near it, as was the case last week, with no Nigerian artist represented,) is a formula that I think I'm looking forward to each week. This week, the locale is Burma (or Myanmar, "if you're nasty,") and the music chosen was mostly pulled from the Laya Project, a collective of South Indian musicians pulled together to highlight the plight and spirit of the region after the devastating Tsunami of 2004. And like Buena Vista Social Club, a documentary was made that captured the magic of the recordings. While it hasn't reached the popularity of a BVSC, it did win some film festival awards and prompted a world tour by the musicians involved. Currently, you can't get the film on DVD in the states, but maybe if it's inclusion in The Philanthropist can get it some traction towards a stateside viewing in whatever form. (Trailer below, under playlist and tracklisting.)

Playlist: The Philanthropist - Episode 1.02
1. "Hai La Sa" - Laya Project
2. "Tapatam" - Laya Project
3. "Touare" - Laya Project
4. "A New Day" - Laya Project
5. "Phu Pwae Lat Tin (The Hug)" - Zaw Win Maung



Previously: An Englishmen in Abuja (Pilot/Ep1.01)

Kanye directs Drake (Major Boobage)

If you're going to lose (91-14!) at least look good doing it. Those new uniforms for Team Drake definitely show off their best 'assets.' (And yes, stretching is an important part of the sport.)


Drake "Best I Ever Had" from kwest on Vimeo

Ok, not sure how much mileage I'll pull out of the name confluence here, but you have to admit... as a director, Kanye sure knows how to slow-mo the jiggle.

Now Downloading: New Releases 06.30.09

It's Independence Day this week and Wilco's one of only a select few feeling patriotic with their releases. Meanwhile, while it's only a three-song EP, it's been awhile since we've heard from Spoon, so it's definitely welcome news. Not a whole lot else, but there are interesting new releases from Moby, Wu-Tang Clan, Levon Helm and Amy Speace.

Playlist: New Releases 06.30.09

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Wilco - Wilco (the Album)
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

I often use the word 'effortless' to describe songwriting in a positive matter, so when I use it here to describe Wilco (the Album), it should be taken as mostly positive. But there's something about the 'effortless' here that's also negative. Wilco, and as principle songwriter Jeff Tweedy, have made a living swinging in and out of effortless songwriting, but their albums have had at least a portion of the album aim for something more ambitious than where they've ended up here. The name of the album and the opening track, "Wilco (the Song,)" even underscore the comfort and ease with which they're working here. It works to their advantage with the aforementioned opening track and the George Harrison-referencing first single "You Never Know." It's hard not to think of the recent death of ex-Wilco member Jay Bennett and put in context with this release. Bennett is often credited with sparking Wilco's experimental side, and with Wilco (the Album), that part of the band feels as dead as it's ex-guitarist.

Free NPR Album Stream

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Spoon - Got Nuffin
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Placed within Spoon's rich discography, Got Nuffin feels kind of insignificant, just a song and two "f*ckin' around in the studio" tracks. But considering how long it's felt since the last new release from the Austin (and now also Portland) band, the EP/Single is a most welcome event. "Got Nuffin'" may not rank with the best songs Brit Daniels has written, but it's what we've got for now, so love it I must.

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Moby - Wait For Me / Free AOL Album Stream
Wu-Tang Clan - Chamber Music / Free AOL Album Stream
Levon Helm - Electric Dirt / Free AOL Album Stream
Amy Speace - Killer in Me (Free AOL Album Stream) / "The Killer in Me" [mp3]
Meese - Broadcast

tags: music, album review, wilco, spoon, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Rescue Me "Torch": Third Degree

In a season that has rekindled the spirit of the first, "Torch" stands out even more, in that it didn't even rely on the 9/11 storyline, which the series' best episodes (until now) found their inspiration from. The episode is book-ended with Tommy dealing with children in heartbreaking situations, both amazing in their own way.

The scene of Tommy cleaning up the burnt child thrown from the car was gripping in it's patience both with how it was framed and in it's willingness to let the scene breath without little or no cuts. The journey Tommy takes to get to the final scene is allowed to develop at it's own pace as well. The long drinks of whiskey followed by the third degree Tommy gets from his ghosts lead to the self-inflicted damage of the torch. (Was that a cadaver in place of Tommy's leg, or did they do that via CGI?) The ghost of Tommy's Da points out, "The only thing gets through that thick Irish skin of his is fire." It makes sense that Tommy is a masochist, given his exploits, but it was still jarring seeing him take that turn. The pain seems to work for Tommy, as he finds a way to feel something again -- even dry-humping Sheila on his wound. I don't see Tommmy putting on a happy face for the cancer kids without him experiencing some sort of change in feeling, as the earlier scene points out, Tommy's lack of feeling is what makes him able to clean up the burnt kid.

The final scene of him playing with the kids (pictured above,) was done to Cat Power's re-imagining of "New York, New York," which I took to be a comment on where Tommy has ended up. "If I can make it there, Ill make it anywhere." Being able to turn on the compassion to play with the kids suffering through leukemia is a triumph for Tommy. The looks on the other firefighters is interesting contrasted w/ how they looked (albeit, out of focus) in the first scene. If it is a breakthrough for Tommy, it obviously won't last, this is still Rescue Me after all.

You know what else won't last? Lou's Civil War chess set and coin collection. Oh, Candy... I hope I'm wrong, but given the rest of tonight's plot, I have to assume Tommy burning himself is a parallel to Lou figuratively burning himself as well, by letting Candy back in.

Enjoyed what appears to be the final musical number with Steven Pasuale, but it's definitely time to move on now, and, even if it felt awkward at times, it was nice seeing Teddy and Maggie's stories finally intersect with the Tommy's (even if somewhat peripherally).

Song: "New York" - Cat Power

Ear on TV: Week 06.29.09: Art Brut

It's a holiday week so it's time to drift up the dial a bit for inspiration. Our first stop is Fuel TV, whose The Daily Habit always seems to have at least two must-see bands stopping by each week. This week is no exception, with favorite acts Art Brut and Jay Reatard both making appearances.

Art Brut have mastered the art of arrested development in their songs. On Friday they perform two examples of their craft, in the songs "Alcoholics Unanimous" and "DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshakes." The latter song has already paid off with a recent guided tour of DC Comics. If I were frontman and lyricist Eddie Argos, a good chunk of the songs on my next album would be places I'd want guided tours from: Thank you, this next song is called "Ben & Jerry Pints & Playboy Mags." I'm just saying...

Meanwhile, for the first time in *some time, I've found myself watching MTV again, thanks to the new web-friendly talk show It's On With Alexa Chung. This week, the Twitter-happy Chung welcomes rapper Drake, who some may know as Jimmy Brooks from Degrassi: The Next Generation. Sure, I probably only checked out this artist because of his fly stage name (actual name, Aubrey Graham), but the kid actually has some mad skillz... who am I kidding? It's a slow week, and I'm mostly featuring him to put up an image of his album (unauthorized, apparently) titled The Girls Love Drake, because, you know... it's so true!

*The exception being last year's brief, but excellent series The Paper.

Finally, on Friday night the Sundance Channel is airing the Wilco concert film Ashes of American Flags which you should check out if for no other reason than to watch guitarist Nels Cline's hands. You don't have to be a guitarist to be mesmerized by his fretwork (but it might help).

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, June 29
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Steve Earle (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Jay Reatard
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Green Day (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (REPEAT)
Tuesday, June 30
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros
MTV: It's On With Alexa Chung: Drake
Wednesday, July 1
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Diane Birch (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Little Boots (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, Lou Reed and Julian Schnabel (REPEAT)
Thursday, July 2
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Phoenix (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: P.J. Harvey w/ John Parish (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Neko Case (REPEAT)
Friday, July 3
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Bat For Lashes (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Art Brut
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Keane (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Wilco: Ashes of American Flags: Wilco
Saturday, July 4
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Ludacris, T-Pain
PBS: Austin City Limits: Paolo Nutini, Grupo Fantasma (REPEAT)

True Blood - "Scratches": Control Issues

If the first two episodes helped set up the season, "Scratches" puts the pedal down and hurtles it forward -- to Dallas, to be exact. While the wheels are in motion on several fronts, they also managed to slip in a theme of control -- makers controlling the vampires they've turned, Steve and Sarah controlling Jason, and MaryAnn trying to control just about everybody else.

We start off with the scene that was previewed at PaleyFest, with Sookie stomping off into the forest after a fight with controlling Bill (they really like make-up sex,) and meeting up with that bullhead beast.
Bullhead (who may or may not be MaryAnn) takes off running with her fingernails like Flo-Jo and gives Sookie some cat-scratch fever. This attack was probably meant to take Sookie out of the picture, but instead sets off a chain of events that leads to a pair of ruined pumps (poor Pam), the release of Lafayette and a road trip to Dallas, where much of this season is set to take place.

Meanwhile, in crazy Christ cult, Jason's haunted by thoughts of Eddie (Stephen Root, back ever so briefly) casting some doubt in his involvement with the vampire hate group. But as it is with much of religion, Sarah knows the way to control Jason is through both guilt and sex -- guilt about not protecting his loved ones, and sex via some serious flirtations. As Rev. Steve points out, "Sarah doesn't just whip out her pudding for anybody."

Speaking of control and sex, Bacchus Babe MaryAnn is throwing a party and has slipped her guests a roofie, or whatever it is that she's calling "juniper." Before you know it, shirts are off, pupils are mydriatic and some sort of orgy* is going on. Tara finally notices things are off, but MaryAnn still has some sort of control over Eggs, and uses his sculpted body to keep her from straying too far.

*For being an orgy of sorts, though, the scene didn't feel very sexy. Call me crazy, but I like my sexy without blown pupils, thank you very much.

Another one MaryAnn might just have some control over is Daphne, who, by no coincidence, shows up the moment that Sam is getting ready to blow out of town. Does the poison from the scratches give control to MaryAnn, and if so, do we assume that was MaryAnn's endgame with Sookie via bullhead? Eric has his sights on Sookie as well, and one wonders if and when either realizes they're not alone in their goal. Regardless, the shot of Daphne's scratches provides a great cut to the title song "Scratches," by blues diva Debbie Davies, who delivers the lines, "Who been making those scratches, all over your back?" Bullhead, that's who!

One final thought: Just how sweet are Jessica and Hoyt together? You have to give Alan Ball credit as he started to set them up last season, with Hoyt asking Sookie if she knew a vampire he could date. She's led a sheltered life and he still lives with his mom ... heck, even Bill, ever the over-protective father figure, seems to cave in to the idea of them dating by the end.

In attempts to get True Blood posts up the night of airing, these playlists will appear a tad incomplete until updated on Monday. UPDATED!

Playlist: True Blood - Episode 2.03
1. "Spell of Wheels" - Peter Case - Sam is angry when Daphne comes up short
2. "Me Cai" - Pacifika - MaryAnn cooking in prep for party
3. "Shooting the Rapids" - Stock music from 5 Alarm - Terry drives off angry
4. "Willin' to Crawl" - Johnny Neel - Tara and Eggs talk at beginning of party
5. "What's a Man to Do" - The Mule Newman Band - Sam warns Tara via phone message
6. "Sex and Candy" - Marcy Playground - Jessica walks into Merlottes, talks with Hoyt
7. "When the Fire Starts to Burn" - Stock music from Black Toast Music - Jessica reveals to Hoyt she's a vampire
8. "Ice Ages" - DJ Acucrack - Sookie negotiates with Eric
9. "Power (Voodoo Version) - King Britt Presents Sister Gertrude Morgan - Andy shows up at MaryAnn's party
10. "Destiny Complete" - The Angel - Tara notices what's going on at the party
11. "Scratches" - Debbie Davies - Closing credits

Previously: Keep This Party Going (Episode 2.02)

Things might have gone down differently...

Forgive me, for a minute, the exercise of going back in time to 1979. The young and multi-talented singer Michael Jackson releases his first solo release for Epic, with what should be the record of the year in Off the Wall. It's a critical success, and the first album to put four singles in the top 10, and the album reached #3 on Billboard, which should be enough, right?

Jackson is not happy and vows for his next album to be the biggest release ever. This is the point, it seems, that MJ begins stepping outside reality. We get his first skin-whitening, nose job (necessary at first to fix a broken nose, but done w/ looking less African American in mind nonetheless) and hair straightening. You can't help but think Jacko believes that this is what it takes to cross over. Musically, he and Quincy Jones take what sold well with Off the Wall and tried to make that even bigger with Thriller. Jacko is rewarded with huge album sales for his tinkering, reinforcing his skewed ideas helping to serve as a blueprint for his life going forward.

I can't help thinking that if Jackson would've been even just a little bit more satisfied with Off the Wall he still would've risen to the King of Pop, but also had a longer richer career. That's why I'm stopping at Off the Wall in my rememberance of Jacko.

The Philanthropist: An Englishman in Abuja

While it's easy to find problems with the pilot to The Philanthropist, the work of actor James Purefoy and the beautiful world music soundtrack make it all work surprisingly well. Between the painful idea of following an affluent business men kneeling down to give a hand to third world countries and the construct of telling the story at a bar (to allow for narration,) it really shouldn't be this good, but Purefoy (Marc Antony from Rome) acts the hell out of it to make it all go down smoothly. And that's how the pilot pretty much goes: Something overly sentimental or contrived happens and Purefoy puts on the charm to make it seem less so.

There's a lot of television veteran talent behind the series starting with Tom Fontana (Homicide, Oz) at the helm with old pal Barry Levinson (The Natural, Bugsy,) Peter Horton (Grey's Anatomy, The Shield) and a cast featuring Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order) and Neve Campbell (Scream). The biggest thrill, though, is seeing Marc Antony of Rome get driven around by Omar from The Wire (Michael K. Williams) -- nothing better than a beloved HBO series team-up.

Aside from Purefoy, though, the highlight here is the music backing it. They managed to get the great Spanish composer Alberto Iglesias (The Kite Runner, The Constant Gardner, Volver) to contribute the theme song, and get his compatriot (and fellow contributor to The Kite Runner) José Villalobos to compose all the great incidental music to the pilot.

The rest of the soundtrack is pretty "resplendent" as well, with music from Africans like Baaba Maal, Issa Bagayogo and Ayub Ogada (who Iglesias also knows from working together on The Constant Garnder, their two collaborations are present in the pilot). My favorite inclusion is probably Tiken Jah Fakoly's cover of Sting's "Englishman in New York" ("African à Paris"). The presence of Sting, if only in cover form, is relevant in that he (and wife Trudie Styler) introduced Boston philanthropist Bobby Sager (who Teddy is based on) to producer Charlie Corwin, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Hopefully, with that connection in tow, they keep up the music, as with Purefoy's Teddy, it's an important character in the series, and seeing how he's going to be in a different locale every week, there's potential for a diverse collection of world music to choose from.

Playlist: The Philanthropist - Episode 1.01
1. "Internationale" - Baaba Maal (iTunes)
2. "Guero Canelo" - Calexico
3. "Interlude-Libation, The Water Ritual" - Bela Fleck
4. "Kothbiro" - Ayub Ogada (from Constant Gardner)
5. "Dicholo" - Ayub Ogada, Gavyn Wright & London Session Orchestra (from Constant Gardner)
6. "Africain à Paris" - Tiken Jah Fakoly (cover of Sting's "Englishman in New York")
7. "Draman" - Wasis Diop (iTunes)
8. "Bul Ma Miin" - Orchestra Baobab
9. "Down Under" - Colin Hay
10. "Kalan Nege" - Issa Bagayogo
11. "Bye Bye Baby" - The Donkeys