Ear on TV: Week of February 19

Better beef up the borders - Canada is invading the US this week. Montreal indie rock ensemble Arcade Fire heads the attack with an appearance on Saturday Night Live. Their new album, Neon Bible won't hit the shelves yet for a couple weeks (March 7, 2007,) but is already creating serious buzz thanks to some choice leaked tracks and the fact that their amazing debut was on nearly every critic's list for album of the year for 2004. Their live show is a true spectacle of sound and vision, complete with improvised use of percussion on helmets, speakers and walls. It's not to be missed, and testament to that is both Davids Bowie and Byrne have joined them onstage, giddy with excitement.

Meanwhile, not content to own the market on hip indie rock, Canada also sends hip-hop/rapper k-os, who'll be bringing his Gnarls Barkley-like fusion of styles to Letterman on Tuesday night. His new album Atlantis: Hymns for Disco (on shelves Tuesday) is like a trojan horse, in that not only is k-os invading, but he's also sneaking some of Canada's finest indie rockers in with him as well. Sam Roberts and Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene) help out on the album, making it a true fusion of indie rock and hip-hop, Canada-style.

Elsewhere, don't miss the soaring instrumental work from Texas' Explosions In The Sky on Conan that very same Tuesday night. Their new release All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone hits stores Tuesday and is a worthy follow-up to their amazing work on Friday Night Lights (both the movie and the criminally overlooked television series.)

Monday, February 19
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Silversun Pickups
Tuesday, February 20
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: k-os
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Explosions In The Sky
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite
Wednesday, February 21
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Gomez
Thursday, February 22
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Cold War Kids
Friday, February 23
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Mickey Avalon
Saturday, February 24
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Arcade Fire
PBS: Austin City Limits: The Killers, Spoon

tags: music, television, soundtrack, arcade+fire, k-os, the thermals, explosions in the sky, canada, indie rock, rhapsody