Ear on TV: Week of March 12

Is the train wreck gonnna make it into the station? UK singer and accident-waiting-to-happen Amy Winehouse is due to make her network television debut tonight on Letterman, but there are some doubts as to whether she'll pull it off. She cancelled two shows last week, and then cancelled her SXSW appearances coming later this week, all in the wake of a booze binge followering her break-up with boyfriend chef Alex Jones-Donnelly. The brash yet soulful singer's appearance tonight and concert in NYC tomorrow night are both still penciled in, so it will be interesting to see if she can pull it together (perhaps more interesting if she can't.) Her new album Back to Black finally makes it to our shores tomorrow (listen to free album stream via AOL,) so there's definitely some pressure on her from her label to pull it together. However, her father came out today begging for her to slow down, or face rehab, adds further to the irony of the lyrics to her first single "Rehab:"

And if my daddy thinks I'm fine
They's tryin' to make me go to rehab--I won't go, go, go

Later in the week, be sure to set your Tivo/DVR to record Last Call With Carson Daly, as a trio of great performers make their way to Carson's lair. Sweden's Peter Bjorn and John will whistle their hit "Young Folks" on Wednesday, then freak folk outfit Grizzly Bear will amaze on Thursday night with their four-part harmony on the track "Knife." Finally, be sure to check out San Francisco's Deerhoof, as they take their frenetic pop to the network masses. Deerhoof and Grizzly Bear, in particular, are both acts you don't normally get to see make appearances like this, so it's a real treat.

Monday, March 12
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Amy Winehouse
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Dr. Dog
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: KT Tunstall
Tuesday, March 13
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Good, the Bad & the Queen
Wednesday, March 14
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Aqualung
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: The Shins
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Peter Bjorn and John
Thursday, March 15
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Grizzly Bear
Friday, March 16
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Deerhoof
Saturday, March 17
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Snow Patrol

tags: music, television, soundtrack, talk shows, amy winehouse, grizzly bear, deerhoof, peter, bjorn and john, indie rock, rhapsody