Ear on TV: Week of April 9

This week's stellar lineup includes performances from several early album of the year contenders. First in line is LCD Soundsystem (aka James Murphy,) who's album Sound of Silver is garnering a ridiculous amount of critical praise and makes an appearance on Letterman Wednesday night. Murphy, a former punk drummer, mixes killer dance beats, lyrical wit and Brian Eno (David Bowie, Talking Heads) sound sensibilities for a taste sensation that's equally enjoyable in the club as it is in your headphones. I already called it my album of the year, but there's still time to be proven wrong.

Another artist raking in the acclaim is multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird, and he'll be making his late night tv debut on Letterman as well (Tuesday night.) His album Armchair Apocrypha is full of off-kilter pop, haunting beauty, and some of the best whistling you'll ever hear on record. The third 'album of the year' nominee this week goes to the Athen, Georgia band Of Montreal, who's album Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? is both a mouthful to say and hear. Frontman Kevin Barnes has packed this release with so much, it immediately requires repeat listens to fully absorb all of Barnes' manic musings. They make their network television debut Thursday night on Conan, and Barnes is bound to do something crazy for the live cameras.

Finally, the prolific Joseph Arthur debuts his latest band, The Lonely Astronauts on Conan Friday night. The new album Let's Just Be is due to hit shelves next week, and it's a departure for Arthur in that it's more of a rollicking good time reminiscent of The Rolling Stones of old (via Exile On Mainstreet.)

Playlist: Picks for the week of April 9
Monday, April 9
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Paul Wall
Tuesday, April 10
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Andrew Bird
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Cold War Kids
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Scanners
Wednesday, April 11
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: LCD Soundsystem
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Rickie Lee Jones
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Young Buck
Thursday, April 12
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: k-os
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Of Montreal
Friday, April 13
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Rodrigo y Gabriela
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Cold War Kids
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: The Shins
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Joseph Arthur
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Paul Wall
IFC: The Henry Rollins Show: Peaches
Saturday, April 14
PBS: Austin City Limits: John Fogerty

More: LCD Soundsystem playing "Daft Punk is Playing at My House" on Letterman
tags: music, television, soundtrack, talk shows, lcd soundsystem, andrew bird, of montreal, joseph arthur, letterman, indie rock, rhapsody