Ear on TV: The Week of July 21

The interracial Jacksonville, Florida quintet Black Kids have already ridden the wave of blog buzz, backlash and back again before even releasing their first album, Partie Traumatic, which hits the shelves tomorrow. That's both the power and the problem of the internet -- a couple high profile shows, some well-written pieces proclaiming their greatness, and before you know it, you've got a Behind the Music special being made before the band gets the benefit of any royalties. Black Kids, fronted by the personable Reggie Youngblood, sound like the perfect storm of blug buzz -- synth sounds stolen from the eighties, histrionic vocals in the vein of The Cure's Robert Smith, dance-oriented rock all played with child-like abandon -- it's no wonder that Partie Automatic debuted a couple weeks ago in the UK (at #5) before here, as across the pond, NME and it's also-rans love this kind of hype build up to a release.

Another reason for the album's release being this week is the band's inclusion in the soundtrack to the great high school documentary American Teen, which gets it's proper stateside release this Friday. The infectious song "I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance" is the featured song from the film, and they'll be playing it Thursday night on Letterman. In coordination, another band featured on the soundtrack also makes a late night appearance that same night, as Does It Offend You, Yeah? plays "Dawn of the Dead" on Kimmel. If it's intentional -- and you'll know if they hold up the soundtrack during intro/outro -- it's certainly an interesting marketing ploy for the film, given it's lack of marketable stars to work the talk show circuit.

Elsewhere, you can't go wrong with Grizzly Bear, playing Letterman Wednesday night, as the Brooklyn quartet debuts a new song ("Nine"). It's becoming a trend for the band as they did the same thing with the song "While You Wait for the Others" on Conan back in April. It's certainly a different approach to getting your music out there, which makes the pairing of them with the forward-thinking Radiohead on many dates this summer a great match both on and offstage.

Playlist: Picks for the week of 07.21.08
Monday, January 21
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Jamie Lidell
CBS: The Early Show: John Mellencamp
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Against Me!
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Alanis Morissette
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Katy Perry (REPEAT)
OVATION: Live From the Artist's Den: Crowded House
Tuesday, January 22
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Alanis Morissette
CBS: The Early Show: Sara Bareilles
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: The Duke Spirit
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Galactic (REPEAT)
Wednesday, January 23
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Grizzly Bear
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Ricky Skaggs
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Nas
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Tilly & the Wall
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: The Time
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: The Duke Spirit (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Rick Ross (REPEAT)
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Alicia Keys (REPEAT)
Thursday, January 24
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Does It Offend You, Yeah?
\CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Black Kids
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Curt Smith
FUEL: The Daily Habit: King Khan & the Shrines
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Brett Dennen (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: The Hoosiers, The Black Keys, Manu Chao
Friday, January 25
ABC: Good Morning America: Feist
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Pepper
Saturday, January 26
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: Duffy (REPEAT)
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Arcade Fire (REPEAT)
PBS: Austin City Limits: Ben Folds, Ray LaMontagne (REPEAT)