Ear on TV: Week of September 15

It's a razor thin week, as far as live music goes, so the lucky recipient of this week's profile is like a one-eyed man in the land of the blind. Cold War Kids were churned through the blog hype machine with their debut a couple years ago, and barely made it through with band intact. Next week, the Fullerton four piece release their sophomore album, Loyalty to Loyalty, which promises to be much darker. They'll perform the lead single "Something is Not Right With Me" on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Friday, a song which shows a lot of promise for the new album, an album which the band promises to be a bit darker.

Meanwhile, playing the night before on Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson are friends and tour mates Dr. Dog. Cold War Kids and Dr. Dog share a certain hippie indie rock quality to their sound that is easy to hear, in the appreciation of old vinyl and the similar vocal delivery. In fact, if you were to combine their sound, you'd get a band I like a lot: Delta Spirit. Which makes sense, since they've all toured together.

If hippie indie rock is too, um, indie rock for you, there's always the smart folk of Loudon Wainwright III. His latest, Recovery, reworks many of his most famous songs, which means very little to most, as none of his songs fall into the 'famous' category ("Dead Skunk" anyone?) I'm actually a fan of his work, but I realize most know him more as the gynecologist on Knocked Up (a movie for which he did the soundtrack,) and as the father of Rufus and Martha Wainwright.

I'm making a guess, though, that the biggest splash this week will come from the mysterious TBA, who serves as both host and musical guest this week on Saturday Night Live. You have to love the mystery and flexibility that TBA brings with every performance. (UPDATE: Turns out I'm right here -- the musical guest for SNL has been announced as Kings of Leon, along with host James Franco. That's the hazard of writing Monday posts on Fridays.)

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, September 15
Zzzzzzz
Tuesday, September 16
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Tally Hall
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Nelly
Wednesday, September 17
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Terrence Howard (REPEAT)
NBC: The Today Show: Willie Nelson
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: George Clinton
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Loudon Wainwright III
Thursday, September 18
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Fleet Foxes (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Dr. Dog
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Southside Johnny, Willie Nelson
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: Kate Nash, Herbie Hancock, Corinne Bailey Rae , Sonya Kitchell (REPEAT)
Friday, September 19
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Cold War Kids
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Duffy (REPEAT)
Saturday, September 20
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Kings of Leon