Ear on TV: Week 06.29.09: Art Brut

It's a holiday week so it's time to drift up the dial a bit for inspiration. Our first stop is Fuel TV, whose The Daily Habit always seems to have at least two must-see bands stopping by each week. This week is no exception, with favorite acts Art Brut and Jay Reatard both making appearances.

Art Brut have mastered the art of arrested development in their songs. On Friday they perform two examples of their craft, in the songs "Alcoholics Unanimous" and "DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshakes." The latter song has already paid off with a recent guided tour of DC Comics. If I were frontman and lyricist Eddie Argos, a good chunk of the songs on my next album would be places I'd want guided tours from: Thank you, this next song is called "Ben & Jerry Pints & Playboy Mags." I'm just saying...

Meanwhile, for the first time in *some time, I've found myself watching MTV again, thanks to the new web-friendly talk show It's On With Alexa Chung. This week, the Twitter-happy Chung welcomes rapper Drake, who some may know as Jimmy Brooks from Degrassi: The Next Generation. Sure, I probably only checked out this artist because of his fly stage name (actual name, Aubrey Graham), but the kid actually has some mad skillz... who am I kidding? It's a slow week, and I'm mostly featuring him to put up an image of his album (unauthorized, apparently) titled The Girls Love Drake, because, you know... it's so true!

*The exception being last year's brief, but excellent series The Paper.

Finally, on Friday night the Sundance Channel is airing the Wilco concert film Ashes of American Flags which you should check out if for no other reason than to watch guitarist Nels Cline's hands. You don't have to be a guitarist to be mesmerized by his fretwork (but it might help).

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, June 29
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Steve Earle (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Jay Reatard
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Green Day (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (REPEAT)
Tuesday, June 30
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros
MTV: It's On With Alexa Chung: Drake
Wednesday, July 1
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Diane Birch (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Little Boots (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, Lou Reed and Julian Schnabel (REPEAT)
Thursday, July 2
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Phoenix (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: P.J. Harvey w/ John Parish (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Neko Case (REPEAT)
Friday, July 3
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Bat For Lashes (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Art Brut
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Keane (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Wilco: Ashes of American Flags: Wilco
Saturday, July 4
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Ludacris, T-Pain
PBS: Austin City Limits: Paolo Nutini, Grupo Fantasma (REPEAT)