Ear on TV: Week of June 8: Sonic Youth

For the first time in nearly two decades, Sonic Youth is an indie rock band. The band recently parted ways with Geffen, a label that once championed them, but towards the end of their relationship, wouldn't even call them back. Now free of the pressure to break into the *mainstream, Thurston Moore and crew are channeling the raw and discordant sound of their earlier days with their latest release, The Eternal, which is out this week.

*Remember when they appeared on Gilmore Girls? While it's entirely possible that it was of their own volition, I'm thinking an appearance on a Warner-owned primetime drama is a lot less likely to happen with their new label, Matador.

It will be interesting to compare and contrast their appearance on Letterman Wednesday night with their previous appearance three years ago, as I'm willing to bet there's going to be a lot more jumping around and/or tearing sh*t up this time out. The atonal beginning to "Sacred Trickster" alone sends a message that things are going to be different.

Meanwhile, West Africa's Amadou & Mariam are finally breaking through in the U.S. after nearly 30 years of playing together, thanks to the inspired Afro-pop of their latest album Welcome to Mali, which was produced by Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz). The self-dubbed "blind couple from Mali," Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, will be making their network television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday, more than likely performing the song "Sabali," after which, we'll have another reason to give thanks for having The Roots on Late Night. (They're responsible for booking most the music acts.)

Finally, remember more than a month ago when it was announced that Green Day were going to be playing three nights in a row on Last Call with Carson Daly? Since that announcement they've made appearances on SNL, Letterman and The Tonight Show, not to mention the massive promo buys on ESPN. With all that exposure, the only thing Carson Daly has going is that the band has so far has played "Know Your Enemy" so many times that hearing the band play at least two other songs is all that Daly can lay network TV claim to.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, June 8
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Airborne Toxic Event (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Mos Def
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Amadou & Mariam, The Roots
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Ting Tings (REPEAT)
Tuesday, June 9
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: No Doubt
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Black Eyed Peas
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Sounds
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Bonnie Raitt
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Mos Def, The Roots
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Green Day
Wednesday, June 10
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Sonic Youth
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Theresa Andersson
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Timmy Curran
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Rancid
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Manchester Orchestra, The Roots
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Green Day
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, Lou Reed & Julian Schnabel (REPEAT)
Thursday, June 11
ABC: The View: Kanye West
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s
NBC: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Neko Case
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Green Day
Friday, June 12
ABC: The View: Black Eyed Peas
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: P.J. Harvey w/ John Parrish
SUNDANCE: Derailroaded: Wild Man Fischer
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Black Eyed Peas (REPEAT)
Saturday, June 13
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Green Day (REPEAT)