Ear on TV: Week of 04.19.10: MGMT

The Grammy nominated MGMT, aren't at ease with being a popular band, or with having 'Grammy nominated' defining them. The duo wasn't comfortable at all at the glitzy ceremony. As Andrew VanWyngarden recently told the UK's Daily Mirror, "It almost feels like it's a giant marketing campaign for five or six bands. We just kind of felt like, 'What are we doing here?', like, 'Wow, we've infiltrated this kind of upper-level mainstream and we're so weird.'"

The electro-pop purveyors of strange headlined Coachella this weekend to record crowds, and made headlines by not even bothering to play their Grammy nominated song, "Kids," seemingly trying to distance themselves from the Grammy nomination even more. Instead, they concentrated the set on their sophomore release, Congratulations, which was unleashed on the world last week. Fans expecting another "Time to Pretend" or "Kids" are bound to be disappointed, as this album ups the weird quotient exponentially -- at the expense of there being any hits. In fact, when MGMT play Saturday Night Live this week, they might rival Sun Ra (May 20, 1978) and Captain Beefheart (November 22, 1980) for the weirdest musical performance that the sketch comedy series has had in it's long 35 season run. Far be it for me to recommend illegal activity, but recreational medication might be warranted.

Speaking of recreational drugs, 90s rap stars Cypress Hill are back with a new album after a six year hiatus, and the time is indeed ripe for the pot promoters' return. Since their last album, 15 states have legalized marijuana for medicinal use, and more are on the way, including an initiative on the November ballot for full legalization in the rap group's home of California. This will be the first release since Sen Dog (aka Senen Reyes) suffered a heart attack in 2007, and he's not backed off extolling the virtues of his favorite plant. "Smoking marijuana actually helps lower blood pressure," he tells the Daily Mirror. "Nothing's changed, we have our beliefs as a band and people. If anything, we've learned even more, so we are still dropping facts." Cypress Hill perform twice this week, first with Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello on Jimmy Kimmel Live Monday, then on FUEL's The Daily Habit on Tuesday.

Finally, it seems weird that Broken Social Scene haven't released an album since 2005's Broken Social Scene, but that's because they've been a part of so many releases in the interim. Between solo releases from Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning (both released with a "Broken Social Scene presents" tag), there's also been the higher profile releases by acts with revolving members, Feist (Leslie Feist), Metric (Emily Haines), Stars (Evan Cranley) and Do May Say Think (Ohad Benchetrit, Charles Spearin). On May 4, the band will finally be front and center again with the album Forgiveness Rock Record, and they'll anticipate the release with a performance of the song "Forced to Love" on Letterman Thursday.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, April 19
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Cypress Hill featuring Tom Morello
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Phoenix
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Weezer (REPEAT)
Tuesday, April 20
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Devo
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Cypress Hill
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Smashing Pumpkins
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: New Kids on the Block (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Circa Survive (REPEAT)
Wednesday, April 21
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Jakob Dylan
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Natalie Merchant
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Silversun Pickups (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Lisa Hannigan (REPEAT)
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Annie Lennox
Thursday, April 22
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Taylor Hawkins
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Broken Social Scene
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Gorillaz
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Surfer Blood
FUSE: Green Day Earth Day: Green Day (video, interviews, career recap all day)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Maxwell
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: David Gray (REPEAT)
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Ozomatli
Friday, April 23
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Local Natives
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: Antony and the Johnsons, The Enemy
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Lily Allen (REPEAT)
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Norah Jones
Saturday, April 24
NBC: Saturday Night Live: MGMT
Sunday, April 25
HBO: Treme: Dr. John, Kermit Ruffins