Ear on TV: Week of 04.26.10: Courtney Love's Hole

Adding weight to my theory that we're re-living 1994 all over again*, Courtney Love's band Hole is back with their first album (Nobody's Daughter) in over a decade, and their first relevant album since 1994's Live Through This. Of course, it's a bit of a misnomer calling this a Hole album, given that co-founder Eric Erlandson is absent, along with fan fave Melissa Auf Der Maur. Love is taking a page out of album collaborator Billy Corgan's book, banking on the band name without any of the other actual band members. Like Smashing Pumpkins, this is now about Love and Love alone.

* Seriously... Pavement, Soundgarden, Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr,, Sunny Day Real Estate, Alice in Chains and host of others are all in min-comebacks. I even took part in my first full blown show in over 16 years.

Love recently declared that the 'Love' name should be dead anyway, looking for a fresh start. As expected, that turned out to be just Courtney talking out of turn (surprise, surprise) as her management have clarified that statement for Love, calling it a metaphor. Is that what they're calling talking out of turn days? Instead of a trip to rehab, artists can blame their English teacher. Courtney Love (or whatever she wants to call herself) and Hole will be performing twice this week, first on Letterman Tuesday, and then on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, The Hold Steady is also coming back with a slightly revamped line-up, having lost keyboardist (and resident mustache) Franz Nicolay, who's moved on to solo endeavors. The resulting product, Heaven is Whenever, still has Craig Finn's beer-soaked observations, but is less anthemic and more spacious, which is not a bad thing. I'm still missing those Springsteen-like fills on the keys that Nicolay would sprinkle liberally throughout, though. Maybe Paul Schaffer can do the job when they stop by Letterman to likely perform the song "Rock Problems" on Friday.

Elsewhere, IFC's Dinner With the Band is back and getting a full 13 episode season with corresponding premiere. Rufus Wainwright sings for his supper Tuesday night (video below), which consists of Schnitzel, Spaetzle and Sauerkraut. Achtung, baby! Looking over the artists listed, it looks like the mini season we enjoyed late last year is being folded into this season. Besides highlights Les Savy Fav, Final Fantasy and Sharon Jones, chef Sam Mason welcomes The Mountain Goats, My Brightest Diamond, Andrew WK and The Murder City Devils.


Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, April 26
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: David Sanborn
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Gogol Bordello
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: OK Go, Paolo Nutini
Tuesday, April 27
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Hole
IFC: Dinner With the Band: Rufus Wainwright
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: The Whigs
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Citizen Cope
Wednesday, April 28
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Dr. Dog
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: OK Go
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Aqualung
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: RJD2
Thursday, April 29
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Hole
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: OK Go
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Holly Golightly
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Paramore
Friday, April 30
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Hold Steady
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: The Killers, Florence and the Machine, Chairlift
Saturday, May 1
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Vampire Weekend (REPEAT)
Sunday, May 2
HBO: Treme: Kermit Ruffins, Dr. John