Music on TV - Week of 03.12.12: The Shins

James Mercer and The Shins are the musical guest on this week's Saturday Night Live.

While it's a sad week of repeats for the talkies, James Mercer and the Shins will be making their triumphant return to Saturday Night Live in support of their first release in over five years. this after a five year absence.

Port of Morrow (on shelves March 20), will mark the debut of Mercer's new Aural Apothecary label, with distribution by Columbia Records. While it's been five years, Mercer has remained busy, having worked with Danger Mouse on the Broken Bells collaboration, and some of Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton's depth of production has seemingly rubbed off on Mercer with this latest. Having another great producer (Richard Swift, see Damien Jurado) in the current lineup probably didn't hurt either, as there's far more than a 60s pop influence at work this time around. It's The Shins at their multifaceted max.

Picks for the week
Monday, March 5
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Lana Del Rey (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Imelda May (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Jessie Baylin (REPEAT)
TBS: Conan: Joe Louis Walker
Tuesday, March 6
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Tower of Power (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Yelawolf with Kid Rock (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Madonna, Joe Perry (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Wale (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Kylesa (REPEAT)
TBS: Conan: WZRD
Wednesday, March 7
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Joseph Arthur (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Cee Lo Green (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Laura Marling (REPEAT)
Thursday, March 8
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Mat Kearney (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Airborne Toxic Event (REPEAT)
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Emmylou Harris
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Chiddy Bang (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Young Jeezy featuring Ne-Yo (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Foster the People (REPEAT)
Friday, March 9
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Melanie Fiona (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Estelle (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Horrors (REPEAT)
Saturday, March 10
NBC: Saturday Night Live: The Shins
PBS: Austin City Limits: Steve Earle, Kris Kristofferson
Sunday, March 11
HDNET: Greg Allman Live at the Sturgis Rally: Greg Allman