Music on TV - Week of 04.30.12: Father John Misty

Father John Misty (J. Tillman, formerly of Fleet Foxes) makes network television debut on Letterman, Tuesday.

After doing the unthinkable and leaving Fleet Foxes, J. Tillman found himself with a musical identity crisis of sorts. As a solo artist, Tillman had released several fine hazey, folk-tinged albums full of thought provoking lyrics and hummable melodies. When he took the job as a drummer for Fleet Foxes, it became an all encompassing side gig when the band quickly became THE face of indie rock. But all that success did little to hide the fact that playing drums in a band, no matter how successful, just wasn't a satisfying venture. So Tillman said his goodbyes, hopped in a van, took a lot of drugs and ended up -- as any folk-tinged rock and roller on drugs would -- in the sunny Los Angeles suburb of Laurel Canyon.

It's here, in the sunny environs of California, that Tillman rechristened his musical identity as Father John Misty, recording an album (Fear Fun, released this week) full of haunting beauty and a dark, sarcastic wit. While much has changed about the Laurel Canyon scene since Neil, Joni, Jackson, Nilsson, Zappa, The Byrds, Hendrix and Charles Manson all called it home, the landscape is just as weirdly populated. As Tillman recently told AVClub, "(t)his place, it is full of small dogs and entertainment lawyers and Hummers," he relayed. "Laurel Canyon is kind of grotesque. It's this nature-themed place, and everybody is kind of angry." Tillman's Father John Misty makes their (his) network television debut on The Late Show with David Letterman Tuesday night, performing song of the year candidate, "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings."

Picks for the week
Monday, April 30
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Andrew Bird
CBS: This Morning: Herbie Hancock
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Tom Morello featuring Ben Harper
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Bomba Estereo
TBS: Conan: Yelawolf (REPEAT)
Tuesday, May 1
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Civil Twilight
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Father John Misty
NBC: The Today Show: Barry Manilow
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Santigold
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Ed Sheeran
VH1: Uprising: Hip Hop and the L.A. Riots: NWA, Ice-T, Snoop Dogg, Too Short, Nas, Dr. Dre
Wednesday, May 2
ABC: Good Morning America: Anita Baker
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Brad
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Norah Jones
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: K'Naan featuring Nelly Furtado
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Bombay Bicycle Club
TBS: Conan: Kid Cudi, Daryl Hall (REPEAT)
Thursday, May 3
ABC: Good Morning America: Norah Jones
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Roger Daltry
Friday, May 4
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Electric Guest
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Kathleen Edwards
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Portugal. The Man (REPEAT)
Saturday, May 5
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: Rufus Wainwright
HBO: 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Faces/Small Faces, Beastie Boys, ZZ Top, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Donovan, Laura Nyro, Black Thought, Green Day,
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Rihanna
PBS: Austin City Limits: Miranda Lambert, Jeff Bridges