Get Back, Macca (on the marquee)

Paul McCartney returned to Ed Sullivan Theater, sitting down with Dave to answer some expected questions. Memories of the Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show ("I was nervous") and of Michael Jackson (was a pleasure, until it became business) were both on the docket, naturally.



Macca then went out on the marquee (kind of like a roof, right?) and played "Get Back" and "Sing the Changes" from his latest Fireman album Electric Arguments. Then after the cameras were off, the played an encore of hits, from both Beatles and beyond: "Band on the Run," "Helter Skelter", "Back in the USSR", "Coming Up" and "Let Me Roll It" (all links to video).

Here's Macca on the Marquee...
"Get Back" and "Sing the Change":


"Back in the U.S.S.R."

"Helter Skelter"

Clickthrough for videos of "Band on the Run", "Coming Up" and "Let Me Roll It" (no embed allowed).

When the words we use are sometimes misconstrued

Wilco and Feist last night on Letterman performed a dreamy version of "You and I." If you're familiar with the recorded version, you might have picked up on how Jeff Tweedy and Feist are endearingly off-time singing the word 'misconstrued.' Here, they give each other a knowing smile and make sure they sing it in sync (at about 1:51 in):



Previously: This week's Ear On TV music on tv calendar

Ear on TV: Week of 03.02.09 - U2 X5

There's a lot to see and hear this week, yet one band, U2, manages to dominate the landscape. They're not only playing Letterman an unprecedented five nights, but are also playing daytime TV (ABC's GMA on Friday,) for the first time in their career. This is after pulling an award show trifecta opening the Grammys, the Brit Awards (UK,) and the Echo Awards (Germany) with their first single "Get on Your Boots." All this to help promote their first album in nearly five years, No Line On The Horizon, an album which sees the band reaching back to the kind of experimentation we haven't heard from the Irishmen since Achtung Baby.

You know times are tough for the record industry when even a band as bankable as U2 has to sell themselves this hard, but at least it can be said they're not mailing it in this time out. With five nights, I supposed we might we expect more interaction with their host, and perhaps an outdoor performance or two (on the fire escape ala TV on the Radio, or, more appropriately, via the rooftop). Heck, maybe Dave can even get Joaquin Phoenix to join the band to rap a verse or two?

Meanwhile, we can't forget that this is week marks the debut Jimmy Fallon as Conan's replacement. The SNL vet has not only lined up some quality music this week (Van Morrison, Santigold, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Ludicris,) but he also managed to hire The Roots has the Late Night band. One of his first guests, though, is good friend Justin Timberlake, which means we just might get a little "Barry Gibb Talk Show," which qualifies as Fallon's prior talk show experience.

Besides U2, another noteworthy new music release this week comes from the alt-country chanteuse Neko Case, with her enchanting Middle Cyclone. On Wednesday she'll unleash her haunting voice on Jay Leno, singing "People Got A Lotta Nerve." And finally, it'd be criminal of me not to mention that David Byrne will be on Monday's edition of The Colbert Report, which has been welcoming a lot of music of late. I wonder what papa bear would make of this trend?



Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, March 2
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: U2
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: David Byrne
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Justin Timberlake, Van Morrison
Tuesday, March 3
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Robyn
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: U2
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Bettye Lavette
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Santigold
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: Van Morrison
Wednesday, March 4
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Uh Huh Her
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: U2
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Cancer Bats
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Neko Case
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, Elton John (REPEAT)
Thursday, March 5
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: U2
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Andrew Bird
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Flobots, Saosin, Matisyahu and The Hives
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Tom Jones
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Ludacris
Friday, March 6
ABC: Good Morning America: U2
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: U2
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: M. Ward
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Thursday
Saturday, March 7
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Ray LaMontagne

Ear On TV: The Week of August 20

While frontman Carl Newman cringes everytime he hears it, The New Pornographers are truly are a (Canadian) supergroup. With the fortunes of Newman, Destroyer's Dan Bejar and Neko Case on the rise, it's hard to get them all together for a performance. On Letterman tonight, all but Bejar will be there, but fret not Dan fans, he's signed on for their upcoming fall tour, his first big one with the band. It's fitting this time out as the new album Challengers (out tomorrow,) finds the band leaning more towards his art folk and rock tendencies (and, with his three songs per album output, he's finally got a whole New Pornographers album worth of material.)

The band managed to all make it to Newman's wedding as well (NY TIMES,) complete with Neko Case serenading the bride and groom, and comedians Eugene Mirman (MC'ing) and David Cross in attendance. Supergroup, super wedding.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, August 20
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Sean Kingston (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The New Pornographers
Tuesday, August 21
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Rooney (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Tom Russell
Wednesday, August 22
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Blonde Redhead (REPEAT)
Thursday, August 23
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: The Clicks
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Lily Allen (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: Kasabian, The Good, the Bad & the Queen
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Mary J. Blige (REPEAT)
Friday, August 24
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson>: Ferraby Lionheart
IFC: The Henry Rollins Show: Duke Spirit
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Mando Diao (REPEAT)
Saturday, August 25
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Justin Timberlake (REPEAT)

tags: music, television, soundtrack, talk shows, new pornographers, neko case, dan bejar, indie rock, rhapsody

Ear on TV: Week of July 23

This week, to make things simple, just set your digital video recording device to record Letterman every night, as Paul Shaffer and the Late Show Band will be hosting a must-see act every night, bookending the week with two acts I'm particularly excited to see: Grinderman and Buffalo Tom.

First up tonight is the Nick Cave-led Grinderman, which is essentially a stripped-down version of The Bad Seeds. It's driven by the raw sounds of Cave playing electric guitar for the first time in his life, and is a sort of return to the post-punk roots of his early eighties band The Birthday Party. His lyrics and delivery are more off-the-cuff and like his guitar scratches, completely raw, which almost always translates into a great live experience.

Tuesday night, Letterman welcomes critic darlings The National, featuring the lyrical poetry lead singer Matt Berninger, who's baritone delivery is understated magic. Wednesday night, country legend Porter Wagoner stops by and shows how country music should be done, even at 80 years of age. Thursday brings the garage-punk sounds of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Karen O's stage presence will surely produce beads of sweat on Paul Shaffer's balding head.

And ending the week in style, the Boston-based trio Buffalo Tom return after nine years with a new album (Three Easy Pieces) and easily join the upper ranks of the indie rock reunion circuit. Funny to think that the last time they played a talk show (in support of 1999's Smitten,) it was closing out the final show of The Jon Stewart Show on MTV (see video.) Bringing it full circle, one of Stewart's guests on that final show was David Letterman.

Finally, I'd be remiss not to mention that PBS is re-airing the infamous Guided By Voices appearance on Austin City Limits, documented on DVD in full earlier this year. That their cohorts in the episode are Modest Mouse only adds to the necessity to tune in (again.)

Picks for the week
Monday, July 23
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Grinderman
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Common
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Dr. Dog (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Dolores O'Riordan (REPEAT)
Tuesday, July 24
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The National
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Wednesday, July 25
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Editors
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Porter Wagoner
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Stephen Stills
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Ben Kweller (REPEAT)
Thursday, July 26
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: T.I. (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: Massive Attack, Dr. John, LeAnn Rimes
Friday, July 27
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Buffalo Tom
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: The Cribs
IFC: The Henry Rollins Show: The Good, the Bad & the Queen
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Silversun Pickups (REPEAT)
Saturday, July 28
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Snow Patrol
PBS: Austin City Limits: Modest Mouse, Guided By Voices

tags: music, television, soundtrack, talk shows, grinderman, buffalo tom, the national, gbv,letterman, indie rock, rhapsody

Now handing out hot towels in heaven

Calvert DeForest, better known as Larry "Bud" Melman, died this Monday after a long illness. Some of my favorite memories of television in the 80's involve Melman's appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman. When he was found by producers of the show, he was working as a file clerk at a drug rehabilitation center. Next thing you know he's interviewing and delivering hot towels to bus patrons for Letterman.


According to News From Me, Letterman had planned a tribute to Melman Tuesday night, but had to call in sick with the flu (Adam Sandler hosted at the last minute.) Last night's episode was taped Monday and tonight and tomorrow's are reruns, so it won't be until Monday (3/26) before Dave and Paul can share their memories.

As far as music goes, who can forget his memorable appearance on Run-DMC's music video for "King of Rock."

But one thing that's quickly forgotten is his one foray into the music business, producing and curating a collection of seductive lounge songs for a record compilation called Calvert Deforest's Erotic Experience. The album seemed like a quick capitalization on the success of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (it features soundtrack staple "Soul Bossa Nova" from Quincy Jones,) but it was a complitation that held it's own. It featured classics from Henry Mancini, Count Basie and Arthur Lyman as well as newer tracks from Combustible Edison and Tipsy. That's some serious swank.

Playlist: Calvert Deforest's Erotic Experience

While not as swanky as the rest of the compilation, DeForest contributed his own track, a bizarre version of "Tequila" under the moniker Calvert & the Craftmatics.

More: DeForest's first appearance was to introduce the first episode of Late Night with David Letterman (YouTube)

tags: music, album review, obituary, brian eno, calvert deforest, larry bud melman, letterman, lounge+music, quincy jones, henry mancini, tipsy, combustible edison, rhapsody

Ear on TV: Week of October 16

While this week is darkened with reruns galore, there's one appearance that shines (make that burns) and that is the Mexican flamenco-inspired guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela (tonight on Letterman.) While Rodrigo (Sanchez) and Gabriela (Quintero) met playing in heavy metal bands in Mexico City, their ascension lies in Europe where they travelled and found themselves busking on the streets of Dublin, Ireland. There they become friends with Damien Rice, leading to Rice inviting them to open for him. Their latest release (Rodrigo Y Gabriela) recently debuted at number one in Ireland, and is just now beginning to hit our fair shores.

Album: Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Rodrigo Y Gabriela

Monday, October 16

ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Killers (RERUN)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: M. Ward (RERUN)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Rodrigo Y Gabriela

Wednesday, October 18
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Justin Timberlake (RERUN)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Starsailor
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Alexi Murdoch (RERUN)

Thursday, October 19
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Ben Folds
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Living Things (RERUN)

Friday, October 20
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: TV On The Radio (RERUN)
IFC: The Henry Rollins Show: Frank Black (RERUN)
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Frank Black
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Ludacris

tags: music, television, soundtrack, rodrigo y gabriela, talk shows, flamenco, dublin, rhapsody

Dear in the Sub Pop headlights

Download: Loney Dear - "The City, The Airport" (SXSW)

Sub Pop does it again... it was recently announced that Sub Pop added Sweden's Loney, Dear to their roster. For anyone that look/click at all on my EARS: albums to the right, you'll know I've had Loney, Dear's album SOLOGNE up there for ages - since I brought it back from Europe with me in early July, to be more exact.

February 7, 2007 is the release date for a new album entitled LONEY NOIR, which begs the question, when/where does SOLOGNE see a release in the US?

And, in case you missed it, here's TV On The Radio setting Letterman on fire two nights ago:


Previously:
Between Soda Lake and Butter Bridge (TV On The Radio's RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN)
Lupus like me (Video/Single for "Wolf Like Me")
TV On The Radio On TV

tags: music, loney dear, sub pop, tv on the radio, letterman
, video