Music on TV - Week of 11.28.11: She & Him, Black Keys

M. Ward and Zoe Deschanel as She & Him appear on Leno (Monday) and Ellen (Thursday).

The holiday season is in full swing and She & Him have one of the only albums we can recommend to accompany your egg nog. They appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Monday and then dance with Ellen on Thursday.

The Black Keys make a return trip to Saturday Night Live this weekend and one hopes that they brought along actor/security guard Derrick T. Tuggle to dance along to the T Rex-meets-Bo Diddly joint "Lonely Boy." Their forthcoming release, El Camino, is out next week.

Picks for the week
Monday, November 28
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Civil Wars
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: David Crosby & Graham Nash (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: She & Him
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Jimmy Cliff
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Cold War Kids
TBS: Conan: Das Racist
Tuesday, November 29
CBS: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: Jay-Z, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Foster the People (REPEAT)
NBC: The Today Show: Hot Chelle Rae
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: The Dodos with Neko Case
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Trentmoller
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: Cobra Starship with Sabi
TBS: Conan: Morrissey
Wednesday, November 30
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: My Morning Jacket
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Civil Wars (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Needtobreathe
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Bono
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Stephen Sondheim
NBC: The Today Show: Neil Diamond
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Iron & Wine
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Hot Chelle Rae
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Mona
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: Hot Chelle Rae
Thursday, December 1
ABC: Good Morning America: Alicia Keys, Bono
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Civil Wars
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Peter Gabriel (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: T-Pain
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Dum Dum Girls
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Delta Spirit, Reggie Watts
SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: She & Him
Friday, December 2
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Jane's Addiction (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Goldheart Assembly
Saturday, December 3
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show:
NBC: Saturday Night Live: The Black Keys
PBS: Austin City Limits: Spoon (REPEAT)
VH1: ATL: Big Boi, Andre 3000

Ear on TV: Week of 04.05.10: Pubic Image Ltd

Professional provocateur John Lydon has reunited his post-Sex Pistols outfit Public Image Ltd. kicking off a tour of North America next week, the first one in 18 years. Lydon recently told Billboard that the band has new material ready to record. "Yeah, I've got piles," says the frontman, also saying the tour is a way to raise money for the recording. "We've got no backing -- no record company, no sponsors, nothing like that," explains Lydon. "The only way we can make money is the touring, and then we can make a new album. It's sort of like the old days of PiL, when the Pistols went kaput; I had to scrimp and scrape out of my own pocket. Not much has changed."

If little indeed has changed, we should expect the unexpected when PiL perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live Wednesday. While it's been 18 years since the last time they provoked US viewers at home, we're coming up on the 30th anniversary of their first televised appearance in the US -- a head-scratching performance of "Careering Poptones" on American Bandstand to a dumbstruck Dick Clark. They followed that up by making the late Tom Snyder completely lose his cool on The Tom Snyder Show. Lydon may have mellowed over the years, but I'm sure Kimmel and his bookers are betting on the aging punk to giving you something to tweet about.




Elsewhere, Philadelphia's Dr. Dog has a hippy-ish kitchen sink approach to indie rock, and are looking to expand their cult following with their latest release, Shame, Shame, out this week. Produced by Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliott Smith, the album still has the band sounding like their from a long lost era, with influences ranging from the roots rock of The Band to the pop confection of The Left Banke. Dr. Dog performs "Stranger," the first single from the album, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, April 5
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: She & Him
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Swell Season (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Peter Wolf
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Arctic Monkeys (REPEAT)
Tuesday, April 6
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Kelis
CURRENT: Embedded: Cold War Kids, Beirut, BLK JKS (REPEAT)
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Dan Black
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Slash & Andrew Stockdale (Wolfmother)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Dr Dog
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Living Sisters
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Citizen Cope
Wednesday, April 7
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Publc Image Ltd.
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Black Lips
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Suzanne Vega
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Angels & Airwaves
SYNDICATION: The Oprah Winfrey Show: Glee Cast
Thursday, April 8
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ludacris (REPEAT)
FOX: Lopez Tonight: Slash
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Justin Bieber
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Circa Survive
Friday, April 9
FUEL: The Daily Habit: De La Soul
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Never Shout Never
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: Doves, Noisettes, Lyle Lovett
Saturday, April 10
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Justin Bieber
VH1: NWA: The World's Most Dangerous Group: NWA, Ice Cube, Dr Dre, Eazy-E
Sunday, April 11
HBO: Treme: Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint, Kermit Ruffins, Rebirth Brass Band,

Ear on TV: Week of 03.29.10: She & Him

When Zooey Deschanel and M Ward first collaborated as She & Him with the album Volume One, the actress/singer was too busy with her film career to give the release much support. This time around, with Volume Two (released last week), the indie film darling is taking a year off* to give She & Him her full attention, with a full-blown tour and a tidy schedule of television appearances, including one this Friday on Letterman.

*After the film Your Highness (scheduled for October release), it's possible we won't see Deschanel on the big screen until 2012.

Volume Two is surely deserving of the attention, improving upon the well-received debut, with Deschanel honing her songwriting craft even more. This is certainly no vanity project, like the forays into music by Bruce Willis, Don Johnson and the more recent Scarlett Johansson. The songs instead remind one of Harry Nilsson, Roy Orbison and classic Brill Building songwriting, made complete with M Ward's timeless sounding production and backing. And could the two be any more adorable than they are in this first video from the release, "In the Sun"?



Meanwhile, someone who should put their acting career on permanent standby, Madonna, has a new concert DVD. Madonna: Sticky and Sweet (debuting on VH1 Friday, the night before its physical release), features guest appearances from Justin Timberlake, Kanye West and Britney Spears. But mostly, this just reminds me that Glee comes back next month with an all new episode featuring the songs of Madonna, and the supporting EP (The Power of Madonna) already has a tracklisting of songs, which includes "Express Yourself," "Borderline," "Vogue," "Like a Virgin," "4 Minutes," "What it Feels Like For a Girl," and the episode closer, "Like a Prayer." Apparently Sue is singing "Vogue" (hooray!), Emma and Will are singing "Like a Virgin," and smart money's on Kurt for "What it Feels Like for a Girl," just because it seems like a song he'd sing to himself in front of the mirror.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, March 29
FOX: Lopez Tonight: Foreigner
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Julian Casablancas
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Fanfarlo (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who: The Who
SUNDANCE: A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake: Nick Drake
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Sade (REPEAT)
Tuesday, March 30
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Erykah Badu
CURRENT: Embedded (x2): The Decemberists, Passion Pit, Bon Iver, Amanda Palmer, The Delta Spirit (REPEAT)
FOX: Lopez Tonight: Ludicris
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Angels & Airwaves
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Keane
Wednesday, March 31
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Matisyahu
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Whigs
FUEL: The Daily Habit: John Butler Trio
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Drive-By Truckers
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Doves
Thursday, April 1
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: OK Go
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Patty Loveless
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Kottonmouth Kings
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Mishka
Friday, April 2
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: She & Him
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Liquid, Liquid
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Surfer Blood
VH1: Madonna: Sticky and Sweet: Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Britney Spears
Saturday, April 3
PBS: Austin City Limits: Allen Toussaint (REPEAT)
VH1: Purple Rain: Prince, The Time

Now Downloading: New Releases 03.23.10

Busy week, being a post-SXSW release week, but I'm still looking ahead to future dates, so we'll keep it short and sweet. Highlights this week are the latest from She & Him, Love is All, Serena-Maneesh, Radar Brothers, Goldfrapp, Archie Bronson Outfit, Jenny Owen Youngs and the film composing debut for James Murphy with the soundtrack to Greenberg.

Playlist: New Releases 03.23.10

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She & Him - Volume Two
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

When Zooey Deschanel and M Ward's collaborative debut, Volume One, came out a couple years back, several magazines and blogs tripped over themselves trying to crown it album of the year. It's interesting to see how things go down now that they've released a stronger album in Volume Two. Ward has proved to be the perfect collaborator for Deschanel's taste, being timeless in his playing and production, and this time around, more influences are unfolding. You can add Roy Orbison and Harry Nilsson to the more obvious hints of Patsy Cline. Fr a sophomore release, it's a slump breaker, and should easily stand the test of time more than the first.

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Love is All - Two Thousand and Ten Injuries / "Kungen" [mp3]
James Murphy - Greenberg Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Serena-Maneesh - S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor / Free AOL album stream
Radar Brothers - The Illustrated Garden / "Horses Warriors" [mp3]
Goldfrapp - Head First
Archie Bronson Outfit - Coconut / Free AOL album stream / "Shark's Tooth [mp3]
The Bird and the Bee - Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates
Jenny Owen Youngs - Transmitter Failure / Free AOL album stream
Mux Mool - Skulltaste / Free AOL album stream
Dead Meadow - Three Kings
Roadside Graves - If Shacking Up Is All You Want To Do / "Liv Tyler" [mp3]
Drink Up Buttercup - Born and Thrown on a Hook
Bettie Serveert - Pharmacy of Love
Seabear - We Built a Fire
The Unthanks - Here's the Tender Coming
Bonobo - Black Sands
Lets Wrestle - Black Sands
The Weakerthans - Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre
Hot Tube Time Machine: Music From the Motion Picture

tags: music, album review, she and him,, love is all, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Life: Shelf Life of Life

With Life on life support, it doesn't help to have an episode like this where which feels like filler in place to deal with Sarah Shahi's pregnancy. While the over the phone scenes between Crews and Reese were funny, it kind of felt like those weird Three's Company episodes where Chrissy (Suzanne Somers*) would call in at the end of the show. It's hardly the kind of thing you want to do on a show that's a long shot for renewal.

*Somers wasn't pregnant, but instead was written out of episodes due to her boycotting episodes earlier in the season after not getting the raise she demanded.

Next week, as if in response to the lack of chemistry between Damien Lewis and Brent Sexton (Stark,) Gabrielle Union (Bring it On, Cadillac Records) is coming aboard as both Crews' new fill-in partner and proxy for Sarah Shahi's job as female foil.

Finally, outside of Lost, when was the last time you saw a record player used on TV for a series that takes place in the now? Sure, She & Him's "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" is the kind of song that sounds like it should be played on a record player, as does any song that M. Ward is associated with, but it's still kind of unexpected. Even odder, Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" screams four years ago. I guess a show that's about to be axed has to be budget-conscious, so when Coldplay is out of their league, you turn to the poor man's Coldplay.

More: Reaper fans wondering what happened to Sock's old squeeze Josie (Valarie Rae Miller,) apparently she joined the military. Miller did a good job with what little she had to work with here.

So weird hearing her say "I get what I get and I don't get upset," which is something I hear almost daily from my four-year old. I'm not sure where the phrase's ultimate source is, but I know he got it from his preschool teacher, who in turn got it from the book Pinkalicious (required reading our household). The phrase "You get what you get and you don't get upset" seems far too obvious to be from a somewhat obscure kid's book that's less than three years old, right? Has anyone else heard that phrase before?

Playlist: Life - Episode 2.17
1. "It Dawned On Me" - Calla
2. "Gone Too Far" - Shivaree
3. "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" - She & Him
4. "Somewhere Only We Know" - Keane

Previously: Man on a Stick (Episode 2.16)

Spectacle - Show Biz Kids

It should've been my favorite episode, given 2/3 the musical guests, but all together seemed kind of listless... like M. Ward's answers to questions. I really wanted to hear more from Ward, but he was obviously not the attraction, and spent most the time in the shadows.

Ward mentioned John Fahey as an influence, which was someone's clue to edit in a clip, or Costello's cue to have him play something by Fahey (which might very well have happened and was edited out due to time constraints -- either way, we'll provide the love here). Outside of Jenny Lewis' high-waisted blue jumpsuit (or were those just fancy overalls?) my highlight was the lap steel guitar playing on "Carpetbaggers" -- who was that? He was up high in the mix and yet lost in the shadows.

Hearing the 'all star jam' version of "(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" oddly enough reminded me of the ending to A Colbert Christmas. I mean, how many all-star jamz can you do of that song. It also reminded me, where was the songwriter Nick Lowe this season?

Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... (She & Him, Jenny Lewis, Jakob Dylan)
1. "Showbiz Kids" - Steely Dan - Costello sings as intro to first theme
2. "Change is Hard" - She & Him
3. "Pretty Bird" - Jenny Lewis w/ M. Ward
4. "Carpetbaggers" - Jenny Lewis w/ Elvis Costello
5. "Go Away" - Elvis Costello w/ Jenny Lewis
6. "One Headlight" - The Wallflowers
7. "On Up the Mountain" - Jakob Dylan - performing w/ Costello
8. "Straight to Hell" - The Clash - Costello and Dylan
9. "(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" - Elvis Costello - all star jam

Ear on TV: Week of 02.09.09

Fresh off their Saturday Night Live appearance, TV on the Radio face off against Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report Monday night, both standing up playing ("Dancing Choose") and sitting down to get 'nailed' in an interview. (UPDATE: Scroll down for the interview -- lots of giggling and beard stroking, and here's the link for the live performance of "Dancing Choose".)

It's a pretty exclusive club that TV on the Radio joins with the appearance, joining Willie Nelson, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, REM, Wilco and (uh...) Rush as musical guests that have come on the show. And given their leftist lyrics, we can expect Colbert to have cooked up something 'truthy' to spring on them (more than a 'wag of the finger,' to be sure). (UPDATE: scroll down to see the gigglefest of an interview.)

Meanwhile, Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... keeps chugging out fascinating episodes. With Jenny Lewis, She & Him and Jakob Dylan appearing this week, the theme appears to be singer/songwriters who were known for something else before music. Lewis was a child actress (Troop Beverly Hills,) Zooey Deschanel (the 'she' of She & Him,) is of course still an actress and Jakob Dylan is a famous offspring of someone named Bob. Outside of that, I can't for the life of my figure out what Jakob Dylan is doing in this segment. Lewis enlisted Costello's help with a song ("Carpetbaggers") on her last album (Acid Tongue,) so it's pretty much cemented that the song is on the docket for the evening.

And finally, at my kids' behest, I have to mention that They Might Be Giants won a Grammy last night for Best Musical Album for Children (Here Come the 123's,) which my (almost) 4-year old had down as a lock. The transformation of the two Johns from quirky rock fave to quirky kid's music might seem cemented with their win in the category, but another feature of the genre might have already done that. "It's crazy money; those kids are loaded!" joked John Linnell backstage after receiving the award. While the Grammy win seems timely for their appearance on Conan Thursday night, they're likely playing their contribution to the film Coraline, "Other Father Song." But, since my son might be looking in, we've got to pimp The 123's

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, January 9
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Adele
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: TV on the Radio
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The So So Glos
FUEL: Check 1, 2: Against Me!
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Duffy
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Brett Dennen
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Sam Sparro
Tuesday, January 10
ABC: The View: Robin Thicke
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Little Ones
IFC: The Henry Rollins Show: Robyn Hitchcock (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Levon Helm
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Adele
Wednesday, January 11
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Henry Clay People
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Blind Pilot
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, Jenny Lewis, She & Him, Jakob Dylan
Thursday, January 12
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: They Might Be giants
Friday, January 13
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Glen Campbell
FUEL: The Daily Habit: ((Sounder))
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Dan Auerbach
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Flobots (REPEAT)
Saturday, January 14
PBS: Austin City Limits: Sarah McLachlan, Duffy

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

TV on the Radio

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Ear on TV: The Week of April 28

A decade ago, Robyn was poised to be the next Britney Spears, with her hit "Show Me Love," but the teen hype machine employed by major labels then was repellent, and Robyn retreated back to her native Sweden to rethink her career. Considering where her career path might have led, it's all the remarkable that Robyn is back stronger than ever with her self-titled release, even if it took over ten years to do it. Robyn was released in Sweden in 2005 to rave reviews, and slowly found it's way to the ears of music fans here in the U.S. via import and illegal download. Even though it's three years removed, the album still sounds as fresh as ever (aside from the Teddybears cover "Cobrastyle," as the original is now in the 'tired' column). On Thursday, Robyn makes her US network television debut on Letterman. Considering it will be International Workers' Day, I guess it's only appropriate that it took eleven years of hard work for her to finally make it to this point.

Elsewhere, Neil Diamond is back in the spotlight, first as the feature guest on American Idol (Tuesday/Wednesday) and then performs on The Today Show Friday, showing off a tune from his soon to be released album of gritty acoustic originals (Home Before Dark). Diamond has hooked up with producer Rick Ruben for the second time, hoping to capture some of the same magic that Johnny Cash achieved with Ruben's spare approach.

Also, check out She & Him, the Zooey Deschanel / M. Ward collaboration, as last week's performance on Conan featured Yo La Tengo backing the band (video).

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, April 28
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Roots with Chrisette Michele
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Morrissey
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Georgie James
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Santogold
Tuesday, April 29
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Cinematic Orchestra
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Morrissey
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Beat Union
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Natasha Bedingfield
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: The Kills
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Serj Tankian
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Def Leppard
Wednesday, April 30
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Def Leppard
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Grand Archives
FUSE: The Sauce: Chuck D
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Feist
Thursday, May 1
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Robyn
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: She & Him
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Was (Not Was)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Does It Offend You Yeah?
Friday, May 2
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Estelle
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Nick Lowe
NBC: The Today Show: Neil Diamond
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Sleepercar
NBC: The Today Show: Ben Harper (REPEAT)
RAVEHD: Later with Jools Holland: KT Tunstall, Mutya Buena, Band of Horses, Beirut, Martin Simpson, Ting Tings, Gabriella Cilmi
Saturday, May 3
PBS: Austin City Limits: Alejandro Escovedo