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