Music on TV - Week of 07.09.12: Frank Ocean, Tom Waits

Frank Ocean makes his solo network television premiere on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, Monday.

Whether it was intended or not, the R&B phenom Frank Ocean has stirred up a lot of interest in his proper solo debut, Channel Orange (due to drop July 17). After some rumors surfaced that one of the album's songs referenced a male lover, Ocean took to his Tumblr on July 4th, posting a text edit of a 'thank you' seemingly written for back pages of the album's contents. In it, he doesn't use the word 'gay' or 'bi' but instead tells a story of love -- his first love, between him and another man. (It's a beautiful piece that should be read, if you haven't.)

Despite coming two days after Anderson Cooper's coming out email, and being on a holiday, the note still quickly spread via twitter and sent shock waves through the music community -- especially through a historically homophobic hip-hop community. Ocean's solo joints aren't really hip-hop, but he's linked to the scene having been part of LA's Odd Future (with Tyler the Creator, who's taken flack in the past for hombophobic lyrics) and having lent his vocal talents to the Watch the Throne Jay-Z and Kanye West collaboration. And they all have his back, which is something. It was just two days prior that folks were saying "I can't wait for a time when it's no big deal for someone to come out" with regards to Anderson Cooper's (non)revelation. But with Ocean, I think it's important to remember that it kind of still needs to be a big deal.
Frank Ocean makes his network television solo debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday, performing the song that outed him, "Bad Religion," with The Roots and a string section backing him. In the meantime, here's the advance single "Sweet Life."


Elsewhere, it's rare that Tom Waits makes an appearance, let alone two, but this week he does (Letterman on Monday, Fallon on Tuesday). Of note is who Waits has tagging along with him. There's his son, Casey, on drums; former Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor; Los Lobos guitarist David Hidalgo; former Bob Dylan keyboardist Augie Meyers; and the son of Muddy Waters (Big Bill Morganfield) on guitar.

Picks for the week
Monday, July 9
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Marina and the Diamonds
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Tom Waits
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Kimbra
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Frank Ocean, Robin Zander
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Laura Marling (REPEAT)
TBS: Conan: Cake (REPEAT)
Tuesday, July 10
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Dirty Heads
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Buddy Guy
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: B.o.B.
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: James Murphy, Doug E. Fresh
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Tennis (REPEAT)
TBS: Conan: Glenn Frey
Wednesday, July 11
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Serj Tankian
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Zac Brown Band
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Tom Waits
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Young the Giant (REPEAT)
TBS: Conan: Glenn Frey
TBS: Conan: Young Jeezy featuring Ne-Yo (REPEAT)
Thursday, July 12
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Loudon Wainwright III
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Cloud Nothings
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Horrors (REPEAT)
TBS: Conan: Mona (REPEAT)
Friday, June 22
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Nicki Minaj
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, Joe Jackson
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Dr Dog (REPEAT)
Saturday, July 13
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: Rufus Wainwright