The Best in Late-Night Music: Week of April 13
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Rejoice, insomniacs. The late-night airwaves are alive with the sound of reborn country outlaws, long-haired psychedelic rockers, and ‘70s-sounding indie sirens. This was a good week for music-lovers.
I say it every week and I’ll say it again: Late-night TV is the last damn place to get any real musical drama and discovery. In a world of overly choreographed, media-trained, costume-covered bands, I am forever grateful for 11:35pm, when the musical world gets a bit sweaty and spontaneous. Don’t ever change, late-night TV. Keep the edges rough and the chord changes real.
This week’s late night champ: Conan
Team Coco cranked out a week of music that was the perfect emerging artist lineup and makes Burbank seem like the music capital of the world. God bless the red-headed maestro (with honorable mention to James Corden and Jennifer Hudson for their on fleek carpool karaoke).
MONDAY
Sturgill Simpson on Conan
No, you’re not tuned into the Johnny Cash Show and no, this is not a 1970s Waylon Jennings fronting a string section. Sturgill Simspon is saving country music from itself and Conan is televising the revolution.
TUESDAY
Chris Stapleton on The Late Show With David Letterman
Another network TV debut courtesy of Dave and another stake in the heart of Nashvegas for country-pop. ACM nominee Stapleton sang the title track from his upcoming debut release, Traveller, with his wife, Morgane, harmonizing by his side and a pedal steel floating over their heads. Just heartbreaking stuff. Stapleton is the real deal. I can’t wait to buy it when it comes out May 5.
WEDNESDAY
Tame Impala on Conan
If nothing else, kudos to Conan for letting a Australian band play a seven-minute song on live TV. Tame Impala’s set was a throwback to the glory days of FM radio, when a DJ could spin some deep B-side track without fear of retribution or retreat from some ADD corporate overlords. Close your eyes and pretend it’s 1974 all over again.
THURSDAY
Jenny Lewis on The Late Late Show With James Corden
Jenny Lewis’s third solo album (produced by Ryan Adams) was released last July, but the super-groovy single “She’s Not Me” is getting a second life thanks to Adams’s constant championing of her — and Lewis’s relentless promotional schedule. Lewis is playing for keeps and touring hard through the summer. Catch her and bask in he post-Rilo Kiley glow.
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