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TUBE TUNES vol. 1, no. 12
April 12, 2001

I just got back from seeing a solo acoustic gig by Marshall Crenshaw so I'm a little pumped up about music right now. He played an inspired set of originals and covers, from "Something's Gonna Happen" to "What Do You Dream of?" to Lee Hazelwood and the Beatles; from the ridiculous to the sublime. And to tie this to TV, remember that song he did as the theme for that wretched NBC sitcom a couple years back? Well, he didn't do that one.

As usual, check out the web site, pass this on to friends, and, in these days of better weather and more daylight, use your VCR liberally.

http://www.oocities.org/tubetune

REVIEWS

The Chris Isaak show is downright strange. It's funny, as anything featuring the witty and genial Isaak would be, but the premise, the settings, the characters and the writing are bizarre.

Lucky for us, Isaak always croons a couple of songs each episode, and is frequently joined by guest stars -- they're stars in Chris's world anyway -- who help out.

The premise is predictable: Isaak, leader of the band Silvertone, plays shows, writes songs and deals with women, heartbreak and misery. Oh, and the fiction? Silvertone has a horny keyboard player.

The show is well worth watching, but I wonder what it will do for Isaak's career. The show has an odd vibe that doesn't mesh with his public persona. Sure, it's only TV, but creepy doesn't sell records.

PROGRAMS OF NOTE
(all times CST; days begin and end at 5 a.m.)

Friday, April 13
Foo Fighters on Later with Jools Holland. BBCAmerica, 6 p.m. Jools has another of his best-of shows on tonight. This one also includes ex-Stone Rose Ian Brown.

The Living End on the Late Show with David Letterman. This Aussie band is the latest pop-punk combo to storm the charts. They have more in common with the Clash than Green Day, however, and are well worth checking out.

Saturday, April 14
Leonard Cohen on Austin City Limits. PBS, 8 p.m. This classic episode from 1988 features Cohen favorites "Everybody Knows" and "First We Take Manhattan."

Sunday, April 15
Sun Ra on Live at the Knitting Factory. BETJazz, 9 p.m. Not many people get this channel, but if they continue with adventurous programming like this it might be worth signing up.

Monday, April 16
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. HBO, 10 p.m. If you missed it the first time, here's a second chance. Roll tape on this one. It's worth owning.

Tuesday, April 17
"Eddie and the Cruisers." VH1, 7 p.m. When there is nothing else, why not turn to one of the strangest rock 'n' roll films on record?

Wednesday, April 18
Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello on "Because it's a Lonely World." Bravo, 10 a.m. This documentary takes a look at the recording of this duo's 1998 album "Painted from Memory."

Thursday, April 19
"This is Spinal Tap" Encore, 10:15 p.m. Forget what I said on Tuesday. This is one of the strangest rock 'n' roll films on record. And one of the best.

Saturday, April 21
Blockbuster entertainment Awards. VH1, 8 p.m. Just in case you didn't get your fill of award shows during the past few weeks, here's another one. Yawn.

Sunday, April 22
Paul Westerberg on Later with Jools Holland. BBCAmerica, 6 p.m. Yes, this has been in the listings before, but in a season when good TV is a premium, programs with the slightest interest get listed again. They're called reruns. Get used to it.

Monday, April 23
"The Chris Isaak Show." Showtime, 9 p.m. Dweezil Zappa is in the house for this episode. Do you think he'll play that green guitar? Cross your fingers.

Tuesday, April 24
The Bee Gees on the Late Show with David Letterman. CBS, 10:35 p.m. This might seem an odd pick, but the Brothers Gibb's latest disc harks back a bit to the trio's more Beatley pop moments. Think "Odessa," not "Saturday Night Fever." Trust me.

[JK]
posted by John Kenyon at 9:18 PM