Every week, CKUA’s hosts submit their songs for our weekly House Blend playlist: an exciting new release, a beloved classic or just an old personal favourite. We mix it all together to create a sonic concoction that’ll help kick off your week. Check out what’s on this week’s playlist.
The Playlist
The Picks
Lionel Rault: Robert Randolph, “Amped Up”
Pure adrenalized rock ‘n’ rhythm — bound to jump your day!
Tony King: Nilufer Yanya, “The Florist”
The best artists, harkening back to Miles Davis, suggest that even more than the notes, the silence that lies between them is of paramount importance in music. Given that we live in an increasingly-cluttered world, this young Londoner’s approach comes as a breath of fresh air.
Grant Stovel: Beth Ditto, “Fire”
When I first heard Beth Ditto’s southern-fried voice, it was when she was fronting dance-punk faves, The Gossip. These days, the Arkansas native is bringing her big, bluesy sound to a solo project that blends Americana and southern rock with electro-beats. On this advance cut, her voice sounds dark and mellow, kinda reminds me of burnished brass.
Allison Brock: Paul Kelly and Charlie Owen, “Bird On A Wire”
Leonard Cohen’s classic “Bird On A Wire” is in good, loving and capable hands here. Released in October 2016, Death’s Dateless Night is a collaboration between two great Australians. Paul Kelly is basically the Aussie equivalent of Bob Dylan. But at this point in time, Paul is more prolific as a songwriter than Bob is. On this album though, he also takes the opportunity to cover some great timeless songs. Paul Kelly and Charlie Owen, from The Divinyls, have Alberta dates coming up next month! On May 26 in Calgary at the Commonwealth Bar and on May 27 in Edmonton at the Mercury Room.
Mark Antonelli: Renaissance, “At The Harbour”
This is a combination of progressive rock and impressionistic piano music. My first exposure to the piano music of Claude Debussy. Renaissance included music from Debussy’s prelude known as “The Sunken Cathedral” at both the beginning and ending of the song. The ending also features the amazing voice of Annie Haslam heard over Debussy’s music — very evocative! I don’t know why they cut all the Debussy music from the song when it was re-issued, maybe to make it shorter and therefore more suitable for radio? This is the original 6:50 version from1973 album, Ashes Are Burning.
Monica Miller: Rodney Crowell, “Reckless”
On repeat this week. When Rodney Crowell nails it, he nails it. If only we could all understand our impulses as completely and honestly as the character in this song. This comes from his new album, Close Ties.
Baba: The Beatles, “The Inner Light”
The Beatles aka The White Album was the only Beatles record to be recorded outside Europe. It was recorded in India in 1968, also introducing exotic, Indian instruments like the Sarod, Shehnai and Pakhavaj. The song is a sort of a follow-up to 1967’s “Within You Without You”.
Dianne Donovan: Big Miller and Tommy Banks, “All Of Me”
“old, new, borrowed and blue”, really, it’s the whole new album, Legacy. “New”, as in “just released”, decades after it was recorded. It’s incredible to hear these two masters together again: Big’s rich voice and remarkable phrasing and Tommy’s “full arrangements on the fly”. Wonderful!
Amy Van Keeken: Josephine Foster, “Child of God “
Warbly, wacky, freaky, golden folk from Josephine Foster’s 2012 album, Blood Rushing. I love the raw immediacy of the recording and how the gang vocals pop up here and there in such a subtle way.
Oskar Zybart: Belle and Sebastian, “I Fought in a War”
I’m not a huge fan of B&S, but I enjoy some of their tunes. This one’s always been near the top of that list. Uptempo for them, and featuring a nice horn solo, the tone nicely straddles the line between loss and triumph.
Lisa Wilton: Jom Comyn, “Why Do You Love Me?”
Edmonton’s Jom Comyn really hits it out of the park with this Motown-inspired number. Add this song to your next soul music dance party.
Kathryn Calder: The Mighty Wah!, “Come Back (The Story of the Reds) / The Devil in Miss Jones”
BBC Radio 1 John Peel approved, this is a wonderful song from 1984! The music video is worth a watch too..
Orest Soltykevych: Noteworthy, “You Can’t Stop the Beat”
Noteworthy is a nine-voice, all-female a cappella group from Brigham Young University in Utah. This is an excellent rendition of a well-known song from the musical, “Hairspray.”
Cam Hayden: Boogie Patrol, “Whole Lot of Gravy”
New disc from Edmonton-based blues and R&B band Boogie Patrol. Great stuff!
Kodi Hutchinson: Emilie-Claire Barlow, “Mineiro De Coracao”
Canadian vocal jazz superstar singing in Portugese, her third language — because she can. Multiple JUNO winner, who joined me on ‘A Time For Jazz’ April 8th, is in Edmonton performing for the EIJF Society on April 11th and in Camrose on April 12th!