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
Lark Clark: La Santa Cecilia, “Nuestra Seora La Reina de Los Angeles”
A passionate plea for those who are struggling in Los Angeles, the city of the angels. This song reveals, and revels in, the immense voice of Marisol, the powerhouse behind the up-and-coming Chicano band, La Santa Cecilia.
Bob Chelmick: Louis Prima & Keely Smith, “Just A Gigolo – I Ain’t Got Nobody”
In true Louis Prima style, this 1988 track crackles with live studio energy and improvisation. A swinging’ throwback to the bands of the ’40s, but with the best raggedness of rock ‘n’ roll. Vintage indeed.
Monica Miller: Tyminski, “Temporary Love”
Since when is EDM Country even a thing? Now, I guess. Swedish DJ Avicii invited Dan Tyminski, one of the greatest voices in bluegrass, to work with him. Dan said, “No. What the heck is EDM?” Then his daughter convinced him to try it. I guess Dan liked the end result and has embraced it on his new album as Tyminski. This song? I just like it. And I like it when artists allow themselves to move outside the lines.
Grant Stovel: Dori Freeman, “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight”
It’s such a great story: a few years ago, this unknown young Americana singer-songwriter from Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains sent a Facebook message to Teddy Thompson, asking if he had any advice for an independent artist.
He fell in love with her music at first listen, and has been producing her records ever since. On her brand-new record, Letters Never Read, she includes this stellar version of one of the all-time great bring-on-the-weekend songs, “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight”, which just happens to have been created back in the ’70s by Teddy’s famous parents, folk-rock legends, Richard and Linda Thompson.
Lisa Wilton– Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, “Born Again”
A stirring, ultimately jubilant song about forging your own path in life (no matter the number of mistakes and missteps.)
Co-written by Brendan Benson, Born Again has a catchy melody and one of the most rousing organ lines I’ve ever heard.
An actual son of a preacher man, Wisconsin-born Chisel is clearly skeptical of organized religion. Yet by the end of this song, you’ll be clapping and raising your hands to the sky like you’re in a church choir.
David Ward– Tom Phillips, “Deeper Blue”
Although Tom has earned his reputation as the homegrown king of honky tonk country music from 20 years of sweating out on countless stages while performing with his band The Men of Constant Sorrow, Deeper Blue is evidence of his ability to rock out if and when he chooses. Working once again with producer Lorrie Matheson to create his latest album, Plastic Machine, Tom enlisted the help of singer Deicha Carter and guitarist Geoff Brock to shake, rattle, and roll the fact that “this is a different hue, this is a deeper blue”.
Baba– La Louma, “Aaj Mausam Bada Beimaan Hai (Mohammed Rafi cover)”
It is an old Bollywood song, getting a 21st century Los Angles makeover.
Multi instrumentalist and musically adventurous, Lauren Ross is the artist known as La Louma. She plays all the instruments and basically did the whole project on her own. I say, “Bravo!”
Amy van Keeken– Carly Simon, “Mind on My Man”
I’ve been really getting into some deep cuts from Simon’s back catalogue. So many incredible songs that you don’t hear often unless you’re spinning them on your own turntable. This song is from her 1974 album Hotcakes, an album that includes “Haven’t Got Time For the Pain” and her version of “Mockingbird”. Mind on my Man also has a whistling solo! Neato