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
Baba: Big Red Machine, “I Won’t Run From It”
First, the track is musically interesting and lyrically inviting. Big Red Machine is Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame and the National’s Aaron Dessner. My ears are open, opening wider for interesting noises…
Orest Soltykevych: Emerson, Lake & Palmer, “Knife-Edge”
“Knife Edge” is based on the first movement of Czech composer Leo Janek’s orchestral work, “Sinfonietta”, with an instrumental middle section that includes an extended quotation from the “Allemande” of Johann Sebastian Bach’s first French Suite in D minor, but played on an organ rather than a clavichord or piano.
Bob Chelmick: Shaye Zadravec, “I’ll Carry For You”
Lovely new-ish Calgary voice, Chip Taylor song, ukulele, simple arrangement, big promise.
Matt Masters: Ben Sures, “Marie Marie”
The blues, it’s a universal idiom, but now with a side dish of curried harmonica…
Meg Wilcox: Unknown Mortal Orchestra, “Hunnybee”
In need of a low-key groove? This is the perfect mid-day pick-me-up!
Lisa Wilton: The Coral, “Eyes Like Pearls ”
“Eyes Like Pearls” is the second single from The Coral’s solid new album, Move Through The Dawn. It’s a dreamy, upbeat slice of Merseyside psych pop that will make you long for the warm, sunny days of summer.
Tony King: Ben Lamar Gay, “Music for 18 Hairdressers: Braids & Fractals”
As one may guess from the title of this piece, to listen to it is a bit like walking into a hair salon in the middle of urban Chinatown on a Saturday afternoon. A place where the frenetic pulse of fragmented conversations is tinged with the angular dash of scissors. Ben Lamar Gay is one of the most creative artists working in Chicago these days, trained playing straight jazz on the cornet his musical pallet knows no boundaries!
Roy Forbes: John Coltrane, “After The Rain”
I seem to have Coltrane on the brain these days. This is a beautiful ballad from John’s 1963 Impressions LP on Impulse. Enjoy.
Cathy Ennis: Underworld & Iggy Pop, “I’ll See Big”
I loved him as a Stooge, I love him as solo Iggy and he makes me smile through the brand new Teatime Dub Encounters, a spontaneous, hotel room recording done with Underworld. “I’ll See Big,” a slow, dreamy “talky” has the 71-year old Iggy Pop ruminating on friendship. “Hey, is that me?” (I’ll bet it is.)
Mark Antonelli: Victor Herbiet and Frederic Lacroix, “Elegie Automnale” by Victor Herbiet from: The Road To The Ethereal Gate
A little bit of seasonal musical impressionism that caught my ear for you this week inspired by autumn in Ottawa. The piece depicts a solitary autumn walk into the woods with the piano representing the falling leaves and the saxophone’s melody providing a window into the hiker’s thoughts.
*This song is not available online. Listen to it on CKUA this week.
Amy van Keeken: King Tuff, “Circuits in the Sand”
An apocalyptic musing of our dependence and addiction to our smart phones. From King Tuff’s latest album, The Other. Swirling organs and a catchy chorus will have this song stuck in your head and will make you think.
Grant Stovel: Frontperson, “Young Love”
Frontperson is the musical union of Alberta expat Mark Andrew Hamilton, of Woodpigeon fame, and Kathryn Calder, of New Pornographers/ Immaculate Machine/ CKUA fame! Their debut record, Frontrunner, was largely created here in the province when they were playing in the gigantic musical toy box that is the National Music Centre, during their recent stint as Artist-in-Residence.
Elliott Garnier: Billy Joe Shaver, “I’m Just an Old Chuck of Coal (But I’m Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)”
A pluperfect track from the godfather of outlaw country. Shaver has written songs for the likes of Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Elvis Presley. His appearance on Norm MacDonald’s new Netflix show is chock-full of jaw-dropping stories from Shaver’s decades-long career in Nashville.