“This is therapy, right?” Feb. 15th show rundown with Spencer MacEachern and the Fabulous Yawn

We caught up with Spencer MacEachern of The Fabulous Yawn earlier this week to talk about — well, a whole slew of things. Finding inspiration on the street. Playing in a band with a bunch of your talented friends. The fact that, while there’ll always be Topanga (also the name of the band he’ll help open for next Friday), apparently Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jennifer Love Hewitt once upped the ante on ’90s primetime television. But perhaps most importantly, plenty of good music was spun:

The Fabulous Yawn – Compliments

Born Ruffians – Retard Canard II

The Elwins – Stuck in the Middle

Graham Wright – Heavens Just for Moviemakers

The Darcys – Shaking Down the Old Bones

The Meligrove Band – Racing to Shimmering Lights

Said the Whale – We Are 1980

The Fabulous Yawn – Summer Got Me Dirty

Check out the interview (and some Fabulous Yawn tracks) here:

(Right click to download)

And don’t forget to check ’em out next Friday night at Sneaky Dee’s for the Topanga 7″ release party!

Radio Radio is playing at Barrymore’s this weekend, you guys. March 30th show rundown

Seriously. And I’m excited, if I haven’t made that clear yet. For more info about this Friday’s sure-to-be-killer show, head on over here. Barrymore’s on Bank, doors at 10pm, tickets $17 in advance.

And yes we kicked off the show with some Radio Radio — but spun some more goodies, too:

Radio Radio – 9 Piece Luggage Set
Born Ruffians – Higher & Higher
Library Voices – Drinking Games
The Rural Alberta Advantage – Under The Knife
Katie Moore – Honey on Juice
Gobble Gobble – Lawn Knives
The Albertans – The Wake
Said the Whale – Out On The Shield
Timber Timbre – Black Water
The Withering Pines – Until the Morning Comes
Young Rival – Just Can’t Stay Here
Memphis – I Want the Lights On After Dark
Scott Orr – In The Belly of A Whale

Don’t forget — for all of your local listings needs, check out our dedicated page. See you at Barrymore’s Friday night!

December 1st show playlist

It’s all about the Toronto indie rock today. And the new Iron & Wine. God, I can’t get over it.

Falklands – It’s Good To See You
The Love Machine – Lioness
Mother Mother – Body of Years
The Russian Futurists – Golden Years
Born Ruffians – I Need a Life
Bankrobber – The End
Iron & Wine – Walking Far From Home [WEEKLY IMPORT]
Jim Bryson and The Weakerthans – Wild Folk
Shapes & Sizes – Time Has Practically Stopped
Meligrove Band – Really Want It
The Salteens – Last Train From London
The Stormalongs – Pain Coaster
Ruth Moody – The Garden

And don’t forget — don’t miss next week’s show when Jon Janes from The Mountains & The Trees stops by the studio for a chat & performance! Should be one hell of a show, kids.

July 8th show recap

The Polaris Prize Short List was announced Tuesday — which gave us some fabulous content this week on Now Playing:

Born Ruffians – Nova-Leigh
Royal Canoe – Me Loving Your Money
Dan Mangan – Road Regrets
Broken Social Scene – Chase Scene
Shad – Yaa I Get It
The Sadies – Another Day Again
Radio Radio – 9 Piece Luggage Set
Tegan and Sara – Don’t Rush
Owen Pallett – Lewis Takes Off His Shirt
The Besnard Lakes – Chicago Train
Caribou – Odessa

Okay, yes, those first two tracks had nothing to do with Polaris. And, yes, we forgot Karkwa (here’s something to make up for it. And we’ll play ’em next week). But hey — those first two tracks? Still awesome. And both bands are making a stop in Ottawa soon — Born Ruffians are hitting up the York St. Pop Life Stage as part of Bluesfest on July 10th at 7:15pm, and Royal Canoe will be playing at Zaphod’s on July 22nd at 8pm (see previous post).

That’s about it for now. Still keep your eyes peeled for album and show reviews comin’ your way soon.

June 9th show recap (now with audio links!)

Our second show boasted two hours of delicious local and Canadian music. The playlist:

Dinosaur Bones – Point of Pride
The Anybody – San Francisco
Born Ruffians – What To Say
Dukes of Burgundy – Talking Backwards
The Balconies – Serious Bedtime
Sloan – Believe in Me
Band of Horses – Infinite Arms
Forest City Lovers – Minneapolis
The Acorn – Crossed Wires
The Tanuki Project – Playground
Tokyo Police Club – Breakneck Speed
Apollo Ghosts – Brown to Grey
The Anybody – Basement Blues
Loon Choir – New Forewarnings
Rah Rah – Arrows
Right By Midnight – Best Way Home
Loon Choir – Vis a Vis

We also had some great interviews with Connor Mercury from The Anybody (complete with an in-studio performance of “My Heart Beating”) and Derek, Nikki, and Jamie from Loon Choir which you can check out below:

Connor Mercury from The Anybody (click to listen, right-click to save file)

Derek, Nikki, and Jamie from Loon Choir (click to listen, right-click to save file)

And don’t forget: you can see Connor’s live acoustic set tonight at the Cajun Attic. Doors are at 8:30 and it’s pay-what-you-can to help the guy out (on his birthday!) as most of his recording equipment and instruments were lost in the Sunnyside fire a few weeks ago. On Thursday, Loon Choir hits the stage at Cafe Dekcuf on Rideau alongside Rah Rah (from Regina, SK) and The Sonic Defense (also from Ottawa).

If you’re looking for more to check out this weekend, you can catch some great acts like The Balconies, Dala, The White Wires, Monkeyjunk, and Sloan all for free at Westfest this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; and you can find Tokyo Sex Whale, Holy Cobras, Mother’s Children, and more at Gaga Weekend this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Get out there and support local music, kids. ‘Til next week!

June 2nd show recap

First episode of Now Playing? Total success. The badass tracks we spun:

The Acorn – Restoration
The Black Keys – Everlasting Light
Wintersleep – Baltic
Great Bloomers – Find My Way
Broken Social Scene – Romance to the Grave
Dala – Dream a Little Dream of Me
Lisa Bozikovic – The Letting Go
Born Ruffians – Sole Brother
The National – Sorrow
Young Rival – Got What You Need
The Acorn – Misplaced

And, okay. You may be wondering why you don’t see a podcast. Well, considering that the majority of this show was music (as may be the case with some future shows), it’s kinda sticky to be posting podcasts of those puppies. I’ll be posting the complete playlist from every show in its place…. and yes, audio of all the interviews! Oh yeah, did you hear who was going to be on next week? Connor Mercury from The Anybody will stop by to play a few songs in-studio from his recent self-released album Let It Damn Well Hurt before he heads to the Cajun Attic for his pay-what-you-can, 9pm show, and we’ll also be talking to Ottawa sextet Loon Choir in anticipation of their Thursday, June 10th show at Cafe Deckuf.

Gonna be a sweet one — so sweet, we’re setting aside two hours for it. Tune in online via chuo.fm or spin that old-time dial to 89.1 FM next Wednesday at 1pm.

‘Til then!

Upcoming shows and upcoming show

I’ll likely get excited over these all over again on the “official launch” of the show this Wednesday, but might as well spread the joy now: there are some truly awesome shows coming this way over the course of June. A sampling (updated, as Steve St. Pierre reminded me about Old Crowns’ vinyl release party — I knew I wasn’t going to remember everything):

• Lisa Bozikovic and Ferriswheel at Raw Sugar Cafe on Friday, June 4th (eight bucks, 8:30pm)
• The Anybody at The Cajun Attic on Wednesday, June 9th (pay-what-you-can, 9pm)
• Rah Rah, Loon Choir + more at Cafe Dekcuf on Thursday, June 10th (seven bucks, I’ll guess 8pm)
• Library Voices + more at Mavericks on Thursday, June 17th (ten bucks, 8pm)
• Old Crowns + Jonathan Chandler (from Amos the Transparent) at Canteen on Sunday, June 20th (free admission, 3pm)
• Born Ruffians, Young Rival + more at Mavericks on Thursday, June 24th (thirteen bucks, 9:30pm)
• Great Bloomers + more at Cafe Dekcuf on Friday, June 25th (ten bucks, 8pm)

Obviously, there are so many more — and undoubtedly more to be added — and I’ll do my best to keep up the buzz over the next few weeks.

Speaking of buzz, there are also some great releases coming out this week that I will be spinning on Wednesday (excitement!). Get ready for some long-awaited new Born Ruffians and The Acorn tracks, among others, at 1pm this Wednesday on CHUO 89.1 FM.

‘Til then!