June 27th show rundown

We’re back in the blog-updating saddle again, lovely listeners. Today’s show featured a slew of terrific new tracks from some of our favourite artists here on Now Playing:

Bravestation – Tides of the Summit
Silkken Laumann – House of Common Problems
The Elwins – Time to Kill Time
Stars – The Theory of Relativity
Diamond Rings – I’m Just Me
Rah Rah – I Could Tell You I’m Sorry
Dream Jefferson – Hannah
Teenage Kicks – Jemima Surrender
Evening Hymns – Arrows
ev ree wuhn – Control

We’ve also updated our local show listings – and don’t forget to check out our last post, where you’ve got the opportunity to get your hands on a mixtape we just can’t wait to share with you. ‘Til next week!

March 7th show rundown and SONG OF THE WEEK: Bravestation, “Signs of the Civilized”

Our latest show was a rather simple one, folks, as I took the opportunity to spin some tracks I’ve personally been lovin’ for the last few weeks. These included:

Phedre – In Decay
Plants & Animals – Why & Why
Kalle Mattson – Covered It All
Sound of Lions – Enders (Fevers Evil Mix)
John K. Samson – When I Write My Master’s Thesis
Little City – Arms Around A Picture
Grimes – Be a Body
The Glass Chain – Still Lives
Erin Passmore – Downtown
Bravestation – Signs of the Civilized
The Abbreviations – The Waiting Game
The Wooden Sky – Child of the Valley
ALX – I Will Love You More
Moon King – Theme From Moon King
Folly and the Hunter – Leaving Town

The next couple of weeks are going to be jam-packed with awesomeness as the CHUO funding drive is coming up, there are a couple of terrific Toronto bands playing Ottawa soon, and of course Canadian Music Week and JunoFest are just around the corner. And all of this is happening before April 1st! Madness. Sheer madness.

And to help get you excited about all of this madness, our latest song of the week is a sleek track from Toronto’s Bravestation, who we actually had on Now Playing Radio for a live session around this time last year. The indie-rock/pop quartet explores a terrific new tribal-pop sound that even harkens back to the ’80s with “Signs of the Civilized,” which they recently released in advance of their upcoming debut LP, expected later this year. Highly recommended for those who like to listen to Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” every so often but won’t ever admit to it.

Bravestation – Signs of the Civilized

Listen if you like: smooth tribal pop; the idea of far-from-outdated, fresh ’80s soft rock; Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” but updated, generally more cool, and with more electric guitar.

If you’re in Toronto, you can catch them next during Canadian Music Week on March 24th at the Horseshoe Tavern with Two Hours Traffic, Wintersleep, and more. You can also help support their efforts to create a music video for Signs of the Civilized here (and damn does it sound like they have a rad idea for it).

“Trop-pop!” Live session/interview with Bravestation + March 16th show rundown

A fantastic show today, all thanks to Devin, Jeremy, Andrew, and Derek from Bravestation, who dropped by the CHUO studios this past weekend to record some stripped-down songs and sit down for a chat! See below for our sessions with them:

Bravestation – Outlines of Everyone, live at CHUO

Bravestation – White Wolves, live at CHUO

Interview with Devin, Jeremy, Andrew, and Derek from Bravestation

And, of course, all that we spun today:
The Coppertone – I Know The Dead
Timber Timbre – Bad Ritual
The Sheepdogs – I Don’t Know
Mother Mother – Simply Simple
Bruekke – The Shore
Rah Rah – Chimneys
Bravestation – Outlines of Everyone (Live at CHUO)
Bravestation – White Wolves (Live at CHUO)
William Fitzsimmons – Heartless (Kanye West cover)
Les Jupes – Last Dance
The Luyas – Tiny Head
The Olympic Symphonium – State of the Union Address

And yes, we do have a copy of The Olympic Symphonium’s The City Won’t Have Time To Fight to give away! All you need to do is comment below with your name, email address, and favourite song or album you’ve discovered so far this year. We want to hear what you’re listening to! The winner will be chosen at random by the end of day next Wednesday, so be sure to comment before 11:59 p.m. EST next Wednesday, March 23rd. Good luck!

So I really like The Mountains & The Trees and The Details, okay? Nov. 17 show rundown

I can’t help it. I just got my hands on the St. John’s, NL singer’s latest album “I Made This For You” and the Winnpeg group’s The Original Mark EP, which was just released yesterday. So, naturally, I had to play ’em again. Along with some other great acts:

Bravestation – Colour Us With Youth
Jenocide – Street Rhythm
The Coast – Heartbreak City
Bahamas – Already Yours
The Mountains & The Trees – The Times
Steven McKay – Restore Me
Belle & Sebastian – I Want The World To Stop [WEEKLY IMPORT]
Chris Artonik – Roll With It
Christina Maria – Carolina
The Details – Surface Breaks
Sarah Harmer – The Thief
David Vertesi – All Night, All Night, All Night
F&M – Bell’s Own Desire
The Wilderness of Manitoba – Golden Beets
Old Crowns – Hems

So, this week — if you’re looking for awesome upbeat electronic pop, definitely check out Jenocide. And as for more acoustic lovin’, head on over to our Local Listings page to find more details about this weekend’s Bahamas show.

‘Til next week!

“Oh sh*t, we’ve put all this attention on clothes now”: Clothes Make the Man interview + August 18th show recap

FIRST OFF: go check out the updated listings page. Way exciting to see that so many awesome acts are making their way through Ottawa this October.

SECONDLY: here’s what we spun on the show yesterday:

Kathryn Calder – If You Only Knew
Giant Hand – Books
Balacade – Plate Glass Effect
Gramercy Riffs – Ambulance
These Estates – We Got Snakes
Clothes Make the Man – It’s Getting Easier
The Caraways – Fever
Bravestation – White Wolves
We Are Trees – Sunrise Sunset
Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

AND THIRDLY: We also got the chance to chat with Ryan Mclennan from Toronto’s Clothes Make the Man (but hey, some of their members are originally from Ottawa — further proving how awesome this city is). They’ll be hitting up Mavericks next Monday night, August 23rd, with Titus Andronicus (only thirteen bucks, doors are 8pm).

Ryan and I chatted about making it in Toronto, making it on Degrassi (oh yes, the TV show), and whether or not clothes really do make the man:

FOURTH-LY: This afternoon, I’ll be sitting down with Vancouver two-piece Miaou Miaou who are playing at the Elmdale Tavern tonight. You should check them out — and stay tuned for next week, when we bring you another lovely interview and many more fantastic tracks.

‘Til then, folks.