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!

SONG OF THE WEEK: The Elwins, “Are You Flying With A Different Bird?”

Keswick, Ontario’s The Elwins release their highly anticipated debut LP And I Thank You today — and we here at Now Playing Radio couldn’t be more excited. This sunshine-soaked collection of 10 rollicking and retro-feelin’ tracks is the perfect cure for the February doldrums, and if the “sha-sha-la-la-la” opening to song of the week “Are You Flying With A Different Bird?” doesn’t snap you into a good mood immediately, you need to go eat a toaster strudel and have yourself a better morning. In fact, with this release, The Elwins are just like the toasted treat: packed with just the right amount of sugary goodness, drizzled in awesome and part of a complete breakfast.

The Elwins – Are You Flying With A Different Bird?

Listen if you like: this recent wave of throwback indie pop, Hooded Fang’s Album, sneaking Skittles for lunch (especially the red and yellow ones).

And for any Torontonians, or others planning on being in the Big Smoke this weekend, The Elwins are celebrating the release this Friday with The Meligrove Band, The Bicycles, and a DJ set with Tokyo Police Club after the show. In short: it’s going to be quite the party. Details here — but we’ll be sure to keep you posted on more upcoming show dates as they’re announced!

“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!

Live session with Imaginary Cities + July 20 show rundown

Many thanks to Rusty and Marti, who dropped by the CHUO studios last week for a live chat and acoustic session — we weren’t able to post everything from the live session, but here’s one fabulous acoustic track:

Imaginary Cities – Hummingbird – Live at CHUO

And of course, all that was spun:

Dream Jefferson – Westminster Abbey
Handsome Furs – Damage
Socalled – Work With What You Got
Imaginary Cities – Where’d All The Living Go (Live at CHUO)
Imaginary Cities – Hummingbird (Live at CHUO)
Matthew Barber – Keep It Alive
Belgrave – Tokyo
The Elwins – Time to Kill Time
Hooded Fang – ESP

Don’t forget: Dream Jefferson plays Mavericks this Friday and Hooded Fang is in town next week to celebrate their album release! Snag all the info you need over at our Local Listings page. ‘Til next week!