March 14th show rundown, CHUO funding drive update, and SONG OF THE WEEK: Amos the Transparent, “Sure As The Weather”

On last week’s show, we were all too thrilled to share with you the JUNOfest lineup, which had just been announced the night before! In celebration, we spun (some very fresh) tracks from artists both local and from elsewhere who’ll be taking over the city the weekend after next:
Fevers – The Rapture
Camp Radio – Turn Up The Radio
Loon Choir – Spiral
Kalle Mattson – Water Falls
The Rural Alberta Advantage – North Star
Hollerado – Got To Lose
Amos the Transparent – Sure As The Weather
The Deep Dark Woods – All The Money I Had Is Gone
The Love Machine – Love Is On Your Side
The Balconies – Kill Count
The Glass Chain – La Ville
Phantom Shores – Walking in the Night

Some of these bands also happen to be playing CMW this week in Toronto — but more on that in an upcoming post and on tomorrow’s show!

I was thrilled to finally play that Amos the Transparent track, as I’ve personally been enjoying it for the last few weeks. Their adorable one-take music video for the track actually came out a while ago, but has been enjoying more recent buzz and I’ve been pleased to hear the song featured often on CBC Radio 3. So it’s about time that we featured these local heroes here.

Amos the Transparent – Sure As The Weather

Listen if you like: alt-rock with taste of folk; deep yet radio-friendly tunes smothered in layers of banjo, lap steel, violin and plenty of swelling guitars; supporting Ottawa acts; the way kids draw butterflies and rainbows in just that perfect way that makes you smile.

Check out the video for “Sure As The Weather” below, and you can snag the track for yourself on iTunes.

And in more great local news — it’s CHUO FUNDING DRIVE time again! We’re doing a DONATE-AND-DRAW, and here’s how it works: donate to the station’s funding drive through Now Playing Radio and you’ll be entered in a draw to win some terrific swag. But the best part about this draw? EVERYONE walks away with something. Some of our prizes so far include:

• a copy of Kathryn Calder’s latest album, “Bright and Vivid”
• a copy of “Awake, You Sleepers!” from Will Currie + The Country French
• a copy of HONHEEHONHEE’s debut, “Shouts”
• a signed copy of Graham Wright’s “Shirts vs Skins”
• a copy of The Elwins’ “And I Thank You”
• some sweet t-shirts from our friends at File Under: Music
• and PLENTY more!

If you’d like to make a donation to support campus/community radio and enter your name to win one of these great prizes, please email emma@nowplayingradio.com with your name, mailing address, and your pledge. (And if you’re a band who’d like to donate to the draw, we’d love your support!)

Be sure to tune into tomorrow’s show at 1pm on CHUO.fm when we chat with Dean from terrific Toronto band Papermaps, who’ll be playing at Zaphod’s with Fire + Neon and Ornaments on Friday, March 30th, PLUS we’ll be talking more about the CHUO funding drive AND we’ll be previewing some of the hip-happenings planned here in Toronto for Canadian Music Week!

 

It accidentally aired an hour earlier, but… our Feb. 23 show rundown

Don’t worry, I was surprised too! A small scheduling glitch forced this week’s episode of Now Playing to be aired an hour earlier, at noon instead of 1pm this past Wednesday, the 23rd. Nevertheless, this is what we spun:

The Love Machine – We Are Squirrels, And This Is Nuts
Eve Hell & The Razors – Zombie Love
Olenka & The Autumn Lovers – No Coins
Sound of Lions – One
Great Bloomers – Honey Blanket
Dave Norris and Local Ivan – Goodbye Michelle
Jenn Grant – Parliament of Owls
Giant Hand – Another Step Down
Brad Kells – Let It Go Girl
The Head and the Heart – Down In The Valley [WEEKLY IMPORT]
Doctor Ew – Let’s Make It Legitimate
Hey Rosetta! – Yer Fall
Rebekah Higgs – Wilderness Girls (A.A. Wallace Remix) [Mix/Mash of the Month]

And next week? Oh boy, next week. Next week’s show is going to be just incredible. It’s going to feature TWO LIVE INTERVIEWS + SESSIONS, if you can believe it. No, I can’t believe it either. Toronto’s Hooded Fang just dropped by the studios a few hours ago to record some killer new tracks from their upcoming EP-that-will-actually-probably-be-an-album, and Ottawa’s very own hotshotcasino will be stopping by CHUO on Tuesday to jam and chat before they play Cafe Nostalgica next weekend.

All in all, it’s a show you won’t want to miss.

Last show of 2010! Dec. 29th show rundown

Many thanks to the awesome Jon Cohen of The Jon Cohen Experimental for phoning in for a chat on today’s show — we should hopefully get the audio from that soon and post ‘er here. Don’t forget, you can check him out when he comes to Ottawa early in the new year — he’s hitting up the Avant Garde Bar on Thursday, January 6th, only $6 cover. Check out his site for more info. Update: Jon also tells me the first 20 people in the door will also get a free copy of their sophomore album, Behold. Definitely another awesome reason to go check out the show.

But yes, today’s show was also dedicated to some of my own favourite + top tracks of 2010 — but with a twist. My list focuses more on Canadian artists who may have been neglected from other best-of-2010 lists, and also spotlights some fantastic local acts who released some killer full-length albums and EPs this year. You can’t deny it: 2010 has been the best year yet for Ottawa’s music scene.

Here’s what we spun on the show:

Olenka & The Autumn Lovers – Odessa
Meligrove Band – Really Want It
Little City – Lincoln Learning French
Tokyo Police Club – Favourite Colour
The Acorn – Misplaced
Diamond Rings – Something Else
The Jon Cohen Experimental – Hold the Fire
Broken Social Scene – All to All
Great Bloomers – Small Town Love
The Love Machine – Love is On Your Side
Old Crowns – Shaky Hands
Sound of Lions – Passive Attack
Gramercy Riffs – Dreaming

And man. Here’s my “had I more time, I would have also played” list:
Land of Talk – Quarry Hymns
Loon Choir – New Forewarnings
Basia Bulat – Heart of My Own
Promise Land – Hooded Fang
Rah Rah – Breaking Hearts
Kathryn Calder – If You Only Knew

Alas. An hour can be so restrictive.

And while I didn’t get a chance to mention it on-air, we’ll be extending the EP giveaway! Still the same set-up: tell me what your favourite Canadian album of 2010 is and you could win a copy of The Details’ The Original Mark EP. Comment below or shoot me an email at emma [at] nowplayingradio.com.

‘Til… the new year!

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.