Hidden Track

He is without a doubt the only winner of a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album ever to make their home in the northwestern B.C. town of Smithers, population 5,316.

Alex Cuba originally hails from Artemisa, Cuba; but he's called Smithers, BC home for two decades now. He first visited CKUA 20 years ago, back when he was known as Alexis Puentes, one half of the Juno Award-nominated Puntes Brothers, along with his twin brother Adonis. In the years since then, he's been digging deep into his astounding array of musical abilities and interests, challenging himself creatively at every turn and crafting a solo discography that's touched the hearts of music lovers across Canada, the entire Latin diaspora and across the globe. Over his remarkable career arc, Alex's music has won him two Junos, four Latin Grammys, and in 2022, his album Mendó garnered him a Grammy Award, the most revered accolade in the whole music world.

In this episode, Alex returns to CKUA for a spirited in-studio visit to reflect on his rather mind-boggling musical journey, and to share fascinating stories and insights in his characteristically charismatic style. He tells us about how his whole life changed the moment he met the Canadian woman who would become his lifelong partner; what drives him to create his unique, highly personalized form of musical expression; why artificial intelligence will never be able to replicate the raw human beauty that's distilled in music; and what it's like to win a Grammy Award for an album that that he created almost entirely by himself -- writing, singing, producing, and playing all the instruments himself, at home in his small northwestern BC town.

At home in Canada, Tanika Charles is a multiple nominee for both the Juno Awards and the prestigious Polaris Music Prize. She's also a sensational success in Europe, where she's been building an enthusiastic fan base for many years. Looking at Tanika's successes in the lead-up to her latest album, you might be forgiven for being surprised that this internationally-renowned R&B artist felt the need for a kind of transformation. But as she tells us, "rebirth, transformation and transition" are what her acclaimed latest album, Papillon de Nuit, is all about.

In this episode, Toronto-based Tanika Charles pays a visit to CKUA studios in her old hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. In a warm, candid and insightful conversation, she traces the surprising path she took to a life in music; spirituality and the way she manifested her dreams into reality; searching for realness and resonance in the music and emotion that we hear on Papillon de Nuit; and the oddly inspiring insect that became the central symbol of this album's creative journey.

For a dozen years and four albums now, July Talk has been relentlessly working toward a more just, humane, compassionate world, via the medium of their uniquely cathartic brand of groove-laden epic rock'n'roll. Juno Award-winning band July Talk is Ian Docherty on guitar, bass player Josh Warburton, and double drummers (double Dani/Dannys, in fact) Danny Miles and Dani Nash. And at the centre of the maelstrom are lead vocalists Leah Fay Goldstein and Peter Dreimanis. Leah and Peter are on a unique and fascinating creative journey together as artists. Each of them grew up steeped in vibrant artistic environments and, from early on, became passionate about pursuing music and visual art. Peter grew up here in Alberta. He's from the Edmonton neighourhood of Riverdale, an artistic enclave where Peter came up alongside a whole wave of young musicians who've since gone on to become internationally celebrated. Leah comes from a family of renowned Toronto artists; a family whose artistic environment, aesthetic and story continue to inform her own artistic pursuits. In fact, as we'll hear, it's a legacy that's been massively inspirational and influential for July Talk's work. We'll hear these two insightful, funny, amazingly candid artists share stories of their roots, how they came together over a decade ago, what people so often get wrong about the whole July Talk project, and the way their artistic dynamic (and their voices) have grown together in astounding ways on Remember Never Before, July Talk's brilliant fourth full-length album, released via their own label, Danuta, on January 20th, 2023.

CKUA's Hidden Track Podcast returns for Season 4! Kicking things off in 2023 is (currently) Manitoba-based folk rock duo Whitehorse! Composed of husband-and-wife duo Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland, Whitehorse's sound spans from folk/americana to groove-driven pop rock. Doucet and McClelland have always been talented musicians, and both had successful solo careers before joining forces as Whitehorse. Released on January 13, 2023, the duo's eighth studio album, "I'm Not Crying, You're Crying", marks a tonal shift to the melancholic sounds of hurtin' classic country. Spurred on by feelings of loneliness and isolation due to the pandemic, I'm Not Crying, You're Crying has been described as a "breakup album with the world." Songs like If The Loneliness Don't Kill Me and 6 Feet Away serve as a cry for human connection, written during a time when those connections were increasingly hard to find. In our first episode of Hidden Track Season 4, "Whitehorse | Breaking Up With Society", Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland join CKUA's Grant Stovel from their Manitoba home to discuss the inspirations behind their latest album, how it feels to be touring again, the duo's musical origins (including a story of 14-year-old Luke's blues band) and so much more!

As a child, Kadhja Bonet's Christmas holiday tradition was to spend the whole festive season taking refuge under her bed, or in her closet. Growing up with Asperger's Syndrome, the continuous Christmas clamour just made her want to shut out the world until December's end. It wasn't until recently (owing largely to a Yuletide-loving partner) that she took it upon herself to try and carve out a space for herself in the world of holiday music and culture. This most unexpected journey to reclaim the Christmas season culminated in two new creations: a holiday radio play called Apocalypsemas Now, and remarkable new EP, entitled California Holiday. Kadhja's visionary musical artistry is built upon her unique gifts as a singer and songwriter, as well as her stunning synthesis of folk, soul, pop, jazz and psychedelia. She's released a string of greatly-acclaimed albums, EPs, and singles - plus collaborations with an eclectic array of artists, ranging from Anderson .Paak to Bonobo to Khruangbin. And with her spell-binding voice and genre-defying musical sensibility, she's certainly unlocked some fresh new holiday magic with her latest release, out on Ninja Tune in December, 2022. California Holiday finds the Los Angeles artist interpreting songs of the season that are significant for her, in her own inimitable way. On top of material that draws on sources ranging from Stevie Wonder to Sesame Street, the title track is an original that takes a Californian perspective on some of the multi-layered feelings that the holidays can evoke (without ever actually mentioning any particular holiday). In this episode, Kadhja Bonet discusses the surprising path that led her to make a holiday album, the melancholy and contradictions often found at the heart of great Christmas music, how we use holidays as a way to mark the passage of time in our lives, a few of her favourite off-the-beaten-path Yuletide tunes... and, of course, Charlie Brown!

She has that rare ability to draw the listener in. Abigail Lapell's songs, voice, and smouldering musical presence can bring a hush to even the loudest of barrooms. She just kind of makes you want to lean in closer, and get lost in the elemental, otherworldly tales she weaves through song. So get ready to get lost! For this episode of Hidden Track, Abigail joins us in live performance and conversation from CKUA's Studio A.

Abigail's debut album came out in 2011 to rave reviews; and with each successive record, she's broadened the scope of her expressiveness as a singer and songwriter, and she's grown into a reputation as one of the most captivating tunesmiths on the scene today. She's already won a couple of Canadian Folk Music Awards, and the most vied-for awards, to boot: Album of the Year, and the English language award for Songwriter of the Year. Up against some downright legendary names, in both cases! She's up for several 2023 CFMAs for her lovely new record, too. We'll hear the Toronto-based artist live in CKUA's Edmonton studio, as she treats us to an exclusive performance of three songs from her much-acclaimed 2022 album, Stolen Time. And in her characteristically funny and insightful manner, she also tells us about teaching herself to play and write songs on a found guitar, which was held together with duct tape; how for her, being a songwriter means attempting to tap into a mysterious force much larger than herself; what it's like to criss-cross this giant land all by herself on tour; the central role that nature and natural imagery play in her work; how the lull of the pandemic prompted her to spark her creativity by teaching herself piano (as well as a little do-it-yourself plumbing); and the surprisingly evocative meaning of the musical term "tempo rubato".

Newfoundland-based musicians Catherine Allan and Andrew James O'Brien are the couple behind Juno-nominated band Fortunate Ones. The band's latest album, That Was You and Me, released early in June of 2022. Fortunate Ones recently embarked on a tour alongside fellow East Coast artists, The Once and Old Man Luedecke. That tour, dubbed the Anchors Up! Tour finds the band performing shows in Alberta in late November 2022.

The duo behind this incredible folk outlet took time out of their busy tour schedule to chat with Hidden Track host Grant Stovel for a look at their personal and artistic journeys thus far. Andrew and Catherine tell us about how the pandemic caused them to look deep within themselves (and each other) in a whole new way creatively, how the songs on this new record took shape during a secluded summer in a seaside clapboard house, the great Newfoundland tradition of songcraft, staying grounded by running marathons and doing yoga, and the excitement of touring in a bus for the first time ever.

Colonialism. Beauty. Hate. Feminism. Privilege. Success.

These aren't your average topics for a TV program created in the style of an old-school children's variety show. Of course, Lido Pimienta is anything but an average artist. For her brand-new project, Lido TV, the Polaris Prize-winning musician flexes a whole lot of creative multi-media muscle. Even longtime fans of her music may be surprised by many of the creative dimensions that she brings to this show; her biting humour, flair for eye-popping visuals, and almost mind-bendingly diverse areas of musical interest are just a few of the layers of expression revealed in Lido TV.

Taking all these tools, an artistic ambition that knows no bounds, visits to different people and areas in her native Columbia, and an extremely eclectic guest list, Lido has just released the first six episodes of Lido TV, which began streaming on CBC Gem in Autumn of 2022. Each episode deals with a serious societal issue or theme, as explored through the use of dramatic dialogue, songs, comedy skits, and plenty of puppets.

In a characteristically wide-ranging, whip-smart and hilarious conversation, Lido gets into the genesis for her "kids' TV show for adults;" her childhood in Columbia; how her gateway to writing songs was metal band Cradle of Filth; friends/ guests/ collaborators ranging from Beverly Glenn-Copeland to Nelly Furtado to metal band Kittie; and the importance of wanting to foster a more caring, equitable world.

As Lido tells us, "The TV raised me, so now I wanna raise some little future freaks with my show".

It's been said that over the past couple of years, we've all caught up, in one way or another, with the kind of dark and dystopian world view that's always been at the core of Preoccupations' music.

Autumn 2022 sees the release of the group's fourth full-length album, as well as their tenth anniversary as a band. Some of these musicians have known each other since they were little kids, and it's been a solid ten years now that they've been crafting their deliciously doomy musical oeuvre as a unit. Over that time, this quartet from Calgary came up from the underground to truly earn themselves a global following; and they've accomplished it in the old-school, time-tested way: by creating a sonic identity that's distinctively their own, by making innovative and challenging records, and by touring hellaciously hard. At the heart of their sound has always been an edgy, cathartic brand of epic post-punk music; and with their 2022 album Arrangements, they've honed that melodic-yet-discordant sound to a knife's edge.

The powerful new Preoccupations record is just out via Jagjaguwar internationally, and in Canada on the illustrious Calgary label, Flemish Eye Records. Two of the chief creative drivers in the band, Matt Flegel and Scott "Monty" Munro, told us about the band's genesis; formative influences from community radio to early Radiohead; the pivotal roles played in their story by factors as diverse as homegrown great Chad VanGaalen and a Black Sabbath tribute band; how such down-to-earth, happy-go-lucky folks can create such dark music; and what it's like to be pulling into their old stomping grounds for a pair of Alberta whistle stops on their current global album release tour.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode of Hidden Track contains references to childhood trauma and abuse. Although the content does not go into explicit details, some listeners may find these topics of discussion uncomfortable. It all happened quite naturally: Joey and David were born into Winnipeg music royalty, they each separately fell into careers as hotshot sidemen, eventually joined forces as The Bros. Landreth, paid their dues by clocking endless miles on tour, and won global acclaim (as well as a Juno Award) with their very first album. But it's been far from effortless for the brothers, who have always painstakingly pursued their own musical path. It's a path that's led them to craft a signature sound as a band; one built around supple musical savvy, with rootsy and candid songwriting at its core, and all draped in the kind of gorgeous vocal harmonies that you can only get from family. It's also a path that's caused them to be on the road virtually non-stop for well over a decade! The last few years, though, have seen The Bros. Landreth shift gears in remarkable, often painful, and entirely exhilarating new ways. Their 2022 album Come Morning is the product of a period of soul-searching that was brought on by the ravages of the road, the sudden and terrifying stillness of the pandemic era, and also by the next generation of Landreths! Both Joey and Dave became fathers, right around the same time, in the lead-up to creating this album. Come Morning has been hailed as an artistic breakthrough across the roots music world. And there's one other 2022 release that's been rather astounding for the brothers, as well: one of their biggest musical heroes covered a Bros. Landreth song! In fact, roots music titan Bonnie Rait not only recorded a song of theirs, she made it the lead-off track and first single from her own long-awaited 2022 album. We caught up with the Bros' guitar player and chief lead vocalist Joey Landreth during a short respite from the intercontinental Come Morning release tour, in a brief break between the European leg and the October 2022 jaunt that sees them blaze through Alberta and beyond. At home in Winnipeg, Joey reflects on their magical musical hometown; early influences ranging from their dad to Bach to NoFX; the struggle to find identity and meaning though music; the demons that inhabit this new album, writing about being a survivor of sexual abuse; having your mind blown by being a dad; feeling inspired to approach life and music with a child-like sense of wonder; what it's like hearing your hero play a song that you and your brother wrote; and creating an album that's all about getting through the proverbial dark night of the soul, striving toward the sunshine after the rain.