Hidden Track

When you consider that the Yukon's population density is estimated to be roughly 0.07 people per square kilometre , it's kind of amazing the cultural imprint that the territory has made — both in terms of Canadian and global culture! The majestic, dramatic land made world-famous in classics ranging from  The Cremation of Sam McGee to The Call of the Wild has long inspired artists of all kinds, and...

Joel Plaskett first came to fame in the beloved rock band Thrush Hermit , a group who came together as teenagers in Halifax and barnstormed across Canada and beyond throughout the '90s with a dynamic stage show, plus an actual neon sign reading "Rock and Roll". In fact,  last time Joel visited CKUA's Edmonton studios was five years ago during a Thrush Hermit reunion tour, and he told us about keep...

For this special episode, Hidden Track is doing something utterly different. This isn't a feature on one artist, song, or album. It casts a spotlight on a whole scene—on a whole Canadian Territory, in a sense!   Yukon is a Canadian territory that's bigger than most countries on Earth, but its nearly half-million square kilometres are inhabited by only about 40,000 people.  In partnership with both...

She's a musician whose artistic vision and songwriting are every bit as distinctive and expressive as that spectacular voice of hers. Frazey Ford 's trademark tremulous croon first became well-known as part of the vocal blend for globally-renowned Vancouver folk music mainstays  The Be Good Tanyas. While th at band's aesthetic leaned toward the folky and jazzy, Frazey's own instincts have always b...

In many ways, Frank is the perfect name for this well-loved singer-songwriter, producer, and eternal punk rock firebrand.   Kind of like the many tattoos that adorn his arms, Frank Turner wears his heart right on his sleeve. Always unstintingly honest in all his artistic endeavours , Frank's music carries a candour and conviction that's incredibly powerful – devastating, even. Frank always manages...

As an artist, she's always been a bit of a shapeshifter.   Over the course of her wildly diverse career, she's touched on numerous different genres, been signed to a series of major record labels, and made music under several monikers.   Her journey has taken her from a tiny community on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island, to the bright lights of Los Angeles at age 20, to the City of Light – Paris,...

Michael Bernard Fitzgerald  is an artist who's always expressed what's most important to him through his songs. He's also been incredibly meticulous throughout his career, taking care to build a unique and heartfelt connection to his audience and striving to create an unforgettable live setting for his music.   He's elevated the sharing of live music to a high art in itself — whether it's inviting...

Kaia Kater has learned her craft through the influence of a diverse group of musical heroes, ranging from Herbie Hancock to Rhiannon Giddens. She recently turned her lens simultaneously inward and outward, to confront difficult truths and injustices – personally, historically, societally, and made them into album titled Strange Medicine. CKUA's Grant Stovel caught up with Kaia shortly after the al...

The joy in the everyday, the continuous arc of life's changes and the way a simple shift in perspective can utterly transform one's experience...   Ellen Doty 's new album is a kind of musical meditation, a collection of songs that aims to bring some gentle joy to the listener's heart. Every Little Scene is gorgeous set of songs that relate how if you pay mindful attention, small moments and subtl...

A couple of seasons back, Hidden Track released a big Cadence Weapon special. We spoke with Rollie Pemberton (Cadence Weapon) himself, along with some key family, friends and collaborators. A whole lot has happened for Cadence Weapon since that episode 's release. S o , we felt it was time to catch-up during his brief visit back to Edmonton during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.   It's certainly be...

DakhaBrakha  combines traditional folk and punk, drawing inspiration from their Ukrainian homeland with a global sensibility. Melodies from the ancient past collide with future sounds. They like to describe their style as "ethno-chaos." At CKUA, we were treated to a visit from touring dignitaries DakhaBrakha while they were on tour. It was the full four-piece band in all their full, distinctive in...

Inspired by the energy, the soul and the message of classic ska, The Slackers have truly become legends themselves over the past 33 years.   They first came together in New York City back in the early '90s, and studied at the feet of the masters, i ncluding members of Jamaican ska originators the Skatalites, who had relocated to the States.   The Slackers rose to prominence alongside a wave of ska...

For our first-ever live Hidden Track Session in front of an audience, we really lucked out !   We wanted to do something special that brought artists together with members of the CKUA community for a spontaneous, in-the-moment experience – an intimate and exciting live music al performance alongside a conversation that takes us deeper into the music.   We were hoping to find an artist with deep ro...

Ever the masterful crafter of musical stories, Corb Lund has just released his eleventh album El Viejo — a new collection that weave s together inventive narratives and introduces us to some compelling character s . On this record we encounter : a veteran card sharp dealing out hard-won wisdom, a down-on-his-luck journeyman MMA fighter , a speed addict trying to kick the habit on the family farm,...

The Bros. Landreth return to Hidden Track for a Season 5 Session!  When they started th eir band, it was just an excuse to spend time together, given that the brothers David and Joey Landreth were often embroiled in their careers as top–call players in the Winnipeg music scene.   The brothers came together to write some original song s and their first album as The Bros. Landreth was born . Release...

The R ural Alberta A dvantage 's much- anticipated October 2023 album The Rise & the Fall - their first in a half-dozen years - is once again chock full of Albertan references . However, it has also managed to connect with fans from around the world ! Renowned UK newspaper The Independent named it one of their Best Albums of 2023, alongside albums by Olivia Rodrigo and Lana Del Rey. Perhaps th e m...

When you think about it, being a YouTuber isn't so different from being a singer-songwriter.   In each case, you need to dig deep, be original, authentic and often get incredibly vulnerable – all while the world is looking on.   Canadian singer/songwriter Haley Blais has proven truly brilliant in both fields! T his hit-YouTuber-turned-award-winn ing -musician shows us exactly why that is on her ne...

Careful of Your Keepers , the sixth full-length  album by This Is the Kit , ends with the mantra-like benediction of " Be Okay ". It's a beautifully delicate place to land, after ten songs that navigate their way through a world full of actions, their equal and opposite reactions, and the inextricably linked, overwhelmingly human dance between beauty and pain.   It's an album that starts with a go...

She's truly a study in contrasts – right from her chosen moniker, Sunny War .   Her story is an utterly extraordinary one, in terms of both her brilliant musical arc and her often-tumultuous life journey. She spent much of her teens and early 20s as an itinerant busker, living where she could, sometimes hopping trains around the States, experiencing trouble with the law, and battling drug and alco...

'Tis the season to be jolly!   This holiday season, CKUA's Hidden Track team busted out the stockings, tinsel and trees, festooned CKUA's cozy music library with festive décor, and invited a few musical friends over for a special holiday episode!   Our guests brought with them some heartfelt reflections on the Yuletide season, some beautiful live performances of holiday songs ranging from ancient...

It's been an amazing Season 4 here at  Hidden Track . We've had visits with an astounding array of inspired artists, ranging from local heroes to global greats; from a reigning Polaris Prize winner to a newly minted Grammy Award winner; from hip-hop to hardcore punk to homespun folk. It's been such a wild 2023! So wild, in fact, that we felt the need to do a special episode to wrap up the season....

Made in a basement studio littered with instruments and synth gear, Young Fathers ' new album Heavy Heavy was created entirely by the three members of the band - with the exception of a single guest vocal from  a friend. The album  features layer upon layer of voices and instruments, creating a sonic maelstrom of dynamics, moods and text ures. And w hile the songs do va ry widely, and occasionally...

Arlo Maverick seems to be on a mission to ensure that Edmonton takes its place as a destination to be reckoned with on the hip-hop map. An award-winning artist, Arlo is a well-loved pillar of the hip-hop community here in Alberta. He's also toured all the way to the other side of the world and back, winning himself global fans and forging a wide network of collaborators.   More recently, he's achi...

Dan Mangan is fond of summing up his whole approach to a creative life in music with a simple axion: "It's cool to care."   Dan models that approach in everything he does. Whether he's starting his own label, Madic Records , or co- founding c ommu nity concert platform, Side Door Access ; acting as a longtime vocal advocate for the de-stigmatization of discussions around mental health; or through...

Many first knew Ariel Posen as the mind-bendingly gift ed guitar player with fellow Winnipeg act, The Bros. Landreth . Over the years, h e's lent his s ix -string talents to a wi ldly eclectic array of artists, ranging from John Mayer to Tom Jones. Ariel Posen's international stature as a rising guitar star becam e so substantial that it came as something of a surprise to many when in 2019, he put...