Oh, Alberta: An OurBasement Playlist

Playlists
By Regina Sienra

Sweet, loud, edgy Alberta. Home to contrasting landscapes of high mountains and flatlands, but also to bands with an equally diverse sound. It’s indie rock, besides being beautifully crafted, has a bit of an bubbliness and unrest to it that makes it stand out among Canadian music, while its folk side is loaded with inspiration from the lifestyle and hard work that has defined this province.

Join as we celebrate the vibrant indie Alberta scene. From the mysterious atmosphere of Faith Healer, to the tender sounds of The Dearhearts, without forgetting to stop by the perennial party of The Wet Secrets, the Wild Rose Country music has something for every taste.

Featured picture: Lab Coast. Taken from the band’s Facebook page. 

93 thoughts on “Oh, Alberta: An OurBasement Playlist”

  8. Super hot here too. Shut windows at 9, which is early! 32 C. Too much. Don’t like.

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  9. I’m ready for fall. yep yep. I always feel that way once august hits. i’m ready for crisp air.

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  10. Howdy folks! It’s super hot here! Would love to go to the beach buuuuuuut I am home sick. Oh joy. This music is keeping my spirits up, though! Thanks for the post, Regina!

    No RAA, though? 😛

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  11. I’ve spent a good amount of time in Alberta, great memories there with the ‘Edmonton Crew’. Thanks @reginula for the playlist, firing it up!

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  12. Helloooo

    @Laurita Thanks for stopping by! (And RAA is a Toronto band 😳 I mean, Nils IS from AB, but that’s it)

    @justin Yaaaaaaaay

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  13. Some happy news: Apparently Paper Lions are looking to play here. They posted it on FB and it had a great response.
    They just messaged me to ask about potential venues!

    I’d be sooo happy!

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  17. Okay, I’ll play. First morning in a long time, since May or so, that we’ve had a marine layer this far inland, where the coastal air gives us a cloudy overcast morning. Also means it’s really cool, 54F/13C. After all of those 100+F days, it’s nice to have today at 87F/30C.

    And Russ, have a great time camping! Where are you headed? Someplace that’s Pure Michigan?

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  20. There weren’t any contributions to this playlist (._. ) BUT that means it’s time for you to tell us about your favourite Alberta bands (and the stuff I missed. Besides like, Corb Lund, haha)

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  21. Good morning, Benoit! But as is almost always the case here – we don’t have any (or much) humidity to make things worse!

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  22. @reginula aw I am sorry to hear there were no contributions! I should not have assumed. I’m even more in awe of how you put these posts and lists together now. xx
    I’m afraid I am not much use with suggestions, as I am one of the people who went to R3 to find new music… 😦 sorry not to be able to help you guys. I will always put in my two cents if I have anything to offer.

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  24. From each according to capacities, to each according to need.

    Jesus
    (or Karl Marx, or Ho Chi-Minh, not sure.)

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  27. @Samara No, I’m sorry! Should have asked for suggestions! Most of these songs are recent! I discovered new stuff putting this together. I say, check it out and let us know if you like something in particular! (Or let me know what you’d like to listen and I’ll point out a song :D)

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  28. @Russ – Well have a great time. Peggy and I are heading out in the famed Shaggin’ Wagon over Labor Day week to northeastern California – where the people aren’t. Going to finally try out the inflatable kayak that I gave her for Christmas on two of the mountain lakes. And just get out of town. Just crossing my fingers that we don’t have any major forest fires up there. (So far this year, we’ve lucked out!)

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  30. As for what Samaras said above, it fits me too. All, and I mean all of the Canadian music I’ve listened to was discovered first on East Coast Countdown, and then Radio3. Since I don’t listen to any popular music here on radio, it was the only way I’d discover it. Consequently, without it, I’m afraid that I’m at the end of the line of my Canadian music journey, compounded by the geofencing from CBC. Maybe that’s why I’m so distraught over the ending of Radio3 access, as without it, there’s nothing left, and should a new Canadian band come through California, I’d have no idea who they were and what they sound like.

    I applaud the work that Regina and Nick and others have done to provide a daily topic, but I really have nothing to offer in return.

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  31. reg, samara, you two stop being sorry! (I can’t stand it!) Kidding…Youse guyses are being uber-Canadian!

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  32. Mcffl, why don’t you send a SHORT letter to the president of the CBC, c.c. the Ministress of Communications*, asking only why it’s been thought advisable (or necessary, choose your own words) to geofence CBC webwaves away from you and the rest of the world.

    *not her title; there is a woman minister, I found it before, can again. —->It would be interesting to see what kind of reply a single direct question like that would generate.

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  34. True, we’re very soarry. Or even soarrree.

    I think it may really strike Americans when two Canucks I don’t know, say, bump into one another and both say “soarry”…

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  35. Not that Nooyawkez are rude, really, but when my parents brought us there for a visit in geez 1965?, I was struck when a “thank you” on my part was answered with “sure.”

    Not mean or anything, just short.

    Also, unrelated, I’ve since learned that Nooyawkez stand ‘on’ line, not ‘in’ line. Silly people.

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  37. Good morning!
    Clouds rolling for what I hope will be a heat-breaking storm. Sooo muggy! Thank the lakes I’ve been jumping into, so lucky:)
    Contrats on another awesome post Reg!:)

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  40. Algonquin Park has their public wolf howl thingy tonight (I think) but in case anyone wants to hear wolves you’re welcome to come here. The children of the night have been waking me up & scaring the bejeezus out of my cat for nights on end.
    arrrooooooooo!

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  42. @Lucky That reminds me of something. Here, at the pyramids, some sellers have something like a large whistle that, when used properly, produces a sound that’s like roar of an angry jaguar.

    I’ve feared for my life when I’m there, bahahaa. It’s too real! Maybe let’s not tell your kids about those.

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  45. For day to day stuff… I mainly listen to KEXP and Indie88. KEXP now and then has interviews with Canadian Bands etc. Bookie on Indie88 yesterday had a live interview with the lead singer of the Arkells for about half an hour. While not R3, it was cool to hear an actual live interview with a Canadian band and features of their new music, which is pretty good. With all this, like @mcfflyer’s concerns, it’s harder to keep on top of what is going on with Canadian music now.

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  46. @Garfy maybe it’s in fact a pack of German Shepherds that are roaming the countryside.
    @reg that would scare the crap out of me! Give me a wolf over a jaguar to bump into any day of the week!!!

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  47. luckymaloo says hordes of German sheep herders are roaming the Ontario countryside! They could be rabid!

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  52. It is rather discouraging now, as when R3 was in its prime, I was always learning about new bands, or new songs – that led me to new bands. Then I’d go to their websites, check their touring schedule, and if they were visiting San Francisco or other places in Northern California, I might go check them out. But without Grant saying, “That was the ***’s, and they’re on a US tour”, I have no idea who they are to want to go see them. Again, geofencing the “breaking new sound” really is detrimental to emerging artists, as I’ve been told repeatedly that making it in the States is critical for band success. So how can they get support here if they can’t be heard? And it’s certainly detrimental to me.

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  54. The rain in Monteagle falls mainly on the wolves & German Shepherds!
    (& me as I get ready to go for a swim)
    Have a good weekend kids! Stay cool:)xo

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  55. “The rain in Monteagle falls mainly on the wolves” reads very poetic. Like, the very first verse of something huge. Historical, maybe.

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  57. Are you guys watching the Olympics opening ceremony later today? I’m wondering if everything will unfold smoothly, but I’m looking forward to see the refugee team.

    $20 on me crying when they come out.

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  59. @justingrady #4217 a real live interview!!! wow, that is something. my problem is that i just can’t stand the adverts on indie88.

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  61. @reginula thank you for the play list today:) and of course the write up but the music is the jam!
    also, why should @mcfflyer make a song kick account? i don’t really know much about it …

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  63. @morgana Thank you so much! I’m listening to it too, hahaha. Discovered some new things when building it!

    Songkick is a concert tracker. You enter your favourite bands or your city (or both) and it sends notifications (I use the email ones) to let you know about when they are playing near you: https://www.songkick.com/

    I even track Vancouver and Toronto shows in hopes of being able to jump in a plane to attend those shows.

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  67. @morganga #4231, get it about the ads on Indeie88, I know Bay Bloor Radio too well now…. I usually stream in while I’m getting ready in the morning. Once working I switch to KEXP or the playlist on here.

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  69. @morgana Oooh, you. Songkick can be helpful. Junk mails from it? Not really, just the notifications (like, one per mail). I guess the amount depends on where you live (imagine tracking tons of things when living in Toronto) and how many bands you decide to follow. Maybe there’s a way to just get the app notifications and not the email ones, but I haven’t looked it up.

    It’s also very good for when you’re traveling. You can enter the city you’re visiting and the dates and get a fancy schedule of who’s playing.

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  71. @Reg, their official “government-y” name is CIND, Bay Bloor radio is a store for audio playback equipment on the corner of Bay and Bloor in Toronto

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  73. BTW, where’s Darbs?! I think she’d like the Cowpuncher song. Immediately thought of her style.

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  74. Hey guys, it’s so hot here that I am afraid to use my electronic devices for long — they get so blazin’ hot it’s unnerving… I fear melting or exploding… thus I have not been commenting, rather I have been sitting very still in front of a fan reading a book.
    Anyway, just wanted to stop by again to wish you all a happy weekend. I hope whatever you’re doing it has a great soundtrack. I’ll catch up with you again next week! 🙂

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  78. @reginula i am hitting the road in a week so that could be fun to see what is playing in the towns i will be going through!
    i believe @darbar is in full festival swing; i think it is edmonton folk fest this weekend, interstellar rodeo next weekend and then the aug 20 hip streaming …

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  81. @justingrady i will be flying to whitehorse, visiting dawson city and then driving the dempster highway plus maybe all the way to nunavut. the return trip to nelson is fairly open … suggestions?

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  82. @justingrady next year we are coming your way but i do hope that you will come this way for some skiing this winter first … then we can drag @funhug and family and others into the mix too:)

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  85. @morgana, I have friends from Whitehorse that now live in Edmonton. They love it back home, but a small town too, so not much work there. I’ve seen photos and it’s beautiful. My friends also say the trailrunning is awesome there which I would love to go do.

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  87. @funhug the Kettle River is so lovely. I have never done rafting on it though, FB pics later? … Was river rafting the anniversary gift?

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  89. @reginula yup, we are meeting up. really looking forward to it. my sister moved there less than a year ago so i am looking forward to introducing them too!

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  90. twice i have tried to post a comment with a link to a train trip we may do from whitehorse but the comment disappears into the world wide web ether …
    skagwayshoretours dot com, the bennett lake excursion. not our usual adventure as the tourists are plenty and the price is high but it looks pretty spectacular …

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  92. @morgana.. I wish I could join you in a week! For the ski trip…… and as I am calling the the CBC Radio 3 winter picnic (ski trip). We gotta get all the R3 west coasters, and all other R3’ers that want to come, out your way. Nelson really is not that far a drive for me.

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  93. For this Alberta theme, might I suggest the BA Johnston tune, “Gonna End up Working In Fort McMurray”, a tragic cross generational canadian folk tale

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