New music this week from The Sheepdogs, Chris Ballew, Cut Worms, Wednesday all surrounded by some classic alt tracks!
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Away From The Mire Episode 106 – Keep Out Of The Storm
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-29
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-29
Artist – Track || Album
1.) The Outfit – Autopoiet || single
2.) The Damn Truth – Too Late || Dear In The Headlights
3.) Status/Non-Status – At All || single
4.) Local Weatherman – Weighing || single
5.) Motherhood – Moat || Thunder Perfect Mind
6.) cootie catcher – Puzzle pop || single
7.) Jeff Jakobs – Witness || Lorem Ipsum
8.) The New Pornographers – Votive || single
9.) Ski Team – Thirst Trap For Diego || Burnout/Boys
10.) The Liquor Store, Darkus Millon – Movin’ With You || Right Place Wrong Time
11.) The Dears – Gotta Get Me Head Right || Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful!
12.) Geoffroy – Good Call || Field Study
13.) Katie Tupper – Disappear || Greyhound
14.) Dana Sipos – Star City || Golden Molten
The Lunchbox Interview: Melika (Iran)
It can be difficult to truly know what’s going on inside of restrictive regimes, so a personal account helps.
My guest today is Melika, an Iranian-born student who is trying to raise awareness about the size of protests against the religious government in Iran, and the degree of terrible response to them. We talk about growing up in the area, the hardship of living there now, and what changes are hoped for.
Local Iranian people and allies held a rally and protest on Friday, January 23 to try to further increase awareness and support for the peoples of Iran.
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Spotlight || Austra – Chin Up Buttercup (2026-01-28)
Spotlight || Austra – Chin Up Buttercup (2026-01-28)
Artist – Track || Album
1.) Austra – Amnesia || Chin Up Buttercup
2.) Austra – Math Equation || Chin Up Buttercup
3.) Austra – Siren Song || Chin Up Buttercup
4.) Austra – Fallen Cloud || Chin Up Buttercup
5.) Austra – Blindsided || Chin Up Buttercup
6.) Austra – Good Riddance || Chin Up Buttercup
The Lunchbox Interview: The Big Gay Cabaret 2026
It is always good when art, culture and queerness is able to celebrate in full effect.
My guests today are Alex Rioux (organizer) and Keri Fulton (host, performer), part of the upcoming event, The Big Gay Cabaret. We chat about what variety of acts can be expected, the origin and growth of the event, and how important it is to have strong visibility for LGBTQ+ people in the community.
The Big Gay Cabaret is set to happen on February 21st at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre. While the tickets have already (!) been sold out, there is a waiting list available on their website.
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People Need Music: January 22, 2026
Tonya and co-host Jeff Richardson showcase artists who are part of Shivering Songs 2026.
Playlist:
Dad Patrol – Worms, Larva, Insects, Creepy Crawly ::
Coyote – Hope You Feel It ::
Mo Kenney – Evening Dream ::
Logan Richard – Up From Here ::
Qwinn – Love Like Before ::
Wolf Castle – Gravity/Levity ::
Absolute Losers – By Fright ::
Travis J Flynn – One & Only ::
Orchidae – Mouth Breathing Fire ::
Marc McLaughlin – Effervescence ::
The Montgomery Street Band – You’re Up All Night
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Grey Temples 41 – postpunk_wizard1998@hotmail.com
I’m here again to help you ice up your warm heart, and then thaw your icy heart. I’m a real problem solver/creator.
Starting out with some post punk that sounds like a cigarette being stubbed out on an empty warehouse floor, this episode moves through a few whiplash moments. The common thread running through a lot of these songs? Saxophone, I guess? I don’t know. There’s a fair amount of saxophone in retrospect, and I’ll pretend that was on purpose.
Here’s hoping you find a new obsession. If not, I’ll getcha next week! Don’t think I won’t getcha (in the friendliest way possible)!
Your friend,
Jon Wood
| Snapped Ankles | The Evidence |
| Holograms | ABC City |
| Les Georges Leningrad | Sponsorships |
| Vice Squad | Last Rockers |
| X-Ray Spex | I Live Off You |
| Scratching Post | Empires Will Fall |
| France Joli | Gonna Get Over You |
| Daniel Grau | Sonido Magico |
| Calibro 35 | Discomania |
| Injury Reserve | Jailbreak the Tesla |
| Tierra Whack | Chanel Pit |
| Swet Shop Boys | Phone Tap |
| Sarathy Korwar feat. MC Mawali | Mumbay |
| Theon Cross feat. Moses Boyd & Nubya Garcia | Activate |
| The Evaporators | Where’s the Butterknife? |
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Once On Much – Ep08 Wide Mouth Mason
Once On Much – Ep08 Wide Mouth Mason
If you came of age in Canada in the 1990s, MuchMusic wasn’t just something you watched — it was something you belonged to. It was a front door to Canadian culture, a crash course in music discovery, and for bands lucky enough to break through, a launchpad that could change everything.
On this episode of Once On Much, Safwan Javed of Wide Mouth Mason reflects on that era as a true golden age for Canadian music, shaped by strong label investment, a national touring circuit, campus shows, radio, and MuchMusic’s role as a cultural gatekeeper. For a blues-rooted band that emerged from Western Canada’s bar circuit, Much wasn’t just exposure — it was one of the pillars that made longevity possible.
Safwan also looks back on festivals like Edgefest, the camaraderie of life on the road, and the lasting impact of Big Shiny Tunes 2, where Wide Mouth Mason’s “My Old Self” continues to be their most-streamed song decades later. While the industry has since fractured — trading gatekeepers for algorithms — the band’s core values haven’t changed. Gratitude, integrity, and musicianship remain central, whether playing to massive festival crowds in the ’90s or reconnecting with audiences in 2026. The full conversation is a thoughtful reminder of what was lost, what endured, and why that era still matters.
Connect with Wide Mouth Mason:
WEBSITE || WIDE MOUTH MASON INSTAGRAM || MUSIC
Tracklist:
1.) Wide Mouth Mason – Midnight Rain || Wide Mouth Mason
2.) Wide Mouth Mason – Companion – Lay Me Down || Where I Started
Did this conversation resonate with you? Let us know your favorite part! Follow Once On Much on Instagram, and share this episode with a friend!
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Nothing in Particular: 2026-Jan-20
Episode 27.
| Artist | Song | Album | Year | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Gregson-Williams & Norihiko Hibino | Metal Gear Solid II (Arabian Panther ‘Menu theme’ Edit) | RePhrase Collection: Hard Fist Edit Series (Compilation) | 2018 | GB-ENG / JPN |
| Moev | Wanting (Remix) | Wanting (Remix – Single) | 2025 | CAN |
| Jeremy Inkel | Embrace | Hijacker | 2020 | CAN |
| Front Line Assembly | Threshold | Caustic Grip | 1990 | CAN |
| Yulduz Usmanova | Kunglim Guli | Putumayo Presents: Asian Groove (Compilation) | 2002 | UZB |
| Daby Touré | Iris | Real World: Africa Grooves 1 (Compilation) | 2013 | SEN |
| La Patente | Dans L’Même Bateau | Le Cirque des Mal-Aimés | 2024 | CAN |
| Baie | Colle-moi | Grand Bleu | 2022 | CAN |
| Metric | Youth Without Youth | Synthetica | 2012 | CAN |
| Adaline | Whiter Straighter | Famous For Fire | 2008 | CAN |
| Caravan Palace | Lone Digger | <I°_°I> | 2015 | FRA |
| Bryan Ferry | The Chosen One | Boys and Girls | 1985 | GB-ENG |
| Caliza | ¡Despiértelo! | Despierta Unos Instantes de tu Oscura Noche | 2024 | ESP |
| Sultans of String w/ Don Ross & M. J. Dandeneau | Highway of Tears | Walking Through the Fire | 2023 | CAN |
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The Lunchbox Interview: Gary Weekes (“Trayces”)
The juxtaposition of matter and thought produces art with impact.
My guest today is photographer and artist Gary Weekes, whose new exhibit, Trayces, is featured at the UNB Art Centre Galleries as part of the Black History Month exhibition. He joins me to talk about the unusual form of this art, what inspired him to work in this way, and what this art means to him.
NOTE: this interview contains frank details about some of the disturbing elements of historical abuse which impacted the artist’s process. Some discretion should be exercised.
Trayces, along with the return of the Rediscovering the Roots of Black New Brunswickers exhibit, are opening on January 23 at 5pm, and will be on display in the UNB Arts Centre Gallery until March 27.
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Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-22
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-22
Artist – Track|| Album
1.) Goldie Boutillier – King of Possibilities || Goldie Boutillier Presents… Goldie Montana
2.) The Dears – Babe, We’ll Find A Way || Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful!
3.) Hildegard – Bach In Town || Jour 1596
4.) Ouri, Carlotte Day Wilson – Beahve! || Daisy Cutter
5.) The Barr Brothers – English Harbour || Let It Hiss
6.) Sewa – Asiko || Detox
7.) Ada Lea – baby blue frigidaire mini fridge || when i paint my masterpiece
8.) Spookey Ruben, Esthero – re-re-re-re-reading your texts || Toronto, You’ve Changed
9.) Boutique Feelings – Pity Party || Shwaya, Shwaya
10.) Austra – Siren Song || Chin Up Buttercup
11.) KAYTRANADA – SPACE INVADER || AIN’T NO DAMN WAY
12.) Alix Fernz – Couteau a la gorge || Symphonie publicitaire sous influence
13.) Home Front – Light Sleeper || Watch It Die
14.) Computer – Dissolution Use || Station On The Hill
Spotlight || Jayli Wolf – Daughter of the Haze (2026-01-21)
Spotight || Jayli Wolf – Daughter of the Haze (2026-01-21)
Artist – Track || Album
1.) Jayli Wolf – Hospital || Daughter of the Haze
2.) Jayli Wolf – Deep in Those Broken Years || Daughter of the Haze
3.) Jayli Wolf – In The Light Of Ever After || Daughter of the Haze
4.) Jayli Wolf – Gold || Daughter of the Haze
5.) Jayli Wolf – Midnight Garden || Daughter of the Haze
6.) Jayli Wolf – Lay Me Down || Daughter of the Haze
7.) Jayli Wolf – Let Love In || Daughter of the Haze
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-21
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-21
Artist – Track || Album
1.) Melody’s Echo Chamber – Eyes Closed || Unclouded
2.) Sufjan Stevens – Chicago || Illinois
3.) Jane Blanchard – Still, Again || Still, Again
4.) The Kilans – Why Is It Light Out? || single
5.) Franz Ferdinand – The Fallen || You Could Have It So Much Better
6.) Signee florence – Better Like That || single
7.) Dry Cleaning – Hit My Head All Day || Secret Love
8.) Clothesline From Hell – TRUEST SOUND || SLATHER ON THE HONEY
9.) Helene Barber – Kindness In A Cup || Panorama
10.) Milk & Bone, Chromeo – Hoops || Hoops
11.) Jayli Wolf – Lay Me Down || Daughter Of The Haze
12.) Pallmer – Swimming || Swimming
13.) Olof Arnalds – Heimurinn nuna || Spira
14.) Patrick Watson, Klo Pelgag – Ami imaginaire || Uh Oh
Grey Temples 40 – A Journey into Space. The Twist? It’s Inner Space!
You know what makes for a perfect Grey Temples? One that has something for everyone to love and hate. And hopefully for everyone its a different set of songs. This episode starts with a song that I think is one of the best of last year, and GT legend/frequent guest Nuggetman64 says sounds like our elderly cat dry heaving. We are off to the races people!! (Note: this makes it sound like Nuggetman was in the studio with me this week. Sorry to disappoint. He wasn’t.)
Need a jazz fusion track mixed with classical Japanese music? We’ve got it!
Tropicalia-adjacent Brazilian vibe out music? We’ve got it!
Quebec junior college students having a total conga freakout? You’d think we wouldn’t have that, but we do!
Monkey drum? Do you know what that is? Maybe! No? You will! It’s called a cuica. And yeah, we got that.
Me delivering a monologue about the “electric jug” player in the 13th Floor Elevators? Bud, we’ve almost got too much of that!
Come on a journey to the center of your soul-oul-oul-ul-ul-ll (imagine that as a sweet echo effect).
Your friend,
Jon Wood
| Blawan | Nos |
| Daphni | Jiao |
| Peggy Gou | Seoulsi Peggygou |
| Osamu Kitajima | Hot Strings Invasion |
| 1001 Est Cremazie | Bright Moments |
| Arthur Verocai | Na Boca Do Sol |
| Neno Exporta Som | Deixa a Tristenza |
| 13th Floor Elevators | You’re Gonna Miss Me |
| Damon | Poor Poor Genie |
| Telegraph Ave | Let Me Start |
| Black Mountain | Modern Music |
| Quest for Fire | Bison Eyes |
| Comets On Fire | Holy Teeth |
| Sons of Otis | Clowns |
| The Swarm | Blink |
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Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-20
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-20
Artist – Track || Album
1.) Charlotte Cornfield – Hurts Like Hell || single
2.) deathcrash – Somersaults || single
3.) Ora Cogan – Honey || single
4.) Terra Lightfoot – Sleepyhead || Home Front
5.) Mo Kenney – deja vu || Mo Kenney
6.) Jill Blutt – Swansea || An Almond-Shaped Moon and Four Things I Wish I Never Knew About Myself
7.) Otracmai – Please || single
8.) Bells Larsen – Questions || Blurring Time
9.) Begonia – Life of the Party || Fantasy Life
10.) The Sha La Das – Stop Using My Love || Your Picture
11.) Phoenix, Clairo – After Midnight || single
12.) Lucid Express – Faux Sweetness || Instant Comfort
13.) We’re Only Here For The Snacks – Monos Locos || Missed Our Stop
14.) Wet Leg – pokemon || moistureizer
15.) Miesha and the Spanks – Cut My Bangs || single
Away From The Mire Episode 105 – Novocaine For The Soul
Tons of new music this week mixed in with the classic alternative you need!
Daniel Romano, Wednesday, Geese, Sloan, Ween and more!
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Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-19
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-19
Artist – Track || Album
1.) Mitski – Where’s My Phone? || single
2.) Penny & The Pits – Pool Party || Liquid Compactor
3.) Brookside Mall – Twenty Thirteen || Brookside Mall
4.) Wintersleep – Resuscitate || Hello Hum
5.) Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart || The Best Of
6.) Heaven For Real – Improvement || Who Dies & Made You The Dream?
7.) Melody’s Echo Chamber – In The Stars || Unclouded
8.) Foals – My Number || Holy Fire
9.) Dan Mangan – No Such Thing As Wasted Love || Natural Light
10.) Band Of Horses – (Biding Time Is A) Boat to Row || single
11.) Afternoon Bike Ride – Otherworld || Running With Scissors
12.) William Prince – On Rolls the Wheel || Further From The Country
12.) sunn O))) – Glory Black || single
Nothing in Particular: 2026-Jan-13
Episode 26.
| Artist | Song | Album | Year | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Minds | The Man Who Sold The World | Neon Lights | 2001 | GB-SCT |
| April Wine | Refuge | On Record | 1972 | CAN |
| The Grapes Of Wrath | Didn’t You Say Something | September Bowl Of Green | 1987 | CAN |
| Ladytron | Blue Jeans | Light & Magic | 2002 | GB-ENG |
| Leathers | Phantom Heart | Ultraviolet | 2024 | CAN |
| Bon Débarras | L’Abondance des Saisons | En Panne de Silence | 2017 | CAN |
| Amy Millan | Untethered | I Went To Find You | 2025 | CAN |
| Talvin Singh | Butterfly | O.K. | 1998 | GB-ENG |
| Sundial Aeon | Hybrydisy | Apotheosis | 2007 | POL |
| Solar Fields | Elevator Sunshine Girl | Blue Moon Station | 2003 | SWE |
| Guy Pearce | Taste | Broken Bones | 2014 | AUS |
| Cardigans | Erase-Rewind | Gran Turismo | 1998 | SWE |
| Trisomie 21 | Take The Shock Away | T21 Plays The Pictures | 1990 | FRA |
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Testing For Echo – Episode 94 – Orig. Air Date Jan 17, 2026
Hi there everyone. This is Testing For Echo Episode 94 on CHSR FM 97.9 in Fredericton and around the world and I am your host Tim Scammell.
Episode Song List
- Book Club – Laugh or Cry
- Terra Spencer – In the City
- Styx – Build and Destroy
- SAGA – Let it Slide
- Catolico – ICONIC
- Jamie XX – Gosh
- RUSH – Mission
- Tears For Fears – Break the Man
- Roxy Music – True To Life
- Geddy – The Lost Demos, Gone and I Am
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Once On Much – Ep07 Pluto
Once On Much – Ep07 Pluto
When Ian Jones looks back on the 1990s, his memories aren’t just of stages and studios—they’re of thrift stores, long tours, and a distinctly Canadian scene that felt both scrappy and quietly confident. In this conversation, the Pluto frontman reflects on coming up during a moment when Canadian alternative rock wasn’t chasing trends so much as carving its own lane. While grunge dominated south of the border, bands like Pluto, Sloan, Eric’s Trip, Cub, and Treble Charger were embracing melody, pop instincts, and community. “We were pop bands,” Jones says plainly—rough-edged, maybe, but committed to songs that stood apart from the prevailing American heaviness of the time.
That independence was nurtured by institutions that now feel almost mythical: Mint Records, MuchMusic, and compilations like Big Shiny Tunes. Jones speaks fondly of Mint as a true creative home—one that quickly put Pluto on the road with Cub and Pansy Division, and into rooms full of sold-out crowds. MuchMusic, meanwhile, wasn’t just a broadcaster; it was an ecosystem. Videos, interviews, tour listings, and constant rotation helped turn regional bands into national ones, especially for kids in rural Canada discovering new music through a TV screen. Being on Big Shiny Tunes—with Pluto’s “Paste” sitting alongside peers and heroes—changed the scale of everything.
Looking back now, Jones is clear-eyed about both the thrill and the cost of that moment. Signing to a major label brought muscle and momentum, but also compromises that dulled the joy that first drew Pluto together. What remains, though, is something harder to manufacture: songs written from the heart, a sound instantly recognizable, and a legacy tied to a brief but powerful era when Canadian bands supported each other and trusted their instincts. For listeners discovering Pluto today, this interview offers a reminder of what made that time special—and why it still resonates, decades later.
Connect with Pluto:
IAN JONES || MUSIC
Tracklist:
1.) Pluto – Paste || Pluto
2.) Pluto – When She Was Happy || Pluto
3.) Pluto – The Goodbye Girl || Shake Hands With The Future
4.) Pluto – Black Lipstick || Pluto
Did this conversation resonate with you? Let us know your favorite part! Follow Once On Much on Instagram, and share this episode with a friend!
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The Lunchbox Interview: Laura Richard (Saltwinds Coffee)
Sometimes, rediscovering the truth behind history’s rumours leads to an entirely new adventure.
My guest today is Laura Richard, one of the founders and the roastmaster of local company Saltwinds Coffee. She tells me the story of the last three years, from having curiosity at a local legend to developing a company with international sales, to going before the Dragon’s Den to pitch.
Saltwinds Coffee will be seen on the upcoming January 22 episode of The Dragon’s Den.
Find Saltwinds Coffee at their website, or on local grocery store shelves.
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People Need Music: January 15, 2026
Dan Mangan will be in Fredericton on January 24, 2026 as part of Shivering Songs. Dan calls into People Need Music to chat with Tonya about his latest release, Natural Light, gratitude, valuing fans and what he loves about New Brunswick. Tune in!
Playlist:
Amy Millan – Untethered ::
Dan Mangan – Just Know It ::
Dan Mangan – My Dreams Are Getting Weirder ::
Dan Mangan – Melody ::
Dan Mangan – Call Me Up High ::
Mo Kenney – Signs of Life ::
Charlotte Cornfield – Gentle Like the Drugs ::
Wild Pink – St. Catherine St. ::
Ben Vallée – One More Time Before You Go ::
The Hypochondriacs – Hung Up and Hungover
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Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-15
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-15
Artist – Track || Album
1.) Chinese American Bear – No No Yeah Yeah || single
2.) Black Pumas – Black Moon Rising || Black Pumas
3.) Les Louanges – La journee va etre chaud || single
4.) Adrian Underhill – Cruel || CU Again
5.) St. Vincent – Cruel || Strange Mercy
6.) Bethany – Luminescent Love || Handwritten Notes
7.) This Ship – Memory || All The Stars and Elements
8.) Surf Hat – The Gutter || Modern World Blues
9.) Phantogram – All A Mystery || Memory Of A Day
10.) Fleur Electra – Weather Girl || single
11.) Good Dear Good – Each Other’s Best || sook
12.) Austra – Siren Song || Chin Up Buttercup
13.) Odonis Odonis – Come Alive || Odonis Odonis
14.) Hollerado – Start A Band || Start A Band
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-14
Mornings Are Hard || 2026-01-14
Artist – Track || Album
1.) Begonia – Out Of My Control || Fantasy Life
2.) Father John Misty – The Old Law || single
3.) Sis and the Lower Wisdom – Big Bend (Oh Jai Ma) || Saints and Aliens
4.) Iron & Wine – In Your Ocean || single
5.) Jenny on Holiday – Good Intentions || Quicksand Heart
6.) Shad – Slanted || Start Anew
7.) LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends || Sound of Silver
8.) Dari Bay – Shy of a Nurse || Longest Day of the Year
9.) Beauts – Fall In Flight || Marigolds
10.) American Lips – Cardboard Trash || On Strike!
11.) The Monoxides – Little Bitta Rosie || Galaxy of Stooges
12.) The Merci Buckets – Window Watcher || ALLURE
13.) Big Wreck – Dog With A Gun || The Rest Of The Story
14.) Deep Fryer – Fix Stuff || Deep Fryer
15.) Triskelyon – Of Dust and Divination || Maelstrom of Chaos
The Lunchbox Interview: Next Folding presents “Good Night To You All”
There are stories abounding all around us, some invisible, some creative, and some home-grown; it is up to storytellers to bring them to life.
My guests today are Jeremy Fowler (Producer) and Camryn Gaudet (actor) from the upcoming original production of Good Night To You All, a new play written by local playwright Ryan Griffith and being staged by The Next Folding Theatre Company. We discuss the development of this play from it’s short form seen previously, the eerie skill of Griffith to capture and reflect, and the ephemeral nature of theatre.
Good Night To You All opens on January 15th at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre at 7pm, and runs nightly through the 17th. There is hope to take the play on tour, but no dates have yet been announced.
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