Ron Lorenz - The Calgary To Banff Auto Tour On The Trans Canada Highway (1993)

Well, this is a weird one. Thanks (?) to Recordland for getting it into our hands. This is the type of tape you would have found on the counter at a gas station on the western edge of the city - on it, former newscaster Ron Lorenz narrates the drive from Calgary to the Banff townsite, starting at Canada Olympic Park. Lorenz relates the history of the region (well, the history of the settlers in the region, at least - as befits the year in which this was made, there's not a lot of attention paid to our Indigenous peoples). 

To accommodate those who either don't drive to Banff with a lead foot, Lorenz asks the listener to pause the tape ad then restart when landmarks are reached, which makes it a bit of a weird thing to listen to without the drive. We wish there was a follow-up to this tape with the drive home, and Lorenz cursing the usual Sunday afternoon traffic jam.

Road trip!

Johnny Juke and the Fat Cats - Johnny Juke and the Fat Cats (1997)

This is another tape that was passed our way by the good folks at Recordland. Johnny Juke and the Fat Cats played their swinging blues around Calgary in the late 90's - the one big question we have about the band is if Johnny Juke handled vocals, harmonica, AND drums in a live setting. There's a polished, easy flow to these tracks - if he was pulling triple duty, we are impressed.

Get it here!  

Math - Sometimes Sweet Susan (1999)

Thanks to the good folks at Recordland for keeping an eye out for weird local stuff coming into the shop and passing them our way. This is the first of a trio of new-to-us tapes and, well, we can't tell you anything about it. This tape sounds like the product of the late 90's that it is - Math play sludgy alt rock riffs spiced up with some interesting electronica touches. Too bad their name is completely google-proof (and their cassette is titled after an adult movie - another tip that this was recorded in the 90's).

Get it here!