Attention LP lovers: time to break your piggy banks and roll some quarters. Mint just got in its first ever vinyl batch of the critically lauded debut solo album from Olivia "fanshaw" Fetherstonhaugh, known simply as "your next favorite band" by the folks at HeroHill. As you may already know, that debut, produced with a selection of Olivia's friends and former Minty collaborators, received a CD release in February of 2010. Yet, as the wait for this pressing has fostered the growth of ecstatic anticipation assured to be soon satisfied, the time to cop Dark Eyes on wax is finally upon us, restoring balance to the universe and peace of mind to its inhabitants.

Specially remastered for vinyl by Bob Weston, this special 180 gram release promises to be that much more vibrant, ethereal, and lush than ever heard before, as connoisseurs of the LP format have come to expect. All the exquisite nuances of Olivia's breathy, lilting vocals and minimal, airy instrumentation will be noticeably present to even the least trained ear. This means that, to those of the insufferably analog ilk, this release is, for all intents and purposes, the first true issuing of the album called "haunting" by Exclaim and "beautifully crafted" by AllMusic. Check it out again for the very first time.

Oh - and before we forget, there is a new video too - watch it here. 

"Dark Eyes is an album whose quiet surfaces are deceptive; this music often seems calm on first glance, but there's a remarkable amount of energy and drama lurking below the surface, and on "Strong Hips," "Vegas," and "O Sailor," Fanshaw paints a powerful widescreen image with just a few boldly applied strokes of her musical brush. The compact scale of the production and arrangements on Dark Eyes at once draws in the listener and fills up the room despite the clean surfaces; Fanshaw has built a giant of an album out of little details, and it's one of the most audacious debuts of 2010." - Mark Demming, AllMusic

Ooh! Our quirky-fun friends, Hot Panda are still on the road! If you haven’t caught one of their shows, they’ll be joining The Bicycles (of Toronto) for some Western Canadian dates. Since we love our Fuzzy Logic friends and The Bicycles, we think this is a match made in heaven. Now quick, go to their shows. Or, um, mark them down on your calendar!

Nov 15 – Vancouver, BC @ Di’Metric Studio (with The Bicycles, Gang Violence, The Clipse and Women)

Nov 16 - Victoria, BC @ CAMAS (with The Bicycles and Prairie Cat)

Nov 18 – Cumberland, BC @ The Waverly (with The Bicycles)

Nov 19 - Kelowna, BC @ Habitat (with The Bicycles and Prairie Cat)

Nov 20 – Calgary, AB @ Broken City (with The Bicycles)

Carolyn Mark doesn't sit still for long. She just put the finishing touches on a new record titled, Let's Just Stay Here and now she is burning down the great Canadian highway, probably on her way to a festival somewhere. The new album will be released on Mint Records this fall - on October 13th, to be precise. Now, we should also mention, Carolyn doesn't like to hog the spotlight, Let's Just Stay Here sees Carolyn teaming up with Toronto's Juno nominated (and Six Shooter stars) N.Q. Arbuckle for six Carolyn penned numbers, three N.Q. songs and and handful of covers.

A collection of slow burning torchlight country heartbreakers, roadhouse style Johnny & June anthems & odes to the touring lifestyle, Let's Just Stay Here covers a lot of miles on the musical road map of touring excess.

N.Q. Arbuckle and Miss Carolyn set their minds on creating a "rock" record together after a summer of touring Southern Alberta. Not like AC/DC rock, more like Lucinda Williams/Wilco/Tom Petty rock. Carolyn lovingly calls it her Rumours. We think you'll love it too.

The Players:
Carolyn Mark: vocals, guitar, piano, wurlitzer, Jacobson's Organ
N.Q. Arbuckle: vocals, guitar, poking stick
Peter Kesper: all manner of guitars, steel, pedal steel, Weisenborn, harmony vocals, banjo
John Dinsmore: bass, banjo, mandolin, guitar, harmony vocals, charm
Mark Kesper: drums, percussion, common sense

The Guests:
Jenny Whiteley: lady harmonies
Lily Fawn: musical saw
Corb Lund: mandolin
Miranda Mullholland: violin

Track Listing:
All Time Low
Officer Down
The 2nd Time
Saskatoon Tonight
Downtime
Itchy Feet
Passing Dream
Canada Day Off/Toronto
Too Sober To Sleep
Sunday Morning
When I Come Back
Let's Just Stay Here

Canada's hardest working garage rock duo, The Pack a.d., may be mourning the untimely passing of Falcon, their trusty tour van, but never ones to slow down, they aren't letting it stop their upcoming spring tour. This month, the Vancouverites are packing their bags and heading East. From coast to coast to coast (almost) the tour will see stops from Penticton, BC to Charlottetown, PEI to Whitehorse YK and many points in between, including a stop in Toronto for a killer NXNE show. This tour will also be their farewell tour for 2010's we kill computers (Mint), so be prepared to experience a song or two from The Pack a.d.'s upcoming 4th album, due out this fall and produced by Jim Diamond (The Detroit Cobras, Electric Six, The White Stripes).

Also keep your eyes peeled for a video for "B.C. Is On Fire", due out in late May and directed by Vancouver filmmaker Sean Devlin (shitharperdid.ca).

To commemorate the life and times of Falcon, they are asking fans to send a postcard or letter explaining their favourite road trip story. The best three submissions will receive a Pack a.d. prize pack including signed vinyl and other surprises. Include your return address as well, you might even get some mail back from the band!

Send your best road trip story to:

The Pack a.d.
c/o Mint Records
Po Box 3613
Vancouver, BC
V6B 3Y6

Entry deadline: June 1st, 2011

Upcoming Tour Dates:

May 14th - The Red Room, Vancouver, BC
May 21st - The Elite, Penticton, BC
June 1st - The Seahorse Tavern, Halifax, NS
June 2nd - Manhattan Club, Moncton, NB
June 3rd - Baba's, Charlottetown, PEI
June 4th - Gallery Connexion, Fredericton, NB
June 7th - Mansion House, St Catharines, ON
June 8th - London Music Club, London, ON
June 10th - Le Divan Orange, Montreal, QC
June 11th - Westfest (Mainstage), Ottawa, ON
June 12th - Le Cercle, Quebec
June 17th - The Horseshoe Tavern (NXNE), Toronto, ON
June 18th - Poplar Arts & Music Fest, Saskatoon, SK
June 24th - Sunstroke Festival, Whitehorse, YK
June 25th - Sunstroke Festival, Whitehorse, YK
July 8th - Sounds of Old Strath Fest, Edmonton, AB
July 9th - Sounds of Old Strath Fest, Edmonton, AB
July 16th - Nakusp Music Fest, Nakusp, BC
July 22nd - Gateway Fest (Garden Stage), Bengough, SK

Aside from their really cold winters, Winnipeg has some good things going on. Especially when it boils down to their resident bands. Thanks to their friends, The Weakerthans, Mint’s mod-popsters, Novillero will soon be making their way across the sea to support the German indie rock sensation, Tomte on a tour that weaves throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It’s exciting stuff for our Winnipeg gentlemen.

Since their September 08 release, A Little Tradition, the band has toured Canada, played Pop Montreal and will soon be in New York for CMJ.

Listen to A Little Tradition here. And tell your far away friends!

05.11.08 Hannover Capitol
06.11.08 Köln - E-Werk
07.11.08 Essen - Weststadthalle
08.11.08 Bielefeld - Ringlokschuppen
09.11.08 Magdeburg - Factory
10.11.08 Wiesbaden - Schlachthof
11.11.08 Saarbrücken - Garage
12.11.08 Bremen - Schlachthof
13.11.08 OFF
14.11.08 Dresden - Reithalle
15.11.08 A-Wien - Arena
16.11.08 München - Tonhalle
17.11.08 Stuttgart - Theaterhaus
18.11.08 CH-Zürich - Rohstofflager
19.11.08 Erlangen - E-Werk
20.11.08 Lingen - Alter Schlachthof
21.11.08 Hamburg - Große Freiheit 36
22.11.08 Hamburg - Große Freiheit 36 TBC

“Novillerro, Slaughter’s newest outfit, has put no such restriction on their sound, and the difference is immediately obvious. Keyboards, horns and other flourishes flesh out the arrangements, giving a full complement of textures to the band’s cleverly crafted rock.” – FFWD
“Novillero's A Little Tradition shows what widespread experience and exceptional musicianship can really produce. The Winnipeg band's four members, each accomplished in separate past projects as well as boasting two full-length releases, cooperate seamlessly together to form an indie rock album that has very few flaws.” – 30music.com

Continuing along on their mission to deliver indie-rock to the small people, Vancouver’s Duplex! are back with Worser, their second full length album (their debut CD, Ablum was released on Mint Records in 2005.)

Never ones to shy away from the hard truths, Duplex! this time tackle themes spanning evolution, hibernation, same-sex divorce, dogs wearing sweaters, and the making of both sandwiches and mistakes. Featuring again the talents of Veda Hille, Justin Kellam (No Kids), Annie Wilkinson (Onward Voyageur), Matt Caruso (Chariots of Eggs), Shaun Brodie (AC Newman, Hidden Cameras), Saoirse Soley, Sierra Terhoch, and Abe Caruso, along with special guests Geoff Berner and his daughter Margot, and welcome newcomers Gracie Mae Caruso and Anders Hille Kellam.

Recorded at The Hive, hippest studio in town, and featuring a silkscreen cardboard cover designed by Annie, Worser will be available digitally through Mint Records on October 13th, and in hard copy at shows and through vedahille.com.

Kids and parents can get ready to rock out and learn about noble gases, orange popsicles, and a little sister’s love for her big brother. What else could you want from a record?

NEWSFLASH!

We're proud to report that Unpersons, the fourth full length release from The Pack a.d., will be out on Mint Records this September 13th. The record was engineered by Vancouver's infamous Jesse Gander at The Hive Studios and produced by mastermind Jim Diamond (The Dirtbombs, The Paul Collins Beat, The White Stripes) and will melt your face off.

We've captured a little bit of studio footage from the making of Unpersons and you can watch that here!

END OF NEWSFLASH!

The latest issue of our fancy little fanzine, Fresh Breath of Mint is hot off the press. As you've come to expect, it’s filled with all sorts of comics, tour stories and good advice. This time, it comes with custom cover art by Jenny of The Organ as well as Nardwuar interviews and some Kellarissa shopping tips. If you haven’t picked up a copy from your local campus radio station or record shop send us a note and we'll send you a copy. Easy peasy.

Hmm.

New York City. Let's see. There's Coney Island. That house from Ghostbusters. Amazing pizza. Crazy cab drivers. Galleries. Museums. AND THE MINT RECORDS CMJ SHOWCASE! (our apologies for yelling. we're excited - please come)

The night is looking like this:

Mint CMJ Showcase
Fri Oct 23 @ Fat Baby
(112 Rivington St)

8:30pm: Immaculate Machine
9:15pm: Hot Panda
10pm: The Pack A.D.

Click on the links below to hear some music from these three kick-ass bands!

Immaculate Machine

Sound the Alarms

I Only Love You for Your Car (video)

Hot Panda

Chinatown Bus

The Pack A.D.

Making Gestures

Blackout (video)

Becky and Maya of The Pack a.d. are loading up their new van, named HAL, and bracing themselves for the tour of a lifetime! To commemorate the September 13th release of Unpersons, they'll be playing 40+ shows over three months. Be sure to check them out, and buy them a beer. Those girls work hard!

To satiate your appetite for Unpersons, we've posted "Sirens" from the new record here.

As gritty and intoxicating as ever, Maya Miller and Becky Black pound punk and garage rock into a fuzzy pulp.“Sirens” lures you in with that snarl and keeps you planted until the drums have burned solidly through your skull. - RCRD LBL

Sept 03 - KEXP session, Seattle, WA (will be airing at a later date)

Sept 10 - Fresh U Jamboree, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB
Sept 12 - The Alibi, Arcata, CA
Sept 13 - Streetlight Records, San Jose, CA (afternoon show, all ages)
Sept 13 - Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco, CA
Sept 14 - The Crepe Place, Santa Cruz, CA

Sept 15 - Hypnotic Lounge, Las Vegas, NV

Sept 16 - Soma, San Diego, CA
Sept 17 - Whisky a Go-Go, West Hollywood, CA (with LA Guns)
Sept 18 - TBA, Las Vegas, NV
Sept 19 - The Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT
Sept 20 - The Badlander, Missoula, MT
Sept 21 - Mootsy's, Spokane, WA

Sept 23 - OLIO Music Festival - Vancouver, BC
Sept 24 - Rifflandia Music Festival, Victoria, BC
Sept 26 - Habitat, Kelowna, BC (with guests Sun Wizard)
Sept 27 - Republik, Calgary, AB (with guests Sun Wizard)
Sept 28 - The Pawn Shop, Edmonton, AB (with guests Sun Wizard)
Sept 29 - Louis' Pub, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (with guests Sun Wizard)
Sept 30 - Lo Pub, Winnipeg, MB (with guests Sun Wizard)

Oct 01 - The Aquarium, Fargo, ND
Oct 02 - Hell's Kitchen, Minneapolis, MN

Oct 03 - Bayport BBQ, Bayport, MN
Oct 04 - Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA
Oct 05 - OFF Minor, Dubuque, IA
Oct 06 - Daytrotter Session Recording - Rock Island, IL
Oct 06 - The Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL

Oct 07 - Call The Office, London, ON (with Hollerado)
Oct 08 - Casbah, Hamilton, ON (with Hollerado)
Oct 09 - The Mansion, Barrie, On (with Hollerado)
Oct 10 - Mansion House, St. Catharines, ON
Oct 12 - Market Hill, Peterborough, ON (with Hollerado)
Oct 13 - The Mansion, Kingston, ON (with Hollerado)
Oct 14 - The Alexander, Brantford, ON (with Hollerado)
Oct 15 - The Opera House, Toronto, ON (with Hollerado)
Oct 16 - Cafe Dekcuf, Ottawa, ON

Oct 19 - Phog Lounge, Windsor, ON
Oct 20 - Lager House, Detroit, MI

Oct 22-28 QUEBEC Shows TBA

Oct 29 - The Vibe Lounge, Rockville Centre, NY
Oct 30 - The Charleston, Brooklyn, NY

Nov 01 - O'Brien's Pub, Allston, MA
Nov 02 - Hard Rock Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA
Nov 03 - Motr Pub, Cincinnati, OH