News

Larissa Loyva is a busy woman. In addition to her solo project Kellarissa (which literally translates to "in the basement"), we've heard her soaring vocals on noteworthy previous releases from P:ano, The Choir Practice and Gigi. This March, she will be traveling North America in Destroyer's touring band and preparing to release her sophomore Mint Records album, Moon of Neptune. She'll probably be sipping some delicious cocktails too. That said, we're excited! Moon of Neptune is a synth nerd's dream, inspired by ancient Egypt, breakups, films, Larissa's Scandinavian heritage and outer space. A limited supply of glossy black vinyl will be available (500 copies) from your friends at Mint Records on March 29th, 2011. 

Listen to "Passages" here.

Loyva’s creative scope, as well as the beauty of her voice, marks her as an artist to watch. - Exclaim!
 
Side A:
Passages
Moon of Neptune
Sisu
Satellites are Spinning
Niagara

Side B:
Flatlands
Blood + Sand
Vagabond
Undock
Old Money
 
 

The Pack A.D. play a homecoming gig at the Biltmore Cabaret in Vancouver, followed up with touring across Canada this summer.

Maya Miller and Becky Black of The Pack A.D. are the hardest working gals we know. They've been on the road non-stop since March (SXSW), traveling in the Falcon (their van) all across the USA, playing 84 shows in 95 days, each show winning them new friends and fans.

They're doing it old school and it's all about the fans. How does old school work? "We tour like hell, and if you like us, then you tell your friends. Then your friends tell their friends and so on and before you know it, you've made the band. " They're not interested in being the flavour of the month.

Now back in Vancouver, The Pack A.D. are getting ready for their big homecoming gig at the Biltmore Cabaret on Friday June 19th (their last scheduled show in Vancouver til December). Then for the rest of the summer they will be back in their trusty van touring all across Canada before heading back over to Europe in the fall.

The Pack A.D. are going to play some music and have some drinks - so all you have to do is show up and bring your friends!

Fri June 19, Vancouver BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
Sat June 20, Kelowna BC @ Doc Willoughby's
Thu June 25, Calgary AB @ The Palomino - Sled Island
Fri June 26 Whitehorse YK @ Sunstroke Music Festival
Thu July 2 Edmonton AB @ Brixx Bar
Fri July 3 Regina SK @ O'Hanlons
Sat July 4 Winnipeg MB @ Lo Pub
Tues July 7 Thunder Bay ON @ The Apollo
Wed July 8 Sault Ste. Marie ON @ Arcadia House
Thu July 9, Sudbury ON @ The Townehouse
Fri July 10, London ON @ Call The Office
Sat July 11, Windsor ON @ Phog Lounge
Tues July 14, Kingston ON @ The Mansion
Thu July 16, Toronto ON @ The Horseshoe
Fri July 17, Montreal QC @ L'Esco
Sat July 18, Quebec City QC @ Festival d’été
Mon July 20, Halifax NS @ Gus's Pub
Tue July 21, New Minas NS @ West Side Charlies
Thu July 23, Ottawa ON @ Zaphod Beeblebrox
Thu July 30, Regina SK @ The Exchange
Fri July 31, Saskatoon SK @ Amigo's
Sat Aug 1, Lethbridge AB @ Henotic
Sun Aug 2, Canmore AB @ The Drake
Wed Aug 5, Calgary AB @ Broken City
Sat Aug 8, Nanaimo BC @ Green Mountain Music Festival

The band's full touring schedue is here!

After a few Top Secret meetings at the Dairy Queen (Cold War style – with our backs to each other, Oreo Blizzards in hand) the news is out, we’re piecing together a benefit compilation with our pals at CiTR 101.9 FM. It features 11 of our favourite Vancouver bands and only 300 waxy 180g LPs will be pressed, silkscreened and numbered by hand.
 
Proceeds from this limited edition gem will support CiTR. Each of the bands on the record was kind enough to donate their song (many tracks are previously unreleased!) and Stuart McKillop at Rain City Recorders donated mastering time. David Barclay of Nice Snacks contributed the artwork.
 
To reserve a copy, please donate to CiTR. The release date is currently TBD - with luck, they will be back from the vinyl plant this January.
 
We’re excited for this one. Hope you are too!
 
The CiTR Pop Alliance Compilation: vol 2
Release date: TBD
 
Tracklisting:
Side A
1) Apollo Ghosts - Validation!
2) My Friend Wallis - Hiding
3) Slam Dunk - Slow Dance
4) Role Mach - Montana
5) Kellarissa - Flatlands
Side B
6) Fine Mist (featuring Nick Krgovich) - I Could Shout
7) No Kids - He'll Have To Go (demo)
8) fanshaw - Diana
9) Watermelon - How I Came (demo)
10) Shane Turner Overdrive - Age 25-29 Hairline
11) Spring Break - Stephanie Meyer's 115th Dream

The girls of The Pack AD are a well oiled touring machine, and after four months on the road they are still going strong! Exclaim and Mint Records offer you a chance to win autographed Pack AD treasures (including: the band's signed and destroyed cymbal/drum head, Pack A.D. vinyl, Mint samplers, a Mint tote bag and pins galore!). Hit up our pals at exclaim.ca here for contest details, then go see the girls tear the roof off of a venue near you!

July 14 - the Mansion - Kingston, ON
July 15 - Brunswick Tavern - St. Thomas, ON
July 16 - Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto, ON
July 17 - L'Escogriffe - Montreal, QC
July 18 - Festival d'ete Off - Quebec City, QC
July 20 - Gus's Pub - Halifax, NS
July 21 - West Side Charlie's - New Mines, NS
July 30 - the Exchange - Regina, SK
July 21 - Amigo's Cantiina - Saskatoon, SK
August 1 - Henotic - Lethbridge, AB
August 2 - the Drake - Canmore, AB
August 5 - Broken City - Calgary, AB
August 7 - Logan's Pub - Victoria, BC
August 8 - Green Mountain Music Festival - Nanaimo, BC

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?