News

Surprise!

Here is a new 7 inch EP from Toronto reluctant punks Tough Age! 

Released just in time for their appearance at the Mint Records showcases at Ottawa Explosion and Sled Island, the EP is a manifesto, introducing fans to their new direction. Tough Age joined Mint Records in 2013 and has released two LPs on the label, their self titled debut in 2013 and I Get The Feeling Central in 2015. Since relocating to Toronto from Vancouver three years ago the band has channeled their love of underground Flying Nun styled indie pop and stripped down to a 3 piece to facilitate efficient touring and writing. The band is back in action this summer with tour dates and festival appearances at Sled Island, Ottawa Explosion and Sappy Fest. 

The single kicks off with two snappy tracks featuring bassist Penny Clark on vocals. “Guess Not” is a blistering blink-and-you’ll-miss-it punker that sounds like an angry Shop Assistants song and is followed by “Not Bad” a swaggering piece of indie pop that mines the golden age of intelligent DIY indie pop. Guitarist Jarrett Samson rounds out the record with “Unclean,” an ode to the classic kiwi pop of The Clean and Double Happys. The track builds up from a deceptively simple guitar line held together by the solid drumming of Jesse Locke until it reaches an unhinged surf rock crescendo. 

The EP was recorded and mixed by Peter Woodford in Montreal at The Bottle Garden (Tops, Moss Lime) and the artwork was handled by Toronto based comix artist Ginette Lapalme. Mint Records’ own Jay Arner took care of mastering.

In conjunction with Grant Lawrence's new book of tour memoirs, Dirty Windshields, Mint Records is releasing this companion soundtrack, which features the "best" of The Smugglers catalogue from 1988-2004. This digital-only collection is a wild trip through the classic rock 'n roll that put the Vancouver band on the map and sent them out on globe spanning tours with the likes of Mudhoney, The Donnas, The Gruesomes, The Mummies, and The Dwarves. 

Listen now on Bandcamp

The Smugglers are back on the road this summer with shows lined up in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa Explosion Weekend. 

Every April the Canadian music industry descends upon Toronto to prove to each other that we survived another Winter. This year Mint is throwing such a good party that you'll forget that Winter even happened!

Join us on Saturday, April 22nd at The Handlebar for a stacked bill of Minties and friends.
RSVP on Facebook!

Saturday, April 22nd
The Handlebar (159 Augusta Ave, Toronto)

Fountain - 9:00pm
Heaven For Real - 10:15pm
Renny Wilson - 11:00pm
Faith Healer - 11:45pm
New Fries - 12:30pm

Other Mint shows at CMW:

Monomyth
Wednesday, April 19 -11:00pm - Baby G

Heaven For Real 
Friday, April 21 - 1:00am - Silver Dollar

Faith Healer 
Wednesday, April 19 - 9:15pm - The Monarch

We're very excited to welcome Vancouver power-trash trio Needles//Pins to Team Mint! Mint Records has teamed up with Portland’s Dirt Cult Records to co-release the bands 3rd LP, Good Night, Tomorrow, on June 30th. The albums first single, Back To The Bright was premiered today via NPR.

The record is a progression both musically and lyrically from their older material while still maintaining the hook-centric philosophy of their previous releases. The band has become legendary in Vancouver for wild shows and gruff but catchy punk rock melodies. They draw from classic punk roots like the wiry pop of The Buzzcocks and the gravely anthems of Stiff Little Fingers, but have a unique West Coast approach that would align them with the catchiest of the Lookout! or Dirtnap Records catalog. Though none of the band’s songs overstay their welcome, you’ll find yourself humming one of their hooks days after seeing them play.
 
Recorded with Jesse Gander (Japandroids, White Lung) in Vancouver at Rain City Recorders, the record shows an organic growth from the power pop of their previous two albums. Guitarist and singer Adam Solomonian’s voice is gruffer from playing hundreds of shows, and you can see a richer appreciation of the group’s influences such as Jawbreaker and The Replacements at play in the song writing. Tony Dubroy’s solid bass lines and Macey Budgell’s heavy drumming combine to form a powerful rhythm section that perfectly complement Solomonian’s simple-but-pointed guitar playing. 
 
Needles//Pins have heavy North American touring planned for the summer including performances at Sled Island, Ottawa Explosion and Pop Montreal.

Pre-order Good Night, Tomorrow now and get limited edition grey sky swirl coloured vinyl!

What! Where did this come from?! A new record from The Evaporators? I guess it's out now! It's Ogopogo Punk and it's Nardwuar and the gang banging out a slew of new nuggets covering all the pertinent topics... sea monsters, eating, Chuckanut Drive and (eww) Dreadlocks! Sounds like a real cool time. But don't take my word for it, check out the video for their first single, "I Can't Be Shaved"

Coming soon on Okanagan summer sunshine yellow vinyl with eye popping cover art by underground comix legend Peter Bagge (Hate, Neat Stuff). Pre-order your copy now!

Monomyth's long awaited sophomore album, Happy Pop Family, is finally out and us Minties are the happiest pop family you can imagine! Every song on their new album is a delicious slice of Power Pop pie and we’re lining up for seconds. Order your LP or cassette today!

Jay Arner has been busy since releasing his sophomore LP Jay II on Mint in June. Only a month and a half after returning from a Cross Canadian tour with label mates Supermoon, Jay has announced another string of dates through the USA and Eastern Canada.

To whet your appetites as to what you can expect from a Jay Arner tour the band has made a completely bizarre infomercial starring Vancouver comedian Graham Clark.

Sept 30 - Seattle WA - Hollow Earth Radio
Oct 1 - Portland OR - Crush House
Oct 2 - Boise ID - Wastelander Studios
Oct 3 - Provo UT - Muse Music Cafe
Oct 4 - Denver CO - Club Scum
Oct 5 - Omaha NE - Reverb
Oct 6 - Minneapolis MN - Green Greens
Oct 7 - Chicago IL - Club Soda
Oct 10 - Allentown PA - Good Weeknd
Oct 11 - Philadelphia PA - Leninundergrad
Oct 12 - Brooklyn NY - Shea Stadium
Oct 13 - Manhattan NY - Cake Shop
Oct 14 - Burlington VT - TBA
Oct 15 - Plattsburgh NY - ROTA Gallery
Oct 16 - Montreal QC - Brasserie Beaubien
Oct 18 - Saint John NB - Callahan's Pub
Oct 19 - Fredericton NB - The Capital Bar
Oct 21 - Halifax NS - Art Bar +Projects (Halifax Pop Explosion)
Oct 22 - Halifax NS - Taz Records
Oct 23 - Sackville NB - Thunder and Lightning
Oct 25 - Boston MA - TBA
Oct 26 - Washington DC - Maybelle's
Oct 27 - Raleigh NC - Slim's
Oct 28 - Savannah GA - El-Rocko Lounge
Oct 29 - Atlanta GA - Mammal Gallery
Oct 31 - Nashville TN - Fond Object

Nov 2 - Pensacola FL - Sluggo's
Nov 3 - New Orleans LA - TBA
Nov 4 - Dallas TX - Crown and Harp
Nov 5 - Austin TX - Hotel Vegas
Nov 6 - Albuquerque NM - Gold House
Nov 7 - Tucson AZ - The Rat Trap
Nov 8 - Phoenix AZ - Rogue Bar
Nov 9 - Palm Springs CA - Ace Hotel
Nov 10 - Pomona CA - Acerogami
Nov 11 - Oakland CA - The Night Light
Nov 12 - Davis CA - The Starrship
Nov 13 - Eugene OR - The Campbell Club
Nov 14 - Portland OR - Church Bar
Nov 16 - Seattle WA - TBA
Nov 17 - Bellingham WA - Alternative Library
Nov 18 - Victoria BC - Logan's Pub
Nov 19 - Nanaimo BC - The Vault
Nov 25 - Vancouver BC - The Biltmore

Toronto scuzz punks Tough Age are on their way to Japan to promote the release of I Get The Feeling Central on Japanese indie imprint Moorworks. The Japanese pressing of the album, originally released on Mint Records in 2015, features two bonus tracks including a single version of “Castigation” which was produced by Vancouver based indie popsmith Jay Arner.

To celebrate the tour and Japanese re-issue Tough Age has released a video by Slam Dunk guitarist Jordan Minkoff for “Castigation.” Jordan Minkoff is known for his videos for Built To Spill and his mockumentary “Playing With Fire” about Slam Dunk’s fictional tour with Arcade Fire. The video premiered on Exclaim!

Tough Age will be playing four dates in the Tokyo area. The final night of tour will be the official release show for I Get The Feeling Central hosted by Moorworks.

10/08 Chuo, Tokyo  – Nanahari (Solo)

10/12 Nishi-Ogukubo, Tokyo – Pit Bar

10/15 Koenji, Tokyo – Sound Studio Dom

10/18 Setagaya, Tokyo – Fever

Halifax jangle pop heroes Monomyth have just announced their new album for Mint Records with a single premiere on Stereogum! “Puppet Creek” is the first single from Happy Pop Family which comes out November 4th, 2016. The song is rambling power pop left to warp in the sun; an enticing glimpse into the growth of the band since 2014’s Saturnalia Regalia!, their debut LP on Mint Records.

Catch Monomyth on their home turf at The Marquee during Halifax Pop Explosion, October 21st!

We're sooo happy to welcome moody Vancouver pop outfit Supermoon to the Mint family! If you've been to any of our Ridiculously Early Xmas Parties over the past couple years, this should come as no surprise, since we've been huge fans for a while now!

We're super excited to announce that on May 20, the group’s latest excursion, Playland, will be arriving as a 2x7" via Mint. The album bubbles with intelligent, weirdo songs that combine sunny riffs and distorted ring outs. Coated in sugary vocals with driving bass, spectral guitars, and marching drums, the songs of Supermoon seem to wink at something lurking beneath the surface.

Rising from the ashes of two former Vancouver bands, the garage rock outfit Movieland and jangle pop 3-piece Pups, Supermoon borrows aspects from both groups to create catchy, challenging songs. Multi-instrumentalists Adrienne LaBelle and Alie Lynch take turns creating rich, dark bass and bright, sneering lead lines. Katie Gravestock, known as Groovestock to her bandmates, lives up to the name by providing an endless supply of smooth, melodic riffs. Selina Crammond acts as the backbone to the group with her playful drumbeats, reminiscent of the Flying Nun catalogue. Each of the members trade off on vocalist and songwriting duties, making the album at once eclectic and cohesive.

You can hear the first single, "Bottleships" over at Impose now! 2x7" and digital versions will be available May 20, but you can pre-order it here now!