You take one little two-week hiatus and suddenly the floodgates open. After a slow April, the rock gods woke up and directed our attention to a slew of bands and solo artists. In particular, the great white north (Canada) provided us with enough music to keep us entertained for days and weeks. If you don’t find something you like then keep looking. It was quite a diverse month.
 
 

WTCHS – “Mr. Hands”

Described as a “basement recording made for vinyl”, the new track “Mr. Hands” from Canadian band WTCHS is almost like two songs in one. Released back in late April, the track begins with a heavy punk influence and finishes with a turn towards alt-rock. The band compares the latter sound with Queens of the Stone Age and I couldn’t agree more. “Mr. Hands” was released on a 7″ split with “Harness” from Thoughts On Air. You can check out both tracks below.

 
 

Oh, Admiral – Breaking Free

The 5-track album Breaking Free is the first to be released by Oh, Admiral under the Painted Ox Records label. The acoustic collection is the creative output of Mike Berean, formerly of Verse The End. Of the five tracks, I particularly enjoyed the instrumentation of “Here and There” with its combination of acoustic guitar, flute, and percussion work.

 
 

Pete Van Dyk & The Second Hand Band – “Rise the Falling Sun”

Another Hamilton, Ontario band joins our news ranks and this time it’s Pete Van Dyk & The Second Hand Band. Not only has the 4-member group recently released a new track, “Rise the Falling Sun” also has a music video showcasing who the band really is. I really dig the blues influence the band manages to mix into their sound. Have a listen for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

 
 

Ketch Harbour Wolves - Queen City: Volume 1

It’s always interesting to find out what musicians use for the inspiration in their work. In Queen City: Volume 1, Ketch Harbour Wolves used different locations of Toronto to create a tone in each of the seven tracks. At the same time, the album tries to make a more universal connection by touching on the emotions all of humanity share. The sound really changes from track to track including everything from the instrumentation to the vocals. If I had to pick a favorite, I think “Should Have Learned” would top that list. The entire album is included below for you to find your own favorite, and “The Good Blood” is currently a free download.

 
 

Harvey Dinero – C.T.G.E presents: Harvey Dinero’s A Day in the Life

We step away from the Canadian and alt-rock theme to present Columbus, Ohio native and hip hop artist Harvey Dinero. The 11-track album A Day in the Life (released under C.T.G.E. ltd.) is the first from the musician. It’s not just a solo act, as Harvey includes a handful of the tracks featuring other artists such as “Sunshine ft. Noel Gaines”. The full album can be listened to here (Warning: NSFW).

A*Star - Any Given Moon

A*Star is the first band to make a second appearance in our monthly roundup feature, having previously gained our attention back in February. The shoegaze/dreampop duo from Chicago is back with 2-track EP Any Given Moon. The two tracks complement each other well with the slightly grittier “Any Given Sunday” leading into the more ethereal “Catch the Moon”. Both tracks are available to listen to below.

 
 

Rob Green – Soul Dancing

Some musicians get their start early, others spend a lifetime crafting their talents before accomplishing their dreams. Rob Green falls into the latter category, releasing his first album - Soul Dancing - at age 62. The 12-track album is a work developed over 37 years and a features an eclectic mix of styles including R&B, jazz, soul, rock, and folk. Green’s folkish vocals combine with acoustic guitar and sax and play against lyrics that generally hold a positive outlook on life (though there are exceptions). It’s an enjoyable mix and a sound we don’t hear a lot of around here.

 
 

DAV!D&CLARA – Untitled album

Electronic music made a big showing in last month’s roundup and we’ve seen a bit more of that influence again in May. DAV!D&CLARA isn’t your typical duo though. David is a musician from the American southwest, specializing in industrial dance, electronic, and electro/electro pop music. In an interesting twist, Clara is his laptop. Although the album in progress has yet to receive a title, 10 tracks of poetic lyrics are available to listen to right now.



 
 

DAVIDS – 0613EP

I can’t calculate the odds of this happening, but if you wanted more electronica and more David, well, it’s your lucky day. I present to you DAVIDS and their electronica/new wave/synthpop EP 0613EP. The full album hasn’t released quite yet, but the band has put together a music video for single “Dead Walkie”. The video was directed by Christopher Mills who has worked with such notable bands as Interpol and Rush. Have a listen to the track below, hit the link for the video, and sit tight until June 4th when the album comes out.

 
 

Calgary James - Indian Summer

Combining acoustic guitar, synthesizers, piano, and more, Indian Summer is another eclectic mix of sounds wrapped up into a neat 6-track EP. Calgary James is particularly fond of the second track, “Hammock”. I have to agree that I really like the vocal harmonies which produces a sound that hearkens back to the 50s and 60s. This album also comes with a music video, a psychedelic offering for “4AM”. The experimental album really does go all over the place, but that isn’t a bad thing as it’s consistently entertaining throughout.

 
 

Air Marshal Landing - You Used To Be Me

Last month I had the pleasure of discovering Air Marshal Landing and their single “Little Town”. Well, come June 4th the Canadian trio is releasing the rest of that album, You Used To Be Me. The 11 tracks will be offered in both digital and CD form, and the band is making the first track “Move With You” free to download all summer. I’m eager to hear the full album, but you can hear the first track below.

 
 

Weekend Riot Club - PSYCHOTROPIA

Another band we spotlighted last month is back with a full album release. Weekend Riot Club is set to release Psychotropia on June 4th. The alt-rock group from Hamilton, Ontario has put together a 12-track  album featuring Melissa Marchese on lead vocals, Mike Chetcuti on guitar, and Paul Fontes driving the band’s high energy on drums. The full album can be obtained in digital format or via CD. Have a listen below to track “Give It All” or hit the link to listen to the full album.

This may have been our most musically diverse month yet. Summer’s heating up, everyone’s headed outside, and it’s a great time to listen to some new music. Did you have any favorites from the list above, or do you have any recommendations of your own? Hit us up with a comment, and be sure to check back in a few weeks for next month’s edition.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Our indie music coverage here on The Indie Mine must be getting noticed, because we’re being contacted by a lot more bands and public relations reps than we’re used to. So much so, in fact, that we can’t possibly cover every new album, single, or other news story in fine detail. However, rather than risk missing out on helping you discover something good, we present to our readers this month’s indie music news roundup. As you’ll see, there’s definitely a Canadian theme running below, and the genres are so disparate that I think there’s a little something for everyone. Sit back and have a listen to these great artists.

Old English – Prose & Kahns

Back on February 5th, Ontario-based band Old English released their first album, Prose & Kahns. While most indie bands start off with a small EP, Old English has produced an album containing a whopping 11 tracks, the first of which we’ve included below. Readers who are into brit-rock, shoegaze, electro-pop, or folk will want to give this a listen. The full album can be heard through Bandcamp.

City and The Sea – Action Figures

Late last year we brought our readers news about a post-apocalyptic-themed music video released by City and The Sea. Well, more than two years after their last EP release, this band from Hamilton, Ontario has launched a new EP, Action Figures. The band’s lineup has been retooled since their last album, and we’ve included one of the tracks for your listening pleasure.

Mark Martyre – Down, Record

The Canadian music scene is very much alive and well as evidenced by our third Canadian musical act in a row. Mark Martyre actually released his latest album Down, Record back in September of last year, but we only just found out about it. My first thought upon hearing the album was Tom Waits, and fans of him and the folk genre in general should give the album a listen.

JonnyDebt – Prince of the Golden Horseshoe

This 11-track album from Ontario-based group JonnyDebt actually released right at the start of 2013, but the band’s been hard at work since the release including debuting a music video for the track “Bronze”. The  band strives to bring a lot of energy, and you can get a taste of that in the track below.

Kovak – “Radiate”

Electro-pop band Kovak released their latest single “Radiate” back on February 11th. The UK group from Brighton has drawn comparisons to Blondie, and work on their full debut album is expected to wrap up this spring. Since the release of “Radiate”, they’ve also unveiled a remixed version by producer Youth. You can have a listen to the original below.

Anchor & Bear – Anchor & Bear

Last summer, I had the pleasure of listening to Brian Bringelson’s album Shipwrecked Commotion under the project name Paul Starling. The California-based singer has now formed the duo Anchor & Bear with girlfriend Katy Pearson aka Bearkat. Their folk rock album of the same name released in early February. The playful setlist is as toe-tapping and easy on the ears as anything you’ll listen to this year. Because this is a collaboration, we’ve included tracks featuring each of the artists below.

A*Star – “Flashbulb” and “Black and Blue”

Similar to our last act, A*Star features another musical couple, Perry Pelonero and Kim Welsh. Their self-named genre ‘Arenagaze’ combines indie-rock and dreampop. They’ll be releasing two split 7″ vinyl singles, one in each of the next two months. For now, though, their individual tracks are available to listen to via Bandcamp. We’ve included “Black and Blue” below.

Marie Avery - The Fire

Marie Avery is another Ontario-based musician, and just a few weeks ago released her 5-track album The Fire. The album covers the trials and tribulations of the last four years of Avery’s life. The songs feature the theme of duality, and we’ve included the first track, “Heavy”, to give a sense of what this artist’s music is all about.

Illitry - “Goshen”

Illitry is all about capturing sounds and turning them into music. Their first single “Goshen” was released a few weeks ago, and the Canadian band is currently touring Toronto, Hamilton, and a few other locales. They seem to have a fondness for blending traditional instrumental sound with electronic music, and you can check out their single right here.

The Hotelles – “Movie Reel” and “She Hasn’t Slept For Weeks”

Last December, we brought you news of The Hotelles releasing their new EP Ignore Me. The band is following up that high-energy album with A/B side single “Movie Reel” and “She Hasn’t Slept For Weeks”. The release date is scheduled for March 4th, but the tracks are available to listen to now.

Glass Ampp - Half Empty

We round out our look at February with a new album from Toronto-based Glass Ampp. The 5-track EP Half Empty shows off their reverence for classic rock guitarists and releases March 9th. In the meantime, have a listen to “I Know U Know” off the album.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.