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.

This month might’ve had the widest variety of music we’ve seen come our way here at The Indie Mine. Genres like electronica made a big showing and really allowed me to expand the horizons of what I’m accustomed to listening to. Put aside your biases and preconceptions and give these talented musicians a chance as we unveil some of the music we discovered in April.

Jeffrey Philip Nelson - This Riders Song

Fans of acoustic folk music should have a listen to the latest album from singer/songwriter Jeffrey Philip Nelson. This Riders Song features ten tracks of soulful, acoustic rock that tiptoe the line between folk and country. It’s a little bit of easy listening at its finest.

Weekend Riot Club –  “Things Are Looking Up Again” single

The Canadian trio Weekend Riot Club are hard at work producing their debut album Psychotropia, due out in late spring. In the meantime, they’ve released their second single “Things Are Looking Up Again” along with an accompanying music video. WRC counts passion as the root of their music, and their songs tell the tale of romantic discovery between lead vocalist Melissa Marchese and guitarist Mike Chetcuti. Like most of the songs planned for the album, the track below focuses on a message of love and hope.

Kiki - Cross

Even though I’ve never really considered myself a fan of electronica, I have to admit I enjoyed the bass and rhythm of tracks like “Marilyn Monroe” below. It’s just one of 12 songs from Croatian musician Kiki on the album Cross. The full album can be listened to on Kiki’s official SoundCloud page.

Ozoh – Lightest Pollution

Up next is another album of electronica, Lightest Pollution from Otso “Ozoh” Haavisto. Whereas Cross above was a darker form of the genre, the 11-track Lightest Pollution is of the more upbeat variety. Maybe it’s just my background with gaming, but I couldn’t help but feel like the album would make the perfect soundtrack for a video game, particularly tracks like “Upstate” or “Downshift”. I found myself pleasantly surprised at wanting to hear more after each and every song. The whole album – written and produced by Ozoh himself – is available for listening to below.

Colaars – “Black Fox” single

I absolutely love finding bands from new places around the world, so I was happy when the indie/dance-rock band Colaars contacted me. The Kiev-based group recently released a music video to accompany their single “Black Fox”. Although the instrumentation tends to overshadow the vocals, I enjoyed everything about the track, particularly the guitar elements. Have a listen for yourself.

Air Marshal Landing – “Little Town” single

The brotherly trio – but not really brothers – of Air Marshal Landing are readying their debut album You Used To Be Me for a June 4th release date. To drum up some attention, the Toronto-based band released the single “Little Town”, a catchy number with a fun, driving bass line. A music video for the track has also been released. Check out the song below, and take advantage of the free download which runs until the album’s release.

Finding something you’ve never thought of listening to or even heard of is one of the great joys of music. I’m already looking forward to May and what it will bring. In the meantime, let us know about any new bands you’ve discovered or if you have any favorites from the list above by leaving a comment.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Earlier this month they announced a remix of “Lama” off of their Antigravity album. The new version was done by Jane Woodman, a shoegaze/darkwave artist from the San Francisco area who even handled the graphics. While the original version of the track features the dreampop sound the band has become known for,  this new spin layers in extra guitar and vocals for a different feel. It’s not so much a day-to-night transformation, but the remix definitely has a darker tone to it.

For your listening pleasure, we’ve included both the original track…

and the remix.

If you like what you hear, both of Ummagma’s albums, Ummagma and Antigravity are available in their entirety (for free!) through their Bandcamp site. Stay tuned to The Indie Mine for news on Ummagma as the band is planning additional physical and digital releases in 2013.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Although Damptey is already hard at work recording his next single “Daylight Robbery” (planned release October 2012), his work on The EP is still going strong. The Canadian tour schedule runs from August 25th through December 1st and includes stops at Baltimore House and The George Quo-Eno Art Studio, both in Hamilton. More dates are sure to follow so keep an eye on Damptey’s official Twitter feed. In the meantime, check out the video for the first single “Illusion” below.

© 2012 – 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Fans of Paxton’s music won’t have to wait to get a listen as a teaser for the song has been released. Be sure to check out the teaser below before heading off to Matt’s official website for more ways to keep up with future announcements.

© 2012 – 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.