For many people, December is the heart of the holiday season. However, that doesn’t mean that the only music to listen to is about jingling bells and a fat guy in a red suit. There were plenty of bands releasing new albums, singles, music videos or otherwise making news.  Have a look at a few noteworthy releases that we came across during the past month.

Future History – Lungs

Recorded in the backwoods of Ontario, CA, Future History’s Lungs is a channeling of the changing of seasons. Following the success of last year’s Loss:/self, the four-member band released this latest album in late November. Eight tracks of alt rock goodness await those who listen. You can also check out the music video for single “Without (You)” here.

Nate “Suave” Cameron – “Let Me Dream”

Suave makes another return visit to our music roundup feature, most recently being featured back in July’s edition. As with previous releases, “Let Me Dream” is a team-up with New Orleans-based producer Prospek. Suave continues his message of making the world a better place, this time by encouraging listeners to ascend above the problems of their individual worlds. The single features the vocal stylings of Suave along with Prospek, Coco Dank, and Chuck (of Private Pile) manning the instrumentation.

Christine Leakey – “My Heart Has Been Broken By One Unfit To Name”

Although December is typically associated with a different set of holidays, Christine Leakey’s latest offering “My Heart Has Been Broken By One Unfit To Name” conjures up a mood more associated with Halloween. This makes sense considering it was released at the end of October. The single is laced with creepy sounds and vocals, though it maintains a bit of a jazz feel. Have a listen below, and you can also check out the music video here.

go nogo – Things Ain’t Right

go nogo is the musical brainchild of Markus “Fred” Scholl and guitarist Eric Scheimer. In December the duo released their EP Things Ain’t Right, but it’s not your typical compilation. The six tracks include the single “Things Ain’t Right” along with five interesting remixes that vary widely in how much they deviate from the original.

Abstraction – Do This Justice

Do This Justice sprang from the creative whirlwind that was this past November’s NaSoAlMo competition. Musicians like Abstraction were challenged with creating an entire album within the span of one calendar month. What emerged from that was a set of nine tracks which include everything from synth punk to spoken word. We’ve included the first track, “Got My Game”, but I’d recommend listening to the whole album since it’s so diverse.

Go Life – “I’m Not Really Here”/”Waves”

Earlier in December staff editor Jennifer reviewed two new singles from UK musician Rhys Viney who is working under the name Go Life. “I’m Not Really Here” and “Waves” both feature prominent synth sound, but whereas the former mixes in some chillwave, the latter includes underlying surf guitar. Check out the full review here.

YUCA - Rebuilding the Fallen Empire

Langley, Canada-based YUCA are no strangers to the indie music scene. In fact, the band has been rocking for a solid five years now. In October the band released their latest album, Rebuilding the Fallen Empire. Their sound reminds me most of Muse, though you can pick out a few other bands like U2 (especially in the vocals) in their influences.

Illitry – “Kingdom Perverted”

Last month we brought you news of Illitry’s latest single, “Kingdom Perverted”. Well, the band’s back again this month. After spending some quality time in an old textile mill, the group has released of a new music video for the song which you can check out below.

STACEY - Stacey

Stacey is the self-titled debut EP from musician STACEY. The five-song set contains motifs of longing, regret, and unrequited love, with STACEY’s vocals leading the way over a piano backdrop. The album released in early December and interestingly enough is available for sale on specially-designed USB cards.

Dugout – On Our Own

We’ve discovered a number of new bands thanks to the folks at Painted Ox Records. In December they brought us news about Dugout, a Pennsylvania-based punk band.  The group released their EP On Our Own back in June, but recently created a music video for one of the tracks, “Towamencin”. Check out the video then have a listen to the EP’s intro, “H.B.D.”.

Various Artists - Tinsel Machine

The holiday season is drawing to a close, but if you haven’t had your fill of the music, then Tinsel Machine might just be the album you’re looking for. The album contains 17 tracks from various artists under the Small Bear Records label including Postcode whom we’ve previously covered. The songs aren’t the typical Christmas fare you’d hear over the radio, so it does offer some nice variety if you’re tired of the same old, same old.

Velvet Ants - Solt Olio

Velvet Ants might be one of the longest-tenured bands we’ve featured in our music roundup series, but the band’s seen some big transformations recently. At one point lead man Ian Margolycz was the only one working on their latest project. Eventually producer Jordon Zadorozny signed up along with musicians Erik Sakmar, Dave Dunham, and Robert Vazquez. What they created together is Solt Olio, an alt. rock/nu wave album with a dozen entertaining tracks.

Steffan Rundquist - Steffan Rundquist

Steffan Rundquist is making his Indie Mine debut with the acoustic album bearing his name. The Swedish-born musician has put together a set of six tracks featuring elements of ska and reggae. Each song is a part of Rundquist’s personal story and showcase his new age lifestyle and spiritualism.

Femmepop – “Timescapes”

“Timescapes” is a collaboration between UK artist Margaret O’Sullivan (aka Femmepop) and Timecop1983. It also marks the third time this year she’s released a new single. While Femmepop handled the vocals and lyrics, Timecop1983 handled the music. What they’ve produced together is a single loaded with an 80s pop feel. We’ve got a full review in the works so check back soon.

Lojah - Pub Songs on Palafox

Pub Songs on Palafox is the low-fi EP from Jay Moody aka Lojah. While the four songs heavily embody Lojah’s Irish heritage, there are also Caribbean and world music influences to be heard. The EP is currently available as a free download for the holiday season, and we’ve included it in its entirety below.

Various Artists - Pluviôse

Pluviôse marks the 2nd album included in this month’s music roundup that consists of the works of a variety of musicians. In this case, the nine tracks all come from bands under the Seashell Records label. The musicians come from all around the world, and their sounds consist of a mix of dream pop, folk, and shoegaze. We’ve included the first track below, but I recommend listening to the whole album since it’s not just one artist.

Leptus - From My Kirkbride Cubicle

Mid-December saw the release of Leptus’ latest album, From My Kirkbride Cubicle. The Massachusetts-based act has combined elements of punk and alt rock to create 13 tracks with a low-key, ambient feel. The band is a bit of a mystery to me, but this appears to be its first album in in more than half a decade.

Malka – “Mirame”/”Mientras se Respira”

Malka is a bit of an interesting story. We’ve covered a lot of bands that fall under the shoegaze and/or dream pop genres, but Malka is the first that sings entirely in Spanish. The group is based in New York City, and they recently debuted two new singles: “Mirame” and “Mientras se Respira”.

The Almighty Rhombus – “House Burns Down”

The Almighty Rhombus returns to our music roundup for the fourth time in 2013. Last month saw the release of their album Lucid Living, and the band has since created a music video for “House Burns Down” featuring a pretty entertaining barroom brawl.

LOVETAX - LOVETAX

Back in September,  Jennifer reviewed Try Solitude, the solo album from musician Jeff Tomassen. Jeff is back again but under a side project by the name of LOVETAX. The album of the same name was released on December 1st and includes five tracks with a mix of chillwave, dream pop, and other styles. The opening track “Our Neurosis” has been included for your groovy, ambient listening pleasure.

Unconditional Arms – “No Nerves”

Last month we included Unconditional Arms for the release of the album Kinship. Musician Jeffrey Wright is back already with a new single, “No Nerves”. Whereas Kinship was written to celebrate the birth of his son, this new instrumental rock track was put out for two of his friends that were recently engaged.

Green Mountain Road Band - Lend A Hand

I debated whether to include Lend A Hand in this month’s music roundup. While the Green Mountain Road Band hasn’t officially released the six-track EP yet, they have posted half of the songs off of it with the others just days away from joining them. Despite hailing from the great, white north (aka Canada), the band puts a nice blend of southern rock and blues into their work. Have a listen.

 
Well, that’s the end of 2013. As you start 2014, make a resolution to open yourself up to experiencing more new music. Checking out our monthly music roundup is a good place to start. Make sure you come back for January’s edition. We’re planning some exciting changes to the format, and we’ll hopefully be able to pull that together by the end of the month. Thanks for visiting, and if you feel so inclined, leave a comment about what music YOU enjoyed.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

They say records are made to be broken. Well, September was bursting at the seams with new music and that’s evident by the fact that we included a whopping 17 bands in our latest music news roundup. Electronic music made a strong resurgence after disappearing a bit for the last few months. Alternative, rock, soul, pop, and more can also be found in this month’s inclusions. Grab a drink and a set of headphones then sit back and listen to the music of September 2013.

Ions in the Ether – (Un)titled

Adam Joseph White starts off our coverage this month with the release of his 4-track EP (Un)titled. Working under the pseudonym Ions in the Ether, White has had a very busy year in the electronic music scene. This EP is one of a handful produced just this summer alone. I’m not a huge aficionado of electronica, but I was fondly reminded of Jim Guthrie’s Sword & Sorcery soundtrack.  Have a listen to White’s synth stylings below.

Future History – Lungs

What’s creepier than little kids? Little kids in creepy animal masks playing around old haunted cabins. That’s just a glimpse into what can be found in the music video for Future History’s single “With Haste”. That track is part of the band’s album Lungs, slated to come out this October.

Dúo del Sol – hello Kaleidoscope

Javier Orman and Tom Farrell make up the duo of Dúo del Sol, though the classical musicians are accompanied  by a number of other talented artists on their latest release, hello Kaleidoscope. The 11-track album has latin and jazz elements though it’s really music of the world at large. I particularly enjoyed the high-energy “Cualquiera”, though the first track – “Never the Same River Twice” – is quite simply a beautiful song.

The Almighty Rhombus – “Blank”

The Almighty Rhombus makes their triumphant return to our music news roundup, last appearing in March’s edition. This time around the band has released a new single, “Blank”, which is one of the tracks off of their upcoming album Lucid Living. While the album’s not slated to come out until the end of October, readers/listeners can check out “Blank” and its Summery feel below or via the associated music video.

Crashing Colors – Crashing Colors

It’s been an adventurous Summer for Crashing Colors. The Houston-based band recently moved shop to London just a few months after releasing their self-titled album. The 6-track EP features the band’s delightfully eclectic mix of soul, blues, rock, electronic, and other musical genres. Have a listen and try to pick out your own favorite elements.

Max Bergé – Fox’s Wedding Weather

Electronic singer-songwriter Max Bergé makes it onto this month’s list with his latest EP, Fox’s Wedding Weather. The 5-track electronic EP is emphasized by driving synth and bass, but it’s Bergé’s vocals that take center stage on each of the tracks. Check out the video below that includes samples of each of the tracks along with some behind-the-scenes insight into the artist’s creative process.

Trevor and The Joneses – There Was Lightning

Pounding drums, driving bass, wailing guitar, and of course vocals make Trevor and The Joneses the very definition of a rock band. Their 10-track album There Was Lightning released back in May, but only recently came to our attention. I always say better late than never, so have a listen and enjoy.

Postcode – The ZebrATP

Last month we came across our first band based on Isle of Man, Post War Stories. September brings us Postcode and their 7-track album The ZebrATP. The alt-rock/’zebracore’ album was inspired by the band’s recent visits to the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival and also led to a music video for final track “Goodbye Minehead”.

For Esmé – “Cinque Terre”

We covered For Esmé back in our July Roundup for their self-titled debut album. The band is back with their first music video, this time for single “Cinque Terre”. Fall weather may be approaching, but the video extends the outdoor season with a Summery feel. Have a look and a listen.

SPC ECO – “Fallen Stars”

Staff music writer Jennifer reviewed SPC ECO’s previous release – “Delusional Waste” - a couple of months ago, but the duo is back with another single, “Fallen Stars”. This epic track hits you with layers of music coming from all directions. As with the previous single, this track is a part of the band’s upcoming album Sirens and Satellites, due out in late October.

Running Red Lights – “Mulberry Love”

Running Red Lights has been together quite a long time. Seven years in fact. Despite that longevity, “Mulberry Love” marks the band’s first release. The catchy alt-rock/pop track will be part of RRL’s debut album, tentatively due out in January. In the meantime, have a listen below.

Action Cube – The Bits Detective

Action Cube is a project from Chicago-based musician Robert Carey. Carey has played in a handful of area bands including Jesus and the Devil as well as Battlestations. The Bits Detective is Carey’s first album since going solo. It’s also the byproduct of a laptop and bedroom recording studio which creates the album’s lo-fi electronic/rock sound. Carey humorously comments that “broken guitars, borrowed microphones, cheap effects and general ignorance informed the entire process.” My favorite track on the album is “Like The Young” which I’ve included here.

Kojo ‘Easy’ Damptey – Daylight Robbery

It’s been over a year since the last time Kojo Damptey made an appearance on The Indie Mine. At long last Damptey returns with the 10-track EP Daylight Robbery. As with the artist’s previous efforts, this new album has a strong focus on issues that affect the world at large. The Ghana-born musician keeps his finger on the pulse of hot-button issues like racial injustice, but also incorporates brighter subjects like love. The album as a whole has hip hop, soul, and reggae influences, while also including spoken word tracks like “Are We Minorities?”.

Sun Stone Revolvers – Spaceship X

Old is new again with Sun Stone Revolvers. Often drawing comparisons to classic rock mainstays, Sun Stone Revolvers released their latest album Spaceship X in mid-September. With a total of 10 tracks, SSR manages to put a bit of a psychedelic spin on the genre. The band also has a music video for the single “America”. Included below is the title track, though I actually enjoyed “Born Again” the most.

Erland – On Our Side

Erland is an alternative/folk/americana ensemble from Santa Barbara, California. Earlier this year, the band was able to get their debut album On Our Side crowdfunded and released. The album features a dozen tracks which the band performs in a style that’s drawn comparisons to well-known musical acts like Wilco.

Kloq – “High”

Classifying their musical genre as ‘punktronic’, Kloq has reinvented themselves with their recent work. The solo project evolved by adding lead vocalist Dean Goodwin, drummer Alex Baker, and bassist Tim Jackson to band founder Oz Morsley. The band has released a music video for single “High” and are set to launch a new album in mid-October.

Pete Van Dyk & the Second Hand Band – “Shake Me”/”Plan B”

Pete Van Dyk & the Second Hand Band are another set of veterans in our music roundup series having previously made the list in May. The band is back with their first 7″ record which contains songs “Shake Me”, “Plan B”, and bonus track “To the Night”. For those unfamiliar with the band, they have a magically southern rock sound despite hailing from Hamilton, ON. Don’t believe me? Have a listen.

That’s it for September. I warned you there was a lot of music, but hopefully you found some favorites. Feel free to share those with us. If there’s a band or genre you’d like to see covered in greater depth, let us know about that too. See you all next month.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

With 16 bands and solo acts, June’s music roundup was an epic month for us here at The Indie Mine. Or so we thought. July brought us 17 artists including a handful who’ve graced these articles before. Folk was as prevalent as ever, but “swamp rock” and hip hop emerged as popular genres. Our neighbors to the north (Canada) provided ample representation, but we had a number of artists from across the global make an appearance. So, once again there’s a bit of something for everyone. Grab your headphones and have a listen while we walk you through the music we discovered in July 2013.

The Coppertone – “Young Blood”

Amanda Zelina – better known as The Coppertone – has taken an interesting path towards indie status. After signing a record contract a few years ago, she wanted to break free and take back ownership of her own songs. That effort produced “Young Blood”, a single to help celebrate an indiegogo campaign to take back her creative works. That campaign would prove a success, and you can check out the song below or the lyric video.

For Esmé - For Esmé

It’s not often new artists hit all the right notes in their debut album, but songwriter Martha Meredith manages to do so under the project For Esmé. Staff music writer Jennifer Roger reviewed the album saying “there are definitely a few fun and whimsical moments, but by and large the album is a sophisticated one”. The inspirations for Meredith’s work include Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor, and Emily Haines, and you can have a listen below. 

Explorers - No Inertia

We took some liberties with the inclusion of Explorers and their album No Inertia. The band actually released the 6-track set more than a year ago, but this is the first time we’ve come across them so they’re new to us! Their indie progressive rock sound takes its inspiration from Blink-182 to Led Zeppelin and I particularly enjoyed “Bear”. Ignore the album name and artwork (I had to share an outdated Bandcamp widget) and have a listen to the full set while awaiting the band’s second album that will be released “soon”.

Flamingo Bay – “Serpentine”

It wouldn’t be an Indie Mine Music Roundup if we didn’t manage to stumble across yet another talented band that’s set up shop in Hamilton, Ontario. The trio of Flamingo Bay have released a two-song single named “Serpentine”. The tracks feature a lively, entertaining “northern swamp rock” sound. The band is currently working on their debut album Loco Pony and these two songs will be part of that release in autumn of this year. In the meantime, you can have a look and take a listen to their new video.

SPC ECO – “Delusional Waste”

The band SPC ECO (pronounced SPACE ECHO) has an interesting backstory. The band is a father-daughter duo with Rose Berlin handling vocals and lyrics and Dean Garcia handling the instrumental work along with the engineering and producing. They’ve been releasing albums for about five ears now and the most recent, Push, was covered by a number of different radio and internet outlets. Their latest single, “Delusional Waste” features a synth-pop sound, but with a heavy focus on Berlin’s vocals. It’s the first track off their next album, slated for release later this year. The music video for “Delusional Waste” can be found here.

Mega Ran – Japan Tour

This isn’t our first time discussing Mega Ran on The Indie Mine, but it’s the first time he’s been included in a music article. Confused? Back in mid-2012, the nerdcore rapper partnered with Lunar Giant Studios to create Mega Ran in Language Arts: The Game. The Mega Man superfan made news again this past month with a Kickstarter campaign for a chip-hop remix tour in Japan. With the following he has, it’s no surprise the campaign was successful. Even if you’re not a fan of rap music, the Mega Ran Japan Tour album’s still likely to appeal to classic gaming fans.

The Dirty Nil – Summer Mixtape Vol. 2: Covers

The Dirty Nil has released its second mixtape this Summer, and this compilation is all covers. Featuring songs from an eclectic mix of artists like Iggy Pop and Merle Haggard, the four-track rock album manages to highlight the destructive sound and theme of the band. Hit the music video and make sure to crank the volume up for full effect.

The Box Tiger - Set Fire

Big things are happening this August for The Box Tiger. The indie rock band based out of both Toronto and Portland, ME has  been together for nearly four years, but the lineup has seen multiple changes. However, August 6th will see the culmination of their hard work with release of their debut album, Set Fire. Featuring the lead vocals of Sonia Sturino and instrumental work of bandmates Jordan Stowell and Marcus Cipparrone (Ben Tran would join later and did do the album art), have a listen to a few of the tracks from the 10-song album.

Mountaineer! – Family Trees

Mountaineer! also makes their album debut this month with the release of Family Trees. Mountaineer! is the solo project from California-based Danny Poissant. In Jennifer’s review, she deemed it “mostly a lighthearted and quirky album, but it’s also very reflective on the experiences of young adulthood”. Rock, pop, folk, and world music all make an appearance in the eclectic mix of ten tracks.

The Hotelles – Show You Around

We’re actually pretty familiar with The Hotelles’ work having covered them multiple times including back in February’s Music Roundup. The British rock trio is back with another EP titled Show You Around. I’m consistently surprised by the sound coming from these guys considering their young age, but they’ve continued to improve with each new release. This three-track set continues that trajectory.

David & Clara – “Don’t You Want To Be Famous”

David & Clara makes a return trip to our music roundup having been included in May’s edition. “Don’t You Want To Be Famous” is the latest single from the human/laptop duo. The latest track continues the band’s trademark combination of David’s vocals and backup music/effects from “Clara”. If you happen to live in the Tempe, AZ area, you can catch David & Clara at the city’s Center for the Arts on their open mic nights which will pick up again in September.

Latka – My Bright Heart

Latka makes their first appearance on The Indie Mine. Members of the four-piece band from Winnipeg, Manitoba have been together for years and released multiple EPs. However, July 6th marked the release of the full band’s debut album, My Bright Heart. The eight tracks of pop rock – and a sprinkle of punk – buzz with a variety of instrumentation (violin!) backing up the vocals.

Alex Leggett – Captain

Folk/pop artist Alex Leggett hails from Gananoque, ON and makes the music roundup with his most recent album, Captain. The five-track set of songs features the singer/songwriters’ strong vocal talents which are accompanied by an often uptempo combination of acoustic guitar, double bass, and percussion. I’ve included title track “Captain” below, but the toe-tapping “Wicked Things” is my personal favorite song off the album. Have a listen and find your own favorite.

Bonzie - Rift Into The Secret Of Things

Chicago-based Nina Ferraro, aka Bonzie, is one of the youngest musicians to make our list this month. That youth belies what she’s accomplished in her young career having opened for Iron and Wine and performed at Summerfest 2013. August 13th marks the launch of her debut album, Rift Into The Secret of Things. You can check out the music video for “Felix” which features a male harmony part by The Milk Carton Kids’ Joey Ryan, or have a listen to the track below.

The Woodwards – “The Wood”

The Woodwards are back! It was just last month that we highlighted their folk noir single “Nothing”. Much like “Nothing”, “The Wood” is all about Peter Schuyff’s vocals and the entertaining lyrics in general. This track, though, features a stronger blues sound thanks to the guitar and bass work. It’s also part of The Woodwards II, the next album from the group which is due out in late October.

Nate “Suave” Cameron – “No Justice No Peace”

Another returning musician from last month’s roundup is Nate “Suave” Cameron. Suave has returned with “No Justice No Peace”, a single made from the artist’s internal reflection on the Trayvon Martin case and trial. Once again accompanied by collaborator Prospek, and with the help of DC hip hop artist Kam Royal, Suave shares a story about trust, oppression, and freedom. In an effort to share a song that’s so close to his heart, Suave has made the song available to download for free.

Trash The Brand - Trash The Brand

With so many different genres covered, surely there must’ve been something that tickled your eardrums. Have any favorites from the list above? Any other lesser known or indie bands that caught your attention in July? Let us know by leaving a comment below. We’ll see you back here next month.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

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.

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.