After the inbox-breaking month that was June, July almost seemed bereft of music by comparison. Thankfully, that wasn’t actually the case. Although we didn’t see the same diversity of musical genres that we’re accustomed to, there was still a bunch of great music to catch our attention. Staff editor Kendrick and staff music writer Lux join me in making our single and album picks this month. Agree or disagree with our selections? Leave a comment and let us know which releases tickled your earholes. Be sure to check them all out below.

Staff Picks

Single(s) of the Month:

“Venture” - City and The Sea

Kendrick

We like City and the Sea here at the Indie Mine, and this Hamilton, Ontario group last got our attention in February 2013. Their new single, the summer anthem "Venture", answers the bizarre question of what a super group would sound like if Neil Young and Bob Seger got together with all the members of Weezer. City and The Sea acknowledge their many inspirations and influences openly and proudly, which is weird because nothing they record actually seems stale or derivative. Their sound is a direct reflection of each member's individual contribution across decades of experience. Like a trusted auto repair shop (or a successful porn studio) their appeal is intergenerational, speaking to both the young and the not-so-young. "Venture" is one of those songs that you'll hear again after a few years that will strike you with a new realization you wouldn't have had as a younger listener.

“Boat” – Tallest Tree

Lux

Canadian indie rockers and married couple The Tallest Tree have recently released their debut single, “Boat”, an upbeat, grungy romp of a folk-rock tune. The track has a lazy, Noah and the Whale quality to it, with harmonic flourishes and production value that convey a sense of maturity unusual for a first release. “Boat” is solid in its simplicity, and, although I think the song begs for more complexity and a greater dynamic arc, it definitely shows promise.

“Bible John” – The Sea Kings

Brandon

"Bible John" is the debut single from Glasgow artists The Sea Kings. The catchy track combines elements of pop, new wave, and smatterings of a few other genres. The single is part of the band's album Woke in the Devil's Arms which released in early August (just a little late for July's Roundup). Have a listen to the track above and then head on over to SoundCloud to hear the rest of the album.

Album(s) of the Month:

High Noon – Arkells

Lux

Indie Mine veterans Arkells are set to release their third full-length album, High Noon, on August 5th, and I think it's safe to say they're on track to be making plenty of so-called “Fake Money", as the leading track deems it. Teetering in between the Canadian indie scene and pop stardom, Arkells are a capital P Product, and their newest release is, at its core, pop with flair. Tracks like “11:11”. with somewhat cut-and-dry pop hooks and Katy Perry quality bass riffs are accented by wispy 80's synthesizer and fuzz filter, and Kerman's drawly, sometimes talky vocals are always energetic. Repeated themes lend the nostalgic, romantic lyrics some believability, although it still comes off a little trite. High Noon is high-quality, radio-friendly pop-rock (a la Imagine Dragons), and it's certainly worth a listen if you're into the genre. The album is available for purchase on iTunes or directly through the band's website, and you can listen to the tracks “11:11”, “Come to Light”, and “Never Thought That This Would Happen” via Soundcloud or Youtube.

Bulbs of Held - Bulbs of Held

Kendrick

While it's not true across the whole genre, a disturbing amount of electronica is made by annoying meatheads. Almost any idiot can drop a beat armed with a Macintosh and a sense of privilege, ending the night with the sole worry that the groupie in passenger seat isn't entitled to a voter registration card. That's why the debut EP from Bulbs of Held is such a breath of fresh air, because it's legitimately cool. This educated Manchester duo doesn't crave your praise or your devotion, not when they're making tracks in 7/4 time and playing guitar harmonics with the edges of a pinky finger. The opening track is also the stand-out, a breathy vamp called "Soulenalle" that the group gleefully identifies as disco without feeling any need to be constrained by the label. It's worth your time to check out this risk-taking, boundary-pushing music.

The Lost Weekend - Sean Flinn & The Royal We

Brandon

I agonized over my album pick for a few days, flipping back and forth between two worthy contenders. While I thought that Jeen O'brien's Tourist hit higher highs, I felt that The Lost Weekend was more solid from start to finish. Sean Finn & The Royal We's indie rock album is a showcase for Flinn's singer/songwriter talents, and the 3-piece backup band lulls the listener in with each easygoing track. Highlights for me included "City Lights", "The Ravine", and title track "The Lost Weekend".

Other Music

Singles:

London-based electronica band Ooberfuse release “Different Drum”

One-man band Feexer releases debut single “Diamonds and Defects” off upcoming album of the same name

In advance of second new album this year, Zebracore band Postcode releases music video for single “This Day Will Come”

Split single “BRIDGEBURNER” includes surf-punk thrasher “Liar Liar” and classic rock track “Gold Star”

Derbyshire rockers The Four Fours release double A-side with tracks “Count to Ten” and “Messing With History”

Dave Rave and Heads Up Lincoln release holiday-inspired track “4th of July”

Indie Mine veterans Illitry release black and white short-film for latest single “Runaways”

Mother Leads release second single, “It’s a Feeling“, off upcoming debut album Myriad

Indie pop artist Pale Green Things releases upbeat single “Pink Flamingo”

Albums/EPs:

Blues rock artist Jeff Bell releases album Songs From No One in Particular

St. Helens trio The Bordello follow up 2013 release with new albums Will.I.Am, You’re Really Nothing and Extra Smooth

DJ and producer Headman/Robi Insinna releases 4-track set 6 E.P.1

Minimalist punk duo Ed Schrader’s Music Beat generating buzz with new album Party Jail

Debut album Simple Things released by UK pop/rock group Felt Tip

San Francisco shoegaze duo My Red Dress release album Out There/Cave

Canadian musician Jeen O’Brien releases solo, indie pop rock album Tourist

Toronto rock group Jay Pollock self-produce and release 11-song album Sunflower

Another Man’s Poison release self-titled album full of 60s rock and 70s punk inspiration

Gimme Some Lovin’ is a mix of live and studio cuts and marks the latest album from musician Marcus Singletary

House/techno musician and producer Jeton Gjidoda creates new EP Possum

Mike Cykoski and A is for Atom release latest indie rock EP Song For You

Texan indie rock band Young Ones release new EP A to B

Folk singer/songwriter Matthew Oomen records album Where the Valley is Long

Indie dance / nu disco artist Mikael Fas releases EP Mesosphere under new label

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

February marks the 1-year anniversary of when we started doing these music roundup features. We’ve come a long way thanks to the contributions of music staff writers Jennifer and Lux. And I’d be doing a discourtesy if I didn’t thank all of the musicians out there for spreading the news by sharing the articles with followers and fellow bands.

This month we saw and heard a lot of new music coming in from the UK and Canada, but there were artists all over the world making their presence known. Have a listen to our staff picks for February, but be sure to check out all of the highlights from the past month further down. Please keep in mind that some of these releases may be a month (or three) old but only reached our ears in the last few weeks.

Staff Picks

Single(s) of the Month:

“Follow Me” – Illitry

Jennifer

Last month, Illitry’s cover of Scott Ore’s “If I Am Wrong” proved to be an impressive transformation of an already great track with powerful emotion. This month, Illitry pulls at my heartstrings again with their new song, “Follow Me.” The Canadian duo successfully blend electronic beats and rock elements to create an intense and soulful track, with jazzy undertones and smooth harmonies.

“Marshall” – Wonder Villains

Lux

Derry City's anti-pop quartet Wonder Villains are about to release their first full album, Rocky, and this track suggests that they have really hit their stride. With an artfully balanced assemblage of synth, pop-punk guitar, and infectious vocals, the track feels fresh and modern in a way that many pop songs just don't. "Marshall" is currently streaming on Soundcloud, and the music video is available on Youtube. The official release is scheduled for March 24th. Rocky is due on the 23rd of June.

“Neon Sun” – Satellites

Brandon

Honorable mentions go to David Dino White's "Bounce" (linked to later) as well as Jordan Venn and the Slizneys' "Time Machine" with its great Lego-centric music video (link also found later). My pick for the month, though, goes to "Neon Sun" by Satellites. This catchy single will be included on the band's upcoming EP Istedgade, and it includes a visually stunning video directed by Yibi Hu of Moving Image Exchange.

Album(s) of the Month:

Every Which Way But Loose – Her Dark Lions

Lux

Every Which Way But Loose is the debut album from psychedelic folk rock band Her Dark Lions. While the second half – sing-songy spoken word over sparse, ambient instrumentation – is rather heavy on the psychedelia, the tasteful distortion, unobtrusive lyrics, and traditionally pleasant musicality of the meat of the album gives it an accessibility akin to that of Fruit Bats or Fleet Foxes. At times, particularly on "His Bed", Jesse Thorsen's vocals are oddly reminiscent of Alex Turner's wistful croons on tracks like Arctic Monkeys' "No. 1 Party Anthem", while other, more soulful tunes ("Long Road") have a very Blind Melon feel. The full album is currently available on Youtube, and the official release is slated for March 21st.

Flying and the silence – Nheap

Jennifer

Flying and the silence is a beautiful down tempo album from Italian artist, Massimo Discepoli. In 2007, Discepoli began creating music under the moniker, Nheap. This latest release by Nheap is a well-blended mix of jazz, electronic, and post-rock that creates enthralling soundscapes for the listener. With avant-garde and experimental elements, each track invokes images of vivid scenery full of lush and colorful environments. This makes Flying and the silence more of an experience than just a session of listening to an album; it transcends the ordinary with dynamic instrumentation and imaginative composition that is pleasing to both the ears and the mind.

Serve Yourself - Small Engine Repair 

Brandon

Picking a favorite album this month was once again a tough task. Dark Mean's Samuel and the Phoenix and Albino's The Great Unwashed each are worthy of repeated listenings and I recommend hitting their links later in this feature. In the end I chose Small Engine Repair's Serve Yourself. The album meanders between alternative and folk, and each of those genres are represented well in "Serve Yourself" and "Hey, Best Friend", respectively. They also happen to be my two favorite tracks out of the dozen included in the set.

Other Music

Singles:

British electro-indie-pop group Satellite Stories releases new single “Lights Go Low”

Rubberlips releases ‘Twisted Tongue Remix’ of funky disco single “The Traveller”

Multiple remixes created for go nogo’s “And The Devil Too”

London duo Six Years (a side project of Rubicks) record new single “Till Then” for early March release

“Bounce” marks third independent release by Ontario musician David Dino White

Feral Ghost releases voyeuristically-themed single “Secret Eyes”

Manchester electro rock duo High Horses release debut single “In Colour and Grey”

For Esmé produces iPhone-recorded music video for single “250″

Psychedelic rock duo Sonic Kimono releases single “Coffee and Cake” from upcoming album Movers & Shakers

Green Mountain Road Band lets slip sneak release of single “Down The Road” off upcoming EP Gypsy Woman

Solo artist Rory Stewart publishes music video for single “Cadillac” off last year’s solo LP

LA-based Zach Alwin releases debut pop single “Arrived”

Femmepop and Timecop1983 team up again to create new single “Our Time”

Former Big Strides front man Marcus O’Neill releases single “Regrets, Secrets” off upcoming album Way Beyond The Sugar Beet

Metal band Neuronspoiler publish music video for single “Through Hell We March”

Lisbon-based Kilindu releases Latin/World Music fusion single “O Que o Futuro Nos Traz (What the Future Brings)”

Albums/EPs:

Sterling, VA-based punk/grunge band Tideland releases new full length album Lull

Punk/grunge band The Dirty Nil releases 5-track EP Smite

4-track EP Samuel The Phoenix released by Canadian folk trio Dark Mean

Michael and the Wild Roses release American Matador companion album Tango Blues

Washington-based alt-rock band Pastel Motel releases a dozen tracks in new album Subject is Subjective

Canadian musician Jared Lucow self-produces debut album 27 Lost In Heaven

Alt-rock group Jordan Venn and the Slizneys release 12-track album Certified Organic

Singer-songwriter Rachael Kennedy releases CD for The In Between EP

WHOOP-Szo releases double album Qallunaat/Odemin, recorded in the Canadian arctic

Experimental act Black Walls explores the metaphysical in new album Communion

Joel Strauss releases Don’t Lose That Feeling, an 11-track alternative/acoustic LP

London-based urban folk band Albino releases EP The Great Unwashed

Postcode continues its Zebracore stylings with Zebratronic, their third album release

Swiss musician Jaylis releases a dozen tracks in rock/folk album Precious as the Diamonds

UK shoegaze/dreampop band The Virgance unveil debut album Lost Continent

Electronica/dance music artist DAV!D & Clara releases 11-track album Emotion Machine

Benjamin Hughes’ project Night Windows releases three tracks off upcoming alternative album Musicassette/Magnetic Memory

Swamp rock/southern blues band The zzips readies new EP Expect the Worst for late March official release

Toronto-based, acoustic punk band Revisionist releases new EP Coasting

Roladex releases ‘futuristic-mechanized pop’ album Anthems for the Micro-Age

Well that’s it for February. A short month that wasn’t short on music. Hope you enjoyed, and be sure to let us know which artists you enjoyed by leaving a comment!

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.