News

We're just a few short days from the release of Hot Panda's sophomore album, How Come I'm Dead?. To celebrate, the band is inviting fans, friends, and other bands to try their hand at remixing the album's first single, "Mindlessnesslessness". To sweeten the deal, we're offering to show off the best remix creation on our next Mint sampler compilation and a Mint prize pack. We'll post the runners up on mintrecs.com too.

Now, what are you waiting for? Grab the song stems for the remix here and start working on your masterpiece. Send completed remixes to info@mintrecs by November 12^th.  Oh boy!

Continuing their legacy of eclectic lo-fi indie pop albums for Mint, Hot Panda's Go Outside will be out on July 17th. Once again recorded by the famed JC/DC team of David Carswell and John Collins (The New Pornographers, Tegan and Sara), the album is just as vibrant as their first two albums, yet significantly more developed.

You can listen to "Future Markets" here. 

"This song has that sort of restrained, through the teeth aggression that is felt mere moments before the brick goes through the window or the bowl of noodles hits the wall behind your girlfriend's head." - Vice

Track Listing:

1. One In The Head, One In The Chest

2. Language

3. Future Markets

4. Littered Coins

5. Maybe Now?

6. Holidays

7. Winter Song

8. Go Outside

9. See You All Around

10. Boats

Tour Dates: 

April 13 - Seattle - Comet Tavern

April 19 - Portland - Doug Fir

April 30 - Swamp - Freiburg, Germany

May 1 - Viadukt, Zürich, Switzerland

May 2 - Viadukt, Zürich, Switzerland

May 4 - La Parenthese, Nylon, Switzerland

May 5 - Kranhalle, Munchen, Germany

May 7 - Cafe Video, Gent, Belgium

May 8 - L'International, Paris, France

May 10 - The Great Escape, Brighton, UK

NEWSFLASH!

Some exciting news for Hot Panda! After a brief encounter at SXSW and a frenzy of emails, our Hot Panda are joining the Von Bondies on their upcoming European tour. And they leave soon – on April 16th.

The band is thrilled about the adventure. However, to go, they had to postpone the last part of their North American tour. So, if you are in New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Halifax, Fredericton, Quebec City, Montreal, or Ottawa, the Pandas will be rescheduling those dates soon. We promise!

Sun April 19, Hamburg, Molotow w/ Von Bondies

Mon April 20, Berlin, Magnet w/ Von Bondies

Thu April 23, London, Kings College w/ Von Bondies

Fri April 24, London, The Windmill Brixton

Sat April 25, Birmingham, Bar Academy w/ Von Bondies

Sun April 26, Glasgow, King Tuts  w/ Von Bondies

Mon April 27, Manchester, Ruby Lounge  w/ Von Bondies

Wed April 29, Koln, Gebaude w/ Von Bondies

Thu April 30, Vienna, Flex w/ Von Bondies

Mon May 4, Amsterdam, Melkweg Old Room w/ Von Bondies

Tue May 5, Paris, Nouveau Casino w/ Von Bondies

END OF NEWSFLASH!

In less than a week, we'll be pacing up and down the streets of New York City for CMJ. If you care to join us, we'll be lurking in the background of these dramatically lit establishments. Hope to see you there!

Hot Panda

2:45pm, Oct 20th @ Fontana's (the Pirate Promotions day party)

11:00pm, Oct 20th @ Trash Bar

Carolyn Mark

1:00am, Oct 21st @ Kenny's Cataways

The Pack a.d. 

12:00am, Oct 21st @ Arlene's Grocery (M For Montreal party)

Gang, if you haven't been flattened by Hurricane Pack it's only a matter of time, so batten down the hatches and board up the windows, 'cause there's an ill wind blowing your way. Maya and Becky have been ripping it up stateside since MARCH 6 people, and they won't be finished until LATE MAY. You try it. I bet you don't have what it takes.

Anyway, the list is too long to post here, so linkup to our tour dates page here to see if your in the storm's path. Here are some extra special landfall warnings to watch out for:

Thursday April 23: Santos Party House, Manhattan, NYC

Friday April 24: Capital Music Hall, Ottawa with Black Mountain and Ladyhawk

Saturday April 25: Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto with Hanson Brothers

OK this concludes your weather warning for today, now go stock up on supplies and like the BSA says, BE PREPARED.

We at Mint are pleased to introduce a new sound and a new signing, Vancouver's Geoff Berner, whose Mint debut, Victory Party, will emerge on March 8th, 2011. His openness to experimentation, spirited Eastern European klezmer influences, punk rock attitude and work with producer/mastermind Josh Dolgin (Socalled) resulted in an innovative, engaging and lively album full of surprises that we are proud to be part of.

An evening spent with Geoff Berner’s music is, in the words of the good Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, “a wild combination of menace, madness, and genius… fragmented coherence that wreaks havoc on the mind of any listener.” – Vue Weekly, Edmonton

View Geoff's tour dates here.

Carolyn Mark is preparing to release her 8th full-length record (9th if you count her album with Neko Case as The Corn Sisters, 10th if you include her compilation soundtrack for Robert Altman's film, "Nashville"). Her new album will be called The Queen of Vancouver Island and released on September 18th, 2012 on her longtime label, Mint Records. Carolyn's last release, Let's Just Stay Here, that she co-wrote with NQ Arbuckle, was nominated for a Juno award and this will be the official follow-up.

The Queen of Vancouver Island was recorded in 4 locations (Hollister, CA, Vancouver, Victoria and Vancouver) in 5 sessions during the winter of 2011-12 with the tops in the field, one can't help thinking THIS IS THE ONE!

The Queen Of Vancouver Island - due out on Sept 18th, 2012

Preview the first single, "Not Like The Movies" here

Track Listing:
1. Poor Farmers
2. The Queen of Vancouver Island
3. Baby Goats
4. Not Talk
5. Best Friend
6. Flaming Star
7. Nobody('s Perfect)
8. Mellie's Book
9. Not Like the Movies
10. The Cereal is the Prize
11. Old Whores
12. You're not a Whore (if no one's paying)

"really there's no roots-country chanteuse as engaging as Mark, whose well-intentioned banter is capable of making even the sourest puss at a show crack a smile." - Exclaim!
 
Carolyn Mark on Tour:
15 June - The Branch, Kemptville, ON
16 June - Neat Cafe, Burnstown, ON
17 June - Montreal Folk Festival, Montreal, QC
22 June - Killaloe Curling Club, Killaloe, ON
23 June - The Black Sheep, Wakefield, QC
24 June - Manhattan's, Guelph, ON
27 June - Jane Bond, Waterloo, ON
29 June - Cameron House, Toronto, ON
5 July - The Rendezvous, Seattle, WA
6 July - Siren's, Port Townsend, WA
7 July - Shed Fest, Friday Harbor, WA
8 July - Pride, Victoria, BC
11 July - Pine Family Social Club, Victoria, BC
12 July - Raw Canvas, Vancouver, BC
13 July - Hope Bay Studio, Pender Island, BC
14 July - The Roxy, Gabriola Island, BC
27 July - Blackjack's, Nisku, AB
28 July - Blackjack's, Nisky, AB
29 July - Sasquatch Fest, Evansburg, AB
3 August - Kumsheen River Rafting, Kumsheen, BC
4 August - Johnson Fest, Cumberland, BC
4 August - The Packing House, Spences Bridge, BC
9 August - The Abeline, Rochester, NY
11 August - Marty's, Buffalo, NY
12 August - Bait and Tackle, Brooklyn, NY
13 August - The Ear Inn, New York, NY
14 August - The Rodeo Bar, New York, NY
16 August - The Dakota Tavern, Toronto, ON
17 August - Fred Eaglesmith Picnic, Aylmer, ON
18 August - Fred Eaglesmith Picnic, Aylmer, ON
19 August - Fred Eaglesmith Picnic, Aylmer, ON
20 August - Moonshine Tavern, Oakville, ON
22 August - Terra Nova, Creemore, ON

Summer is just around the corner, and the warmer weather brings the festivals!

NXNE is coming up soon and our Winnipeg locals Novillero and Edmonton comrades Hot Panda will be heading to the Toronto for some late night veggie dogs.

Hot Panda
Sat June 20
@ The Horseshoe Tavern
*CBC Radio 3 Showcase*

Novillero
Sat June 20
@ The El Mocambo

Calgary's Sled Island (June 24-27) lineup is also looking promising this year and we've got more Mint bands than ever scheduled to perform!

Nardwuar and the Evaporators are preparing for their summer split 7" release, A Wild Pear, with Mr. Andrew WK.

The Evaporators
Friday, June 26th
10:55 PM
@ The Plaza Theatre
*all ages*

Hot Panda are back from their UK tour with The Von Bondies and, weather permitting, will be tubing down the river before playing their late night showcase.

Hot Panda
Friday, June 26th
9:15 PM
@ The Plaza Theatre
*all ages*

Novillero are packing up their van, kissing their newborn babies goodbye and migrating West for the weekend.

Novillero
Saturday, June 27
1:00 AM
@ The Marquee Room

And our hardest working band, The Pack A.D. are driving back onto Canadian soil and looking forward to Tim Hortons' coffee, measuring distances in kilometers and the Sled Island festival, of course.

The Pack A.D.
Thursday, June 25
12:00 AM
@ The Palomino Smokehouse

Calgary surf legends The Ramblin' Ambassadors will be there for the festivities as well. It's going to be good!

The Ramblin' Ambassadors
Thursday, June 25th
12:40 AM
@ Broken City

The full Sled Island schedule is available here!

Larissa Loyva is a busy woman. In addition to her solo project Kellarissa (which literally translates to "in the basement"), we've heard her soaring vocals on noteworthy previous releases from P:ano, The Choir Practice and Gigi. This March, she will be traveling North America in Destroyer's touring band and preparing to release her sophomore Mint Records album, Moon of Neptune. She'll probably be sipping some delicious cocktails too. That said, we're excited! Moon of Neptune is a synth nerd's dream, inspired by ancient Egypt, breakups, films, Larissa's Scandinavian heritage and outer space. A limited supply of glossy black vinyl will be available (500 copies) from your friends at Mint Records on March 29th, 2011. 

Listen to "Passages" here.

Loyva’s creative scope, as well as the beauty of her voice, marks her as an artist to watch. - Exclaim!
 
Side A:
Passages
Moon of Neptune
Sisu
Satellites are Spinning
Niagara

Side B:
Flatlands
Blood + Sand
Vagabond
Undock
Old Money