Longtime Mint recording artists, The Ramblin' Ambassadors are ready to unleash their third full length album, Ramble On. Only 500 copies will be pressed on shiny 180g vinyl and available on March 6th, 2012. If your turntable is still broken, not to worry, it will also be available digitally. 

fun fact: Guitar wizard, Brent Cooper, of The Ramblin' Ambassadors made his first Mint Records appearance back in 1995 on a Huevos Rancheros 7" called Dig In. That means he's been putting out records on Mint for over 15 years!

"The Ramblin' Ambassadors have all the shimmery, vintage sounds (the songs are laced in tremolo), but they still have the dusty textures and feedback you'd expect to come from heavy bearded, plaid shirt wearing, tattooed hombres." - Herohill.com

TRACK LISTING:

SIDE A:
Standoff at Calf Robe Bridge
Clambake!
Back Seat Action
The Savage
Tyger Beat

SIDE B:
Pine Beetle Express
Meat Sweats
Super Bee
Dallas B. Goode
Super Lungbucket

Album release party: Friday, March 23rd @ Dicken's, Calgary, AB.

 

 

We’ve stocked up on confetti and are counting down - only seven days until the release day of Hot Panda’s debut, Volcano… Bloody Volcano on February 10th (pre-order your copy now at Maple Music!). The Pandas shall be celebrating at Edmonton's Pawn Shop with Rah Rah and The Whitsundays on Feb 14th. And after that, they’ll be departing on yet another Canadian crawl.

Now, here are the dates:

Sat Feb 14, Edmonton AB, The Pawn Shop - CD Release Party!
Fri March 13, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto ON (Canadian Music Week)
Thu March 19, Headhunters, Austin TX (SXSW Mint Records Hootenany)
Sat March 21, Habanna Calle 6, Austin TX (SXSW Mint Records Showcase)
Mon March 23, Atomic Cantina, Albuquerque, NM
Thu March 26, Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles CA
Tue March 31, Le Voyeur, Olympia, WA
Wed April 1, Commet Tavern, Seattle, WA
Fri Apr 3, Logan's, Victoria, BC
Sat Apr 4, Media Club, Vancouver
Wed Apr 8, The Exchange, Regina
Fri Apr 10, Lo Pub, Winnipeg
Sun Apr 12, Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, Iowa
Tue Apr 14, Bottom Lounge, Chicago
Wed Apr 15, Dark Room Bar, Chicago
Sun Apr 19, Velvet Lounge, Washington
Mon Apr 20, Black Betty, Brooklyn
Tue Apr 21, Piano's, New York
Wed Apr 22, Manhattan Room, Philladelphia
Fri Apr 24, Gus's Pub, Halifax
Tue Apr 28, Le Divan Orange, Montreal
Wed Apr 29, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ottawa

Check here for more tour updates, and check the band's site here!

Yes, you read right. Not only is your illustrious Canadian indie label throwing a kick-ass pinata party, but it's free to the public! Bring your sombreros and implements of destruction (or at least your ears) to Broken City at noon on July 1st. We're supplying the nachos, papier-mache effigies stuffed with goodies & prizes, and some of the freshest Mint bands today.

The super cute Pocky has agreed to sponsor the day, so there will be chocolate (and maybe strawberry) covered cookie sticks for everyone!

The day is looking like this:

1:00 pm - Hot Panda will be playing songs from their upcoming sophomore album, How Come I'm Dead? (out October 12).
2:00 pm - The Pack a.d. After playing over 150 shows in the last year, this gritty garage rock duo is not to be missed.
3:00pm - The Ramblin' Ambassadors. This band is made up of guitarist Brent Cooper (Huevos Rancheros) and some of the finest instrumental surf-rock the landlocked Calgary has ever known.

For more information please contact shena@mintrecs.com.

Once again, we're packing our sunglasses, dusting off the sunscreen and heading to Austin for SXSW. We're planning a party too. And you should probably be there. This is the plan:

Mint Records, Olio Festival and Light Organ Records present:
A FREE SXSW DAY PARTY!!!
Thursday, March 15th at Headhunters (720 Red River St)

FEATURING:

2:00 - DJ MY!GAY!HUSBAND
2:15 - SUN WIZARD (Light Organ)
2:50 - KELLARISSA (Mint)
3:25 - MODE MODERNE (Light Organ)
4:00 - NARDWUAR & THE EVAPORATORS with ANDREW W.K. (Mint)
5:00 - SHOUT OUT OUT OUT OUT

ALSO FEATURING:

FREE TACOS (come early!)

Photos by THE COBRASNAKE and A GYPSY MARKET SIDEWALK SALE (that's right, there will be vintage clothing galore!).

THANK YOU: Exclaim! Magazine, CBC Radio 3, The Georgia Straight, Color Magazine, The Cobrasnake
 
Need more up to the minute party news? There's a Facebook event here. You can also follow us on Twitter

We're feeling good about our annual migration south of the Canadian border to SXSW. In March, we will be ditching the woolly mittens, packing our sunglasses, slathering on the sunscreen and getting in some quality time with new (and old) friends.

We've got two parties planned this year. The Evaporators, Hot Panda, Immaculate Machine, The Pack A.D., the Handsome Family and our friend Jill Barber will be playing our evening showcase on Saturday, March 21st at Habanna Calle 6.

And, for our annual afternoon Hootenanny on Thursday, March 19th at Headhunters, come build your own tacos, bask in the sunshine and enjoy some music courtesy of  Hot Panda, Immaculate Machine, The Pack AD, Thee Goblins (aka: Nardwuar), Gentleman Reg, The Phenomenal Handclap Band, The Handsome Family and win great prizes courtesy of Mint, Daisy Rock Guitars and Six Cent Press.

Now, here are the dirty details:

Mint Records Label Showcase
Saturday, March 21st
Habana Calle 6
(709 E 6th St)

Sponsored by: CBC Radio 3, This Great White North, Beatroute, Six Cent Press featuring:
Jill Barber (Outside Music) (8pm)
Hot Panda (9pm)
Immaculate Machine (10pm)
The Pack A.D. (11pm)
The Handsome Family (12am)
The Evaporators (1am)
 

Mint Records Afternoon Hootenanny (FREE!!)
Thursday, March 19th (2-6 pm)
Headhunter's back patio

(720 Red River, side door)

Sponsored by: Venus Zine, CBC Radio 3, This Great White North, Beatroute, Six Cent Press featuring:
Gentleman Reg (2pm)
Immaculate Machine (2:30pm)
Thee Goblins (3pm)
The Pack A.D. (3:30pm)
The Handsome Family (4pm)
Hot Panda (4:30pm)
The Phenomenal Handclap Band (5pm)'

Plus Also Too...

Hot Panda
Wed March 18 @ 3pm: Breakthru Radio Party at the Beauty Bar (617 E 7th St)
Thu March 19 @ 1:30pm: Pirate Promotions Party at Room 710 (710 Red River)
Thu March 19 @ 4:30pm: Mint Hootenanny at Headhunters back patio (720 Red River, side door)
Fri March 20 @ 5pm: Party at 604 E 6th St.
Sat March 21 @ 9pm: Mint Label Showcase, Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St)

Immaculate Machine
Wed March 18 @ 1:20pm: XM The Verge session (*private - but you can listen online)
Thu March 19 @ 2:30pm: Mint Hootenanny at Headhunters back patio (720 Red River, side door)
Fri March 20 @ 8:15pm: NXNE Party at Caswell House (1404 West Avenue)
Sat March 21@ 3:40pm: Bump into Canada party at El Sol (Canada House) (600 E 6th St)
Sat March 21 @ 10pm: Mint Label Showcase, Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St)

Nardwuar / The Evaporators / Thee Goblins
Thu March 19 @ 3pm: Mint Hootenanny at Headhunters back patio (720 Red River, side door) - Thee Goblins only!
Fri March 20 @ 3;30pm: Nardwuar's Video Vault, Austin Convention Center, room 16B
Fri March 20 @ 6pm: HMS Hazard House Party (West Campus). Email lewskerdu [at] gmail.com for directions
Sat March 21 @ 3pm: Todd P Party, Ms Beas (1104 E 6th St)
Sat March 21 @ 1am: Mint Label Showcase, Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St)

The Pack A.D.
Thu March 19 @ 3:30pm: Mint Hootenanny at Headhunters back patio (720 Red River, side door)
Thu March 19 @ 6pm: Roadhouse Rags (1600 Fortview Rd)
Fri March 20 @ 6pm: HMS Hazard House Party (West Campus). Email lewskerdu [at] gmail.com for directions
Sat March 21 @ 11pm: Mint Label Showcase, Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St)

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 12th.  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)

 

 

Road trip season is here. That means it is almost time for Calgary's finest music festival, Sled Island! We're loading up the van and arriving with fresh trucker's tans, hand-held fans and a handful of our favourite bands. 

This year, the Mint Records day party will take place at The Ship and Anchor. It's on Friday, so you should take the afternoon off, order an icy beverage and enjoy the cool summer sounds of: 

The Ramblin' Ambassadors 
Nardwuar and The Evaporators with special guest ANDREW WK

 
and friends: 

White Poppy 
Watermelon 

 
Friday, June 22nd @ The Ship and Anchor (534 17th Ave SW)
2-7pm

FREE FREE FREE. 
  
Feel free to RSVP here.
And see you there!