Summer is the time for new tunes! It’s like a rule or something.
So, as we proceeded last year with the Delete Bin June Tunes Digest, so do we do so this year with a selection of new tunes from bands and songwriters who deserve your attention. Some you may already know. Some you may be discovering for the first time. Either way, you win.
As we did last year, we’re going to make an exception to the “10 songs” format too. This is 16 songs, good people, 16 songs of goodness freshly baked for the summer of 2014 which is just around the corner. Think of it as a mix tape made just for you.
And as per usual, this list of tunes represents various points along the pop music spectrum, and is listed in no specific order, as is the custom on the ‘Bin. See which ones resonate with you the most.
Take a listen!
***
“Summer Lane” by Owenstone
LA-based Owenstone deliver this summer anthem, with a touch of modern psychedelia, a dash of Far-East flavouring, and (to these ears) a bit of an ecstatic ’80s bombast too. This track comes from their recent self-titled EP which you can learn all about when you slide along to owenstone.com.
♥
“Love Is A Madness” by No Sinner
Vancouver-based rock ‘n’ roll band No Sinner is fronted by rip-roaring 26-year old R&B vocalist Colleen Rennison (spell her last name backwards …), who takes her love of classic R&B-influenced rock and channels it through an impressive set of pipes to deliver the real thing herself. This track is from the upcoming record Boo Hoo Hoo, out June 24 – that’s this Tuesday! Check out nosinner.com for more.
“Get With You” The Damn Truth
Incendiary vocals, ’60s-style garage-punk energy, and LUST. What is more summery than that, good people? This single is the new one from Montreal’s The Damn Truth, which for a limited time you can get for free on their site, thedamntruth.com.
“On The Line” by The Red Rails
Ottawa’s The Red Rails rock the classic power trio dynamic with this effervescently ferocious single that displays the band’s chops, but not at the expense of their deft hand at songwriting. This song serves as the harbinger for the upcoming full-length A Living Fiction, due to drop on July 15. Find out more about the band by mosying on down to theredrails.com.
♥
“Never Thought This Would Happen” by The Arkells
Hamilton Ontario band who deal in enormous pop hooks and songs that make you wonder why no one thought to write them before, The Arkells present guitar pop with sweeping strings, descending Lennonesque chords, and soaring vocals. This is music made for radio and for summer, too. What, I tells ye, is not to love? This is the first single as taken from their most recent record High Noon, their third, and a song I got to hear them play live at CBC Live this year, held at Deer Lake Park, just up the road from where I’m writing this. To catch up with the Arkells, head on over to Arkells.ca.
♥
“Follow The Blood” by Nine Sons of Dan
New South Wales Australia’s Nine Sons of Dan deliver this title track to their newest EP that should be all over the radio everywhere. If it isn’t, demand your money back, kids. This is a song built for mainstream appeal, unabashedly pop and that is full of alternative rock gravity, delicate strings, and all-around aural sunshine. Learn more about them at ninesonsofdan.com.
♥
“Mary” by Ivory Hours
London Ontario’s Ivory Hours deliver buoyantly melodic pop music that doesn’t shy away from the darker end of the human experience spectrum. This is the title track to their recent EP, a song about friendship, losing one’s way, and the effect that one’s choices have on the those who care about them. But amidst the emotional gravity, they don’t forget to write a good tune ready for radio play. Learn more about them at ivoryhours.com.
♥
“Just Say Hello” by Lyonn
Every summer romance needs a theme song, and this could be it if yours is of the unrequited variety. Lyonn (aka Tyler Gelrud) splits time between Orange County, CA and Knoxville TN, crafting acoustic pop music with a punch as featured on his latest EP Promenade. Get the latest news at LyonnMusic.com.
♥
“Sparks” by Boreal Sons
If wistful art rock with ecstatically shimmering atmospheres is your idea of what will kick off your summer, then Calgary’s Boreal Sons is here to put the capital “R” back into Romance for you. This is a track from their most recent full-length record Threadbare. The band recently completed dates in Britain, after a cross-Canada tour. You can learn about their adventures at borealsons.com.
♥
“With Haste” by Future History
Toronto’s Future History mix warm acoustics with echoey post-punk production to create darkly compelling pop music. This is the first single off of their latest record Lungs that was recorded clubhouse style in an abandoned hermitage in rural Ontario. You can watch the video for the song here, featuring that same rural Ontario setting.
♥
“Iranians” by DAVIDS
If retro-futurist synthpop with a dance feel that is only rivaled by its sense of atmosphere is your thing, than Toronto’s DAVIDS (not “Davids”, and certainly not “David’s”, I’m told…) is here. This is the lead track from the EP 0613EP, characterized by European-style electronics that hearken back to a time of analogue grooves and icily compelling pop hooks. Like the band on Facebook.
♥
“Little Earthquakes” by Imperial Mammoth
Summer is time to dance to something poptastically life-affirming. This is one of those ones made to sing along to while you’re dancing. This track by LA-based electronic pop duo Imperial Mammoth is set to become that summer anthem to which to move one’s feet, taken from their album Gold Confetti, released this coming Tuesday, June 24th. Visit the band’s website at imperialmammoth.com for more.
♥
“Giving Life To The Greys” by Daysdeaf
Atmospheric soundscapes mixed with a kind of hazy R&B feel is what typifies this single from the album When Color Lost Light. The band hail from Toronto, with an ear for experimental texture, perfect for sultry summer evenings kicking back. You can like Daysdeaf on Facebook.
♥
“Elephants” by Fire/Works
Montreal’s Fire/Works deliver a moody, folky and cinematically evocative single in this track. This is a forerunner to their upcoming album Shenanigans. Look for the album in the Fall, folks! In the meantime, you might as well like the band on Facebook.
♥
“Zion” by S’Ambrosia
S’Ambrosia hails from Nairobi in Kenya, following a similar path to India Arie and Jill Scott despite the considerable physical geography that separates those artists from her. This is wistful acoustic pop with soul overtones, not to mention overt gospel elements that makes this tune a modern hymn without forgetting to be sonically interesting, too. Hear more at the S’Ambrosia YouTube channel.
♥
“Phantoms And Friends” by Old Man Canyon
“Don’t let the ones that wanna steal your dreams away … just laugh and let it go”. Good advice this summer, with Old Man Canyon’s (otherwise known as singer-songwriter Jett Pace and his band) recent single as taken from the EP which is cleverly entitled Phantoms And Friends. The band is currently on tour with Foster the People, no doubt enjoying some pumped up kicks of their own. Check out oldmancanyon.com to stay up to date.
***
Right, so there we have it summer people!
What’s your favourite track? What tracks can you recommend from a local band in your area that aren’t on this list?
Speak, good people! And otherwise,
Enjoy!
The Delete Bin 