Chad VanGaalen - Raw Operator/No Dust (2011/2015)

We picked up a couple more tapes from Chad Vangaalen's cassette series at his show here in Calgary a couple of months ago (editor: man, are we out of practice. There must be a better way to phrase that...). There's nothing better than seeing a suitcase full of tapes from one of your favourites... except when you realize you don't have enough cash for all of them.

We grabbed two tapes, anyways: Raw Operator, a tape of infectious, electronic-based musics; and No Dust, b-sides/demos from Shrink Dust (including a version of the amazing "Primative (sic) Brain."

These pretty much cement our belief that Vangaalen is an other-worldly genius.

Mandates - In the Back of Your Heart (2015)

How did we miss this? We kind of forgot that the sadly departed Shake Records released the Mandates' second LP on tape a few years back. We really like the Mandates and their scrappy, 70's-inspired power punk. But, to be honest, we're just posting this in the hopes that they'll release their new LP soon.

You might be able to find copies of this tape still kicking around your favourite record store. If not, you'll have to settle for the vinyl.

Vanta - Vanta II (2018)

Picking up where their first tape left off, this new release from snotty punk trio Vanta is, well, another blast of snotty punk. It feels like there's more swagger to the songs on this tape, which really shines on "Popsicle." In the sort of way that snot shines, that is.

Get it via Vanta's bandcamp.

Paradise - Some Songs (2018)

We were kinda sad when Empty Heads broke up last year, but pretty darn excited when we found out the core of the band had formed Paradise. Paradise takes Empty Heads' mix of 90's grunge, hooky pop songs, and 2010 punk ethos and further refines it - by adding another guitar to the mix. This sounds like Sebadoh played through an amp with blown speakers, and it's amazing. One of our favourite new bands, 'natch.

Get it via the Paradise bandcamp.