This is a bit of a strange pick, as Mardeen’s debut full-length, Read Less Minds, has been floating around in some form or another since last year (it made my list of top unsung albums of 2007). That said, it looks like the highly catchy album is finally seeing a proper release, so that gives me an excuse to post this excellent tune once again.

Repetitive enough to instantly pierce your consciousness and undeniably catchy, “Kids” is a nonstop pop-robot that hypnotizes on contact—an excellent indication of the types of hooks that Mardeen are becoming known for.

Mardeen - Kids

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of Read Less Minds from Zunior.

One spin of this brand new tune from The Volume Wars, the sophomore album by Construction and Destruction, and I instantly fell for it’s scrappiness. A few listens later and “Ring Around the Moon” sunk its fuzzy teeth in for good.

Unapologetic, but also unpretentious and fun, this song is the perfect example of why this duo from Port Greville, Nova Scotia is vastly becoming one of my favourites.

Construction and Destruction - Ring Around the Moon

Here more at the band’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of The Volume Wars here.

Taken from Moody Motorcycle, the upcoming debut from Human Highway—a collaboration between Jim Guthrie and Nick Thorburn—this song is as strange and hypnotizing as it is melodic and uplifting.

Quirky and fun, “The Sound” is a powerhouse track from an album that is sure to raise some eyebrows. One listen and I guarantee you’ll have its bouncy chorus stuck in your head for weeks.

Human Highway - The Sound

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or pre-order Moody Motorcycle—out on Aug. 19—from Secret City here.

Ok, so maybe I’m jumping the gun on this one, seeing as Soft Airplane—the 3rd full-length from Chad VanGaalen—doesn’t come out until Sept. 9, but I just couldn’t resist.  What can I say? I’m looking forward to the album and, if “Willow Tree” is any indication, it’s going to be a great addition to VanGaalen’s already admirable catalogue.

Undeniably haunting and serene, this early teaser-tune perfectly exemplifies the ethereal quality that is ever-present in VanGaalen’s work—a ghostly anthem for retired spectres content to lounge under a tree in the afterlife.

Chad VanGaalen - Willow Tree

Hear more at his Myspace page and look out for Soft Airplane from fine retailers everywhere on Sept. 9.

From Organs for Sale, the excellent debut album from Newfoundland’s The Human Soundtrack, this song is as intoxicating and full of charm as it is cleverly named.

Even during it’s understated beginning you know that “Babies Are the New Pursedogs” aims to deliver big things. Making good on that promise, it builds to a melodic romp that captivates as it sinks in, making sure that you’ll never want to stop listening.

The Human Soundtrack - Babies Are the New Pursedogs

Expect more about Organs for Sale from me in the near future, as it’s definitely an album worth the attention. In the meantime, hear more at the band’s Myspace page or buy a digital copy of the album from Zunior.

I hadn’t heard of The Rest until last week, but thanks to the wonders of Myspace I am now clamouring for more of the Hamilton band.

Case in point, “Apples & Allergies”—from their upcoming single (out on July 22)—is a slow-building and serene journey into effervescence that has me hitting repeat over and over.

Check it out below and expect to hear more about The Rest from me in the near future:

The Rest - Apples & Allergies

Listen to a few more at the band’s Myspace page and catch The Rest live on July 3 at the El Mocambo.

Variations of this tune have been floating around the internet for months (via Myspace mostly), but I’ve been waiting for the official version to post it. That time has finally come, so without further ado, from Sebastien Grainger’s new digital EP, American Names, “Ways to Come Home” is a humdinger of a song that is epic and sultry all at once.

Crescendoing from Grainger’s well-honed vocal delivery into a veritable rock symphony, this tune is a complex and rewarding listen from start to finish.

Sebastien Grainger - Ways to Come Home

Hear more at Grainger’s Myspace page.

I keep meaning to post about his Horseshoe gig from a while back, but Grainger’s camp specifically wanted to approve the video I took that night before it got posted anywhere and I haven’t heard back, so we’ll see if I get around to it.

Brimming with casual confidence, this song from From the Photographs, the debut album by Laura Peek and the Winning Hearts, is one classy little number.

A jaunty and self-assured romp, “Stand Right There” is the musical embodiment of nonchalance. Check it our for yourself below and see if you don’t feel like tapping your feet.

Laura Peek and the Winning Hearts - Stand Right There

While you’re at it, check out the song’s music video here.

Also, hear more at the band’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of From the Photographs from Zunior.

Upbeat and undeniably catchy, this song from Bellevue’s 2008 album, The Road To Recovery, is nostalgia and fun in its purest form.

In fact, this Toronto band seem to have a gift for tasty hooks, of which “One Two Three” is but a prime example. Check it out below and hear for yourself:

Bellevue - One Two Three

Hear more at Bellevue’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of the album here.

Coincidentally I just noticed that they are playing at the Cameron House tonight (turns out that show was canceled).   Instead  you can catch them on Saturday, June 7 at the Smiling Buddha Bar as they celebrate the release of The Road to Recovery.

I’ve recently decided to make the move from my shoe box basement apartment to something with windows. In that regard, “Get Your Own Apartment,” the lead-track from Rock Fantasy, the ambitiously titled debut full-length from Edmonton’s The Wet Secrets, is hitting all the right chords with me at the moment.

Cocksure and anthemic, even if the theme weren’t so appropriate to my current situation this deliciously profane song would be cranked all the time. In fact, I ought to make it the soundtrack to moving day—that’d be a tone setting first impression for my new neighbours.

The Wet Secrets - Get Your Own Apartment

Hear more at their Myspace page or grab a digital copy of Rock Fantasy here.