“As part of our Altered States series, Noisey ventured out to Halifax with Cousins to perform on Georges Island. Watch as garage rockers Aaron Mangle and Leigh Dotey take their live set onto the grassy hills of Halifax’s largest island” ~ NOISEY/VICE

COUSINS‘ release their Polaris Music Prize Long Listed album The Halls of Wickwire in Europe on September 8th via Mutations Record Co. In addition to Sappy-Fest, Wolfe Island, and Dawson City Music Festivals, COUSINS will play a string of Canadian dates with Constantines, and tour across the UK and continental Europe opening for Chad VanGaalen.

10/24/14   Halifax NS : Halifax Pop ~ Reflections Cabaret
10/04/14   Montreal PQ : Club Soda w/ Constantines
10/03/14   Toronto ON : The Danforth Music Hall w/ Constantines
10/02/14   Toronto ON : The Danforth Music Hall w/ Constantines
09/23/14   London UK : Birthdays
09/22/14   Brighton UK : The Hope,
09/15/14   Tillburg NL : Incubate w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/14/14   Amsterdam NL : Dokzaal w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/13/14   Cologne DE : King Georg w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/12/14   Copenhagen DK : Ideal Bar w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/11/14   Stockholm SE : Stacken w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/09/14   Aarhus DK : Radar w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/08/14   Berlin DE : Kantine am Berghain w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/07/14   Hamburg DE : Aalhaus w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/06/14   Hilvarenbeek NL : Itchy Feet Festival
09/05/14   Massembre BE : Deep In The Woods Festival
09/04/14   Gent BE : DOK w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/02/14   Paris FR : Le Point Ephémere w/ Chad VanGaalen
09/01/14   London UK : Oslo w/ Chad VanGaalen
08/09/14   Kingston ON : Wolfe Island Music Festival
08/08/14   Toronto ON : The Silver Dollar w/ Hands & Teeth, Beliefs
08/02/14   Sackville NB : SappyFest
07/20/14   Dawson YT : Dawson City Music Festival

XIV // HDD037 // Cassette Tape // BUY HERE

HAND DRAWN DRACULA, THY TIME IS NOW!

My pal James Meija has been running this little label out of Toronto called Hand Drawn Dracula for a few years now, and I fucking love everything it releases. I really do. In a very short time, HDD has established itself as one of those imprints whose (very cool) logo on the back cover of a record (or a cassette in this case, I guess) is an instant signifier of carefully curated quality. You want to snap up every single thing Hand Drawn Dracula puts out because, put quite simply, Hand Drawn Dracula has demonstrated – again and again and again, right from the beginning – that Hand Drawn Dracula has immaculate taste in music. From the neo-shoegazer sparkle of Beliefs, Bishop Morocco, Breeze and Praises to the nascent, battering-ram rock-god-isms of Cousins and Greys to the starry-eyed, psychedelic mysticism of Bruce Peninsula and By Divine Right to the warring muscularities and vulnerabilities demonstrated by Holy Fuck’s Brian Borcherdt in his solo and Dusted guises, Hand Drawn Dracula has consistently championed the right stuff for the right, honest, love-of-the-game reasons. And don’t even get me started on the output of its recently minted sub-label, Artificial Records; with the likes of Weeknight, Tiers and the almighty Doomsquad already on its young roster, Artificial pretty much has the grim, grimy, electro-industrial sound of our looming Blade Runner future nailed down flat before that future actually happens. Time, hindsight and the judgement of pop history will be very kind to Hand Drawn Dracula, mark my words. It might not have reached the masses just yet, and maybe never will, but that’s just fine. The people who have picked up on its output to date have likely already discovered a record or two they’ll carry with them to the grave. I know I have. And yet I still suspect, to invoke a very tired cliché, that the best is yet come. ~ Ben Rayner, Toronto, June 10, 2014.

BELIEFS cover “Sound of Thunder” for Making Patterns Rhyme: a tribute to Duran Duran released via Manimal Vinyl with all proceeds going to Amnesty International. The comp features Warpaint, Little Dragon, Moby, Austra and more.

“The synth-punk cheese that helped put the New Romantics’ music videos in heavy rotation would, at first glance, appear ill-suited to mesh with the Beliefs’ shoegazing Wall of Sound atmospherics, but this cover proves otherwise, retrofitting the original’s danceable drama with ghostly vocals and tidal waves of fuzz to craft a version that’s far more eerie than its inspiration.” ~ SPIN

SPIN Magazine + BTOOKLYN VEGAN Premiere

INDIE 88 Radio premiered COUSINS‘ new video directed by Mackenzie Burke for the summer anthem “Ocean” today. “The hazy, VHS-styled new vid will have you wishing you were at the beach in no time.”

“Now, with its latest album, The Halls of Wickwire — its first for relentlessly on-point Toronto indie label Hand Drawn Dracula — the Halifax duo of Aaron Mangle and Leigh Dotey has, under the stewardship of producer/mixer Graham Walsh (of Holy F—) and engineer Josh Korody (of Beliefs), pulled off a studio recording that comes remarkably close to duplicating the entire might, meat and melody of a Cousins gig for the benefit of your headphones and your living-room system.” ~ The Star Entertainment / Ben Rayner

“10 songs of pure high-powered, joyful punk fun” ~ INDIE 88
The Halls of Wickwire is OUT NOW! | BUY HERE

COUSINS The Halls of Wickwire | Limited LP/CD/Cassette/Digital | BUY HERE

“Today, Halifax garage-rock power-duo COUSINS release their third LP, The Halls of Wickwire and with it, this badass boxing video for “Body.” New to Hand Drawn Dracula Records, Cousins is one of the hardest working bands around; the album was produced by Graham Walsh (Holy Fuck, Metz) and Josh Korody (Beliefs, Fucked Up), so it sounds fucking tight. Yeah, it sounds like it was made in a basement but the basement is worth two million dollars. A gorgeous knock-out rock-out. The dream team starts an eastern tour tomorrow.” ~ NOISEY/VICE Premiere.

DOOMSQUAD premiered “a Dada-inspired video” for Head Spirit (For Our Mechanical Time) on The Line of Best Fit.

“Doomsquad exist in the crossover spaces, the fringes and thresholds of contrasting opposites, the urban landscapes versus the wild forests, chaos versus intricate arrangement, fear versus refuge.” – The Line of Best Fit

COUSINS The Halls of Wickwire | Limited LP/CD/Cassette/Digital | BUY HERE

Ahead of the May 13the release, COUSINS The Halls of Wickwire is available to stream in FULL over at EXCLAIM! Magazine, Impose Magazine, and more.

HDD put the band in Toronto’s Candle Recording studio with Graham Walsh (Holy Fuck, etiquette, Metz) and Josh Korody (Beliefs, Greys, Fucked Up) to record the 10-song collection described as “the ghost of a young Walkmen frontman tackling a head-banging proclamation of internal struggle and motivation” ~ PORTALS
 
08/09/14   Kingston ON : Wolfe Island Music Festival
07/19/14   Dawson YT : Dawson City Music Festival
06/29/14   Minneapolis MN : 7th ST. Entry
06/27/14   Winnipeg MB : Windsor Hotel
06/26/14   Saskatoon SK : Vangelis Tavern
06/25/14   Calgary AB : Palamino
06/24/14   Edmonton AB : Wunderbar
06/21/14   Seattle WA : Tractor Tavern w/ Chad VanGallen
06/20/14   Eugene OR : Sam Bond’s Garage w/ Chad VanGallen
06/19/14   Oakland CA : The New Parish w/ Chad VanGallen
06/18/14   Los Angeles CA : The Echo w/ Chad VanGallen
06/17/14   San Francisco CA : Brick & Mortar Music Hall w/ Chad VanGallen
06/15/14   Portland OR : Mississippi Studios w/ Chad VanGallen
06/13/14   Vancouver BC : Media Club
06/12/14   Victoria BC : Lucky Bar
05/25/14   Hamilton ON : The Casbah w/ Chad VanGallen
05/24/14   Toronto ON : Lee’s Palace w/ Chad VanGallen
05/23/14   Pontiac MI : The Pike Room at The Crofoot w/ Chad VanGallen
05/22/14   Chicago IL : Empty Bottle w/ Chad VanGallen
05/21/14   Indianapolis IN : Do317 Lounge w/ Chad VanGallen
05/20/14   Columbus OH : The Basement w/ Chad VanGallen
05/19/14   Cincinnati OH : MOTR Pub w/ Chad VanGallen
05/18/14   Pittsburgh PA : Brillobox w/ Chad VanGallen
05/17/14   Washington DC : Rock and Roll Hotel w/ Chad VanGallen
05/16/14   Philadelphia PA : Milkboy w/ Chad VanGallen
05/15/14   Brooklyn NY : The Bell House w/ Chad VanGallen
05/14/14   Cambridge MA : Bear’s Place w/ Chad VanGallen
05/13/14   Montreal PQ : Cabaret w/ Chad VanGallen

PRAISES EP1 | HDD035 | BUY HERE

1. Breathing In
2. Way Back When
3. The Devil
4. Confessor

PRAISES is the solo project of BELIEFS co-founder Jesse Crowe. Following the world-wide critical acclaim of Beliefs, Jesse wasted no time and headed into Toronto’s Candle Recording Studio (Owen Pallet, Austra, F’d Up) to put her creative energy into a 4 song EP filled with Dream Pop, Freak Folk, and Madchester sounds.

Praises debut performance at CMW May 08th at Toronto’s Silver Dollar with Strands, Omhouse, Red Mass, RLMDL, and Operators (Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, Divine Fits).

“quatre morceaux rendant grâce à son timbre de voix titillant celui d’une Patti Smith” ~ Hartzine (FR)

+ Hartzine (FR) Warszawa (Japan), Indienative (Japan), PIC Mag (Japan), Photog (CAN)

COUSINS The Halls of Wickwire | Limited LP/CD/Cassette/Digital | BUY HERE

Halifax indie-rock duo COUSINS premiere their condiment-heavy new video for “Mess” via SPIN & Exclaim! Magazine today! Cousin’s much anticipated third full-length The Halls of Wickwire is set for release on May 13th 2014 via Hand Drawn Dracula. Catch them on tour with Chad VanGaalen throughout North America with more Canadian dates TBA.

“bold, tastefully fuzzy garage-rock” ~ SPIN
 
06/22/14 Spokane WA : The Bartlett w/ Chad VanGallen
06/21/14 Seattle WA : Tractor Tavern w/ Chad VanGallen
06/20/14 Eugene OR : Sam Bond’s Garage w/ Chad VanGallen
06/19/14 Oakland CA : The New Parish w/ Chad VanGallen
06/18/14 Los Angeles CA : The Echo w/ Chad VanGallen
06/17/14 San Francisco CA : Brick & Mortar Music Hall w/ Chad VanGallen
06/15/14 Portland OR : Mississippi Studios w/ Chad VanGallen
05/25/14 Hamilton ON : The Casbah w/ Chad VanGallen
05/24/14 Toronto ON : Lee’s Palace w/ Chad VanGallen
05/23/14 Pontiac MI : The Pike Room at The Crofoot w/ Chad VanGallen
05/22/14 Chicago IL : Empty Bottle w/ Chad VanGallen
05/21/14 Indianapolis IN : Do317 Lounge w/ Chad VanGallen
05/20/14 Columbus OH : The Basement w/ Chad VanGallen
05/19/14 Cincinnati OH : MOTR Pub w/ Chad VanGallen
05/18/14 Pittsburgh PA : Brillobox w/ Chad VanGallen
05/17/14 Washington DC : Rock and Roll Hotel w/ Chad VanGallen
05/16/14 Philadelphia PA : Milkboy w/ Chad VanGallen
05/15/14 Brooklyn NY : The Bell House w/ Chad VanGallen
05/14/14 Cambridge MA : Bear’s Place w/ Chad VanGallen
05/13/14 Montreal PQ : Cabaret w/ Chad VanGallen
04/12/14 Kingston ON : The Grad House
04/11/14 London ON : Call the Office
04/10/14 Guelph ON : Kazoo! Fest ~ eBar

DOOMSQUAD‘s debut album Kalaboogie is streaming now in it’s entirety over at DAZED! The siblings have been garnering some serious international praise and are now set to tour North America & Europe this March through June with scheduled dates at Valley Of The Vapors, SXSW, The Great Escape UK, NXNE, and more!

“an odyssey as twilit and ceremonious as Halloween in Twin Peaks ~ the group weave the aboriginal music of their North Canadian upbringing into the visionary sounds of Gang Gang Dance, Fever Ray and Gazelle Twin – Subtly entrancing and sulphurous, Kalaboogie stretches out like a volcanic winter, soaring over DoomSquad’s native Canadian wilds and effortlessly outpacing the long shadow of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell” – DAZED

“thrilling and original. Another early candidate for best of 2014.” – Toronto Star

COUSINS The Halls of Wickwire | Limited LP/CD/Cassette/Digital | BUY HERE

We’re excited to officially announce COUSINS have joined Hand Drawn Dracula!

HDD has worked closely with Cousins over the past two years, hosting them at our HDD 2012 Pop Montreal & 2013 NXNE label showcases, and featuring their track “Baby” on our Scion Sessions 2012 vinyl compilation. Their much anticipated The Halls of Wickwire full length was recorded with HDD collaborators Graham Walsh (HOLY FUCK) and Josh Korody (BELIEFS) at Toronto’s fast emerging Candle Recording Studio (Fucked Up, Austra, Owen Palett). “The Halls of Wickwire” is co-released with Ba Da Bing Records (USA). Check them out!
 
05/23/14   Pontiac MI : The Pike Room at The Crofoot w/ Chad VanGallen
05/22/14   Chicago IL : Empty Bottle w/ Chad VanGallen
05/21/14   Indianapolis IN : Do317 Lounge w/ Chad VanGallen
05/20/14   Columbus OH : The Basement w/ Chad VanGallen
05/19/14   Cincinnati OH : RMOTR Pub w/ Chad VanGallen
05/17/14   Washington DC : Rock and Roll Hotel w/ Chad VanGallen
05/15/14   Philadelphia PA : Milkboy w/ Chad VanGallen
05/15/14   Brooklyn NY : The Bell House w/ Chad VanGallen
04/10/14   Guelph ON : Kazoo! Fest ~ eBar
02/21/14   Boston MA : House Show
02/20/14   Annandale-on-Hudson NY : Bard College
02/19/14   Brooklyn NY : Glasslands