Hey pop lovers! We have some great news to share but we’re traveling most of the next two weeks enjoying the glorious East Coast heat and humidity. How did we ever live here?

In the meantime, please check the Matinée Recordings page on Facebook for quick news bits. We promise a full website update upon returning to paradise in mid-July.

On the Matinée hit parade, Math and Physics Club capture the top two spots for the month of June. Here are the top sellers for the month:

10. Northern Portrait – Napoleon Sweetheart CDEP
9. Cats on Fire – Our Temperance Movement CD
8. The Electric Pop Group – Seconds CD
7. Various – The Matinée Grand Prix CD
6. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
5. Northern Portrait – Criminal Art Lovers CD
4. Bubblegum Lemonade – Caroline’s Radio 7″
3. Cats on Fire – Dealing In Antiques CD
2. Math and Physics Club – Jimmy Had A Polaroid 7″
1. Math and Physics Club – I Shouldn’t Look As Good As I Do CD

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

The superb new album from Math and Physics Club is out now! Here are the details:

matcd055
MATH AND PHYSICS CLUB – I SHOULDN’T LOOK AS GOOD AS I DO

Tracklisting:
1. Jimmy Had A Polaroid
2. We Make A Pair
3. Trying To Say I Love You
4. Everybody Loves A Showtune
5. Love or Loneliness
6. Will You Still Love Me?
7. I’ll Tell You Anything
8. The Internationale
9. I’ve Been That Boy
10. We’re So DIY!

Long-awaited second album from Seattle pop darlings Math and Physics Club!

The band first captured our hearts in 2005 with the charming ‘Weekends Away’ EP (matinée 056), which quickly sold out of its initial pressing. The band’s brand of literate acoustic-based guitar pop has garnered frequent comparisons to The Smiths, Belle and Sebastian, and labelmates The Lucksmiths, and their self-titled debut full length (matcd042) was named best indiepop album of 2006 by PopMatters. Picking up where their excellent 2007 ‘Baby I’m Yours’ EP (matinée 066) left off, Math and Physics Club return with their first long player in nearly four years.

‘I Shouldn’t Look As Good As I Do’ is a smashing collection of ten new pop gems, chock full of the chiming guitars and sweet melodies we’ve come to expect, but it also packs a punch their earlier work shied away from. Seattle producer Martin Feveyear (Presidents of the USA, Mark Lanegan) helped the band dial in rich, clean tones reminiscent of their 80’s influences like The Housemartins, but with a decidedly modern luster. The ten tracks clock in at less than 25 minutes, showcasing the band’s knack for crisp arrangements and good sense to know when a song just doesn’t need that extra chorus.

Lyrically the album continues the themes of love and heartbreak that are signatures of the band’s earlier recordings, but songs like ‘Everybody Loves a Showtune,’ ‘The Internationale’ and ‘We’re So DIY!’ also catch them poking fun at theater culture, faux celebrities, and even at themselves.

First single ‘Jimmy Had a Polaroid’ starts out in familiar MAPC fashion, but as soon as the drums and bass rumble into the picture you realize this is no twee affair. As chiming guitars whirl through the choruses, the rhythm section keeps things driving at a fast clip that will surely get the kids dancing.

Among the other highlights, ‘Everybody Loves a Showtune’ is an unexpected slice of folk pop full of banjo, accordion, trombone, tuba, and timpani. The story follows a clueless chorus boy who brings a musical production to its knees when he breaks ranks. ‘Love or Loneliness’ is one of the album’s most surprising tracks as the band stretches into new musical territory with a straight ahead rock beat and sweeping mellotron reminiscent of ‘Out of Time’ era REM.

Meanwhile, ‘Will You Still Love Me’ is a fast-paced homage to bands like The Housemartins and Heavenly, with Charles’ vocals melding with guest vocalist Jen Garrett of Seattle band Stuporhero to deliver a sweet tale about insecure lovers. ‘We’re So DIY!’ closes the album with a tongue-in-cheek tribute that condenses the indiepop handbook into a tidy two minutes, complete with handclaps and Beach Boys-drenched harmonies. Oh yeah!

‘I Shouldn’t Look As Good As I Do’ is Math and Physics Club’s most confident and sharply written work to date. What sophomore jinx? We’re happy to have them back!

For band information, soundclips, early reviews, and more release details please see the catalog and artist pages, or visit the Matinée and Math and Physics Club pages on Myspace. There is also lots of activity on the Matinée Facebook page and the Math and Physics Club Facebook page so check those out too.

We’ve added soundclips for four key album tracks to the catalog page and a free mp3 of ‘Jimmy Had A Polaroid’ is now available to download on the Matinée sounds page!

The CD is available now in the Matinée shop and in good record shops across the globe, plus digitally via iTunes, emusic, Amazon mp3, Darla.com and other good digital providers. Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the fantastic ‘Jimmy Had A Polaroid’ 7″ (matinée 075) before they’re all gone too!

The new Bubblegum Lemonade 45 is out now! Here are the complete details:

matinée 074
BUBBLEGUM LEMONADE – CAROLINE’S RADIO 7″

Tracklisting:
1. Caroline’s Radio
2. Stalling and Laughing
3. Looking To The Sun

Glasgow popkids Bubblegum Lemonade resume transmission this summer with a new three-track 7” single! The first release since their celebrated debut album ‘Doubleplusgood’ (matcd048) in 2008, ‘Caroline’s Radio’ is a fantastic Scottish pop hit that pays homage to offshore pirate radio station Radio Caroline with zippy lead guitars and rich harmonies perfect for surfing the medium waves. It’s a preview of the band’s sophomore album set for release later this year.

The single also features two exclusive b-sides — ‘Stalling and Laughing’ is ace stop start pop with revving guitars and a clever nod to fellow Glaswegians Orange Juice, while ‘Looking To The Sun’ is a ‘Psychocandy’- era blast of Mary Chain pop with 12-string guitar intro, stomping drums, and reverb drenched harmonies. Limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on smashing transparent red vinyl!

For band information and more release details please see the catalog and artist pages, or visit the Matinée and Bubblegum Lemonade pages on Myspace. There are various extra things happening on the Matinée Facebook page and the brand new Bubblegum Lemonade Facebook page so you may want to go there too. Remember when all we had to update was one simple website?

Starting this very moment, we are offering a free download of ‘Caroline’s Radio’ on the Matinée sounds page so go get it! The 7″ is available now exclusively in the Matinée shop and is shipping to hip record shops worldwide this week. Enjoy!

We are surrounded by stacks of red and blue vinyl – Matinée 45 assembly line in full swing!

The new 45 from Math and Physics Club is out now! Here are the complete details:

matinée 075
MATH AND PHYSICS CLUB – JIMMY HAD A POLAROID 7″

Tracklisting:
1. Jimmy Had A Polaroid
2. The Sound of Snow

A very welcome return for beloved Seattle indiepop stars Math and Physics Club! Their first release in nearly three years and a preview of the forthcoming ‘I Shouldn’t Look As Good As I Do’ album (matcd055), ‘Jimmy Had a Polaroid’ is an incredibly catchy two-and-a-half minute pop thrill. While the song begins in familiar Math and Physics Club fashion, chiming guitars whirling through the choruses and a driving rhythm section combine to get the kids dancing to a certified song-of-the-year contender.

On the flipside, exclusive non-album track ‘The Sound of Snow’ is a beautifully plaintive ode to The Softies, with more chiming guitar melody and nice vocal harmonies completing the reference. Limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on ice-blue vinyl which is perhaps the coolest color you’ll ever see.

Since today is your lucky day, we are offering a free download of ‘Jimmy Had a Polaroid’ on the Matinée sounds page RIGHT NOW so go get it!

For band information and more release details please see the catalog and artist pages, or visit the Matinée and Math and Physics Club pages on Myspace.

We are posting reviews of the single simultaneously on the catalog page and also on the new Matinée Facebook page. The band has a new-ish page on Facebook you should probably check out too.

The 7″ is available now in the Matinée shop and from select record emporiums across the globe. As of today we’ve sold through about half of them so don’t delay if you’re after a copy. Enjoy!