New release alert!  Swedish duo My Darling YOU! are masters of short, shouty, energetic pop songs combining guitars, keyboards, and percussion with handsome melodies and ace vocals. The band—comprised of Klas Hermansson and Christoffer Johansson—formed in 2004 and released ten singles over an eight-year period, beginning with a series of self-released gems and building to a stunning run of releases on the hip Luxury Records label.

‘A Dream Come True’ (matcd087) collects 20 highlights from these long sold-out singles into a cohesive and impressive album that hopefully provides the band with a larger audience than the original Swedish-only releases allowed.

The songs on the album revolve around typical twenty-something transgressions including drinking, smoking, and relationship mishaps, but tales of noisy neighbors, late night dancing, rainy nights, bar fights, disco lights, taxi kisses, drunk dialing, heartbreak, antidepressants, popstars, and marriage proposals are also fair game.

The album perfectly captures the band’s shambolic energy and punk rock attitude in 38 minutes that will have you reaching for the repeat button straightaway. We’ve heard rumors there may be new My Darling YOU! recordings on the horizon, so catch up on their back story now so you are prepared for the next chapter.

Pro tip: we released ‘We Break Up On Friday’ (matda021) and ‘Thanks For Letting Me Stay’ (matda016) as digital singles and each has a non-album b-side so make sure you check out those two extra tracks as well!

‘A Dream Come True’ and the two singles are available now from the Matinée shop and other reputable retailers, as well as the usual digital platforms.  Have a listen to a few choice cuts on our Soundcloud and you’ll surely be hooked!

A special vinyl edition of the classic 1997 album ‘A Good Kind of Nervous’ (matcd089) from Australian hitmakers The Lucksmiths is out now!

Known for their short and bittersweet indiepop songs, economical set-up and charismatic live shows, The Lucksmiths formed in 1993 and initially consisted of singer/snare-drummer Tali White, guitarist Marty Donald, and bassist Mark Monnone.

The band’s fourth album ‘A Good Kind of Nervous’ introduced them to new audiences at home and abroad (including an invitation to open for Belle & Sebastian on the Scottish band’s first ever European tour) and is considered a high water mark for the early-Lucksmiths sound; ‘Under the Rotunda’, ‘Guess How Much I Love You’, ‘Caravanna’ and ‘Punchlines’ all went on to become perennial live favourites.

Steeped in the Melbourne milieu that The Lucksmiths often referenced in song, the album was recorded in a poorly-heated Victorian terrace in Carlton (which was soon to become a hair salon) and mixed in Mark Monnone’s Fitzroy North house, across the road from the Edinburgh Gardens – the same neighbourhood that inspired the bassist’s skyline silhouette print which adorns the album’s cover.

Originally released on CD by two iconic indie labels of the day – Candle Records (Australia) and Drive-In Records (US) – the album served to launch the band from their Melbourne cradle into the waiting world and what was to become a long procession of international releases and touring until the band’s split in 2009.

The 2020 release, available on classic black and limited edition orange wax, marks the first time the album is available on vinyl.  All preorders have now shipped, and we are down to the final 50 copies so grab one now from the Matinée shop before they sell out.  We also have restocked the album on CD for anyone who missed it the first time around. Note: this is a co-release with the magnificent Lost and Lonesome Recording Company in Australia, so please support your local label.

You can also listen to a few album tracks on our Soundcloud:

Swedish act Azure Blue—the romantic pop escapism of Tobias Isaksson—will celebrate ten years as a solo artist in 2021. Following celebrated albums and singles of mainly synth based, dreamy, romantic pop, he releases his most organic track to date.

‘All I Want For Christmas Is My Baby’ is an ode to two late idols: Ennio Morricone and all time favourite Scott Walker whose orchestral chamber pop has been a living and breathing part of Tobias since his late teenage years.

All the drums, bass, piano, organ, acoustic and electric guitars, vocals and a full symphony orchestra has been carefully written, arranged, programmed, played and sung by Azure Blue himself. Enjoy the strings, horns and woodwinds along with the most tasteful chamber pop production we’ve heard in a long time. The timeless melody is an instant classic. 

The digital single (matda023) is available now via the usual suspects or directly from the Matinée shop. The track is also now featured on our Soundcloud.