Happy February! We’ve had a new release each of the last four weeks so not a bad way to start off the year. The reviews are starting to roll in now so we can rely on the pithy prose of the music press to help spread the word about the brilliance of these releases. Here are a few choice early quotes that help make my job today an easy one:
Our stunning new label compilation ‘The Matinée Grand Prix’ (matcd050) is a fantastic introduction to some of the best indie bands of today, and the always spot on A Layer of Chips calls it “a smashing little snapshot of an always loveable label.” Meanwhile, hip Danish blog Hits in the Car writes “Grand Prix is an absolutely amazing collection of indie pop tunes and darn close to being the perfect gateway to the genre as well as the Matinée roster,” Russell’s Reviews declares it “a marvellous collection that should inspire you to investigate the label’s back catalogue further,” and indie bible Indie-mp3.co.uk concludes “there isn’t a bad track on the set and it serves as a highly credible introduction to a merry band of minstrels who deserve some serious attention.”
You can see full release details and read these reviews and others on the Grand Prix catalog page. There is a free mp3 of the ace Simpático song from the album now featured on the Matinée sounds page so please have a listen. Among its many highlights, did we mention it includes the very last song ever recorded by our good pals The Lucksmiths? That is reason enough to set you scurrying but there are ten more equally valid reasons so off to the Matinée shop!
The new album ‘Seconds’ (matcd053) from Sweden’s The Electric Pop Group is also just out and an absolute triumph for the band. Gothenburg taste merchants Fraction Discs conclude “with ten beautiful and brittle gems picking inspiration from the English 80’s and early 90’s, this is a perfect pop album,” while Burning World writes “The Electric Pop Group have just released their debut album for Matinée and to call it a treat is understating the case.” Closer to home, Austin Town Hall confesses “I haven’t been able to get The Electric Pop Group out of my head, and I don’t think that I really want to either,” and A Layer of Chips suggests “you’re not going to hear many of these songs at your local indiepop knees up, but for nights in during a cold winter, you’ll struggle to find another album that’ll keep you company as well.”
Please see the catalog page for full reviews and other release details. Lead track ‘Not By Another’ is available as a free download on the Matinée sounds page and because we like you so much, you can also download ‘The Way It Used To Do’ from a secret location here. It’s a good one, eh? Now that you’re convinced about the album, you may also want to pick up the band’s 2008 ‘Sunrise’ EP (matinée 067) as it contains four exclusive songs and they’re outstanding as well. The band is working on select live dates in the coming months so please check here or the band’s Myspace page for details.
Danish legends-in-the-making Northern Portrait are basking in the success of the debut album ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) with great reviews popping up everywhere at the moment. Among our early favorites, the mighty Aversion.com come right out and say it: “After 23 years without a band able to approximate The Smiths’ formula, it’s hard to fault Northern Portrait for finally getting it right, isn’t it?” English biggie God Is In The TV take a slightly more artful approach, writing “this could indeed be your new favourite moment and if the queen really is dead, then Northern Portrait are perfect regal successors!” The cool kids at Just Played hit the nail on the head, writing “literate, emotive indie is often hard to find and when another band pop up delivering captivating songs to such a high standard it’s cause for celebration,” while the ever-trusty All That Ever Mattered conclude “it’s impossible to not love this album right from the start.”
The catalog page has lots of reviews and other release details, and the sounds page is featuring a free download of album highlight ‘New Favourite Moment’ so go get it! You can now download the title track ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ here too as an example of something slightly different. If you don’t have copies of the band’s earlier EPs ‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ (matinée 068) and ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ (matinée 070) you better hurry as they are selling fast again on the strength of the album and may not be around for long. The band has several imminent dates in the UK and Spain plus others coming up in Denmark and elsewhere so please visit them on Myspace for details.
The new single ‘Shooting Star’ (matinée 073) from Brazil’s Pale Sunday is also just out and making friends in the UK music press in particular. Among our favorites, Russell’s Reviews describes the songs as “bright and breezy pop…effortlessly cool…sweet stuff indeed” and suggests comparisons to The Lucksmiths, Velvet Crush and Teenage Fanclub, while A Layer of Chips say “not many bands do it better…reminds me of labelmates Math and Physics Club, with a touch of Siesta’s louche, lounge-pop thrown in.”
Check out release details on the catalog page and enjoy the free download of ‘Shooting Star’ over on the Matinée sounds page. Pale Sunday are ace so in addition to the new EP you may want to pick up the stunning debut single ‘A Weekend With Jane’ (matinée 049) and their album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) as both will help make winter a whole lot shorter this year.
While we’re at it, recent single ‘Picture Perfect’ (matinée 072) from Scotland’s Strawberry Whiplash has amassed loads of great reviews which are now collected on the catalog page. Some places that get it especially right include the venerable Magnet Magazine calling the EP “four sunny tracks with sweet, girlish vocals and plenty of fuzz and reverb,” and the all-powerful All Music Guide suggesting “indie pop fans looking for a sugar fix along the lines of The School or The Pains of Being Pure at Heart would be well-served to check out this little disc.” The Indie Handbook conclude “Strawberry Whiplash reach a degree of excellence in the opening measures of this EP that few bands can even dream of and manage to sustain it throughout all four tracks without ever becoming pretentious,” and The Devil Has The Best Tuna deliver the best pull quote of all, writing “an EP that’s as sweet as a chocolate covered strawberry dipped in sugar and indier than Steve Lamacq’s ipod, Strawberry Whiplash deserve a place in your heart.”
You can read the other ace reviews on the catalog page and download the splendid title track on the sounds page. This EP really is brilliant and the perfect companion to the band’s debut ‘Who’s In Your Dreams’ EP (matinée 065) from 2008. Strawberry Whiplash is currently working on songs for a debut album which hopefully will be out this year as well!
Looks like that order you’ve been meaning to place just got a little larger…
Finally, it’s no change atop the Matinée hit parade but the competition is fierce with four new releases. Here are the top ten sellers for January:
10. The Hermit Crabs – Correspondence Course CDEP
9. The Electric Pop Group – Sunrise CDEP
8. Cats on Fire – Our Temperance Movement CD
7. Northern Portrait – The Fallen Aristocracy CDEP
6. Strawberry Whiplash – Picture Perfect CDEP
5. Pale Sunday – Shooting Star CDEP
4. Northern Portrait – Napoleon Sweetheart CDEP
3. Various – The Matinée Grand Prix CD
2. The Electric Pop Group – Seconds CD
1. Northern Portrait – Criminal Art Lovers CD
We’ll be back soon with news about Matinée releases in the pipeline and something else that’s somewhat unexpected but fairly exciting.