Hello comrades! We’ve some vital news this month as we proudly release the brand new album from Tender Trap; preview imminent EPs from Harper Lee and Lovejoy; provide details on a forthcoming Brighter compilation; gush about recent EPs from The Lucksmiths, The Snowdrops and Tender Trap; announce live summer dates for select Matinée artists; drop hints about future recordings; brag about some old gems; and more! Here’s the skinny:
Our latest release is the magnificent album ‘6 Billion People’ (matcd040) from new indie legends Tender Trap! Twenty years on from the NME’s legendary C86 cassette, with anniversary shows featuring key artists planned at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts and a Bob Stanley-produced documentary in the works, Tender Trap’s new album is striking proof that some of the original protagonists of that movement are still making intelligent and engaging pop music. As lead singer of the seminal Talulah Gosh, the proto-riot grrrl Heavenly and the classy pop act Marine Research, Amelia Fletcher was the voice and face that launched a thousand fanzines, an iconic presence whose influence can be traced in bands as diverse as Le Tigre and Belle and Sebastian. Together with her cohort in the latter two of those bands, Rob Pursey (guitar), and Marine Research drummer John Stanley aka DJ Downfall (bass), Tender Trap formed in 2001, releasing the coolly electronic album ‘Film Molecules’ and a clutch of fine singles to date.
With the addition of the crisp drumming of The Magnetic Fields’ Claudia Gonson, ‘6 Billion People’ marks a move away from the pared-down approach of its predecessor towards a sound recalling the best of the band’s previous incarnations. This is immediately evident on the big chorused title track, Rob Pursey’s sub-sonic backing vocals uncannily reminiscent of erstwhile collaborator Calvin Johnson, while recent single ‘Talking Backwards’ (matinée 058) is a pop rush of shimmering guitars and mellifluous vocals and ‘I Would Die For You’ marries a chugging rhythm to an ethereal melody. The short-but-spiky ‘Applecore’ ups the sass quotient as Amelia demands answers from an indecisive lover to a series of oblique questions over a stop-start bassline, whereas the spacey-keyboard sounds of ‘Fahrenheit 451’, the heartfelt ‘(I Always Love You When I’m) Leaving You’ and the haunting album closer ‘Dead and Gone’ lend the album variety and depth. ‘6 Billion People’ is Tender Trap’s most fully realized work to date, a collection of sumptuous tunes and bold arrangements that makes a claim to be one of the best pop albums of the year.
In pre-release review action, Tasty agreed, writing “6 Billion People is one of the best pop albums you’ll hear this year,” while Erasing Clouds described it as “another fantastic addition to Amelia Fletcher’s lengthy discography.” The full tracklisting and soundclips are now posted on the catalog and sounds pages. Although the official release date is May 29 in the shops, you can pick up your copy RIGHT NOW via the Matinée mailorder for just $10. We have fashionable Tender Trap buttons and postcards too so what are you waiting for? The CD is available in Europe from the good people at Fortuna POP!
Before we shut our trap (ahem…), don’t forget about their recent ‘Language Lessons’ EP (matinée 058) featuring the non-album tracks ‘Unputdownable,’ ‘Friendster’ and ‘Cómo Te Llamas?’! It’s the perfect appetizer for the ‘6 Billion People’ full length and a wonderful EP all its own. It’s a press triumph too, with Losing Today writing “Talking Backwards is three minutes of feverishly honed sweetly turned shimmer like 60’s inflected jangle pop that sees the classic indie glamour of the Primitives curvaceously diluted and lovingly draped by the crisp, breezy Francophile la la bachelor pad mindset of Stereolab all married to an audacious good to be alive melodic thread found casually basking in the softened haze of sultry summer afternoons and garnished with the kind of rash like infectiousness.”
Other recent reviews include Magnet Magazine writing “[Tender Trap] sports familiar, churning neo-new wave melodies that’ll have you jonesing for a microbrew and a clove cigarette,” Pop Matters calling it “a rousing girly guitar-pop joy that takes at least ten years off the soul,” and All Music Guide concluding “Amelia Fletcher has never made a record anything less than wonderful and this is no exception.” The title track is playing on the sounds page for your listening pleasure, and the EP is available from all good record shops or the Matinée mailorder now so get your copy today!
While you’re at the mailorder, you may want to pick up newly stocked copies of classic K Records releases from Tender Trap, Marine Research, Heavenly and Talulah Gosh! We have fresh copies of the debut Tender Trap album ‘Film Molecules,’ plus ‘Sounds from the Gulf Stream’ and ‘Parallel Horizontal’ from Marine Research; ‘Heavenly vs. Satan,’ ‘Le Jardin de Heavenly,’ ‘The Decline and Fall of Heavenly,’ ‘Operation: Heavenly’ and ‘P.U.N.K. Girl’ from Heavenly; and ‘Backwash’ from Talulah Gosh. Each of these bands features Amelia Fletcher from Tender Trap, while the first three also include Rob Pursey of Tender Trap and the latter three also feature the unmistakable guitar playing of Peter Momtchiloff (now in Would-Be-Goods). But you knew that. Any serious student of indiepop most likely has these already but if you’re missing any from your collection do yourself a favor and add it to your next order. You won’t be disappointed! The lovely K mailorder has stocked a handful of Matinée releases in return so head over there for more from the international pop underground.
Turning now to some exciting forthcoming releases, the brilliant new five track ‘He Holds A Flame’ EP (matinée 061) from Harper Lee is due back from the pressing plant in a matter of days! As we reported last month, the EP includes two versions of the title track, a quirky sing-along that recalls the more upbeat moments of lead singer Keris Howard’s former band Brighter, plus the Go-Betweens-by-numbers acoustic pop of ‘I Could Be Wrong,’ the moody and churning ‘William Blake’ which would have fit nicely on the last Harper Lee album ‘All Things Can Be Mended’ (matcd033), and a chiming lullaby called ‘Come Rest Your Weary Head’ which is a simply sublime way to end an EP. No mere single, this is an astonishing EP where every song could have been the lead track. You can preview ‘He Holds A Flame’ right now on the sounds page, but if ever you trust my advice on these matters, head straight to the order page because this release is one of the very best we have ever had the honor of assigning a Matinée catalog number. Yes, it’s that good! The official release date is still a few weeks off but we’ll start shipping mailorder copies from June 1st so you can be the first on your block to hear one of the very best releases of the year.
Also now at the pressing plant is the fantastic new ‘England Made Me’ EP (matinée 062) from Lovejoy! The first new material since the ‘Everybody Hates Lovejoy’ album (matcd035) early last year, the EP features brand new songs ‘Brightness Falls,’ ‘Are You Analogue or Digital?’ and ‘Made In England’ plus a great cover of ‘In the Rain’ originally by The June Brides. In the short time since we received the masters, ‘Brightness Falls’ has already established itself as one of the very best Lovejoy songs to date. Check it out now playing on the sounds page…it’s ace, don’t you think? ‘Made in England’ is up there too…a return of sorts to the chiming pop of the debut album ‘ Songs In The Key of Lovejoy’ (matcd008), while ‘Are You Analogue or Digital?’ and ‘In the Rain’ sport a bit more of the electronica that first showed its face on the popular ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ (matcd018) set. Oh, it’s all good…everybody loves Lovejoy. Still several weeks away from release but we’ll start taking preorders in June so keep checking the order page for your earliest opportunity to own the latest Lovejoy masterpiece.
Moving through the Matinée art department is the fantastic new 20-track compilation ‘Out To Sea’ (matcd041) from Brighter! As we mentioned last month, the album includes the eight songs from the 1991 mini-lp ‘Laurel’ originally released on Sarah Records plus five songs from the ‘Next Summer’ and ‘A Winter’s Tale’ flexis, a contribution to the rare ‘Beckett House’ compilation LP, and six previously unreleased tracks…you read that right! All remastered in glorious stereo sound of course. The full tracklisting is: 1. Christmas, 2. Frostbite, 3. Summer Becomes Winter, 4. Something To Call My Own, 5. Ocean Sky, 6. Out to Sea, 7. Maybe, 8. Journey’s End, 9. If I Could See, 10. Wallflower, 11. Airhead, 12. Don’t Remember, 13. Next Summer, 14. Looks Like Rain, 15. Falling, 16. There Is Nothing We Can Do?, 17. Nothing At All, 18. Hope to God, 19. Amy Never Knew, 20. Still. We’ll reveal complete release details soon, but in the meantime have a listen to the brilliant unreleased track ‘Wallflower’ on the sounds page. To say we’re eager for this release is a bit of an understatement. Just you wait…
Still gracing new release shelves around the globe is the splendid ‘A Hiccup In Your Happiness’ EP (matinée 060) from The Lucksmiths! The second single lifted from the astonishing ‘Warmer Corners’ album (matcd039) validates yet again why The Lucksmiths are among the most popular indie bands of our time. Boasting strings, horns, a funky guitar and a bassline possibly borrowed from Orange Juice, ‘A Hiccup In Your Happiness’ is a dancefloor sizzler that just had to be a single. We’re featuring the song on the sounds page now if you fancy a listen. The EP also includes exclusive new tracks ‘From Macaulay Station,’ ‘Rue Something’ and ‘To Absent Votes,’ which combined with ‘A Hiccup In Your Happiness’ form a brilliant EP designed to give ‘Warmer Corners’ another shot at the glory it deserves.
In new Lucksmiths review action, hipster blog You Aint No Picasso concluded “the new songs are every bit as good as those on Warmer Corners – it’s easy to see ‘Macaulay Station’ as the next step from Warmer Corners, and if this is where they’re headed, I couldn’t be more excited.” Meanwhile, Friends of the Heroes declared it “the best single of the year so far,” Losing Today called it “absolutely essential – could well be their finest and most focused moment to date,” while Tangents warned “you would have to be dim or demented not to pick up a copy post haste.” So, assuming you’re not dim or demented, you probably need to follow the advice of Tangents and pay a visit to the Matinée mailorder (or your trusty local indie shop) today.
Also still dazzling on the new release shelf is the ‘Sleepydust’ EP (matinée 053) from The Snowdrops, an occasional collaboration of indie legends Keith Girdler (Blueboy, Beaumont, Lovejoy), Dick Preece (Lovejoy, Beaumont) and Pam Berry (The Pines, Shapiros, Black Tambourine, Glo Worm)! The EP features five tracks including a Pet Shop Boys-inspired title track (now playing on the sounds page) with brilliant lead vocals from Keith plus backing from Pam. Other tracks include a beautiful atmospheric number called ‘Too Cold To Snow,’ the wonderful ‘The Boy With The Hummingbird Eyes’ featuring Dick on lead vocals and a guest appearance from Keris Howard (Harper Lee, Brighter), a short one called ‘Teddy Dragons’ and a remix of ‘Sleepydust’ with more Pam and some other nice touches.
The EP continues to generate enthusiastic press, with Losing Today describing it as a “laid back take on New Orders’ ‘Run 2’ with the added accompaniment of a particularly chilled Pet Shop Boys on hand to sprinkle their mercurial laced coffee table pop authority upon…the resulting thread work a softly curdling shimmer like slice of numbing hand holding gracefulness that glides seductively from the grooves into your headspace in the blink of an eye with all the crafted charm of the Field Mice at their most alluring found swapping notes with Fosca.” Are you with us? In other words, they like it! Other recent reviews include Vanity Project calling it “ambient electro indie-pop with a rocking chair St. Etienne groove;” Stylus Magazine writing “the members of the Snowdrops might want to reconsider the band’s status as a side project: their subdued synth-pop moves like a less-kinetic Postal Service, prizing atmosphere over rhythm or groove,” and Mundane Sounds commenting “if you’ve ever wondered what The Field Mice might have released after their swan-song single “Missing the Moon,” Sleepydust answers that question quite nicely.” Indeed. The EP is available now from all good retailers or your trusty Matinée shop.
In other top news, the warm weather has brought some Matinée artists out of hibernation for live action over the next 30 days. Each of these artists are working on new albums so expect exclusive previews of new material in addition to the usual classics. Check this out!:
Saturday, May 27th: Mark Monnone (The Lucksmiths) and Lupe Nuñez-Fernandez (Pipas) @ Smallmusictheatre, Koukaki, Athens (Greece) with The Occasional Flickers. Doors at 10pm, 8 euro, details: http://sprinkledpepper.net/funwhileitlasted/
Thursday, June 1st: Math and Physics Club @ The Crocodile Café, Seattle, WA (USA) with Ghost Stories, Young Sportsmen, and Panda & Angel. Doors 9pm, 21+, free!
Thursday, June 8th: Sportique @ The Windmill, Brixton, London (UK) with The Salty Pirates and The Cut Outs. Sponsored by How Does It Feel…?; tickets available from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/10654
Sunday, June 18th: Math and Physics Club @ The Fremont Fair, YMCA Fusion Café Emerging Artists Stage (outside!!), Seattle, WA (USA). ALL AGES, play time TBD, free!
Friday, June 23rd: Would-Be-Goods @ The Buffalo Bar, London (UK) with Les Très Bien Ensemble and The Cut Outs. Sponsored by Fortuna POP!, 8pm; £5 advance/£6 at the door including free CD.
Saturday, June 24th: Would-Be-Goods @ Junktion 7, Canning Circus, Nottingham (UK) with Les Très Bien Ensemble, The Chemistry Experiment and The Cut Outs. Sponsored by Tasty fanzine, 8:30pm; £5 at the door including free CD.
Sunday, June 25th: Would-Be-Goods @ The Cellar, Oxford (UK) with Les Très Bien Ensemble and The Cut Outs. Sponsored by Shogun Panda, 7:30pm; £5 advance/£6 at the door including free CD.
Continuing now with our back catalog spotlight feature, this month we showcase classic releases from Melodie Group, The Lucksmiths and Kosmonaut! Each release is specially priced for the next month if you care to add to your Matinée collection. Further enticement follows:
The back catalog spotlight album is the splendid full length ‘Updownaround’ (matcd022) from Melodie Group! Featuring the consummate songwriting skills of The Windmills vocalist and guitarist Roy Thirlwall, Melodie Group has enjoyed some of the highest praise lofted at a Matinée artist, including comparisons to The Go-Betweens, Echo and the Bunnymen, East Village, and Felt. ‘Updownaround’ showcases relaxed, melodic popsongs that achieve a rare mixture of melancholy and catchiness. Lusciously paced, with gorgeous vocals delivered in the most dulcet of tones, the album is a triumph for Thirlwall’s esteemed catalogue and a testament to the brilliance of his creativity. Tasty described it as “the sort of record any sort of serious fan wishes Morrissey would make, instead of pissing about with those rockabilly chancers,” and Mundane Sounds declared it “a fine debut album from a proven talent.” Among its ten tracks are favorites ‘Summerness’, ‘Bathtub Full of Water’, and ‘I Do Not Not Love You’ – all of which you can preview on the sounds page before picking up a copy of your very own. It’s a nice one.
The November 2002 ‘Midweek Midmorning’ EP (matinée 042) from The Lucksmiths is our back catalog CD single of the month. The title track is a fantastic pop affair that mines typical Lucksmiths themes: sunshine, laziness and unemployment. Its jangling guitars, trumpet, tambourine and excellent vocals provided a highlight of the band’s ‘Naturaliste’ album the following year. The real selling point of the single, however, is its two exclusive non-album tracks: ‘Point Being’ is a catchy affair with handclaps and tambourines and a prominent bass line, while ‘Requiem for the Punters Club’ is an earnest tale about the closing of the band’s favorite hometown purveyor of adult beverages – a lovely remembrance that builds to a wonderful sing-along chorus before concluding with the solitude of a wailing harmonica. More than one reviewer listed ‘Requiem for the Punters Club’ among their favorite Lucksmiths songs to date and overall the EP enjoyed tremendous praise in the music press. Among our favorite quotes, All Music Guide wrote “The Lucksmiths are making the best music of their career and this disc is an essential part of any indie pop collection,” while Shredding Paper called it “compact, catchy pop with smart lyrics and huge hooks,” and Splendid declared it “a low-cost introduction to your new favorite band.” See the catalog page for more reviews and soundclips. No Lucksmiths fan can afford to be without this.
Our back catalog 7″ of the month is the ‘Desert Song’ 45 (matinée 041) from Kosmonaut! An English band featuring Stephen Maughan (ex-Bulldozer Crash and creator of the legendary This Almighty Pop! fanzine) and Geoff Suggett (ex-Lavender Faction), this one-off 7″ followed previous Kosmonaut releases on the esteemed Motorway and Firestation Tower record labels. In addition to having the honor of being the final Matinée 7″ pressed, the single was well received in the press with comparisons to The Sugargliders, Fantastic Something, Teenage Fanclub, Aztec Camera, Avocadoclub, The Clientele and Biff Bang Pow! Tangents reported “Kosmonaut offer us the delicious ‘Desert Song’ and ‘Bee Song’, both of which glint like silver strings in the Mojave,” while Wide Open Road wrote “Desert Song is a sumptuous recording, as delicious as the season’s first blueberries” and In Love With These Times called it “road music at its finest.” The band later deconstructed The Liberty Ship for the ‘Matinée 50’ (matinée 050) compilation before disappearing altogether, but we’ll always have this perfect 7″ with which to remember them. Surely not enough of you have this one so remedy that situation pronto because 7″ singles are ace, especially when they’re just $2!
As always, we conclude with our list of top sellers from last month which sees Tender Trap debut at the top of the heap. Do you have your copy yet? We happen to think it’s the perfect Father’s Day gift. Here’s the top ten:
10. The Lucksmiths – San Francisco CDEP
9. Brighter – Singles 1989-1992 CD
8. The Lucksmiths – Warmer Corners CD
7. The Snowdrops – Sleepydust CDEP
6. Tender Trap – Language Lessons CDEP
5. Razorcuts – R is for Razorcuts CD
4. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
3. The Lucksmiths – A Hiccup In Your Happiness CDEP
2. Math and Physics Club – Movie Ending Romance CDEP
1. Tender Trap – 6 Billion People CD
Until next month,
Jimmy
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