Our second summer release is a smashing new EP (matinée 093) from popular Glasgow band Bubblegum Lemonade!

Lead track ‘Beard On A Bike’ goes straight for the pop jugular with an instantly catchy tale of a psychopath on a cycle path. The song is a preview of the band’s forthcoming album ‘The Great Leap Backward’ set for release later this year.

The EP also features three non-album tracks exclusive to this release. ‘Golden Afternoon’ is a mid tempo song with a baggy rhythm and ace 12-string Rickenbacker guitars, while ‘Saturday Girl’ is an effervescent ode to weekend warriors with racing guitars and ‘Looking Out For You’ is a poignant late night tale showcasing superb harmonies and jangling guitars.

Limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket sleeve, ‘Beard On A Bike’ is essential Scottish pop for your summer playlist and another absolute gem for the Matinée discography.

The single is officially released July 1, but we are taking preorders now in the Matinée shop and will begin shipping later in the month. In the meantime, have a listen to ‘Beard On A Bike’ on the Matinée Soundcloud!

New release alert! We have been quiet lately, but a summer of new releases kicks off now with the ace collection ‘In This Together’ (matcd076) from our pals Math and Physics Club!

Longtime fans of the Pacific Northwest indie darlings know the band has never stashed away their lesser material on EPs and b-sides. Some would argue that many of their best songs over the past decade have appeared on exclusive EPs and vinyl-only singles, which is why this compilation of 16 non-album tracks plays like one of the band’s finest full length albums.

The songs here are presented in reverse chronological order, starting with the stunning new track ‘Coastal California 1985’ that finds the band in fine form with its chiming guitars and swelling harmonies. The album continues without missing a beat, winding through several unreleased and hard-to-find tracks from recent years, including a soft and sweet acoustic arrangement of ‘Do You Keep a Diary’ that turns the tables on the electropop version that originally appeared on the 2007 ‘Baby I’m Yours’ EP (matinée 066).

The album concludes with tracks from their beloved and out-of-print first two EPs, with the classic jangle of ‘Movie Ending Romance’ (matinée 059) kicking off a relentlessly cracking set of pop that, when presented together this way, serves to highlight the band’s remarkable first year.

The full tracklisting is: 1. Coastal California 1985; 2. It Must Be Summer Somewhere; 3. Across The Paper; 4. Our Own Ending; 5. The Sound Of Snow; 6. Do You Keep A Diary; 7. In This Together; 8. Baby I’m Yours; 9. Movie Ending Romance; 10. White and Grey; 11. Graduation Day; 12. Love, Again; 13. When We Get Famous; 14. Nothing Really Happened; 15. Sixteen and Pretty; 16. Weekends Away.

Math and Physics Club appeared to burst onto the scene in 2005 with their debut EP ‘Weekends Away’ (matinée 056) that garnered international attention, but in reality the band had been taking shape in the hearts and basements of childhood friends Charles Bert (vocals) and James Werle (guitar) since the mid-1990s. Never in a hurry, it took nearly a decade before they found Ethan Jones (bass), Kevin Emerson (drums), and Saundrah Humphrey (violin) to complete the lineup, but it was worth the wait.

An essential release for Math and Physics Club completists and the perfect starting point for new fans, ‘In This Together’ comes in a handsome eco-wallet featuring photos from the band’s 10-year history and liner notes by Sean Tollefson from Tullycraft.

The album is officially released June 24 but you can order a copy RIGHT NOW exclusively from the Matinée shop on CD or digital download formats. Our friends at Fika Recordings in the UK have a limited white vinyl version available as well. We will have a handful of copies of the vinyl available later this month. In the meantime, have a listen to the brand new track ‘Coastal California 1985’ and three other gems from the album at the Soundcloud link below:

We are big college basketball fans here at Matinée HQ, so we are celebrating the number one seeding of our North Carolina Tarheels in the NCAA college basketball tournament with a little March Madness of our own!

Nearly every release in the catalog is currently on sale, and from now through the end of the month you can take an additional 30 percent off everything in the shop including new releases, sale items, and digital downloads. Use promo code madness to take advantage of the extra savings.

Get 7″ and cd singles as low as $1.40 each, and CD albums as low as $2.80 each! Quantities are limited and there are several releases close to selling out forever so please don’t delay.

You can maximize postage savings by selecting the flat rate priority mail envelope which can hold approximately ten CDs or ten 7″ singles for a price that is not much more than what you pay to send just two or three items. Please note that 10″ and 12″ vinyl cannot ship using the flat rate envelope. See the Matinée shop for current availability and help us clear space for an ace batch of new releases this year. In the meantime, happy shopping!

The smash sophomore album ‘Stuck In The Never Ending Now’ (matcd074) from Scottish popstars Strawberry Whiplash is getting lots of love in the music press, and here are excerpts from a few of our favorite reviews so far:

“Stuck in the Never Ending Now is packed from top to bottom with sprightly, energetic indie pop nuggets that will brighten turntables and maybe even get some feet moving.” –All Music Guide

“A top-notch pop-Scotch album from the very heights of the Matinée roster.” –In Love With These Times

“Strawberry Whiplash have affirmed their status as one of the finest indiepop bands going.” –The Sound Of Confusion

“Stuck In The Never Ending Now is unabashed tweedom, sweltering in the umbrella of The Primitives and Talulah Gosh, Sandra’s delectable vocals shimmering all over wanna-be MTV hits like ‘If Surface Were Depth’ and the outstanding title track ‘Never Ending Now’ with its fuzzy guitars and impatient drumming.” –Porky Prime Cuts

“Following Glasgow’s fine lineage of janglesome bands such as The Pastels, Belle & Sebastian and early Primal Scream, ‘Time Takes You Away’ is a highly infectious track that burrows its way into your consciousness after only one listen. It could almost be a lost early Creation Records single, and it could also be the most insistently catchy song of 2015; really, it is that good.” –God Is In The TV (Track Of The Day)

“Any band that would take its name from Scottish legends Strawberry Switchblade and Meat Whiplash would get my attention. This followup may as well have been recorded the day after the brilliant ‘Hits in the Car,’ and it feels wonderful to be bouncing to their brand of indie pop again.” –Linear Tracking Lives

“Strawberry Whiplash deliver songs worthy of Lee Hazlewood or the more romantic edge of David Gedge, while remaining absolutely charming. The album only lasts thirty-seven minutes, but is long enough to put a big smile on indie pop fans’ faces.” –Pennyblack Music

“It’s magical guitar pop luster that will fill your room while you’re dancing around to the highly stimulant beat. Record Of The Day!” –50 Third and 3rd

“Strawberry Whiplash has an incredible knack for crafting the perfect aural nuggets, with just the right amount of instrumentation and spot on vocal nuances. Their second album ‘Stuck In The Never Ending Now’ finds the band musing about the passage of time over the course of 12 hook-filled songs.” –When You Motor Away

The album comes in a snazzy eco-wallet and is available worldwide from your favorite record shop, mailorder, or digital provider as well as the Matinée shop. Full release details and more reviews can be found on the catalog page. You can preview the album on the Soundcloud player below:

The ace new album ‘In My Flat’ (matcd073) from Scottish favorites The Hermit Crabs is the current best seller on the Matinée hit parade, and the band is basking in the glow of some mighty fine reviews too. Here’s the proof:

“As always is the case with a recording from The Hermit Crabs, Melanie Whittle’s compositions are a star of the proceedings. Personal, intimate, revealing, feisty and witty, she paints evocative little portraits of life in a manner reminiscent of Scottish indie pop peers Belle & Sebastian and Camera Obscura. ‘In My Flat’ is the band’s best work yet.” –When You Motor Away

“A modern Matinée classic.” –In Love With These Times

“Scotland forever. The nation that’s given the world Altered Images, Postcard Records, The Associates, Edwyn Collins, the Cosmic Rough Riders, et al just keeps on giving, and ‘In My Flat’ is joyous and uplifting.” –Porky Prime Cuts

“Great little bouncy, fun and bittersweet indie-pop songs.” –PopMatters (Best Indie Pop of 2015)

“There’s always a spot in my record collection for low-key, well-written pop music, and The Hermit Crabs fit right in.” –Blurt Magazine

“Brave and beautiful.” –Linear Tracking Lives

“In My Flat may be fairly typical indiepop in sound, but the quality of the songs and the way they’re arranged is more than enough to make it stand out from the crowd.” –The Sound Of Confusion

“Grown-up and clean-sounding indie pop from Glasgow.” –Collective Zine

‘In My Flat’ is available on CD eco-wallet or digital download worldwide from your favorite record shop, mailorder, or digital provider as well as the Matinée shop. Full release details are on the catalog page, and you can preview four album classics on the Soundcloud player below:

Here is a bountiful batch of holiday hymns to accompany your festive celebrations this month. Seasons greetings!

New release alert #2 of 2: November 20 also brings the brand new album ‘Stuck In The Never Ending Now’ (matcd074) from Scottish popstars Strawberry Whiplash! It has been three long years since the band’s smash debut album ‘Hits In The Car’ (matcd060) was released, and suitably the eclectic new 12-track album has the inexorable passage of time as its central theme.

Opening track ‘Every Day The Sun Shines Brighter’ starts things off in optimistic fashion with a melodic song about new beginnings, while ‘If Surface Were Depth’ is catchy, playful pop and ‘Too Close To Call’ is a harmonious, multi-layered soundtrack to an indie spaghetti western.

‘Never Ending Now’ is immediately engaging punky pop with scratchy, fast guitars, more great harmonies, and rapid gunfire drumming. ‘Ride The Waves To The Shore’ has a shimmering, bossa nova beat with major seventh chords and groovy bongo backing, while ‘Time Takes You Away’ is all late night New York cool with chugging guitars and a Velvet Underground vibe.

Side two kicks off with the album’s fastest track ‘Halcyon Morning’ providing us with a future indie disco floor filler with C86 fuzzy guitars, a steady drumbeat, and tambourines all racing towards the song’s instrumental coda. ‘All I Ask For Is Everything’ furthers the eclectic mix with a chiming guitar / glockenspiel blend and an incessant back beat reinforcing the selfish nature of the song, while ‘Fly Me Over The Rooftops’ is soaring, immediate pop with detached male backing vocals.

‘A Brave New Scene’ is elegant, multi-layered pop that twinkles and chimes in all the right places, while the funky bass line in ‘Life’s Rich Tragedy’ breaks right through the fourth wall in this musical romp involving an unfaithful method actor in need of direction on stage and in his life. Finally, the album’s poignant swan song ‘This Is All We Have’ opens with an autumnal oboe motif and adds some shimmering guitars before reaching peak loveliness.

Reflective and confident, ‘Stuck In The Never Ending Now’ is twelve more hits from Strawberry Whiplash and an additional Scottish pop classic for the Matinée discography. The album is released November 20 but you can order a copy RIGHT NOW exclusively from the Matinée shop on CD or digital download formats. You can sample four of the hits on our Soundcloud right now too!

New release alert #1 of 2: November 20 sees the return of Scottish favorites The Hermit Crabs with a brand new album entitled ‘In My Flat’ (matcd073)! The first recordings from the band since the ‘Time Relentless’ EP (matinée 084) in 2012, the new album features lead songwriter and vocalist Melanie Whittle in collaboration with Jeremy Jensen and Jake Hite of indie favorites The Very Most.

Lead track ‘Bravado and Rhetoric’ is a tale of punk rock gigs put on by girls … two minutes of magnificent guitars, chugging drums, and ace harmonies and one of the catchiest Hermit Crabs songs written to date.

‘I’m A Fool’ is a pensive story of unrequited love that showcases crystalline vocals, intricate guitars, and excellent harmonies all building to multi-layered perfection, while ‘High Maintenance’ details the cons of a long distance relationship and ‘Should I Drop You Off?’ is a simply gorgeous tune with splendid vocals and a wailing pedal steel guitar providing a distinct country vibe.

‘Tracey Emin’s Bed’ is a brilliant number about a depression that led to a scene similar to that portrayed in the celebrated art installation by the British artist in the song’s title. The twinkling keyboards, tambourines, and rich percussion serve as great contrast to the song’s powerful lyrics.

Meanwhile, ‘Stuart Murray’ is a catchy, two-minute pop hit about another famous artist. It’s infectious, upbeat, witty, and undeniably swinging and will be stuck in your head for days. ‘Damage Control’ revisits relationship troubles in a dark and brooding tale that builds to psycho string madness, and the album concludes with a quick, jaunty narrative of infidelity called ‘Did I Tell You That?’

Demonstrating truly impressive songwriting, exquisite vocals, and classic orchestration, ‘In My Flat’ is the consummate release from The Hermit Crabs and another absolute gem for Matinée. The album is officially released November 20 but you can order a copy RIGHT NOW exclusively from the Matinée shop on CD or digital download formats. Have a listen to some Hermit Crabs magic at the Soundcloud link below and you’ll be smitten for sure.

The brand new ‘Still Waiting For The Winter’ EP (matinée 092) from The Popguns is back from the pressing plant and looking great!

The title track, one of many highlights from the band’s critically acclaimed ‘Pop Fiction’ album (matcd070), is a stunning showcase of dual female vocals, jangling guitars, and melodies galore. The song is a reflective journey of nights out on the Brighton seafront and the conflict between yearning for the past and living for today. Its ace!

The EP also features three exclusive new tracks that spotlight the incomparable Popguns vocals with stripped back arrangements. ‘BN3’ is a gorgeous slow time waltz with carefully strummed acoustic guitars and lead vocalist Wendy Pickles telling the story of a sporting romance played out at Hove County Cricket Ground. ‘Why You Fell In Love With Me’ is sung with a heartfelt lilt by Kate Mander and has a relaxed country feel and ace harmonies. Finally ‘Diane’s Song’ continues the Chet Baker theme started on ‘Pop Fiction’ album track ‘Alfa Romeo’ with a glorious tune that would make Bacharach and David proud.

Limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket sleeve, Still Waiting For The Winter is a melancholy diversion for The Popguns as they begin recording a new album. The single is officially released July 17, but you can order a copy today exclusively from the Matinée shop on CD or digital formats. Have a listen to ‘Still Waiting For The Winter’ and ‘BN3’ on our Soundcloud:

This weekend marks the start of summer here in the northern hemisphere and we are celebrating with another great Matinée sale! We have reduced prices on nearly all releases and from now until July 1st you can take an additional 25 percent off everything in the shop including new releases, sale items, and digital downloads. Use promo code summer to take advantage of the extra savings. Get 7″ and cd singles as low as $1.50 each, and albums as low as $3.50 each! Quantities are limited and there are several releases close to selling out so don’t delay.

You can maximize postage savings by selecting the flat rate priority mail envelope which can hold approximately ten CDs or ten 7″ singles for a price that is not much more than what you pay to send just two or three items. Please check the Matinée shop for current availability and help us clear space for a batch of new releases. Happy shopping!