Our special 15th anniversary compilation ‘A Sunday Matinée’ (matcd064) is out today and sitting pretty atop the current Matinée hit parade!

Instead of looking back on past achievements, we invited 15 Matinée artists to contribute a previously unreleased, exclusive, or rare recording to this collection and the result is a smashing success. Australian collective Bart and Friends start the album off right with the ace autumnal pop of ‘There’s No Place,’ while Danish favorites Northern Portrait turn up the jangle with a brilliant new song called ‘The Young and Hopefuls’ and popular Scottish act Bubblegum Lemonade deliver another pop classic with ‘You Can’t Be Sad All The Time.’

Celebrated Irish fivesome September Girls show off their ace harmonies on the haunting, reverb soaked ‘Danny Wood,’ Simpático delivers the finest in Australian electro pop with the mesmerizing track ‘The Rays,’ and England showcases its first of three bands with the legendary Would-Be-Goods and their magnificent cover of the Martha and the Vandellas classic ‘No More Tearstained Makeup.’

Englishmen Charlie Big Time follow up their recent EP with a positively swinging new song ‘One Step Closer To Enemies,’ while sorely missed Australian hitmakers The Lucksmiths contribute the second cover song on the album with a brilliant version of the Jonathan Richman track ‘When I’m Walking’ and Swedish band The Electric Pop Group break a four-year silence with the ultra jangly new song ‘Parliament Square.’

Scottish duo Strawberry Whiplash return with a fuzzy pop gem called ‘September Saturday,’ Seattle’s Math and Physics Club channel their inner Housemartins with the harmonica-rich pop of ‘I Know It’s Over,’ and Australia celebrates its fourth contribution with the mighty new song ‘Through The Curtain’ from The Steinbecks.

Brazil’s Pale Sunday showcases the best in South American pop with an excellent new song ‘In The Hardest Moment,’ while elusive American expats (and former Fairways) Clay Hips contribute great new track ‘Someone Who Wanders’ and English act Melodie Group conclude things in fine fashion with their first song in eight years called ‘Only Forever.’

The album is housed in a deluxe eco-wallet with a snazzy vinyl disc CD that looks pretty cool indeed:

It’s available in physical and digital formats from the usual merchants and of course from our very own Matinée shop. Because we like you so much, you can even listen to all 15 tracks on the player below. It’s almost like it’s your birthday right?

The next release in the Matinée parade of pop is the third studio album ‘Our Hearts Beat Out Loud’ (matcd065) from our favorite North American pop stars Math and Physics Club!

The new ten-song collection is the band’s most dynamic to date, confidently expanding their palette of subtle, literate pop and sprinkling it with hints of country, dub, distortion, and Graceland.

Ethan Jones, the band’s bass player and resident multi-instrumentalist, co-produced the album with Bob Schwenkler at Olympia’s fabled Dub Narcotic Studio. Their goal was to make an old fashioned album with two sides, taking advantage of the studio’s vintage analog equipment to get away from the sound of digital perfection and instead sound like a band playing together in a room.

With Charles already living in Olympia, and James and Ethan having deep connections there as well, Dub Narcotic was a natural fit, not to mention being ground zero for the legendary K Records. It was a perfect atmosphere for the band to relax and capture some of the feel of their early EPs.

The first single, ‘Long Drag’ (matinée 089) is surprisingly groovy with its schoolyard beat and staccato handclaps. The song was originally recorded as a straight-ahead rocker, but after playing a cut-up dub version for some friends the band decided to keep it.

More surprises follow with ‘We’re Not Lost,’ a brooding anthem to teenage heartache with its angular guitars and snap-tight drumming. Meanwhile, ‘My Crooked Arms’ strips away the drums and bass to reveal an emotional core of raw lyrics and guitars, accented beautifully by cello.

For you vinyl aficionados, side two opens with ‘We Didn’t Run From Anyone,’ a country-leaning ballad about love on the rocks (what else?), with Ethan’s gentle fingerpicking and breezy organ setting the scene.

The album closes with a dramatic one-two punch. ‘That’s What Love Is’ is a classic jangly rocker that’s sure to please the most ardent anoraks with its shades of Brighter, while the album’s final surprise, ‘Road Carry Me Home,’ is a lovely piano and cello driven heartbreaker.

If that wasn’t enough, the sleeve design features stunning papercraft artwork by Brooklyn artist Tae Won Yu that particularly shines in the larger vinyl format.

As 2014 will mark ten years since we first fell in love with Math and Physics Club, ‘Our Hearts Beat Out Loud’ shows they can still surprise us.

The album is officially released November 19th on CD (in handsome eco-wallet) plus digital formats, and there is also a limited edition 12” pressing for all you vinyl snobs that is especially attractive. We’ll activate the order button in a few days once we take delivery of the vinyl so please see the Matinée shop for details.

While you wait, here are a few favorites from the new album. Enjoy!

Our awesome pressing plant is working overtime these days and we are juggling release dates to get everything out before the holiday madness sets in. The bonus for you, dear popfan, is that the brand new third album ‘Some Like It Pop’ (matcd067) from popular Glasgow band Bubblegum Lemonade is now available weeks earlier than anticipated! Here are some details:

The instantly loveable album is perfectly structured to ebb and flow from upbeat to downbeat and from fuzzy to clean across a dozen effervescent pop songs. The album kicks off with the poignant track ‘This Is The New Normal’ with plenty of jangling guitars on display plus a dose of violin and a nice helping of ba-ba-ba’s.

‘It’s Got To Be Summer’ has bits of glockenspiel, chiming guitars, and shimmering harmonies that recall fellow Scottish heroes Teenage Fanclub, while ‘Famous Blue Anorak’ is up-tempo jangly pop reminiscent of The Pooh Sticks and ‘Don’t Hurry Baby’ is like a downbeat Mary Chain meets the Walker Brothers with Sandra from Strawberry Whiplash on backing vocals.

‘Dead Poets Make Me Smile’ is an instant classic with guitars that recall The Smiths or The Wedding Present and lyrics about James Dean and Oscar Wilde, among others. It’s a clear single contender and the perfect song to balance the darker shades of the acoustic, reflective ‘You Can’t Go Back Again’ that follows.

Side two of the album opens with acclaimed first single ‘Have You Seen Faith?’—a secular hymn to missed opportunities with jangling, strumming riffs, great sixties harmonies, and an especially memorable chorus.

‘She Brings The Sunshine’ is another potential single—an optimistic jangle pop classic with a skipping drum rhythm that should make it a future student disco staple, while ‘First Rule Of Book Club’ begins in the library before layering in 12-string guitars and tambourines that build to a mesmerizing climax.

‘Your Valentine (Takes Me Back In Time)’ is a fuzzy guitar hit influenced by The Buzzcocks and early My Bloody Valentine that features more backing vox by Sandra from Strawberry Whiplash, while ‘Falling In Love With A Sad Song’ is a post modern disco nugget with major seventh guitar chords and knowing lyrics.

The album closes with ‘Mr. Dreaming’s Bland House’—a keen observation on urban planning and the first Bubblegum Lemonade song ever to reach the four-minute mark. It begins like a late period song by The Jam before visiting The Stone Roses on its way to a psychedelic wigout and perfect ending to the album.

Showcasing the latest from a never-ending pipeline of Bubblegum Lemonade hits, ‘Some Like It Pop’ is an accomplished, melodic gem and another modern classic for Matinée.

The album is officially released November 12th in a fantastic looking eco-wallet plus digital formats, but you can secure a copy RIGHT NOW from the Matinée shop. Here’s a little something to listen to while you speed through our efficient checkout process. More previews coming soon too!

‘A Sunday Matinée’ (matcd064) is a very special compilation celebrating our 15th anniversary as a record label. Instead of looking back on past achievements, however, we invited 15 Matinée artists to contribute a previously unreleased, exclusive, or rare recording to this collection and the result is a smashing success!

Australian collective Bart and Friends start the album off right with the ace autumnal pop of ‘There’s No Place,’ while Danish favorites Northern Portrait turn up the jangle with a brilliant new song called ‘The Young and Hopefuls’ and popular Scottish act Bubblegum Lemonade deliver another pop classic with ‘You Can’t Be Sad All The Time.’

Celebrated Irish fivesome September Girls show off their ace harmonies on the haunting, reverb soaked ‘Danny Wood,’ Simpático delivers the finest in Australian electro pop with the mesmerizing track ‘The Rays,’ and England showcases its first of three bands with the legendary Would-Be-Goods and their magnificent cover of the Martha and the Vandellas classic ‘No More Tearstained Makeup.’

Englishmen Charlie Big Time follow up their recent EP with a positively swinging new song ‘One Step Closer To Enemies,’ while sorely missed Australian hitmakers The Lucksmiths contribute the second cover song on the album with a brilliant version of the Jonathan Richman track ‘When I’m Walking’ and Swedish band The Electric Pop Group break a four-year silence with the ultra jangly new song ‘Parliament Square.’

Scottish duo Strawberry Whiplash return with a fuzzy pop gem called ‘September Saturday,’ Seattle’s Math and Physics Club channel their inner Housemartins with the harmonica-rich pop of ‘I Know It’s Over,’ and Australia celebrates its fourth contribution with the mighty new song ‘Through The Curtain’ from The Steinbecks.

Brazil’s Pale Sunday showcases the best in South American pop with an excellent new song ‘In The Hardest Moment,’ while elusive American expats (and former Fairways) Clay Hips contribute great new track ‘Someone Who Wanders’ and English act Melodie Group conclude things in fine fashion with their first song in eight years called ‘Only Forever.’

The album will be released November 12th in a deluxe eco-wallet with one of those snazzy vinyl disc CDs plus digital formats. Preorders begin soon in the Matinée shop. In the meantime, we’ll be premiering songs all week long on Soundcloud and on the player below. This is essential listening so enjoy!

The new album ‘Beyond The Dreams There’s Infinite Doubt’ (matcd063) from celebrated Swedish pop act Azure Blue is out today!

Capturing the hearts of music lovers around the world with the debut album ‘Rule Of Thirds’ (matcd059), Azure Blue earned international critical praise, won a Swedish independent grammy for best pop album in 2012, and enjoyed exposure on both Swedish national TV and Spanish national radio.

The new album builds on the success of the debut with highly personal and deeply romantic songwriting bathed in especially polished production. Lead single ‘The Road I Know’ has been described as “a cacophony of vintage synthesizers battling for attention over a bed of whiplash electronic drums, all toned down by Tobias Isaksson’s romantic, softly delivered vocals.”

Among many album highlights, opening track ‘Time Is On Our Side’ showcases elegant, warm vocals set to ambitiously sweeping instrumentation, while ‘Willows and Pines’ displays a downbeat splendor of captivating electronica and ‘Sunset’ is a hypnotic and especially ebullient masterpiece that sparkles in all the right places.

The album had its streaming premiere last week courtesy of respected pop culture site PopMatters, and today brings an exclusive interview and the premiere of a brand new video for album opener ‘Time Is On Our Side’ on the fantastic Interview Magazine!

The music press is definitely taking note, with some spectacular early reviews surfacing already:

“Beyond The Dreams There’s Infinite Doubt is a record filled with unabashed wonder, pastel coloured hues and heart flipping melodies … a lustrous sea of texture and emotion that’s delivered with incredible panache.” —The Line Of Best Fit

“Lovely synth-pop gems that dazzle like something from Factory Records’ salad days.” —Linear Tracking Lives

“Like a clear summer sky or a particularly satisfying Dulux colour, Azure Blue is easy to get lost in.” —Time Out London

“Beyond the Dreams There’s Infinite Doubt continues the melancholic, New Order-for-dreamers vibe… weaving together a synth- and drum-machine-fueled, slow-motion disco.” —Interview Magazine

“A melange of ’80s synthpop textures and ’90s shoegaze vocals mixed with that wall of sound perfected by pop music back in the ’60s … yet this music sounds utterly contemporary.” —PopMatters

“Beyond The Dreams There’s Infinite Doubt is ten tracks of polished pure sentimental indie pop … majestically warm and simultaneously aloof like Behaviour by Pet Shop Boys.” —Deadly Music

“The album is an altogether darker affair than Isaksson’s debut, but retains the melodic fortitude, the hypnotic hooks and reverb-laden delicacy that we’ve come to love from the Swedish artist. “—JaJaJa Music

“A wonderfully crafted album. —Seesound

The album is available in deluxe matte finish eco-wallet and digital formats from trusty record retailers including our very own Matinée shop. You can preview four of the ace album tracks on the Soundcloud player below:

Our latest 45s are the top sellers on the Matinée hit parade at the moment and they are enjoying great reviews in the music press as well. The current number one is the debut ‘Real Tears’ 7” (matinée 090) on transparent blue vinyl from English quintet Seabirds. Here are choice quotes about the single from six people in the know:

“A storming debut … a triumph of five people capturing a moment and time in three minutes, like all the best seven inch singles … one quite glorious debut single.” —A Layer of Chips

“Love at first listen … Matinée Recordings just found another unmissable new band … stunning jangle-pop with rocking guitars and male-female soaring vocals … we want MORE!” —Bloodbuzzed

“As pure a slice of jangly rock as you’ll hear all year.” —Gold Flake Paint

“Two top class indie pop songs with energetically played guitars, sincere lead vocals and excellent harmonies … an extremely well-crafted debut release.” —When You Motor Away

“Like a disaffected distant cousin of B&S [who] nonchalantly swigs a premium-strength brew of Butcher Boy, Tompaulin and approximately 92 Scandinavian pop heroes.” —In Love With These Times, In Spite Of These Times

“In short, a triumph!” —Troublezine

Have a listen to ‘Real Tears’ here to see what all the fuss is about:

Seattle trio Math and Physics Club are selling strong in the shop with their new ‘Long Drag’ 7” (matinée 089) on coke bottle green vinyl. The single is basking in praise from around the world and here are some of the superb things written about it so far:

“This is not the Math and Physics Club your parents knew and they are all the better for it! More like this please.” —The Finest Kiss

“If you want to know what the best single to be released this year is, then look no further than the mighty Math and Physics Club who continue to lead the way in perfect pop with the hand-clap laden Long Drag.” —A Layer of Chips

“Pure indie-pop goodness.” —Backseat Mafia

“Long Drag is well worth the wait … a punchy bassline, B52s guitars, crisp handclaps and a subdued vocal performance make for a wonderfully understated yet superbly poppy indie smash in the making.” —Listen with Monger

“Charming and sublime.” —The Big Takeover

“Long Drag is simply stunning, pulse-beating, addictive and joyful … what a comeback!” —Bloodbuzzed

Here’s a stream of ‘Long Drag’ to play while you continue reading:

Australian band The Steinbecks are another favorite with their first release in six years, the splendid ‘At Arkaroo Rock’ 7” (matinée 088) on classic black vinyl. Here’s what the indie press has to say about the single:

“At Arkaroo Rock gradually permeates your brain with its delicate charms and simple melodies… a quite beautiful song.” —Sounds XP

“Their new single harkens beautifully back to those old Sugargliders days, from the influence of Aztec Camera (think ‘We Could Send Letters’) in the guitar and vocals to the conspiratorial closeness of it all.” —Mess + Noise

“Moth-delicate, with gently cascading vocal lines and a glistening spun web of guitars … it operates at a dizzying level of exquisiteness.” —In Love With These Times, In Spite Of These Times

“At Arkaroo Rock is a gentle, lilting, meandering song with dreamy, Chris Isaak guitars and bass line that waitresses will simply have to wiggle their bums to.” —Listen with Monger

“Green, lush introspective pop music with inch perfect guitar phrases and the usual love of nature that comes through on all Meadows brothers recordings.” —A Layer of Chips

“Fabulous guitar pop from Australia.” —Rockerilla

You can hear ‘At Arkaroo Rock’ on the player below:

Finally, the bubblegum pink vinyl ‘Have You Seen Faith?’ 7” (matinée 087) from Scottish hitmakers Bubblegum Lemonade is flying off the shelves and here are a few of our favorite quotes from recent reviews:

“Have You Seen Faith? is a lilting, harmony-laden track, complete with Rickenbacker solo and infectious little chorus. Whatever the time of day and mood, there’s always time in your day for little pop gems like this.” —Backseat Mafia

“The sound, as ever, is pristine indiepop and the melodies are typically wonderful.” —The Sound of Confusion

“Have You Seen Faith has the Byrds jangle and adds a little of the Stone Roses more melancholy side to the equation. Bonus points for writing the answer to Heavenly‘s Cool Guitar Boy on the b-side.” —The Finest Kiss

“The hazy Byrds-like title track moves from gentle drawn out vocals to a super melodic guitar figure, while ‘Cool Guitar Girl’ transports the sweet C86 pop of Primal Scream’s superlative ‘Velocity Girl’ across the Atlantic and ‘Angry Birds’ hits a melodic sweetspot … a brief but brilliant record.” —Rave Child

“Have You Seen Faith is one of those magical moments in pop music.” —When You Motor Away

“Another trio of timeless songs.” —Sounds XP

Have a listen to the ace title track now if you’d like:

All four singles are available now in the Matinée shop in both physical and digital formats. Please see the updated catalog pages for complete release details including soundclips and full reviews. Hurrah for 7” vinyl!

The brilliant new album ‘Beyond The Dreams There’s Infinite Doubt’ (matcd063) from acclaimed Swedish pop act Azure Blue is now available from the Matinée shop!

The celebrated solo project of Tobias Isaksson, Azure Blue captured the hearts of music lovers around the world with the debut album ‘Rule Of Thirds’ (matcd059) and promotional tour covering ten countries in the past two years. The album received astounding critical praise, winning a Swedish independent grammy—the Manifest award—for best pop album in 2012 and enjoying exposure on both Swedish national TV and Spanish national radio. Among the outstanding reviews for the album, The Line Of Best Fit (UK) called it “nostalgia fuelled pop harking back to the heyday of Factory Records,” while Blurt Magazine (USA) named it “the best electro-pop record in recent memory.” Azure Blue toured extensively on the back of the success of the debut, across Europe in 2012 and taking in a live North American debut at the New York City Popfest in June of this year.

‘Beyond The Dreams There’s Infinite Doubt’ builds on the tremendous success of the debut with highly personal and deeply romantic songwriting bathed in especially polished production. Lead single ‘The Road I Know’ has been described as “a cacophony of vintage synthesizers battling for attention over a bed of whiplash electronic drums, all toned down by Tobias Isaksson’s romantic, softly delivered vocals.” The song is incredibly melodic and majestic all at once and recalls the magnificence of the Pet Shop Boys or New Order at their very best. Among many album highlights, opening track ‘Time Is On Our Side’ showcases Tobias’ elegant, warm vocals set to ambitiously sweeping instrumentation, while ‘Willows and Pines’ displays a downbeat splendor of captivating electronica and ‘Sunset’ is a hypnotic and especially ebullient masterpiece that sparkles in all the right places. You can preview these tracks on the Soundcloud player below.

Legendary music magazine PopMatters premiered the new album today, writing “Azure Blue creates a melange of ’80s synthpop textures and ’90s shoegaze vocals mixed with that wall of sound perfected by pop music back in the ’60s … yet this music sounds utterly contemporary.” PopMatters is hosting a stream of the full album today as well so head their way if you’d like to hear more.

The official release date of the album is October 8 but you can get a copy RIGHT NOW exclusively from the Matinée shop. Enjoy!

The impressive debut single from new English band Seabirds is out today! Entitled ‘Real Tears’ (matinée 090), the two–track 7″ is available on transparent sea blue vinyl and digital formats and is the current top seller in the Matinée shop. Fresh off an appearance at this summer’s Indietracks Festival, the Nottingham five piece have delivered the perfect debut featuring superb melodies, multiple guitars, soaring male vocals, and great female harmonies.

Lead track ‘Real Tears’ is a catchy and absolutely irresistible song set in the North West of England. A story about the first time you see somebody cry, the song starts with a carefully strummed guitar and male vocals but layers in rhythm guitars, female backing vocals, and dynamic percussion before reaching its dramatic conclusion. Flipside ‘Oh Buoy!’ turns up the guitars for a song about the excitement of a new relationship, and showcases some ace 60s jangle, more female harmonies, and a pretty excellent guitar solo.

The single recalls contemporary Scottish legends Belle and Sebastian if they grew up in a tougher part of town or the American band Voxtrot sifted through an English pop filter. It’s a very promising start for a young band and an excellent addition to the Matinée discography!

The 7” is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on colored vinyl and comes with a free download code. If you purchase a copy from the Matinée shop you’ll get a free immediate download of the songs as well. You can preview both tracks on our Soundcloud player below. Enjoy!

Swedish pop sensations Azure Blue return to the new release shelves October 8th with a brilliant new album ‘Beyond The Dreams There’s Infinite Doubt’ (matcd063) in deluxe matte finish eco-wallet CD and digital formats.

The album features the first new Azure Blue recordings since the warmly received debut album ‘Rule of Thirds’ (matcd059). The debut received astounding critical praise, winning a Swedish independent grammy—the Manifest award—for best pop album in 2012 and enjoying exposure on both Swedish national TV and Spanish national radio.

Among the outstanding reviews for the album, The Line Of Best Fit (UK) called it “nostalgia fuelled pop harking back to the heyday of Factory Records,” while Blurt Magazine (USA) named it “the best electro-pop record in recent memory.” Azure Blue toured extensively on the back of the success of the debut, across Europe in 2012 and taking in a live North American debut at the New York City Popfest in June of this year.

The new album builds on the tremendous success of the debut with highly personal and deeply romantic songwriting bathed in especially polished production. Lead single ‘The Road I Know’ has been described as “a cacophony of vintage synthesizers battling for attention over a bed of whiplash electronic drums, all toned down by Tobias Isaksson’s romantic, softly delivered vocals.” The song is incredibly melodic and majestic all at once and recalls the magnificence of the Pet Shop Boys or New Order at their very best.

Among many album highlights, opening track ‘Time Is On Our Side’ showcases Tobias’ elegant, warm vocals set to ambitiously sweeping instrumentation, while ‘Willows and Pines’ displays a downbeat splendor of captivating electronica and ‘Sunset’ is a hypnotic and especially ebullient masterpiece that sparkles in all the right places.

Preorders begin soon in the Matinée shop. In the meantime, have a listen to album highlights ‘The Road I Know’ and ‘Willows and Pines’ on the player below. A third track ‘Sunset’ will premiere here on Friday so check back then for another taste of this great album!

The debut single ‘Real Tears’ (matinée 090) from new English band Seabirds is just back from the pressing plant so you lucky ducks can order your very own copy now from the Matinée shop! Fresh off an appearance at this summer’s Indietracks Festival, the Nottingham five-piece has delivered the perfect debut featuring superb melodies, multiple guitars, soaring male vocals, and great female harmonies.

The title track is a catchy and absolutely irresistible song set in the North West of England. A story about the first time you see somebody cry, the song starts with a carefully strummed guitar and male vocals but layers in rhythm guitars, female backing vocals, and dynamic percussion before reaching its dramatic conclusion. The song is now featured on our Soundcloud and the player below if you’d like a preview. Flipside ‘Oh Buoy!’ turns up the guitars for a song about the excitement of a new relationship, and showcases some ace 60s jangle, more female harmonies, and a pretty excellent guitar solo. Top quality stuff.

The single recalls contemporary Scottish legends Belle and Sebastian if they grew up in a tougher part of town or the American band Voxtrot sifted through an English pop filter. It’s a very promising start for a young band and an excellent addition to the Matinée discography.

The 7″ is pressed on transparent sea blue vinyl in a limited edition of 500 hand-numbered copies. The official release date is September 24 but you can get a copy RIGHT NOW exclusively from the Matinée shop where you’ll also find smashing new 7″ singles from Math and Physics Club, The Steinbecks, and Bubblegum Lemonade plus a host of other great releases.