Following on the heels of our Bart and Friends announcement earlier in the week, we are now delighted to report that the fantastic English trio Charlie Big Time is releasing a new single on Matinée!

Originally a duo of Matthew Pendlebury and Chris Tiplady, Charlie Big Time released its debut EP on the celebrated Cloudberry Records in 2007 followed by an album on Series Two and appearances on several indie compilations. More recently, the two met former Aberdeen and Trembling Blue Stars vocalist Beth Arzy and invited her north to add some vocal magic to their latest creations. Lucky for us, they decided to share the fruits of their labor with us and we were instantly hooked!

The debut Charlie Big Time release for Matinée is the ‘Dishevelled Revellers’ EP (matinée 082) and it is off to the pressing plant this week so you can expect a release by the end of June. The EP includes ‘Dishevelled Revellers” plus ‘The Liberation of Love’, ‘Real Estate’ and ‘Passion and Headaches’ and our favorite changes every day it seems because the EP is A-sides start to finish. It has a classic English indie sound but Beth’s absolutely lovely harmonies add a dose of California sunshine to the proceedings so it swings in all the right places. Previous releases received lots of comparisons to The Smiths but these songs have a more modern approach and fans of Matinée favorites Lovejoy or Trembling Blue Stars and Aberdeen will certainly not be disappointed.

Look for more release details and a preorder in the Matinée shop early next month. While you wait, you can enjoy the smashing track ‘The Liberation of Love’ on the the Soundcloud player below.

The band has also made a handful of videos for the EP so here’s a preview of the ace track ‘Real Estate’ for you as well. Hurrah for new Matinée bands and their infinite enthusiasm!

We promised you new Matinée artists so here’s the first of two big announcements this week: the magnificent Australian band Bart and Friends have joined the Matinée roster!

From humble beginnings in the 1990s in Girl of the World to founding member of The Cat’s Miaow (and later Hydroplane, Pencil Tin and The Shapiros), indiepop icon Bart Cummings has spent two decades warming our hearts with his jangly pop nuggets. With a cast of other Australian luminaries, Bart and Friends debuted around the turn of the century with releases on the esteemed Drive In Records (hi Mike!) and Bart’s own Library Records. Nearly a decade later, Bart and (some new) Friends made a very welcome return with a superb EP and mini-album on the always hip Lost and Lonesome Recording Company imprint.

The new releases were handsomely received by critics and old-school fans alike so we were delighted when Bart got in touch with us earlier this year with his latest batch of songs. Joining Bart in the current lineup are Mark Monnone (The Lucksmiths), Louis Richter (The Lucksmiths, Mid State Orange), and Jeremy Cole (The Zebras), with vocal stylings by Pam Berry (The Pines, The Shapiros, Glo Worm, Black Tambourine, etc.) and Scott Stevens (Summer Cats, The Earthmen). Can you say supergroup?

The debut Bart and Friends release for Matinée is the ‘There May Come A Time’ EP (matinée 081) showcasing Pam’s incomparable vocals across six fantastic songs. With the superb title track, the band has accidentally recorded their first three-minute pop song which is certainly remarkable to any student of Bart’s previous work!

Other tracks on the EP include a cover version of the Elvis Presley classic ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ and new gems ‘A Kiss You Won’t Forget’ and ‘There Are So Many Things I’d Like To See’ plus two favorites—‘These Words Are Too Small’ and ‘A Summer’s Dream’—from the sold out first EP for Lost and Lonesome. It’s a smashing release and we’re very excited to have it come out on Matinée in late June. We will share more release details and start taking preorders in the Matinée shop on the first of the month. While you wait, you can enjoy the magnificent title track on the Soundcloud player below.

Welcome to the amazing new Matinée website! To celebrate our 15th anniversary as a record label we decided to treat ourselves to a complete site redesign so check out what we’ve done!

The spiffy news page (you’re here!) is the source of all the latest information as always but we’ve improved the layout with nice large images and embedded soundclips throughout the page so you can listen to music while you catch up on the latest Matinée news. The navigation bar is now at the top of the page so you can always tell where you are (in white) and where to go next (in black).

The new and improved catalog pages are the best source of information for each release, identifying catalog number, release date, tracklisting, and promotional text plus reviews. Some pages include free mp3 downloads and links to available videos too. Each page presents all available formats (cd, vinyl, and direct digital downloads), plus links to iTunes, eMusic and Amazon for additional digital options. One of the great new features of each catalog page is the ability to add an item straight to your shopping cart (more on that below). The main catalog page is also the place to see the complete Matinée discography all in one place.

Our newly updated artist pages have everything you need to know about your favorite Matinée bands, including a listing of all releases plus handy links to further reading such as interviews and artist features. Each artist page also provides current links to websites and popular social networking sites including Facebook, Myspace and Soundcloud.

The sounds page is completely new as we threw out everything from the prior site and built it up from scratch using a new Soundcloud player. The page currently features carefully curated tracks from recent releases but we’ll be adding more to the page over time including back catalog tracks and other special features. You can download, stream, like and share songs straight from the sounds page or use it as a handy jukebox to play some great songs while you work. Try it out! We can also highlight songs here on the news page so you have entertainment while you’re here too. A little Azure Blue anyone?

The stunning new Matinée shop is our other major upgrade and it’s really just ace! The main shop page presents six shopping categories (new releases, singles, albums, vinyl, digital downloads, and other swag) plus a proper home at last for the Matinée hit parade, our list of top sellers each month. Within each category you can view a handy grid of all available releases and clicking on the release takes you to the individual catalog pages where you can see all buying options. The direct digital downloads are all new so if you have an aversion to the popular download sites you can now purchase your downloads straight from us which helps our bands out even more. You’ll also find exclusive downloads here for the early vinyl-only releases that never made it onto other download sites. We have pulled all download files straight from the original masters so they are high quality 320 kbps digital files and they sound great. You’ll also get instant downloads for physical releases now too! When you log into the site you can check your order history and manage all digital downloads. We have a fancy new shopping cart and secure credit card facilities in addition to paypal so you have greater choice with your orders. The shopping cart presents various shipping options and hopefully an easier shopping experience overall so check it out and please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions for making it better.

The archive is our library of documents including Matinée interviews and features, annual lists of artist favorites, and results of our annual fanclub polls. It’s an insomniac’s dream!

Finally, we have a new contact page with our postal and email address, links to Matinée pages on various social media sites, a place to sign up for the Matinée fanclub newsletter, a short history of the label and even a demo policy after all these years. If you haven’t already liked the Matinée page on Facebook now is the perfect time to do so. We post things on Facebook pretty regularly and will also be using the page for special shop promotions including discount codes and special sales. Please also follow our brand new Soundcloud page as we’ll be adding new songs in the coming weeks that you won’t want to miss.

Redesigning the website has given us the opportunity to listen to all of the nearly 150 Matinée releases again as we worked to encode everything digitally. As I mentioned, all of the 7″ singles from the early days of the label are available digitally for the first time ever and exclusively here for the time being so treat your iPod to something new! We are in the process of adding all reviews back to catalog pages as this was one feature of the old site that couldn’t transfer over. This task has really made me appreciate the fantastic support we have received over the years from the music press. I can’t start naming writers individually as I would inevitably leave somebody important off the list but you know who you are and we can’t thank you enough for your tremendous help in spreading the word about Matinée bands the past 15 years.

Of course none of this would be possible without the brilliant work of Chris and Arianne at IndiePages and Aeolidia. They created the first Matinée website in 2000, have constantly encouraged me to do more with the site, and haven’t once told me something was impossible … aside from importing the thousands of reviews from the old site. They really are extraordinary people and I can’t thank them enough for their fantastic ideas and execution. Finally, huge thanks also to all the brilliant Matinée artists for entrusting us with your incredible releases and to our remarkably loyal fans as we would be nothing without your support. We’re really proud of everything we have accomplished with the label in the past 15 years and we’re excited to see what the future will bring.

In other top news, our sensational Swedish pals The Electric Pop Group are playing the New York City Popfest this week! The show is Saturday, May 19 at Public Assembly with the brilliant Pushy Parents plus Comet Gain, The Pooh Sticks and Seapony. It’s a stellar lineup from start to finish with The Holiday Crowd, Burning Hearts, Speedmarket Avenue, Dot Dash, Allo’ Darlin and White Town among the many bands playing the four-day festival. See the Popfest website for details. Rumor has it the boys have some new recordings planned for later this year and they might just preview something in New York.

We are finalizing details of six (!) new singles at the moment, including the very welcome return of The Hermit Crabs, Pale Sunday, Northern Portrait and Bubblegum Lemonade … plus two exciting new Matinée artists! We are bursting to tell you the news so watch this space as we’ll be announcing the new bands and more release details next week.

Have fun exploring the website and please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions. We are really excited about it and hope you like what we’ve done!

Hey pop purists – here’s a bit more news about our latest smash hits. We’ve provided entertainment right here so you can listen while you read.

The new 12-track album ‘All Blackshirts To Me’ (matcd061) from fantastic Finns Cats on Fire continues to impress – just check out some of these glowing quotes from recent reviews as evidence!

“European album of the year. Avail yourselves immediately.” —The Guardian

“A smart and stylish album.” —In Love With These Times

“All Blackshirts To Me is pretty much perfect. .. it really feels as though Cats On Fire have come of age … deliciously enticing and fulfilling … gently irresistible … a great bunch of tunes.” —Sounds XP

“A real winner and possibly Cats On Fire’s finest record yet.” —The Finest Kiss

“That they are producing their best work after eleven long years is testament to the band’s timeless ability to add social and political intelligence as well as musical virtuosity to the full spectrum that pop has to offer.” —Indie 30

“An instantly likable … imaginative and alluring album.” —Pennyblack Magazine

Our favorite songs from the album continue to change, with the majestic ‘A Few Empty Waves’, the rollicking ‘Smash It To Pieces’ and the absolutely sublime ‘The Sea Within You’ taking top honors this week although ‘1914 and Beyond’ is also frequently on repeat. Please see the ’All Blackshirts To Me’ page for more release information including full reviews. Get yours now in the Matinée shop!

The debut album ‘Hits In The Car’ (matcd060) from our favorite Scottish duo Strawberry Whiplash is also basking in the media spotlight, with brilliant accolades coming in from just about everywhere. Here’s a sampling of the latest fantastic reviews:

“A near-perfect blend of jangle and fuzz” and “a well-crafted update on the classic girl pop sound of bands like the Shop Assistants and Heavenly.” —All Music Guide

“More of that sun-drenched jangle (think early Primal Scream, The Primitives, Heavenly and Jesus & Mary Chain and you’re on the right street… hell, you’re in the driveway), and while there may not be much sun in Scotland most of the time, this record will brighten up the sky every time it’s on.” —Blurt

“A great example of guitar driven pop with an abundance of catchy tunes that will make you want to hitch a permanent ride with Laz and Sandra.” —Sounds XP

“Strawberry Whiplash could have easily contented themselves with being a phenomenal singles band … but with Hits In The Car, the band have proven that they can be—and are—so much more than that.” —The Indie Handbook

“An immediately catchy indie-pop album, strong on melodies, with the right amount of fuzz and reverb texturing things up.” —PopMatters

“A versatile record with a full sound … there’s something for everyone here.” —Record Turnover

The album really is one hit after another from the infectious ‘Picture Perfect’ and ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ to the fuzzy pop of ‘You Make Me Shine’ and ‘It Came To Nothing.’ Our current favorite is the should-have-been-a-single shimmering pop hit ‘What Do They Say About Me?’ which is on the player above if you fancy a listen. For full reviews and more information, please see the ’Hits In The Car’ page. It’s the top seller on the Matinée hit parade this month for good reason so get to the shop to secure your copy.

In celebration of Record Store Day on Saturday, we’re having a nice sale in the Matinée shop all weekend long! We know everybody doesn’t have the luxury of walking around the corner to a hip record shop these days and recognize that even if you can, some of the Matinée back catalog is difficult to find in shops.

During this sale, every available item in the Matinée discography is reduced including the latest releases. We have 7” and cd singles as low as $1.50 each, and cd albums starting at $5 each. Please see the shop for details. The sale ends Sunday night (April 22) so get there quick for the best selection!

The brilliant debut album ‘Hits In The Car’ (matcd060) from Scottish duo Strawberry Whiplash is now featured on the new release shelf at a record merchant near you! The album is generating amazing reviews so far and here are quotes from some of our early favorites:

“Showing off songwriting nous, dashes of musical variety and an effortlessly-harboured story arc, Hits In The Car makes for a truly impressive first album. They’ve come a long way from Boy In The Bubble Car, you know: they might have been Isetta then, but they’re Isotta-Fraschini now.” —In Love With These Times

“Upbeat, infectious and so very jangly. Just as we like it here at The Yellow Stereo.” —The Yellow Stereo

“I liked the previous EP’s from Strawberry Whiplash, but they didn’t really allude to how good this record would be. Hits In the Car is a record that upholds the rich Glaswegian indiepop tradition started long ago by Orange Juice, the Pastels, Teenage Fanclub and the Vaselines. Probably 30 years from now, kids will be Tumbling Strawberry Whiplash songs to each other via surgical implants. Why wait for the nostalgia trip? Get in on the ground floor!” —The Finest Kiss

“Loaded with light, fizzy late 80s hook-filled jangle pop. Great stuff!” —Get Bent

“Okay, no surprise. It’s been foreshadowed. It’s everyone who is anyone’s pick of the week. I exhibit no originality in this choice. Oh, btw, one more thing…it’s absolutely an amazing listen. And again. Over, and over. New Release of the Week!” —Indie Pop Saved My Life

“Concise pop nuggets [that] echo the influences of The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Shop Assistants, The Primitives and Phil Spector produced girl groups.” —When You Motor Away

“The new Strawberry Whiplash album has finally arrived and I don’t mind saying it’s probably the best record I’ve bought this week. It’s called Hits In The Car and features thirteen tracks of pure pop brilliance.” —Burning World

“British Summertime officially starts today and Hits In The Car should encourage you to look forward to some carefree days in the sun.” —God Is In The TV

“No matter what, you’re going to find yourself loving it. It’s simple, it’s poppy, it’s experimental; really, it’s just a gem of a record.” —Austin Town Hall

“Thirteen tracks of summery bliss.” —Fuzzbook

For release details, reviews, and more information, please see the catalog page, and the Matinée and Strawberry Whiplash pages on Facebook. The album is shaping up to be as popular as the debut albums from labelmates Math and Physics Club and Northern Portrait, so order yours now in the Matinée shop. All the cool kids have one.

You can preview the superb ‘Now I Know It’s You’ on the Soundcloud player below. Enjoy!

The new album ‘All Blackshirts To Me’ (matcd061) from Finnish indie darlings Cats on Fire is now available worldwide and the early reviews are starting to surface. Here are some of our favorite press quotes so far:

“Many argue that Cats On Fire are the best indie-pop band in Finland at the moment. Their third album All Blackshirts To Me is out this month [and] it is their best yet.” —The Guardian

“A tightly produced album which feels as fresh as a shiny glacier.” —Indie 30

“All Blackshirts to Me is their most varied, accomplished work to date.” —The L Magazine

“Impossible to resist.” —Records Abroad

“The finest indie pop band in the world in my books and All Blackshirts To Me is once again a wonderful record.” —One Chord To Another

“Cats on Fire create such a beautiful lush sound, I want you to listen up.” —God Is In The TV

“All Blackshirts to Me is an album to be treasured.” —A Layer of Chips

“The most accomplished recording the band’s put together yet, which will surely have fans of any sort of indie-pop raving over the group.” —Austin Town Hall

“Cats on Fire has mastered the ability to craft and perform a song that pulls you in and surrounds you until the final note.” —When You Motor Away

The album is generating lots of press further abroad as well, with ace reviews coming in from the band’s native Finland plus France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, and more.

For more information, please see the catalog page and the Matinée and Cats on Fire pages on Facebook.

You can preview the ace album track ‘A Few Empty Waves’ on the convenient player below. Get a copy of the CD for yourself in the Matinée shop!

The remarkable debut album ‘Hits In The Car’ (matcd060) from Scottish noise pop enthusiasts Strawberry Whiplash is out March 27 but we are taking preorders for it now in the Matinée shop!

The duo’s three singles—‘Who’s In Your Dreams’ EP (2008); ‘Picture Perfect’ EP (2009); and ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ EP (2011)—have earned international admiration including strong reviews in Magnet, All Music Guide, Blurt, The Big Takeover, Sounds XP, Is This Music, and Calle 20, among others. The releases have been celebrated by countless blogs and radio shows, including ‘song of the day’ honors on influential American station KEXP and spins on national radio in the UK and Spain. ‘Picture Perfect’ has even crossed over into mainstream culture with a fan-made Youtube clip generating over 130,000 views to date.

Building on the success of these singles, ‘Hits In The Car’ presents an anorak concept album narrating an evolving relationship from initial chat-up line to Dear John letter. Accordingly, it starts off bright in tone and gets progressively darker as the tracks roll on. The album has the usual influences, including The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Primitives, Lush, The Shop Assistants, Astrud Gilberto, My Bloody Valentine, and Mazzy Star.

Album opener ‘Do You Crash Here Often?’ is a fuzzy pop pick-up line that recalls the melodic best of Blondie, while ‘Everybody’s Texting’ is a commentary on instant messaging and the excitement of a new courtship and ‘Now I Know It’s You’ is blissful shoegaze pop with especially lush production.

Matching the enthusiasm of a new relationship, ‘Picture Perfect’ is a shimmering song that sets Sandra’s pitch perfect vocals and Laz’ chiming and fuzzy guitars to a primitive beat. A flawless slice of pop reminiscent of indie classics from The Primitives or Darling Buds, it’s a manic pop thrill that puts the ‘hit’ in ‘Hits In The Car’.

‘You Make Me Shine’ sees Laz stepping out for a magnificent duet with Sandra. Think Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood meets Sid and Nancy and you’re nearly there. Meanwhile, ‘Looking Out For Summer’ is an effervescent pop hit with zippy intro and Orange Juice guitars that serves as the perfect dose of audio sunshine for road trips in the convertible.

‘What Do They Say About Me?’ is catchy paranoid pop and a pivotal song on the album as it bridges the honeymoon phase of a relationship with the inevitable end. Meanwhile, ‘Dining Out In Paris and London’ is a continental rift with glockenspiel and major seventh chords. If George Orwell were alive and writing bittersweet indie pop, it might sound a bit like this.

‘Stop, Look and Listen’ is another smash hit with spirited intro, an embarrassingly catchy chorus, and driving rhythm, while ‘Another April’ is something altogether different—brooding reflective pop building to an especially tumultuous finish. Continuing in the noisy vein, ‘It Came To Nothing’ sees Strawberry Whiplash put on their pop assistants hats for a dancefloor filler with surf guitars and an extra dose of fuzz and feedback.

As the album draws to a close, ‘Sleepy Head’ features Laz on lead vox in a sublime shoegaze classic with seductive beats that recall the best of the mighty Pale Saints or My Bloody Valentine, while ‘First Light of Dawn’ details the subdued ending of the relationship in fine fashion.

A remarkable debut album, ‘Hits In The Car’ is thirteen smash hits for Strawberry Whiplash and another Scottish pop classic for Matinée!

While you visit the shop, you should probably pick up a copy of the ace red vinyl ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ 7″ (matinée 080) … and the ‘Picture Perfect’ CDEP (matinée 072) … and the ‘Who’s In Your Dreams’ CDEP (matinée 065) as they all contain non-album tracks that you’ll want to hear right away too. The 7″ is the current top seller in the shop and limited to just 500 copies worldwide so don’t delay or you might miss out.

If you are seeking immediate gratification, you can listen to several album tracks right now on the Soundcloud player below.   For more information, please see the catalog page and the Matinée and Strawberry Whiplash pages on Facebook.

The brilliant new album ‘All Blackshirts To Me’ (matcd061) from Finland’s fashionable indie darlings Cats on Fire is released March 27 but you can preorder it right now in the Matinée shop!

Here is the tracklisting: 1. Our Old Centre Back; 2. My Sense Of Pride; 3. A Different Light; 4. There Goes The Alarm; 5. After The Fact; 6. The Sea Within You; 7. 1914 and Beyond; 8. Well Well What Do You Know; 9. Smash It To Pieces; 10. It’s Clear Your Former Lover; 11. A Few Empty Waves; 12. Finnish Lace.

The band’s previous albums ‘The Province Complains’ (2007) and ‘Our Temperance Movement’ (2009) were widely acclaimed in the music press, including reviews in All Music Guide, The Big Takeover, Blurt, The Line of Best Fit, Mojo, NME, Pitchfork, and Pop Matters, among others. The band has played countless shows across Scandinavia, continental Europe, the UK and the US, including sets at the prestigious Emmaboda festival in Sweden, the Indietracks festival in England, and the New York City and San Francisco popfests.

The highly anticipated new album is an unequivocal success. While showcasing the astute lyrical reflections of Mattias Björkas (lead vocals, guitar), the album also reveals a more adventurous approach. Ville Hopponen (guitar, percussion) brings quirk and soul with his multi-instrumentalist wizardry, and Mattias even dares to let a few synthesized sounds into the mix, lightening up the band’s previously rather rigorous acoustic dogmas. Ably backed by Kenneth Höglund (bass) and new members Iiris Viljanen (piano, backing vocals) and Yrjö Ylijoki (drums), ‘All Blackshirts To Me’ is by far the richest sounding Cats on Fire album yet.

Lead single ‘My Sense of Pride’ is luxurious pop at its finest and perhaps quintessential Cats on Fire. Among the album’s other highlights, ‘A Few Empty Waves’ is an intriguing maritime tale with instantly memorable chorus and nice bursts of vibraphone, and ‘A Different Light’ is short smart pop with enticing melodies and lyrics. The album’s political observations are showcased on songs such as ‘1914 and Beyond’, a piano rich commentary on European affairs, and ‘Smash It To Pieces’, which juxtaposes contemptuous lyrics against jaunty, singalong pop with female harmonies and whistling.

Rich, intelligent and cosmopolitan, ‘All Blackshirts To Me’ is an accomplished pop triumph from one of the most celebrated indie groups of today!

For more information, please see the catalog page and the Matinée and Cats on Fire pages on Facebook. While you wait, you can listen to a few tracks on the Soundcloud player below. Enjoy!

The master for the debut album ‘Hits In The Car’ (matcd060) from Scottish duo Strawberry Whiplash has arrived so it’s off to the pressing plant this week! The album contains recent single ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ (matinée 080) and a new version of ‘Picture Perfect’ (matinée 072) plus eleven brand new recordings. Here’s the full tracklisting: 1. Do You Crash Here Often?; 2. Everybody’s Texting; 3. Now I Know It’s You; 4. Picture Perfect; 5. You Make Me Shine; 6. Looking Out For Summer; 7. What Do They Say About Me?; 8. Dining Out In Paris and London; 9. Stop, Look and Listen; 10. Another April; 11. It Came To Nothing; 12. Sleepy Head; 13. First Light of Dawn.

The album is released March 27, but preorders begin in a few days in the Matinée shop. In the meantime, you can stream  the ace album track ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ on the handy player below. The album is a classic folks so get ready!