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.

The new ‘At Arkaroo Rock’ 7” from legendary Australian band The Steinbecks is out now and a very welcome return it is! Their first release since the ‘Far From The Madding Crowd’ album in 2007 and first 7” since classics recorded for Summershine Records and Drive In Records in the 1990s, the new single (matinée 088) draws inspiration from ancient cave paintings at Australian indigenous cultural site Arkaroo Rock.

The song links the layers of a landscape’s history with the layers of a relationship—a theme familiar to fans of the band through songs like ‘Geology’ (1994), ‘The Lighthouse Act’ (1998), and ‘Bye Bye Baby’ (2007). Musically, ‘At Arkaroo Rock’ is lush and lovely—an oasis in a dry land. Myriad Marresque guitars riff, chime and jangle over a rock solid rhythm, with percussive flourishes adding a flair that will warm the hearts of Style Council, Aztec Camera, and Belle & Sebastian fans. The single version of ‘At Arkaroo Rock’ is a 4-minute radio edit; a longer version will appear on the forthcoming Steinbecks album, ‘Kick to kick with The Steinbecks’ later this year.

The single is backed by two exclusive tracks. ‘All Desires Known’ is arguably Josh and Joel Meadows’ most fragile, stripped back recorded moment since ‘Yr Jacket’, the last song they recorded as The Sugargliders. In contrast ‘Cabin Fever’ is an energetic ode to earthy love, reminiscent of The Monochrome Set, Tenpole Tudor and The Brilliant Corners.

The 7” is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on classic black vinyl, and as always, if you purchase a copy from the Matinée shop you’ll get a free immediate download of the songs as well!

We have a limited number of copies of classic Steinbecks albums on Summershine and Microindie Records in the Matinée shop at the moment so do the right thing and catch up on their backstory before their new album arrives later this year. The recent ‘A Nest With A View’ compilation (matcd062) from pre-Steinbecks band The Sugargliders is an essential piece of the history too but we’ve been bigging that one up on these very pages for the past year so surely you’ve secured a copy already, oui?

You can preview all three tracks from the ‘At Arkaroo Rock’ 7” right now on the handy Soundcloud player below. Enjoy!

Hey! The new ‘Long Drag’ 7” (matinée 089) from Seattle indie band Math and Physics Club is out today!

The lead single from the band’s forthcoming ‘Our Hearts Beat Out Loud’ LP, the 7” was recorded by Bob Schwenkler at Olympia’s fabled Dub Narcotic Studio and showcases two very different sides of the band.

‘Long Drag’ plays against type with a raw, groovy stomp that sets moody lyrics against a sassy, schoolyard beat, while the exclusive b-side ‘Across the Paper’ takes a more soft shoe approach, with ukulele, mandolin, and warm harmonies providing the backdrop for broken hearts.

The 7” is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on coke bottle green vinyl and comes with a free download code all inside a smart sleeve designed by artist Tae Won Yu. 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 right now on the Soundcloud player below. Enjoy!

Following hot on the heels of our Bubblegum Lemonade / Math and Physics Club / The Steinbecks 7” trifecta, we are thrilled to announce another exclusive new 7” from a brand new Matinée band! Seabirds are a five piece guitar pop band from Nottingham, England who make melodic pop songs with loud guitars. Think Belle and Sebastian if they grew up in a tougher part of town or those early classics from Voxtrot and you’re nearly there. The band was selected to play the Indietracks Festival this summer so you have a chance to catch them live this coming Sunday at 1:40 pm on the outdoor stage if you are heading that way.

The debut Seabirds single is called ‘Real Tears’ (matinée 090) and it will be out in September but we’re so excited about this we couldn’t keep it to ourselves any longer. The A-side is now featured on our Soundcloud and the player below so check it out so you can sing along on Sunday. There is another ace track on the B-side called ‘Oh Buoy’ but you’ll have to wait to hear that one. The 7” is being pressed on transparent sea blue vinyl in a limited edition of 500 hand-numbered copies. We will confirm the official release date and begin taking preorders next month so watch this space for more details. In the meantime, have a listen to ‘Real Tears’ right here:

The band has also just completed a video for the song and you can watch it now:

The new 7” from Scottish hitmakers Bubblegum Lemonade is out today! Entitled ‘Have You Seen Faith?’ (matinée 087), the three–track single is a certified summer smash on limited pink vinyl and digital formats and the current top seller in the Matinée shop.

The long-awaited follow-up to the 2010 ‘Sophomore Release’ album (matcd057), ‘Have You Seen Faith?’ is a secular hymn to missed opportunities with jangling, strumming riffs, great sixties harmonies, and a memorable chorus. The song is a preview of the band’s third album ‘Some Like It Pop’ set for release this autumn and showcasing a newly expanded lineup with Chaz and Brian joining main man Laz on bass and lead guitar, respectively.

The first of two exclusive 7” b-sides, ‘Cool Guitar Girl’ is a six string encounter and the natural response to Heavenly’s classic ‘Cool Guitar Boy’ anthem, while ‘Angry Birds’ is an angular, surf-tinged song about addiction to a certain mobile phone computer game.

The 7” is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on bubblegum pink vinyl and comes with a free download code. If you purchase a copy from the Matinée shop you’ll also get a free immediate download of the songs so what are you waiting for?

You can preview the entire single right now on the Matinée Soundcloud, or the handy player below. Enjoy!

Our third new release is a very welcome return (and happy Matinée debut) for legendary Australian band The Steinbecks! Their first release since the ‘Far From The Madding Crowd’ album in 2007 and first 7” since classics recorded for Summershine Records and Drive In Records in the 1990s, The Steinbecks’ new single ‘At Arkaroo Rock’ (matinée 088) draws inspiration from ancient cave paintings at Australian indigenous cultural site Arkaroo Rock. The song is lush and lovely, with Marresque guitars chiming and jangling over a rock solid rhythm and percussive flourishes adding a flair that will warm the hearts of Style Council, Aztec Camera, and Belle & Sebastian fans. The song is now featured on our Soundcloud and the player below if you fancy a listen.

The single is backed by two exclusive tracks. ‘All Desires Known’ is arguably Josh and Joel Meadows’ most fragile, stripped back recorded moment since ‘Yr Jacket’, the last song they recorded as The Sugargliders. In contrast ‘Cabin Fever’ is an energetic ode to earthy love, reminiscent of The Monochrome Set, Tenpole Tudor and The Brilliant Corners.

The 7” is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on classic black vinyl. The official release date is August 6 but it is available to order right now from the Matinée shop along with some pretty fantastic new 45s from Bubblegum Lemonade and Math and Physics Club. You probably need all three don’t you think?

We have a limited number of copies of previous Steinbecks albums on Summershine and Microindie Records in the Matinée shop right now so if you don’t have them yet now’s your chance to score! Of course, the recent ‘A Nest With A View’ compilation (matcd062) from pre-Steinbecks band The Sugargliders is an essential piece of the backstory too but surely you have that already, right?

Back in the present, you can have a listen to the brand new track ‘At Arkaroo Rock’ right here:

The first record in three years for Seattle indie darlings Math and Physics Club is set for release this month! ‘Long Drag’ (matinée 089) is the lead single from the band’s forthcoming ‘Our Hearts Beat Out Loud’ LP, and this time they’re playing against type with a raw, groovy stomp that sets moody lyrics against a sassy, schoolyard beat. Fans of ‘Cold as Minnesota’ from the first Math and Physics Club LP (that’s all of you right?) will not be disappointed!

The exclusive b-side ‘Across the Paper’ takes a more soft shoe approach, with ukulele, mandolin, and warm harmonies providing the backdrop for broken hearts. If this is what the band considers a b-side you know we’re in for a treat with the new album!

Recorded by Bob Schwenkler at Olympia’s fabled Dub Narcotic Studio, the 7” is pressed on transparent coke bottle green vinyl and limited to 500 hand-numbered copies in a hip sleeve designed by artist Tae Won Yu. The official release date is July 30 but it is available right now from the Matinée shop with free immediate download included!

If you are after a vinyl copy, you may want to wait two more days to order as we’ll be revealing details of an amazing third new 7” that you need to hear and the postage for three singles is not much more than it is for just one.

While you wait, ‘Long Drag’ is featured on the handy Matinée Soundcloud player below. Enjoy!

There’s also a video for ‘Long Drag’ featuring multiple indie celebrities including at least one fellow Matinée popstar. Watch it here:

Yes, we’ve been rather quiet lately but we are back to announce three new 7” singles including a Matinée debut from one of your favorite bands. Today’s announcement is the long awaited new 45 (matinée 087) from our Scottish pals Bubblegum Lemonade! It has been nearly three years since their superb ‘Sophomore Release’ (matcd057) album, but they are back with a certified summer smash on limited pink vinyl and digital formats.

‘Have You Seen Faith?’ is a secular hymn to missed opportunities with jangling, strumming riffs, great sixties harmonies, and a memorable chorus. The song is a preview of the band’s third album ‘Some Like It Pop’ set for release this autumn.

The first of two exclusive 7” b-sides, ‘Cool Guitar Girl’ is a six string encounter and the natural response to Heavenly’s classic ‘Cool Guitar Boy’ anthem, while ‘Angry Birds’ is an angular, surf-tinged song about addiction to a certain mobile phone computer game.

The 7” is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on bubblegum pink vinyl. The official release date is July 23 but you can get a copy right now exclusively from the Matinée shop and get a free immediate download as well.

If you are after a vinyl copy, you may want to wait a few days to order as we’ll be revealing exclusive details on two more 7” releases in the coming week that you are sure to want and combined shipping is the way to go. In the meantime, ‘Have You Seen Faith?’ is featured on the Matinée Soundcloud and on the player below so please give it a spin!

The US Postal Service strikes again, increasing rates as they do this time every year. The latest increase is significantly more dramatic than in the past, however, especially for our international customers.

While the postage rates are unfortunately out of our control, we have decided to help offset the increase in postage cost by slashing prices on virtually the entire Matinée catalog. All CD albums (typically priced $10 each) are now discounted from 10 to 40 percent so you can pick up some new music for less. New album prices vary from $6 to $9 with a few mini-albums even cheaper.

Similar deals are now in effect for all CD singles (usually $5 each but now priced from $2.50 to $4.50) and 7” singles (usually $3 or $5 each but now priced from $2 to $4.50).

These new lower prices are in effect at least through the end of February as we get used to the new postal rates. While our lower prices will take some of the sting out of the postal rate hike, here are some additional tips for making the most of the new rates:

1. Order multiple items together instead of one at a time. For many countries, ordering two or three 7” or CDs will cost the same or nominally more than ordering just one. If you change a quantity in the cart you can easily see the effect of adding extra items to an order.

2. First class rates apply to domestic orders up to 13 oz. at which point you bump into the higher Priority Mail rates. For international shipments, first class rates apply up to 4 pounds and there is a massive jump in postage once you exceed this limit.

3. The Priority Mail flat rate envelope is your friend! Currently priced at $5.60 (domestic) or $23.95 (international), this package can hold up to twelve compact discs or twelve 7” singles. A mix of 7” and CDs is also possible in one envelope but you should limit the total number of items in this case to about ten to best protect the contents. Please note that 10″ and 12″ records cannot ship in a Priority Mail flat rate envelope so please ignore this option if your order contains such items!

4. The Priority Mail flat rate boxes are potentially the best bet for larger orders. The medium flat rate box is currently priced $12.35 (domestic) or $59.95 (international) and can hold up to 35 7” singles, 30 CDs in jewel case, 40 CDs in digipak, or 80 CDs in minijacket or eco-wallet … or a combination of these formats. The large flat rate box is currently priced $16.85 (domestic) or $77.95 (international) and is even larger. Both flat rate boxes can accommodate 10” records but not 12” records. For reference, all of our CD albums are in digipak except matcd008, matcd009, matcd015, matcd018, matcd024, matcd033, matcd034, matcd035, matcd039, matcd040, matcd046 and matcd056 which are in jewel case. Starting with matcd062, all CD albums are in eco-wallets which in addition to looking very smart are also incredibly light and have no plastic tray. For CD singles, all releases from matinée 015 through matinée 049 are in slimline cases (about the same size as a digipak), and all releases from matinée 051 through matinée 084 are in slim cardboard minijackets. If these catalog numbers mean nothing to you, please see the catalog page for details.

5. We do offer media mail shipping as an option for domestic orders, but you may find the first class rate is cheaper or just marginally more expensive. Media mail is incredibly slow and not recommended for orders, especially vinyl in the summertime!

6. If you are ordering multiple releases of different formats, you may find that splitting the order into two minimizes the postage cost. This is especially true if you want just one 10” record and everything else can fit inside a Priority Mail flat rate envelope.

7. We have programmed the new rates into the shopping cart, but in some cases we may be able to save you money with an alternate shipping method than the one you selected at the time of checkout. In this case we will notify you by email and refund any excess postage paid.

8. Postage is FREE for all digital downloads so if you’re not after physical product you’re in luck!

We will continue to work with our trusted mailorder partners to give you additional options for ordering Matinée goods. Our friendly distributor is Darla Records (USA) and they ship all available Matinée releases to countless places across the globe and have a great mailorder too.

Current releases can also be obtained from our pals at Apple Crumble (Japan), Beethobear (Taiwan), Carrot Top (USA), Fraction Discs (Sweden), Hands and Arms (France), Jigsaw Records (USA), Locomotiva Discos (Brazil), Norman Records (UK), Pebble Records (UK), Rhythm Records (UK), Rough Trade (UK), Stone Records (Japan), Violet and Claire (Japan), and Vollwert Records (Germany), among others.

We will continue to explore additional international partners to help ensure availability and decent prices for our releases despite the impact of the recent postal rate increase. Thanks for your patience and hopefully your continued support … please take advantage of the sale prices to pick up some new music today!