Finnish purveyors of popular song Cats on Fire are back in action late next month with a new 12-track album (matcd061) entitled ‘All Blackshirts To Me’!

Complimenting the band’s celebrated multi-instrumentalist wizardry and acutely political lyrical observations, the new album reveals a more adventurous approach with a few synthesized sounds lightening up their customary acoustic dogmas. With contributions from two new members, ‘All Blackshirts To Me’ is by far the richest sounding Cats on Fire album yet.

To sample these riches, you can preview the ace album track ‘A Few Empty Waves’ on the Soundcloud player below. Album preorders begin shortly in the Matinée shop. Watch for more release details coming soon!

Cats on Fire headline Thursday night of the London Popfest on the 23rd of February and have scheduled a series of Scandinavian dates in April and May to promote the new release.

Swedish act Azure Blue are going from strength to strength at the moment, with sensational album reviews, packed Swedish and Spanish shows, and now a Grammy award too! Wait … what was that?

It’s true … Azure Blue has joined company with indie sensations The Radio Dept., Jens Lekman, El Perro del Mar, The Honeydrips, and The Embassy by winning the best pop category at the 2012 Manifest awards, Sweden’s independent Grammy competition. The award came on the heels of rave reviews in the Swedish music press, packed shows in Malmö and Uppsala, and the band’s performance and interview on Swedish National TV. Pretty amazing, don’t you think?

Good things are happening in Spain as well, with the band playing a great show in Madrid and the Tanned Tin festival outside Valencia last weekend. They also visited the famed studio of Julio Ruiz at Spanish National Radio for an interview and live performance. Following this, ‘Rule of Thirds’ received a glowing review in Spain’s biggest daily newspaper El Pais!

The outstanding album reviews continue closer to home as well. Here are some favorite recent quotes:

“The best electro-pop record in recent memory.” —Blurt Magazine

“A downcast gentle beauty.” —Critical Mob

“Rule of Thirds is brilliant. It’s the kind of electropop album that most often strive to make, but very often fail by trying to be too clever.” —A Layer of Chips

“A hugely romantic record, bathed in feelings of regret” —The Fader

“Track after track of gorgeous, melodious songs … a huge success worthy of many hours of your time.” —Austin Town Hall

“The Catcher In The Rye is the first of three standout should-be singles which, for our kroner, illuminate the album with its pearliest dew drops (drops) of palpable pop promise.” —In Love With These Times

“Think a more optimistic Radio Dept. and you’re somewhere in the right direction.” —Streetlights As Fairgrounds

These and other reviews, including 5 star write-ups from Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the US and the UK, are collected on the album’s catalog page.

With all of these good things converging at once, album track ‘Dreamy Eyes’ is currently nearing the top of the most popular song chart on the Hype Machine blog tracker. The album is the top seller in our Matinée shop at the moment and also available digitally via the usual suspects. Treat yourself to a copy! Have a listen to the brilliant track ‘The Catcher In The Rye’ if you need further convincing:

The great new ‘Stop, Look And Listen’ 7″ (matinée 080) from Strawberry Whiplash is receiving loads of positive reviews. Here are some of our favorite recent quotes:

“Another slice of sugar coated jangle from the band, harvested from the same cane fields as early Primitives and Darling Buds records.” —The Finest Kiss

“Stop, Look and Listen is packed to the rafters with catchy melodies and is sweet as cherry pie.” —Sounds XP

“This is melodic DIY at it’s best: upbeat, jangly, and unforgettably singable.” —The Indie Handbook

“A near-perfect mid-tempo pop tune that comes crashing out of the gate with conviction.” —Blurt Magazine

“Glasgow duo Strawberry Whiplash makes pop music that is only sold in candy stores.” —Our Favourite

“You’ve just got to love Sandra’s voice, and the strength of the production makes the band sound absolutely superb.” —Austin Town Hall

The transparent red vinyl 7” is limited to 500 copies and selling fast so please visit the Matinée shop to secure your copy or demand one from your local pop retailer. The songs are of course available for download via the usual digital services right now. Watch this space for details on the upcoming Strawberry Whiplash album ‘Hits In The Car’ (matcd060) soon too!

Here is a new video for our current favorite Azure Blue song ‘Seasons’ taken from the new album ‘Rule of Thirds’ (matcd059). Enjoy!

Hello! We have counted all the votes in our tenth annual Matinée fanclub poll and can now announce the winners:

The 2011 Matinée album of the year award goes to ‘Sophomore Release’ (matcd057) from our Scottish pals Bubblegum Lemonade with 44 votes. New Swedish band Azure Blue secured second place with 34 votes for their debut album ‘Rule of Thirds’ (matcd059), while Australian hitmakers The Lucksmiths placed third with 32 votes for the ‘Unfamiliar Stars’ DVD (matdvd058).

In the singles category, Scottish duo Strawberry Whiplash took top prize with 40 votes for the ‘Stop, Look And Listen’ 7” (matinée 080). Danish wizkids Champagne Riot came close with 35 votes for the ‘Moonstruck’ CDEP (matinée 079), while the ‘Matinée Holiday Soirée’ CDEP (matinée 078) took third place with 34 votes.

In the coveted ‘song of the year’ category, the holiday contribution ‘Leave The Trees Alone’ from Northern Portrait came out on top with 32 votes. Other favorite songs of the year include ‘Stop, Look And Listen’ from Strawberry Whiplash (28), ‘The Catcher In The Rye’ from Azure Blue (25), ‘It Must Be Christmas’ from Math and Physics Club (24), ‘Caroline’s Radio’ from Bubblegum Lemonade (22), and ‘Moonstruck’ from Champagne Riot (20).

 In the favorite Matinée artist category, The Lucksmiths held the number one spot for the tenth straight year with 24 votes, followed closely by Northern Portrait (23) and Math and Physics Club (22). Other favorite bands in 2011 voting include Brighter (13), Cats on Fire (13), Bubblegum Lemonade (9), Harper Lee (8), Strawberry Whiplash (8), Would-Be-Goods (7), and The Electric Pop Group (6).

Northern Portrait claimed the favorite Matinée album of all time category for the first time with 28 votes for ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054). Other favorites in the top five include ‘Our Temperance Movement’ from Cats on Fire (19), ‘Warmer Corners’ from The Lucksmiths (19), ‘Math and Physics Club’ from Math and Physics Club (18), and ‘Singles 1989-1992’ from Brighter (17). Other favorite albums came from Brighter, Bubblegum Lemonade, The Electric Pop Group, The Fairways, Harper Lee, The Lucksmiths, Math and Physics Club, Pipas, and Razorcuts.

Northern Portrait also have the top Matinée single of all time as their debut ‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ EP (matinée 068) earned 20 votes to lead the final category for a third straight year. ‘T-Shirt Weather’ EP (matinée 018) from The Lucksmiths (18), ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ EP (matinée 070) from Northern Portrait (16), ‘Weekends Away’ EP (matinée 056) from Math and Physics Club (12), and ‘Train Not Stopping’ EP (matinée 032) from Harper Lee (11) also made the top five. Bands with additional singles in the top tier include Bubblegum Lemonade, The Electric Pop Group, The Fairways, The Hermit Crabs, The Lucksmiths, Math and Physics Club, Northern Portrait, and Strawberry Whiplash.

Congratulations to all the Matinée artists and thanks very much to everyone who completed the poll. We had entries this year from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iran, Israel, Italy, Norway, Philippines, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and USA. The winner of the $50 Matinée prize pack this year is Dennis Teel from Redondo Beach, California. Congratulations, Dennis!

It’s nearly Christmas which means it’s time for the 10th annual Matinée fanclub poll! Every year we survey our coterie of Matinée chums to see which new releases made you smile and reward voters with free records in the process. We are accepting poll entries through January 5th so if you haven’t ordered the latest releases yet there’s still time to get them before votes are due.

The official album of the year contenders are ‘Rule of Thirds’ (matcd059) from Azure Blue, ‘Unfamiliar Stars’ (matdvd058) from The Lucksmiths, and ‘Sophomore Release’ (matcd057) from Bubblegum Lemonade.

Single of the year contenders include the ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ 7” (matinée 080) from Strawberry Whiplash, ‘Moonstruck’ EP (matinée 079) from Champagne Riot, and the ‘Matinée Holiday Soirée’ EP (matinée 078).

We are also collecting votes for song of the year, favorite Matinée artists, and favorite Matinée albums and singles of all time so please take a moment to vote for your favorites! As always, simply entering earns you a chance to win free music and this year a special $50 merchandise prize is up for grabs for one lucky winner. The poll closes January 5th so please complete your entry today and best of luck in the prize draw!

If you haven’t picked up the latest releases now’s the time as our Matinée holiday sale continues for just 12 more days. Please see the Matinée shop for superb savings—7” singles starting at $1.50 each, cd singles from $2.50 each, and cd albums as low as $5 each.

Stock is very low on several titles so this will be your last chance at a few of these gems. Please see the post below for more details.

Happy holidays and thanks for all your support this year! We’ll be back in 2012 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the label so please stay tuned for the latest news and exclusive previews of forthcoming releases.

We’re three weeks into our spectacular holiday clearance sale at the Matinée shop, with nearly every release on sale including 7” and cd singles as low as $1.50 each and cd albums as low as $5.00 each. At these prices things are going fast!

This is a final warning if you want a copy of the ‘Staring At The Sky’ 10″ from The Lucksmiths … or ‘Weekends Away’ CDEP from Math and Physics Club … or ‘Slum Clearance’ CD from The Siddeleys … or ‘A Short Film About Sleeping’ 7″ from Pipas … or ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ CDEP from Northern Portrait … or ‘Friendless Summer’ 7″ from The Lucksmiths … or ‘A Smile Took Over’ 2×7″ as these seven may not last the week. Other releases from Math and Physics Club, Sweet William, Would-Be-Goods, The Guild League, Lovejoy, Pipas, and Sportique are not far behind…

The sale runs until January 1st. Please see the Matinée shop for complete details. Thanks for all the recent orders and happy holidays!

The brilliant ‘Rule of Thirds’ CD from new Swedish band Azure Blue is now in stock! Here’s the 411:

AZURE BLUE – RULE OF THIRDS

Tracklisting:
1. Fingers
2. The Catcher In The Rye
3. Seasons
4. Little Confusions
5. Long Way Down
6. Dreamy Eyes
7. The Shore
8. Two Hearts
9. Chesil Beach

Azure Blue is the new project from Tobias Isaksson, a talented songwriter and colorful profile on the Swedish pop scene. His former bands Irene and Laurel Music were signed to respected Swedish label Labrador Records and attracted worldwide recognition. With Azure Blue, Tobias has made a fresh start and surpassed all his previous work.

On the surface, Azure Blue is a sparkling wave that flows relatively unconcerned into a distant sunset, but beneath that it is riddled with references. Together with producer pseudonym Midnight Ruler, Tobias has created a modern yet timeless record with analog drum machines, vintage synths, and airy arrangements. ‘Rule of Thirds’ shamelessly flirts with AOR, New Wave and New Romantic in a way that takes New Order, The Go-Betweens, and Roxy Music’s ‘Avalon’ album on a journey to 2012.

While lyrically the album is a vortex of references ranging from favorite movies to records to the literary works of Klas Östergren and Ernest Hemingway, it is mostly a touching autobiographical story that processes three ruptured relationships and an inevitable move from Gothenburg to Stockholm.

Album opener ‘Fingers’ is an inspired cover version of a song originally recorded by Grant McLennan of the Go-Betweens and the perfect preview of the hypnotic pop found throughout this record. First single ‘The Catcher In The Rye’ sweeps and soars in all the right places and has one of those memorable choruses that sticks in your head for days. Thanks in part to heavy rotation on Swedish National Radio, the song has enjoyed significant exposure already including strong praise in the music press.

‘Seasons’ is an especially ambitious track mixing rich soaring vocals with strings and keyboards that recall the venerable OMD discography. Second single ‘Little Confusions’ is a shimmering pop song that The Cure would be proud to call their own, while ‘Long Way Down’ is earnest and melodic and ‘Dreamy Eyes’ sounds like an early Depeche Mode classic.

As it draws to a close, the album exposes its ties to the contemporary Nordic pop scene with the captivating and hypnotic ‘The Shore’ sounding like the best song the Radio Dept. never wrote, and ‘Two Hearts’ starting off like Swedish band Airliner before reaching a wonderfully catchy conclusion. Final track ‘Chesil Beach’ is a poignant letter to a former flame, with sincere vocals set to another hypnotic pop masterpiece.

An elegant, melodic and intelligent album, ‘Rule of Thirds’ is a promising debut for Azure Blue and an extraordinary new release for the Matinée catalog. Watch for select Swedish shows late this year and an international tour in 2012.

For release details and band information, please see the catalog page, or visit the band website and the Matinée and Azure Blue pages on Facebook.

We are featuring the brilliant first single ‘The Catcher In The Rye’ on the Soundcloud player below. The album is available now in the Matinée shop plus digitally via iTunes, emusic, Amazon, Darla.com, and others. Ask for it in your favorite shop starting next week!

Happy December! To celebrate the holidays and say thanks for a great 2011 we have a special Matinée advent calendar on the website this year with a free mp3 revealed every day leading up to Christmas. A mix of holiday hymns, winter warmers, and other top tunes from your favorite Matinée artists will be on offer. We have a few unreleased songs on the schedule too so check back each day for another treat!

The fantastic new ‘Stop, Look And Listen’ 7″ (matinée 080) from Strawberry Whiplash is out now! Here are the complete details:

STRAWBERRY WHIPLASH – STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN 7″ EP

Tracklisting:
1. Stop, Look And Listen
2. In The Blink Of An Eye
3. Luck Is The Residue Of Design

Extraordinary new 7” single from Glasgow duo Strawberry Whiplash! The first release since the acclaimed ‘Picture Perfect’ EP (matinée 072) in 2009, ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ is no mere pedestrian follow up, but another smash hit with spirited intro, catchy chorus, and driving rhythm. It’s an impressive preview of the band’s long awaited debut album ‘Hits In The Car’ (matcd060) set for release early next year.

The single also features two exclusive b-sides: ‘In The Blink Of An Eye’ is Scottish indie meets Motown—a refined and reflective pop song with carefully strummed guitars, glockenspiel, and timeless girl group charm. Meanwhile, the primitive rhythm, chugging guitars, and effervescent melodies on ‘Luck Is The Residue of Design’ prove Strawberry Whiplash has not abandoned its celebrated fuzz-pop roots.

Limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on transparent red vinyl!

For release details and band information, please see the catalog page, or visit the Matinée and Strawberry Whiplash pages on Facebook.

The single is in stock for immediate shipping so please visit the Matinée shop to secure your copy. If you just can’t wait, the songs are also available for download via the usual digital services right now. Hurrah!