‘The Fake Stories About You and Me’ (matinée 083) is the new EP from our favorite Brazilian band Pale Sunday! The EP is officially released July 24 but you can order it right now from the Matinée shop for same day shipping and instant download.

Previous singles ‘A Weekend With Jane’ (matinée 049) and ‘Shooting Star’ (matinée 073) and album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) earned the band favorable comparisons to Scottish pop legends Teenage Fanclub, celebrated Swedish pop acts Aerospace and The Wannadies, and various stars of the Sarah Records roster, among others.

The new EP features four new Pale Sunday classics showcasing the shimmering pop, warm vocals, perfect harmonies, and addictive choruses we’ve come to expect from our favorite South American indie heroes.

Lead track ‘Happy (When You Lived Here)’ is yet another irresistible Pale Sunday hit—bright, melodic, sunkissed pop with jangling guitars, rich harmonies, and sincere vocals.

‘About Your Life’ reveals a band that has been listening to its Teenage Fanclub records and practicing some fuzzy guitar grooves, while ‘That’s The Way’ furthers the fascination with mid-90’s Creation releases, mixing driving percussion with nice melodies and a catchy chorus.

Final track ‘The Winter Song’ celebrates the shortest days of the year with an especially heartfelt and melancholy song layered with carefully strummed guitars and prominent strings that build to an effortlessly cool conclusion.

The EP is a great addition to the Matinée catalog and you can get a copy now exclusively from the Matinée shop and experience our cool instant downloads! Hip record shops will have copies by the end of the month. In the meantime, you can listen to ‘Happy (When You Lived Here)’ on the Soundcloud player below.

Our Finnish friends Cats On Fire are pleased to present a new video for the superb track ‘After The Fact’:

Cats On Fire – After the Fact from appu jasu on Vimeo.

The song is taken from the recent album ‘All Blackshirts To Me’ (matcd061) which is one of our current top sellers in the Matinée shop.

The splendid ‘Dishevelled Revellers’ EP (matinée 082) from English band Charlie Big Time is out June 26 but you can order it right now from the Matinée shop for same day shipping or instant download.

Originally a duo of Matthew Pendlebury and Chris Tiplady, Charlie Big Time released its debut EP on 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 to the north of England to add some vocal magic to their latest creations.

‘Dishevelled Revellers’ is a jaunty tune with jangling guitars, keyboards, and a waltzing chorus, while ‘The Liberation of Love’ is a mesmerizing mid-tempo jewel with dual vocals, more keyboards, and absolutely magnificent harmonies. ‘Real Estate’ features an incredibly catchy chorus, ace harmonies, and a classic guitar pop sound that recalls early Creation Records favorites, and ‘Passion and Headaches’ is a melodic dual vocal masterpiece that brings the EP to an extraordinary conclusion.

The EP has a timeless English indie sound with Beth’s lovely harmonies adding the perfect dose of California sunshine so it swings in all the right places. Previous releases received plenty 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 be delighted.

The EP is an exceptional addition to the Matinée discography so get your copy now in the Matinée shop and experience our ace new instant downloads! You can preview ‘The Liberation of Love’ now on the Soundcloud player below.

The Matinée debut ‘There May Come A Time’ EP (matinée 081) from Australian supergroup Bart and Friends is officially released June 19 but you can order it right now in the Matinée shop for immediate delivery. Here are the necessary details:

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 at the turn of the century with releases on Drive In Records and Bart’s own Library Records.

Nearly a decade later, Bart and Friends made a welcome return with a handsomely received EP and mini-album on the hip Lost and Lonesome imprint. Joining Bart in the current superstar lineup are Mark Monnone (The Lucksmiths), Louis Richter (Mid State Orange, The Lucksmiths), and Jeremy Cole (The Zebras), with ace vocal stylings by Pam Berry (The Pines, The Shapiros, Glo Worm, Black Tambourine, etc.) and Scott Stevens (Summer Cats, The Earthmen).

The splendid debut for Matinée showcases Pam’s incomparable vocals across six fantastic songs. The melodious and chiming title track could have easily graced any former Shapiros release, and with it the band has accidentally recorded its first three-minute pop song which is certainly remarkable to any serious student of Bart’s previous bands.

Other tracks on the EP include a brilliant cover version of the Elvis Presley classic ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ with especially jangling guitars, a swinging pop gem called ‘A Kiss You Won’t Forget’ and the perfectly pithy ‘There Are So Many Things I’d Like To See’ with a bassline that will make every Lucksmiths fan smile. The EP ends with two favorites—‘These Words Are Too Small’ and ‘A Summer’s Dream’—from the sold out first release for Lost and Lonesome.

The EP is a smashing release for Bart and Friends and another classic addition to the Matinée discography so get yours now in the Matinée shop and experience our new instant downloads!

Bart and Pam are playing the Indietracks Festival in England in July and are sure to play some of these new songs then. Until then, you can preview the magnificent title track from the handy Soundcloud player below.

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!