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!

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.