At last…it’s time for the annual Matinée fanclub poll! Once a year we survey you lovely people to see which of our brilliant new Matinée releases made you smile and reward lucky fans with a selection of free records in the process. This year, we’ve delayed the start of the polling to allow the brand new releases a chance in the running too so hopefully your order has arrived so you can participate! If not, there’s still time to place an order before the entries are due next month.

Official 2009 album of the year contenders include ‘The Matinée Grand Prix’ (matcd050) compilation plus ‘Speak Up’ (matcd051) from The Guild League, ‘Our Temperance Movement’ (matcd052) from Cats on Fire, ‘Seconds’ (matcd053) from The Electric Pop Group, and ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) from Northern Portrait. That’s an impressive run even in the Matinée scorebook.

The three single of the year contenders for 2009 are the ‘Correspondence Course’ EP (matinée 071) from The Hermit Crabs, ‘Picture Perfect EP (matinée 072) from Strawberry Whiplash, and ‘Shooting Star’ EP (matinée 073) from Pale Sunday. Which one is your favorite?

As always, we are also collecting votes for song of the year, favorite Matinée artists, and favorite Matinée albums and singles of all time. Please take a moment to vote for your favorites. As with prior polls, simply entering earns you a chance to win free music and this year anything goes with a special $50 merchandise bonanza for one lucky winner in the prize draw! The poll closes January 15th so go here to complete your entry today and best of luck in the draw.

The warehouse clearance sale continues at the mailorder until January 5th so please see the order page for fantastic savings on most of the catalog. Stock is very low on several titles so this may be your last chance at a few of these gems.

All the new releases are now shipping and we have just added free mp3s to the sounds page from Northern Portrait, Simpático and Cats on Fire so have a listen if you haven’t picked up the new ones yet. Please see news below for more information on all the 2009 releases. More free mp3s next week from The Electric Pop Group and Pale Sunday!

Thanks for your support in 2009 and all the best for a splendid new year! xx-Jimmy

We are now shipping preorders for the new releases from Northern Portrait and Pale Sunday plus the Matinée Grand Prix compilation. The Electric Pop Group CDs will be here on the 21st so the wait on those is a bit shorter than expected. By this time next week we should have cleared out most of this mountain of pending orders! Please note: the four new releases will be available in shops in mid-January, but you can order a copy for immediately delivery from the Matinée shop RIGHT NOW just because we like you so much.

The big sale continues at the Matinée shop through the end of the year. Meanwhile, Northern Portrait capture the top spot on the November hit parade by a country mile. Here’s the entire list:

10. Bubblegum Lemonade – Susan’s In The Sky CDEP
9. Brighter – Out To Sea CD
8. The Electric Pop Group – Sunrise CDEP
7. Northern Portrait – The Fallen Aristocracy CDEP
6. Northern Portrait – Napoleon Sweetheart CDEP
5. Strawberry Whiplash – Picture Perfect CDEP
4. Pale Sunday – Shooting Star CDEP
3. The Electric Pop Group – Seconds CD
2. Various – The Matinée Grand Prix CD
1. Northern Portrait – Criminal Art Lovers CD

Happy holidays!

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Matinée releases are a bit like buses—you wait for one for ages and then four come along at once. As always, we trust you’ll find these worth the wait. Here’s the mildly impressive lowdown:

The latest in our splendid series of compilations is entitled ‘The Matinée Grand Prix’ (matcd050) and it features eleven magnificent new songs from a truly international coterie of popstars. The disc kicks off with a firm favorite from Denmark’s Northern Portrait entitled ‘Stirling Moss” which sets up the car racing theme rather nicely. Scottish popkids Strawberry Whiplash answer the challenge with new smash ‘Boy In The Bubble Car,’ while Australian legends The Lucksmiths deliver their swansong recording with the predictably stunning ‘Get-to-bed Birds.’ Sweden’s The Electric Pop Group is represented with perhaps their strongest song to date ‘Believers,’ while Clay Hips—American expats living in Germany and Ireland—don’t disappoint channeling their inner Pet Shop Boys with ‘Disappointed.’ The album’s centerpoint sees the return of England’s mighty Tender Trap after four long years with the new classic ‘Danger Overboard,’ and Australia has its second contender with the very welcome return of Simpático and new favorite ‘Australian Idle.’ Finland’s Cats on Fire close out the year with a fantastic new song called ‘The Hague,’ while Scotland is back in fine form with Bubblegum Lemonade and ‘Cuts Like A Dream.’ Finally, American hipsters Math and Physics Club break a two-year silence with a great new song called ‘I Keep To Myself,’ and Australia’s The Guild League soundtrack the final lap of the compilation with the lovely ‘Bookmark.’

We are previewing five tracks on the Matinée catalog page and rotating songs on the sounds page and on MySpace today. The album is scheduled for official release in January, but we are taking preorders right now exclusively in the Matinée shop and will ship copies beginning December 14th so you can have one in your hands for the new year. The album makes a nifty gift too so why not add two to your shopping cart?

Following incredibly popular singles ‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ (matinée 068) and ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ (matinée 070) last year, Denmark’s Northern Portrait have delivered the highly anticipated debut album ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) at last! The album includes ten brilliant songs from perhaps the most hyped band in Matinée’s 12-year history: 1. The Münchhausen In Me; 2. When Goodness Falls; 3. Crazy; 4. The Operation Worked But The Patient Died; 5. Criminal Art Lovers; 6. Life Returns To Normal; 7. Murder Weapon; 8. What Happens Next?; 9. That’s When My Headaches Begin; 10. New Favourite Moment. The band previewed a few of these on live dates throughout 2009 and the others are all new and just as spectacular as you might imagine.

We are currently previewing four tracks on the Matinée catalog page and rotating songs on the sounds page and on MySpace. The album is scheduled for official release in January, but we are taking preorders right now exclusively in the Matinée shop and will ship copies beginning December 14th along with the ‘Matinée Grand Prix’ album described above (which contains yet another exclusive new Northern Portrait song). Go on then…order them both! Just to warn you, we have just a handful of copies of ‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ EP still in stock and the ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ EP is selling fast too so best pick up both while you can.

In addition to an exclusive track on the ‘Matinée Grand Prix’ compilation, Swedish sensations The Electric Pop Group have been busy finalizing songs for their long-awaited sophomore album ‘Seconds’ (matcd053). If you liked the band’s 2008 Matinée debut ‘Sunrise’ EP (matinée 067) you’re going to love this outstanding new entry to our album discography. The album features 10 new recordings including a new version of ‘My Only Inspiration’ which first surfaced on the ‘Matinée Hit Parade’ compilation (matcd045) in 2007. The full album tracklisting is: 1. Not By Another; 2. Out Of Sight; 3. I Know I Will; 4. Drawing Lines; 5. My Only Inspiration; 6. In The Back Of My Mind; 7. The Way It Used To Do; 8. Into Thin Air; 9. We Never Made Up Our Minds; 10. The Best Of Times. That leaves all four tracks from the ‘Sunrise’ EP exclusive to that release so you may want to pick that up too if you haven’t already.

We are previewing tracks on the Matinée catalog page and rotating songs on the sounds page and on MySpace all this month. The album is scheduled for official release in January but we are taking preorders right now exclusively in the Matinée shop and will ship copies beginning December 28th. In the meantime, enjoy the preview tracks and reserve your copy now on the order page!

Our final new release is the surprise return of Brazilian band Pale Sunday with their exclusive new ‘Shooting Star’ EP (matinée 073). The first new recordings from the band since their debut album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) in 2005, the EP includes four great new tracks: 1. Shooting Star; 2. Are You Scared To Get Happy?; 3. Before I Found You; 4. Unknown Half. Following four years in hiding, the band return with more radio friendly pop hits as found on their album and debut single ‘A Weekend with Jane’ (matinée 049) from 2003. Timed to coincide with the peak of the Brazilian summer, this EP will bring a little dose of sunshine to you wherever you are this January. We are taking preorders for the EP right now exclusively in the Matinée shop and will ship copies the week of December 28th with the new album from The Electric Pop Group. In the meantime, you can listen to ‘Shooting Star’ on the Matinée sounds page and on MySpace starting today.

The new releases are almost here! Watch this space for complete release details in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we have a big sale happening at the Matinée shop through the end of the year so take care of your holiday shopping today and you will surely have enough left over to get yourself a treat! Here’s what the cool kids were buying in September and October:

10. Would-Be-Goods – Eventyr CD
9. The Guild League – Speak Up CD
8. The Lucksmiths – First Frost CD
7. Northern Portrait – The Fallen Aristocracy CDEP
6. The Lucksmiths – Spring A Leak 2xCD
5. Brighter – Singles CD
4. The Siddeleys – Slum Clearance CD
3. Cats on Fire – Our Temperance Movement CD
2. Northern Portrait – Napoleon Sweetheart CDEP
1. Strawberry Whiplash – Picture Perfect CDEP

matinée 072
STRAWBERRY WHIPLASH – PICTURE PERFECT EP

Tracklisting:
1. Picture Perfect
2. Hay In A Needlestack
3. Celestial
4. Falling Through

Extraordinary sophomore release from Scottish pop sensations Strawberry Whiplash! Following a swell of positive feedback for their debut single ‘Who’s In Your Dreams’ last year, the duo deliver four smash hits that unequivocally disqualify them from one hit wonder status forever.

Lead track ‘Picture Perfect’ is a shimmering song that sets Sandra’s pitch perfect vocals and Laz’ chiming and fuzzy guitars to a hip-shaking primitive beat. A flawless slice of pop reminiscent of classic indie singles from The Primitives or Darling Buds, it’s a catchy burst of summertime neatly packaged for any time of the year.

‘Hay In A Needlestack’ is a reflective number featuring mellowed out tremolo guitar and glockenspiel, while ‘Celestial’ is Strawberry Alarm Clock meets The Popguns—jangling guitars leading to fuzzy stop-start choruses and sweet Doorsian organ bursts—and ‘Falling Through’ is a fuzzed up indie pop gem that ticks all the Strawberry Whiplash boxes to conclude the EP.

Four fantastic songs that prove the brilliance of the band’s debut single was no happy accident, ‘Picture Perfect’ is an absolute triumph for Strawberry Whiplash and another notable release for Matinée. Limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket.

For band information, soundclips, and more release details please see the catalog and artist pages, or visit the Matinée and Strawberry Whiplash pages on Myspace. You can hear the title track now playing on the Matinée sounds page, or tracks from the EP rotating on MySpace, or samples of all the songs via select digital providers.

The EP is available RIGHT NOW from the Matinée shop and from smart record emporiums across the globe later in the month.

On the August hit parade, Strawberry Whiplash are straight in at number one with the ‘Picture Perfect’ EP, followed by some recent releases and a few of those sold out gems we offered last month. The sale continues at the mailorder and there are still some great releases available from the old Roundabout Records days so see the order page to pick up some bargains. Here are the top sellers for the month:

10. Bubblegum Lemonade – Doubleplusgood CD
9. The Guild League – Speak Up CD
8. Strawberry Whiplash – Who’s In Your Dreams CDEP
7. The Lucksmiths – Spring A Leak 2xCD
6. The Fairways – Darling, Don’t You Think 7″
5. The Lucksmiths – Southernmost 7″
4. The Lucksmiths – T-Shirt Weather 7″
3. The Lucksmiths – Untidy Towns 7″
2. Cats on Fire – Our Temperance Movement CD
1. Strawberry Whiplash – Picture Perfect CDEP

Friday morning pop quiz:

Q: What do the following Matinée releases have in common?

A: They’re all long sold out…or are they?

After a serious stockroom organization that perhaps only Virgos would fully appreciate, we have assembled a handful of copies of each of these long-deleted releases and they are now available again on the Matinée order page. Included here are long-lost releases from Bella Vista, Brighter, Ego, The Fairways, Harper Lee, The Lucksmiths, Math and Physics Club and more so if you’re after one of them, please place your order soon as these are the last known copies of each of these gems and there are no further surprises left in the stockroom. And no, we didn’t find any copies of the ‘R is for Razorcuts’ compilation. Sorry!

While we’re at it, the stockroom also contained some nice rarities from Roundabout Records, the mailorder we used to run in Washington, DC before starting the record label. There are releases from top indie labels of the day like Apricot, Bus Stop, Clover, Elefant, Drive In, Firestation Tower, Fortuna POP!, Labrador, Marina, Marsh Marigold, North of No South, Sarah, Shelflife, Shinkansen, Siesta, Soap, Subway, Vinyl Japan, A West Side Fabrication, WIAIWYA and more, and they were boxed up nearly a decade ago when the mailorder stopped. Needless to say some of these records are long deleted but while you’re picking up some Matinée rarities you might just want some of these too. You can see the complete list here and of course we’re happy to combine everything in one shipment.

Lots of Matinée titles are now on sale too so please see the order page for details.

If it’s digital downloads you’re after, you’ll be happy to hear that even more Matinée titles are now up on iTunes, emusic, Amazon mp3, Insound and other select digital shops. We are still working on a few back catalog titles but most other releases are now live so get downloading!

We are pleased to report that our next smashing release is the four track ‘Picture Perfect’ EP (matinée 072) from Glasgow duo Strawberry Whiplash! These are the first recordings from the band since their debut ‘Who’s In Your Dreams’ EP (matinée 065) early last year and they have certainly returned in fine fashion. ‘Picture Perfect’ reminds this indie kid of those early Darling Buds and Primitives singles before the major label overproduction kicked in, while ‘Hay In A Needlestack,’ “Celestial’ and ‘Falling Through” prove that the brilliance of Strawberry Whiplash’s debut was no fluke. Have a listen to ‘Picture Perfect’ now playing on the Matinée sounds page and you’ll see what I mean. The EP is at the pressing plant now and we should have copies back by month’s end if not sooner. If you preorder it now you’ll be among the first to receive your copy.

Meanwhile, forthcoming albums ‘Seconds’ (matcd053) from The Electric Pop Group and ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) from Northern Portrait are still in production. While we await the final masters, we can now offer an exclusive preview of each album on the sounds page. One listen to ‘Not By Another’ from The Electric Pop Group and “New Favourite Moment’ from Northern Portrait will have you even more frustrated, I mean excited, than before. We are now accepting bets on which band will finish first…

The three new songs and a host of other recent hits are also featured on the Matinée Myspace if you fancy a visit over there.

In July hit parade action, Bubblegum Lemonade are back on top with ‘Doubleplusgood’ more than six months after its release. Yeah, it’s that good. Here are the top sellers for the month:

10. The Lucksmiths – First Frost CD
9. The Hermit Crabs – Correspondence Course CDEP
8. The Lucksmiths – Spring A Leak 2xCD
7. Brighter – Singles CD
6. Northern Portrait – The Fallen Aristocracy CDEP
5. Various Artists – The Matinée Hit Parade CD
4. Northern Portrait – Napoleon Sweetheart CDEP
3. Cats on Fire – Our Temperance Movement CD
2. The Guild League – Speak Up CD
1. Bubblegum Lemonade – Doubleplusgood CD

Everybody loves the latest album ‘Our Temperance Movement’ (matcd052) from Cats on Fire so we’ve collected some recent press quotes worthy of your attention below. You can read the full reviews and more on the catalog page and pick up a copy of your very own from the Matinée shop.

“Cats On Fire play jangly guitar pop that’s less in the vein of the Smiths and Orange Juice than it is a rival to those bands. Not since Brideshead has there been a modern janglepop band this exciting. Another win for Matinée Recordings!” —IndiePages

“Our Temperance Movement pairs gorgeous guitar with extraordinary lyrics and bright, frosted hooks.” —PopMatters

“Cats on Fire is unmistakably indie-pop, in the late ’80s UK sense: witty, sensitive songs delivered in a graceful, crisp way.” —The Big Takeover

“One and half listens into Our Temperance Movement and I’m beginning to see what the fuss is all about.” —A Layer of Chips

“Our Temperance Movement is as solid a second album as you’d want to come across – lyrically surprising, intelligent and exquisitely melodic. These Cats are well worth a listen.” —For Folk’s Sake

“Cats On Fire are the sort of pop act any Anglophile on this side of the Atlantic should be watching.” —Aversion.com

“Feels like the moment an entire genre can get over its inferiority & superiority complexes, and start genuinely competing with the best of pop again.” —The Quietus

“Some of the highest caliber pop music I’ve heard in a long time.” —Closet Trekkie

“Our Temperance Movement recalls your favorite pop album, where every single song is so good that it would be hard to decipher which song on the album was meant as the single.” —Austin Town Hall

“Easily the main contender for my album of the year award.” —One Chord To Another

“Sumptuous, jangly songs carving a sardonic smile on summer’s face.” —All Scandinavian

“Our Temperance Movement is full of pure indie pop glee, one song after another will just leave you wanting to hear more.” —The Swill Merchant

“An album worth revisiting on any number of levels.” —Cave 17

New reviews also added to the catalog pages for recent releases from The Hermit Crabs, The Guild League, Bubblegum Lemonade, The Lucksmiths, and Would-Be-Goods so have a look and catch up on some of the best pop from the past six months before a new release avalanche this autumn.

Northern Portrait were simply amazing here in California and it has taken us a month to get over their fantastic visit. They’ll hopefully be back over once we get the new album ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) in your hands. The band is still making final touches to the album mixes so watch this space in the next few weeks for exclusive soundclips and full album details.

We will also post details on the new album ‘Seconds’ (matcd053) from The Electric Pop Group and the new ‘Picture Perfect’ EP (matinée 072) from Strawberry Whiplash very soon. Both are nearly ready so watch for soundclips and release details this month.

On the strength of their visit, Northern Portrait have seized the top two spots on the hit parade. Here is a list of top sellers for the months of May and June:

10. Slipslide – The World Can Wait CD
9. The Hermit Crabs – Correspondence Course CDEP
8. The Guild League – Speak Up CD
7. Bubblegum Lemonade – Doubleplusgood CD
6. Various Artists – Matinée 50 CD
5. Various Artists – The Matinée Hit Parade CD
4. The Lucksmiths – First Frost CD
3. Cats on Fire – Our Temperance Movement CD
2. Northern Portrait – The Fallen Aristocracy CDEP
1. Northern Portrait – Napoleon Sweetheart CDEP