Hello! Exciting times here as we present a brand new release from The Lucksmiths, unleash a slew of Matinée badges on an unsuspecting indie public, rave about great new releases, unveil some exclusive new soundclips, divulge exciting news about Brighter and Would-Be-Goods, gush about some old releases, and more!

Our premiere 2006 release is the new ‘A Hiccup In Your Happiness’ EP (matinée 060) from The Lucksmiths! The glorious title track, perfect for repeat plays on your car stereo or iPod, is lifted from the recent Lucksmiths album ‘Warmer Corners’ (matcd039). We trust you knew that. Boasting strings, horns, some seriously funky guitar and a bassline possibly borrowed from Orange Juice, the song is a dancefloor sizzler that just had to be a single. Check it out now playing on the sounds page if you haven’t heard it. The EP also includes three exclusive new tracks that validate yet again why The Lucksmiths are among the most popular indie bands of our time: ‘From Macaulay Station’ is an ode to one of the unlovelier stops on Melbourne’s rail network, ‘Rue Something’ a more-or-less factual account of an evening spent on tour in Paris, and ‘To Absent Votes’ a tale of election night in the Australian outback town of Lake Cargelligo. Collected with ‘A Hiccup In Your Happiness’ they create a brilliant EP designed to give ‘Warmer Corners’ another shot at the glory it deserves. Housed in one of our signature minijacket sleeves (matte coated for all you printing buffs) with liner notes from comedian Daniel Kitson, the single is released to shops on February 20 but you can get your very own copy right here right now! Life is good with a new Lucksmiths single, don’t you think?

In other top news, last month we promised you badges so badges you shall have! As evidenced in the above photo and detailed on the fancy new fanclub page, we currently have 36 badges available to adorn your shirt or satchel or whatever you kids use these days. Some of them are quite old… leftovers from the original Soirée Matinée badge pack from 1999 plus tour badges for Monterey, Sportique and The Lucksmiths. Others were made for a series of London shows in 2001 and 2002, while 20 are brand new. We have at least one design each for 24 different Matinée artists plus two Matinée label designs and they’re all ready to include with your orders. Stock on older badges is quite limited and when they’re gone they’re gone so act fast if you want any. To launch our new line, we are offering a FREE badge with every order this month, oh yeah! If you just can’t decide on one, you may want to check out our 5 and 10-badge packs and choose your favorites. Please see the order page for details.

Hanging with The Lucksmiths on the new release shelf is the second single from The Snowdrops, an occasional collaboration of indie legends Keith Girdler (Blueboy, Beaumont, Lovejoy), Dick Preece (Lovejoy, Beaumont) and Pam Berry (The Pines, Shapiros, Black Tambourine, Glo Worm). The new ‘Sleepydust’ EP (matinée 053) features five tracks including a Pet Shop Boys-inspired title track (now playing on the sounds page) with brilliant lead vocals from Keith plus backing from Pam. Other tracks include a beautiful atmospheric number called ‘Too Cold To Snow,’ the wonderful ‘The Boy With The Hummingbird Eyes’ featuring Dick on lead vocals and a guest appearance from Keris Howard (Harper Lee, Brighter), a short one called ‘Teddy Dragons’ and a remix of ‘Sleepydust’ with more Pam and some other nice touches.

The EP continues to generate positive press, with Vanity Project calling it “ambient electro indie-pop with a rocking chair St. Etienne groove;” Mundane Sounds commenting “if you’ve ever wondered what The Field Mice might have released after their swan-song single “Missing the Moon,” Sleepydust answers that question quite nicely;” and The Big Takeover writing “gorgeous, stylish, melancholy pop music with an ’80s sheen, one song overtly alluding to Pet Shop Boys.” Finally, Tangents weighed in with its usual discerning prose, describing the single as priceless and writing “the sound of breathy kisses and dreamy-eyed devotion; of The Field Mice skywriting love letters to Ellsworth Kelly; of Pet Shop Boys on Brighton pier in a video by Caravaggio.” The single is limited to 1000 copies in a gorgeous minijacket sleeve and available now from the Matinée mailorder and all good retailers so get going!

Also garnering lots of attention is the wonderful ‘Language Lessons’ EP (matinée 058) from London trio Tender Trap! Since forming in 2001, band members Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey and John Stanley (DJ Downfall) have released three singles and the superb album ‘Film Molecules.’ Of course Amelia is arguably the voice of the indiepop generation, fronting legendary acts Talulah Gosh, Heavenly and Marine Research from the mid-80s to the turn of the century and adding her unmistakable vocals to hits from The Wedding Present, Hefner, The Brilliant Corners, and Sportique, among others. This long-awaited follow-up features lead track ‘Talking Backwards’ which will appear on the forthcoming Tender Trap album ‘6 Billion People’ (matcd040) in April. The song is a refreshing pop hit, full of chunky guitars, mellifluous vocals, smart drumming (courtesy of Claudia Gonson of The Magnetic Fields), ba-ba-ba’s and shimmering enthusiasm as it builds to its harmonious conclusion. Check it out now on the sounds page. The EP also includes three non-album tracks: ‘Unputdownable’ showcases more of Claudia’s ace drumming as it mixes lush string-filled verses with a shouty chorus that recalls the heady days of Heavenly; ‘Friendster’ is a lovely ode to a certain online forum; and ‘Cómo Te Llamas?’ is a frighteningly catchy electropop hit featuring a bilingual duet between Amelia and special guest Lupe Nuñez-Fernandez of fellow Matinée superstars Pipas.

The magnificent EP reviews continue, with All Music Guide concluding “Amelia Fletcher has never made a record anything less than wonderful and this is no exception,” and Pop Matters writing “all in all, Talking Backwards is a rousing girly guitar-pop joy that takes at least ten years off the soul.” Indeed! As with all our new singles, it is limited to 1000 copies in another stunning minijacket sleeve so get to the order page or your favorite shop now!

Staying with Tender Trap, we can now divulge details of the highly anticipated new album! Entitled ‘6 Billion People’ (matcd040), the album features dazzling new songs 6 Billion People, Talking Backwards, Inuit Beauty Queen, I Would Die For You, Applecore, Fahrenheit 451, Ampersand, (I Always Love You When I’m) Leaving You, Dreaming of Dreaming, and Dead and Gone. Of course they’re all dead good but we’ve just uploaded four current favorites to the catalog page and ‘Applecore’ is also featured on the sounds page. We’ve just finished the artwork too so it’s off to the pressing plant and on schedule for release in late April if all goes well. The band talked about the new album and more in a recent interview with Pop Matters so head over there if you want the inside scoop. More release details next month.

While on the sounds page, you will undoubtedly notice there is also a new soundclip of a song called ‘Wallflower’ from Brighter! While we are still working out the release details, I can confirm that we will release a very exciting compilation of Brighter material including the entirety of the ‘Laurel’ LP released on Sarah all those years ago, plus tracks from flexis and compilations and a healthy number of frankly stunning unreleased songs including the one now featured on the sounds page. The CD is tentatively entitled ‘Out To Sea: The Rest of Brighter’ (matcd041), and could contain as many as 20 tracks. More definitive news soon! New recordings from Lovejoy and Harper Lee are also nearing completion so watch this space for more new release information next month.

Would-Be-Goods are back in the spotlight with a quick set of dates in Spain this week with ace Elefant act Les Très Bien Ensemble! The shows are Thursday February 16th at Apolo in Barcelona, Friday February 17th at El Loco Club in Valencia, and Saturday February 18th at El Sol in Madrid. For additional show details please see the Elefant website. The shows are a collaboration between our friends at Elefant and Fortuna POP!, and the bands are scheduled to play three dates in the UK later this year. Entrance to the shows includes an exclusive Elefant/Fortuna POP! sampler CD “Que viva le pop!” featuring highlights of the two labels’ rosters. Would-Be-Goods have been busy in the recording studio recently and should have new release plans sorted soon as well. Hurrah!

In other band news, The Guild League have two new songs available on the latest Candle Records compilation ‘Hamper;’ Sportique have joined forces with the Myspace generation with a page of their own; and Pale Sunday have an alternate Myspace page as well.

After a month off, we are reviving our back catalog spotlight feature with classic releases this month from Simpático, The Young Tradition and Slipslide. Each release is on sale for the next month if you want to add to your Matinée collection. Further endorsement follows:

The back catalog spotlight album is the March 2002 full length ‘The Difference Between Alone and Lonely’ (matcd016) from Simpático! Not content to rest on the laurels of his prior band Sweet William, vocalist Jason Sweeney set out to create a debut Simpático album featuring warm, summery and melancholic tunes that reflect the harsh and dramatic Australian landscape matched with a longing and desire for lost loves. The resulting 12 tracks blended some of the strongest songwriting of Jason’s career with masterful keyboards, perfectly strummed guitars and his oh-so-dulcet voice. The album was greeted with glowing reviews, including Tangents writing “Simpático makes the sounds that you’d imagine the Field Mice making if their world were filled with more of a heat haze than a steady light drizzle;” Delusions of Adequacy concluding “borders on a work of genius;” In Love with These Times calling it “all killer, no filler;” and All Music Guide commenting “If you had to play the standard rock critic comparison game, saying Simpático is the Field Mice having tea with Brighter at the Razorcuts’ flat would be pretty close to dead on.” Check out full reviews and soundclips on the catalog page. We suspect this is an album you should probably not miss.

The July 2003 ‘California Morning’ EP (matinée 043) from The Young Tradition is our back catalog CD single of the month. At the time of their debut, group members Brent Kenji (The Fairways, The Guild League, Skypark) and Erik Hanspers had never met, collaborating instead through the marvels of our international postal service and a shared sense of songwriting. Featuring three beautifully orchestrated songs with jangling guitars, keyboards, trumpet, rich melodies and Brent’s captivating vocals, the single was the sort that demanded repeat listening and engendered gushing praise from all corners. Wide Open Road awarded it single of the year (so far), writing “California Morning is intoxicating, mesmerising, and totally huggable, recalling the beauty of those late 1960s San-Fran anthems you can all name yourselves quite easily.” Meanwhile, All Music Guide wrote “California Morning is a magical EP that will leave indie pop fans desperate for a full-length,” Tasty called it “cracking grown-up pop,” and The Big Takeover concluded “California Morning soars way above most indiepop—like a great track from 60s softrock giants The Millenium or a hidden gem of Simon & Garfunkel song that’s somehow only just been discovered. The EP includes two songs—including a cover of ‘Isolation’ from San Francisco popstars Poundsign—that did not appear on the subsequent album ‘Northern Drive (matcd038) so it’s well worth picking up. See the catalog page for reviews and soundclips. You’ll soon see that ‘California Morning’ is one of the very best songs we’ve ever released!

One of a trio of 7″ singles released in November 2001, the ‘Sleeptalk’ 45 (matinée 031) from Slipslide is our back catalog classic 7″ of the month. Featuring current and former members of Astronaut, the Love Parade, Eva Luna and Pure, Slipslide are merchants of swirling guitar pop with addictive choruses, keyboards, and rich production that sits nicely beside treasured records from Aztec Camera, Go Betweens, Pale Fountains, or New Order. ‘Sleeptalk’ features superbly jangling guitars, farfisa, a tambourine, and a bit of reverb, making it one of the most immediate songs the band has recorded to date. The flipside ‘Six Strings’ employs classic 12-string guitar, more tambourines and a slight folky edge reminiscent of the best moments of Shack. It remains one of our favorite Slipslide tracks to this day. Tangents liked it, writing “like a daydream beamed into my Saturday morning from fifteen years ago, making my spine creep and jangle.” Strange Fruit did too, concluding “this is a bit of a gem, basically. Charming vocals, C86 style melodies and guitars, and a happy, jolly, wonderful sound. An instantly delightful pop song that trundles along with a fey vigour all its own, it’s unassuming, charismatic and ideal to dance to. Lovely.” Lovely indeed. See the catalog page for reviews and soundclips. It’s on sale right now so a perfect time to pick one up and you could also use a nifty Slipslide badge too right?

That’s enough for this month. As always we leave you with the list of top sellers from the previous month…our official hit parade. Nice work Snowdrops!

10. The Happy Couple – Fools In Love CDEP
9. Would-Be-Goods – Brief Lives CD
8. The Young Tradition – Northern Drive CD
7. The Snowdrops – Mad World 7″
6. Pale Sunday – Summertime? CD
5. Tender Trap – Language Lessons CDEP
4. The Lucksmiths – Warmer Corners CD
3. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
2. Math and Physics Club – Movie Ending Romance CDEP
1. The Snowdrops – Sleepydust CDEP

Adios!
Jimmy
x

Happy New Year! In addition to reports on top new releases, this month we offer lists of 2005 favorites from Matinée artists and official results of the fourth annual Matinée fanclub poll, yes way!

Our foremost release of 2006 is a new 4 track EP (matinée 060) from The Lucksmiths! As soon as we received the master for last year’s magnificent ‘Warmer Corners’ album (matcd039), we knew lead track ‘A Hiccup In Your Happiness’ had to be a single and after months of cajoling and some fancy studio work its day has finally arrived. Boasting strings, horns, some seriously funky guitar and a bassline possibly borrowed from Orange Juice, the song is a smash and we are excited to finally see it grace the Matinée singles discography page. Making the release possible was tricky for several reasons: 1) a one track single – even one as tremendous as this – isn’t very exciting; 2) there were no available b-sides; and 3) Lucksmiths bassist Mark Monnone was living abroad most of the past year which made recording new songs a bit of a challenge. But alas, this is the Lucksmiths we’re talking about.

Magically, three magnificent b-sides appeared on my doorstep just last week along with some fresh artwork and 24 hours later we had a package ready for the pressing plant. Those magnificent b-sides are all set in actual places: ‘From Macaulay Station’ is an ode to one of the unlovelier stops on Melbourne’s rail network, while ‘Rue Something’ is a more-or-less factual account of an evening spent on tour in Paris and ‘To Absent Votes’ is the tale of election night in the Australian outback town of Lake Cargelligo. They’re all lovely of course, and, did I mention… exclusive to this EP?! Combined with ‘A Hiccup In Your Happiness’ they make quite a brilliant EP that will hopefully give ‘Warmer Corners’ another shot at the glory it deserves.

The EP is set for release on February 20th although we’ll have copies to send out the prior week for anyone who preorders it. See the order page to preorder. The EP will be available through Candle Records in Australia on the same date.

The new Lucksmiths EP is the first of 12 releases planned for this year as part of the 2006 Matinée Hit Parade! Future volumes should appear roughly monthly and include exclusive new songs from Matinée idols Harper Lee, Lovejoy, Slipslide, Sportique, Would-Be-Goods and more. The 2006 release schedule also includes new albums from Tender Trap and Math and Physics Club and a handful of seriously wonderful surprises including at least one retrospective release so stay tuned for details.

Now featured on new release shelves across the globe is the second single from mysterious Matinée musicmakers The Snowdrops, an occasional collaboration of indie legends Keith Girdler (Blueboy, Beaumont, Lovejoy), Dick Preece (Lovejoy, Beaumont) and Pam Berry (The Pines, Shapiros, Black Tambourine, Glo Worm). The new ‘Sleepydust’ EP (matinée 053) features five tracks including a Pet Shop Boys-inspired title track with brilliant lead vocals from Keith plus backing from Pam. You can listen to it now on the sounds page. Other tracks include a beautiful atmospheric number called ‘Too Cold To Snow,’ the wonderful ‘The Boy With The Hummingbird Eyes’ featuring Dick on lead vocals and a guest appearance from Keris Howard (Harper Lee, Brighter), a short one called ‘Teddy Dragons’ and a remix of ‘Sleepydust’ with more Pam (always a good thing) and some other nice touches.

The EP is already generating positive press, with Stylus Magazine suggesting “the members of the Snowdrops might want to reconsider the band’s status as a side project…their subdued synth-pop moves like a less-kinetic Postal Service, prizing atmosphere over rhythm or groove.” Meanwhile, Erasing Clouds described ‘Sleepydust’ as “romantic and lovely” and “another stylish, melancholy pop song for the ages,” while Tasty offered seasonal advice “if the winter is stretching out in front you like a miserable frozen lake, reach for this ep, put a warm jumper on and eat some chocolate… you’ll feel better again before long.”

The single is limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket sleeve and available now from the Matinée mailorder and all good retailers so get yours before they’re all gone.

Also gracing the new release shelf, the wonderful ‘Language Lessons’ EP (matinée 058) from London trio Tender Trap finds band members Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey and John Stanley (DJ Downfall) in top form. Amelia is arguably the voice of the indiepop generation, fronting legendary acts Talulah Gosh, Heavenly and Marine Research from the mid-80s to the turn of the century and adding her unmistakable vocals to hits from The Wedding Present, Hefner, The Brilliant Corners, and Sportique, among others. Since forming in 2001 as Tender Trap, Amelia, Rob and John have released three singles and the superb album ‘Film Molecules,’ once described as “the unholy alliance between Blondie and The Magnetic Fields.” This long-awaited follow-up features lead track ‘Talking Backwards’ which will appear on a forthcoming Tender Trap album (matcd040) in early 2006. The song is a refreshing pop hit, full of chunky guitars, mellifluous vocals, smart drumming (courtesy of Claudia Gonson of The Magnetic Fields), ba-ba-ba’s and shimmering enthusiasm as it builds to its highly harmonious conclusion. Check it out now on the sounds page. The EP also includes three non-album tracks: ‘Unputdownable’ showcases more of Claudia’s ace drumming as it mixes lush string-filled verses with a shouty chorus that recalls the heady days of Heavenly’s P.U.N.K. Girl; ‘Friendster’ is a lovely ode to a certain online forum; and ‘Cómo Te Llamas?’ is a frighteningly catchy electropop hit featuring a bilingual duet between Amelia and special guest Lupe Nuñez-Fernandez of fellow Matinée superstars Pipas.

We’re getting new Tender Trap reviews on a daily basis now. Some of our recent favorites include 75 or Less writing “infectious sing-song melodies, sweet girl-on-girl harmonies and an ounce of synthesizer for good measure… pop-a-licious!” and Pennyblack concluding “the whole of this EP is pretty much near perfect… welcome home, Amelia!” Do all Tender Trap reviews end with exclamation points, or am I imagining it? Let’s see… Mundane Sounds? Check: “A sweet little treat, this!” IndiePages? Check: “Talking Backwards” is taken from the band’s forthcoming second album, and if that album is as good as the single, it should be a delight! Tasty? Check: “A brighter, clearer sound [with] much simpler, bolder arrangements and lyrics to rival Heavenly’s cheekiest yet dark offerings… quite frankly, this is unmissable!”

The single is limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket sleeve so get to the order page or your favorite shop now so you can see what all the hoopla is about!!

Thanks to everyone who voted in the fourth annual Matinée Fanclub poll! We had responses from 18 countries this year and the results are now posted on the archive page. Here is a summary:

The winner of the album of the year award is ‘Warmer Corners” (matcd039) from The Lucksmiths (71 votes), with “Chunnel Autumnal” (matcd036) from Pipas (36) and ‘Summertime?” (matcd037) from Pale Sunday (33) coming in second and third. Hurrah!

In the singles category, newcomers Math and Physics Club took top prize with the ‘Weekends Away’ EP (matinée 056) earning 63 votes. ‘San Francisco’ EP (matinée 057) from The Lucksmiths and ‘Movie Ending Romance’ from Math and Physics Club (matinée 059) were the other favorites, with 43 and 34 votes respectively.

In addition to the top album and singles categories, we added a new category this year for song of the year. As expected, votes were fairly dispersed with 66 of the 76 eligible songs earning votes. In the end, Math and Physics Club took the prize with ‘Weekends Away’ (34 votes), followed closely by ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco’ from The Lucksmiths (31), ‘Another Sunny Day’ from The Happy Couple (23), ‘Movie Ending Romance’ from Math and Physics Club (22) and ‘California Morning’ from The Young Tradition (20). Additional songs from these bands plus hits from Lovejoy, Pipas, The Snowdrops and Tender Trap also made the top tier.

In the favorite band category, The Lucksmiths captured the number one spot this year (56 votes), followed by Math and Physics Club (33), Pipas (31), Harper Lee (23), The Fairways (23), Would-Be-Goods (14), Razorcuts (12), Brighter (11), Pale Sunday (10) and The Pines (8).

Finally, we replaced the ‘favorite song ever released on Matinée’ category with the more limited ‘favorite Matinée release of all time.’ Although the list of choices still numbered over 100, it seemed a bit more manageable than the 700+ songs released to date. Of course votes were still spread among virtually all the releases, but in the end a few firm favorites emerged. Top honors went to ‘Singles 1989-1992’ (matcd026) from Brighter (31 votes), followed by ‘Warmer Corners’ (matcd039) from The Lucksmiths (25), ‘R is for Razorcuts’ (matcd012) from Razorcuts (21), ‘A Cat Escaped’ (matcd021) from Pipas (20) and ‘Weekends Away’ (matinée 056) from Math and Physics Club (18). Other releases earning more than 10 votes each include ‘T-shirt Weather’ (matinée 018) from The Lucksmiths (17), ‘This is Farewell’ (matcd031) from The Fairways (15), ‘Where Were We?’ (matcd019) from The Lucksmiths (15), ‘Chunnel Autumnal’ (matcd036) from Pipas (13), ‘Slum Clearance’ (matcd005) from The Siddeleys (13), the Matinée 50 (matinée 050) compilation (13), ‘Everything’s Going To Be OK’ (matcd020) from Harper Lee (13), and ‘Staring At The Sky’ (matcd004) from The Lucksmiths (12).

Congratulations to all the Matinée artists and thanks very much to everyone who entered. The lucky winner of the five CD prize pack is Nancy Ostrander from Seattle, WA. Hurrah! Wish you had won? Join the Matinée Fanclub and you may be our next lucky winner.

We also surveyed all the Matinée artists at the end of the year regarding their favorite things of 2005 and as expected there was great variety in the responses. See responses from members of Airport Girl, The Happy Couple, Harper Lee, Lovejoy, The Lucksmiths, Math and Physics Club, Melodie Group, Simpático, Slipslide, The Snowdrops, Sportique, Tender Trap, and The Windmills on the archive page.

This update has gone on long enough so we’ll skip the back catalog spotlight this month but I promised to mention new Myspace pages for Slipslide and Tender Trap! They join fellow Matinée artists The Lucksmiths, Math and Physics Club and Pale Sunday on the popular website and are looking for friends, as the lingo goes. I’m still not sure what all of this means, but if you click on the band names in this paragraph you’ll be whisked away to myspace and can, indeed, become friends with these bands and probably thousands of others. Have fun!

Also, we are making new buttons and thinking about making new t-shirts. Thanks very much for your input. We are fairly certain buttons can’t be downloaded so this is likely your only place to get them. Full details in the February update, or check the fanclub page later this month. If you go there now you’ll see lots of postcards and some rather outdated t-shirt information but not a word about buttons. Trust me, you’ll need a new backpack with what we have planned.

People bought lots of records in December so we had a nice Christmas. Here is the final hit parade of 2005, with a brand new number one:

10. Pipas – Chunnel Autumnal CD
9. The Happy Couple – Fools In Love CDEP
8. Brighter – Singles 1989-1992 CD
7. Pipas – A Cat Escaped CD
6. Various – Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware CD
5. The Lucksmiths – Warmer Corners CD
4. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
3. Tender Trap – Language Lessons CDEP
2. Math and Physics Club – Movie Ending Romance CDEP
1. The Snowdrops – Sleepydust CDEP

Until next month,
Jimmy
x

Hello! We’re back, full of autumnal cheer and surrounded by freshly delivered boxes of our penultimate release of the year.

That release, the excellent new ‘Language Lessons’ CDEP (matinée 058) from London trio Tender Trap, finds band members Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey and John Stanley (DJ Downfall) in absolutely top form. Amelia is arguably the voice of the indiepop generation, fronting legendary acts Talulah Gosh, Heavenly and Marine Research from the mid-80s to the turn of the century and adding her unmistakable vocals to hits from The Wedding Present, Hefner, The Brilliant Corners, and Sportique, among others. Since forming in 2001 as Tender Trap, Amelia, Rob and John have released three singles and the superb album ‘Film Molecules,’ described in one respected music magazine as the “unholy alliance between Blondie and The Magnetic Fields.”

The long-awaited follow-up, the ‘Language Lessons’ EP features lead track ‘Talking Backwards’ which will appear on a forthcoming Tender Trap album in early 2006. The song is a refreshing pop hit, full of chunky guitars, mellifluous vocals, smart drumming (courtesy of Claudia Gonson of The Magnetic Fields), ba-ba-ba’s and shimmering enthusiasm as it builds to its highly harmonious conclusion. Check it out now on the updated sounds page. The EP also includes three non-album tracks: ‘Unputdownable’ showcases more of Claudia’s ace drumming as it mixes lush string-filled verses with a shouty chorus that recalls the heady days of Heavenly’s P.U.N.K. Girl; ‘Friendster’ is a lovely ode to a certain online forum; and ‘Cómo Te Llamas?’ is a frighteningly catchy electropop hit featuring a bilingual duet between Amelia and special guest Lupe Nuñez-Fernandez of fellow Matinée superstars Pipas. Another classic single and a very welcome return for Tender Trap! The single is limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket sleeve so get to the order page for your very own copy.

The band is currently finalizing artwork for the forthcoming album ‘Talking Backwards’ (matcd040) which includes great new songs Six Billion People, Inuit Beauty Queen, Ampersand, Talking Backwards, Fahrenheit 451, I Would Die For You, Dead And Gone, Applecore, (I Only Love You When I’m) Leaving You, and Dreaming of Dreaming. More details on the newly updated Tender Trap website.

Good news this month for fans of The Snowdrops too as we finally received the audio master for the new ‘Sleepydust’ EP (matinée 053)! The single has made its way to the pressing plant so we will have copies available early next month for your holiday shopping. As you may know, the band is an occasional collaboration of indie legends Keith Girdler (Blueboy, Beaumont, Arabesque, Lovejoy), Dick Preece (Lovejoy) and Pam Berry (The Pines, Shapiros, Glo Worm, Castaway Stones, Black Tambourine, etc.) but they like to keep things mysterious so you never know who might contribute something in the end. The new EP features five tracks including a Pet Shop Boys-inspired title track (now playing on the sounds page) with brilliant lead vocals from Keith plus backing from Pam. Other tracks include the beautiful atmospheric number ‘Too Cold To Snow,’ a wonderful song called ‘The Boy With The Hummingbird Eyes’ with Dick on lead vocals and a guest appearance from Keris Howard (Harper Lee, Brighter), a short one called ‘Teddy Dragons’ and a remix of ‘Sleepydust’ with more Pam (always a good thing) and some other nice touches. We’ll start taking preorders later this month so check the order page for availability. As with all our singles, the EP is limited to 1000 copies in our custom designed minijacket sleeves.

In addition to the new Tender Trap and Snowdrops releases, we are also finalizing details of a 2006 singles club called The Hit Parade comprising a new EP every month with insanely catchy a-sides, exclusive tracks and more! We’re committing to twelve EPs in as many months from Matinée favorites The Lucksmiths, Sportique, Would-Be-Goods, Lovejoy, Slipslide, Harper Lee and more, plus some surprises. Stay tuned for details! Of course we have a few albums planned as well so 2006 is shaping up to be another top year for the label.

Looking backwards for a moment, the most recent release from Math and Physics Club is the magnificent ‘Movie Ending Romance’ EP (matinée 059)! In a few months the band has gone from relative obscurity to indie acclaim, with two successful singles, features in respected publications like Pitchfork, Magnet and Rockpile, heavy rotation at some of the best radio stations in the land, and live appearances alongside heavyweights like The Lucksmiths, The Pixies, Tullycraft and Modest Mouse. Released in July, this new EP has only helped to solidify their stature as one of the best new bands of 2005. Among its four songs, ‘Movie Ending Romance’ is a pure jangler with soaring guitars, tambourines and an ace drumbeat, ‘White and Grey’ is an earnest song featuring strings, keyboards, and harmonica plus some magnificently poignant vocals, ‘Graduation Day’ is a swinging pop hit with more jangling guitars, tambourine, violin, and great lyrics, and ‘You’re So Good To Me’ is a Pacific Northwest take on a Beach Boys classic. As always, the lead track is available for streaming or download on the sounds page. The band continues work on its debut album so check here for updates and song previews soon. In the meantime, go straight to the order page to secure your copy.

Earlier this year we released fantastic albums from The Lucksmiths (matcd039), The Young Tradition (matcd038), Pale Sunday (matcd037), Pipas (matcd036) and Lovejoy (matcd035), plus singles from The Lucksmiths (matinée 057), Math and Physics Club (matinée 056), and The Happy Couple (matinée 054). See the catalog pages for complete release details, soundclips and reviews. We think it’s the best year ever for Matinée and continue to be excited about the label and our plans for the future. We hope you’ll join us.

Our continuing back catalog spotlight features classic releases this month from Sportique, Melodie Group and Sweet William. Each release is on sale for the next month if you want to complete your Matinée collection. Here is further encouragement:

The ‘Modern Museums’ LP (matcd015) from Sportique was released in January 2002 and marked a fairly substantial evolution from the band’s 1999 debut. The press loved it, and the album amassed scores of positive reviews. Among our favorites, Everett True wrote in Careless Talk Costs Lives: “Modern Museums is immaculate in a bittersweet, madcap, loud petulant sort of way…I want to marry it and have its children,” while Tasty concluded “twisted genius in glorious stereo” and Wide Open Road wrote “a still breathless meth-amphetamine art punk (g)rumble through the underground with the spray can of hate and love.” The best review ever (for any Matinée release) came from Japanese magazine Cookie Scene which reported “sounds like a guy whistle with a grin in underground after packed up a dead body of himself in a fat suit case popped up a leg a little.” You read that right. How can you not want to hear that?! Check out full reviews and soundclips on the catalog page. If you haven’t heard Sportique this is a perfect place to start.

With release of the ‘Raincoat’ EP (matinée 020) from Melodie Group in November 2000, we went with a surefire attention grabber on the sleeve: pornography. Admittedly, we made it a bit arty with some clever photoshopping and pixelization but as the Supreme Court told us, you can’t define pornography but you know it when you see it. In keeping with the sleeve art, we called lead track “You’ve Got the Whole of the World In Your Mouth” a two-minute pop explosion with chiming guitars and superb vocals that recall the jangling best of early Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Still a fair comparison we’d say, so if you remember the goodness of hits like ‘Perfect Skin’ or ‘Lost Weekend’ this might be for you. The EP includes three other tracks—the wonderfully sublime ‘Raincoat’ which seemed to be the favorite for most people, ‘Magic Robot’ which appropriately introduced a hint of modern electronica, and a moody one called ‘Goodbye’ that still makes us smile. English zine Robots and Electric Brains concluded “Melodie Group are on the side of the angels…Pastels, Wedding Present and 1986 are all here along with charm and chiming brilliance.” Of course Melodie Group mainman Roy Thirlwall is also lead vocalist of The Windmills and of all the Melodie Group releases this one is perhaps closest in spirit (or production) to The Windmills. Listening to it now we still think it is four A-sides that deserve to be heard by the masses and with all exclusive tracks (plus free porn) it’s a bargain as well. Listen to some Melodie Group soundclips on the sounds page and get a copy while it’s on sale this month. You’ll be glad you did.

This month’s back catalog classic 7” is the ‘Lovely Norman’ EP (matinée 006) from Sweet William. While this Australian band generally gets props for having the very first Matinée release ever (the ‘Dutch Mother’ EP from 1997), the spotlight this month is on their second single from January 1999. Confusingly, ‘Lovely Norman’ is the first song we heard from Sweet William and therefore more responsible for the launch of the label than even ‘Dutch Mother.’ Do you follow? Yes, this song is that good! You can listen to it on the sounds or catalog pages if you don’t believe me. In addition to the title track the EP includes ‘Run for Your Life’ and ‘Not Actual, Not Lasting’ (later covered by South London folk legends and Matinée labelmates The Pines). Three exclusive songs that sadly marked the end of the band but luckily we have this single to remember them always. Lead vocalist and guitarist Jason Sweeney went on to even greater acclaim in Simpático…a subject for a future back catalog classic feature for sure! ‘Lovely Norman’ is a key chapter in the Matinée history books so get a copy before it is gone for good.

Alright then…a combined hit parade for September and October keeps Math and Physics Club on top. Here’s the top ten:

10. Various – Matinée 50 CD
9. Pale Sunday – Summertime? CD
8. Brighter – Singles 1989-1992 CD
7. Harper Lee – All Things Can Be Mended CD
6. Various – Matinee Winter Warmer CD
5. The Young Tradition – Northern Drive CD
4. Tender Trap – Language Lessons CDEP
3. The Lucksmiths – Warmer Corners CD
2. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
1. Math and Physics Club – Movie Ending Romance CDEP

Thanks, as always, for supporting the Matinée mailorder!

Until December,
Jimmy
x

We keep forgetting that endless summer doesn’t apply far from Santa Barbara and that some of you actually expect news from us now that it’s officially autumn, so here we go…

Our latest release is the magnificent ‘Movie Ending Romance’ EP (matinée 059) from Math and Physics Club! Judging from our postal receipts the past month it’s hard to believe everyone doesn’t have one of these already and with very good reason because our Seattle pals have delivered another winner. The title track is a summertime jangler with soaring guitars, tambourines and a drumbeat that will put a skip in the step of indie hipsters across the globe. ‘White and Grey’ is an earnest song featuring strings, keyboards, and harmonica plus some magnificently poignant vocals. ‘Graduation Day’ is a swinging pop hit with more jangling guitars, tambourine, violin, and great lyrics—a possible contender as the best MAPC song to date. Closing track ‘You’re So Good To Me’ is a Pacific Northwest take on a Beach Boys classic and a mighty fine one at that.

The band adds to its stockpile of positive reviews in the music press: Friends of the Heroes called the EP “without doubt the perfect summer record,” while Canadian hipsters Left Hip wrote “Movie Ending Romance is one of my faves from the dazzling current Matinée roster.” Erasing Clouds continued its string of spot-on reviews, saying “the feeling that Math and Physics Club is aiming to write classic pop singles may be merely because these songs are so damn good that throwing the word classic around doesn’t seem disingenuous.” Finally, Tasty delivered our choice quote: “If you thought that the quality quotient down at Matinée was every gonna wane, think again. This is the best single they’ve released in a while, and, amongst a throng of very great singles, too. ‘Movie Ending Romance’ by Math and Physics Club is quite simply stunning.”

Soundclips on the sounds page, of course, or just click straight to the order page so you’re not the last person on your block with a copy. The band is currently working on songs for its debut album and my, oh my, is it gonna be good!

Following the success of recent singles from Math and Physics Club, The Happy Couple and The Lucksmiths, we are officially declaring the single is not dead (!) despite industry reports to the contrary. To validate this point we are finalizing two more singles for imminent release:

First up is the highly anticipated return of London trio Tender Trap with the ‘Language Lessons’ CDEP (matinée 058)! The follow-up to the 2002 album ‘Film Molecules,’ the EP features lead track ‘Talking Backwards’ (a preview of the band’s forthcoming second album later this year) plus non-album tracks ‘Unputdownable,’ ‘Friendster’ and ‘Cómo Te Llamas?’ As you probably know, Tender Trap is Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey, and John Stanley who individually and collectively are responsible for various hits as Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research and DJ Downfall. On this EP they are in top form, and joined by special guests Claudia Gonson (The Magnetic Fields) on two songs and Lupe Nuñez-Fernandez (Pipas) on another. The single is scheduled for release late next month but ‘Talking Backwards’ is playing on the sounds page now if you just can’t wait. We have just added the official Tender Trap artist page to the site as well so check that out if you are keen to learn more about the band.

Also scheduled for release at last is the ‘Sleepydust’ EP (matinée 053) from The Snowdrops! The artwork is actually finished for this one so we are just waiting on the final master recording to get it into production. This has been a long time coming but not without good reason and you will be rewarded for your patience. You see, The Snowdrops aren’t really a band but instead a figment of the imagination of the inimitable Keith Girdler (Blueboy, Beaumont, Lovejoy). Core “members” include Dick Preece (Lovejoy) and Pam Berry (The Pines, etc.) but you never know who might contribute something in the end. They communicate only via handwritten note usually delivered by carrier pigeon. The Snowdrops are also the only band we know that designs artwork first and then attempts to record songs that fit the sleeve. At this stage it’s a five-track EP including a very Pet Shop Boys-inspired title track with brilliant lead vocals from Keith plus backing from Pam. You can listen to that on the current sounds page. Other tracks include a beautiful atmospheric number called ‘Too Cold To Snow’ (partly responsible for our desire to not release it in the summer), a wonderful new song called ‘The Boy With The Hummingbird Eyes’ with Dick on lead vocals and a guest appearance from Keris Howard (Harper Lee, Brighter), a short one called ‘Teddy Dragons’ and a remix of ‘Sleepydust’ with more Pam (always a good thing) and some other nice touches. Most likely out in November, but we’ll keep you posted…

Earlier this year we released fantastic albums from The Lucksmiths (matcd039), The Young Tradition (matcd038) and Pale Sunday (matcd037). We’ve written about them a lot already so check the archives if you are a sucker for my prose or simply click straight to the catalog pages for complete release details, soundclips and reviews. There you’ll also find details on other 2005 releases from Pipas (matcd036), Lovejoy (matcd035), The Lucksmiths (matinée 057), Math and Physics Club (matinée 056), and The Happy Couple (matinée 054). Not a bad year for Matinée, eh?

In band news, we have added recent interviews and other features to the Lucksmiths and Math and Physics Club pages. Also, a handful of October live performances to add to your calendar:

October 1: Math and Physics Club at Neumos in Seattle, WA (KEXP benefit show with M83, The National, Athlete, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and John Vanderslice). The show is broadcast live on KEXP from 6pm – 9pm Pacific time so you can all listen in).

October 2: Pipas and Mark Monnone (The Lucksmiths) plus Michelmas at The Light Programme in London, England. See the Pipas website for more details.

October 22: Lovejoy and Pipas plus Love Dance and Professor Pez at Kamelon, Bergen, Norway (Some Gorgeous Accident festival). See the Kamelon website for show details.

We are starting a new back catalog spotlight feature this month, shining a light on some classics from our respected discography which is now approaching 100 releases! Each month we’ll feature one CD album, one CD single and one 7” single that we think deserve another chance in the spotlight. Each of the releases is also on sale for the next month if you are looking for buying suggestions or just want to complete your Matinée collection. This month, the honors go to:

Ah, The Windmills. We have released a total of seven gems from this Southend-On-Sea lot and each one has proven more astonishing than the last. So, no better place to kick off our back catalog album spotlight than their most recent full-length ‘Now Is Then’ (matcd028) from November of 2003. Including the should-have-been hits ‘Walking Around The World’ and ‘Summer Snow’ and ‘Now Is Then,’ the album is a solid one start to finish and earned the band the loftiest acclaim of its career. Among our favorite quotes, All Music Guide praised it as “classic guitar-driven indie pop… rich and full of emotion” while IndiePages awarded it “favorite Windmills record to date” status and Aversion.com called it “an unfaltering collection of uplifting pop that demands repeat listening.” Check out full reviews and soundclips on the catalog page. If you haven’t heard The Windmills yet this is a great place to start.

Yeah, we know you’ve heard it before…‘Train Not Stopping’ from Harper Lee happens to be my favorite song ever released on Matinée but you must admit, this EP (matinée 032) is rather spectacular. In addition to the flawless title track, the EP includes exclusive songs ‘I Could Be There For You’ and ‘The Sea Gently Lifting’ which are minor gems in their own right. The single had the unfortunate fate of being released on September 11th of 2001 so needless to say it was a bit difficult to get people jumping up and down about it back in the day. Over time it has established itself as a bit of a masterpiece but we reckon there are many of you out there who still NEED to hear this. In reviewing the single, Strange Fruit wrote “straightforward and very, very effective, a starkly moving and sparkling little gem,” while In Love With These Times concluded “I could happily do nothing but listen to these songs ‘til Christmas.” Our favorite press quote, however, came from the ever-trusty Tasty, saying “There’s only two of ‘em, but they make a sound like an orchestra on valium, filling every corner of a song.” What could I possibly say to follow that? Read more reviews and listen to the title track on the catalog page—this one’s a gem and no serious student of the label should be without it.

Our featured 7” is the debut release from Nottingham quartet The Liberty Ship. Released in June 2002, the single (matinée 036) includes two songs exclusive to this release—‘I Guess You Didn’t See Her’ and a splendid cover of Gene Clark’s ‘She Don’t Care About Time.’ A very promising debut indeed! IndiePages applauded its “jangly guitars that sparkle and shimmer and great boy/girl vocal harmonies,” while Tasty called it “one of the essential purchases of your pop-drenched summer” and In Love With These Times said “rich and laid-back, this is pop for all seasons.” Of course The Liberty Ship went on to release the stunning ‘Northern Angel’ EP and ‘Tide’ album the following year but the songs from this 7” remain exclusive to this release so get it while you can. The 7” is one of six Matinée 7” that came in a proper glued jacket instead of a foldover sleeve and it looks rather smashing if you ask me. Bonus points if you can tell me who the rock star is on the sleeve…

In merchandise news, we have nearly sold out of the Lucksmiths US tour t-shirts, and the Matinée and Razorcuts shirts are just about gone as well. Check the order page for color and size availability and order soon if you want one. We are taking preorders now for a small number of Math and Physics Club t-shirts…available in light blue adult sizes and pink ladies sizes with a nifty paper airplane design. This is the same shirt available at recent MAPC shows on the West Coast and we have just 30 available so go here now to secure yours. Shirts will ship next week as soon as they arrive. More shirts and a new range of buttons/pins/badges (call ‘em what you like) are on the way. Look for complete details on the fanclub page sometime soon.

Finally, a combined hit parade for July and August demonstrates further love for Math and Physics Club. Thanks, as always, for supporting the Matinée mailorder! Here’s the top ten:

10. The Guild League – Inner North CD
9. The Lucksmiths – San Francisco CDEP
8. Razorcuts – R is for Razorcuts CD
7. The Happy Couple – Fools In Love CDEP
6. The Lucksmiths – Where Were We? CD
5. Pale Sunday – Summertime? CD
4. The Young Tradition – Northern Drive CD
3. The Lucksmiths – Warmer Corners CD
2. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
1. Math and Physics Club – Movie Ending Romance CDEP

Back next month with more news!
Jimmy
x

Greetings popfans and hope you are enjoying your summer so far! Things are especially good here this week as we present another splendid new chapter in the Matinée discography:

Just back from the pressing plant is the highly anticipated ‘Movie Ending Romance’ EP (matinée 059) from Math and Physics Club! The band’s debut ‘Weekends Away’ EP sold out almost immediately, thanks in part to tremendous support from hip radio stations KEXP and WOXY plus a groundswell of underground buzz around the band. In reviewing the EP, venerable music publications pulled out all the punches, with All Music Guide calling it “a four track gem that manages to escape any charges of imitation,” Losing Today concluding “a classic all said and done,” Pitchfork reporting “sounds like The Clientele performing the first Smiths record after a Saturday night alone with Go-Betweens b-sides,” and Splendid hailing Math and Physics Club “a great new band.”

With ‘Movie Ending Romance’, the Seattle quintet proves the success of its debut was no fluke. The title track is one of those seamless summertime janglers with soaring guitars, lots of tambourines and a precise drumbeat that will put a skip in the step of indie hipsters across the globe. ‘White and Grey’ is an earnest song featuring exquisite strings, keyboards, and wailing harmonica plus some magnificently poignant vocals. ‘Graduation Day’ is a swinging pop hit with more jangling guitars, tambourine, violin, and great lyrics – perfect for summertime beach parties and a possible contender as the best MAPC song to date. Closing track ‘You’re So Good To Me’ is a Pacific Northwest take on a Beach Boys classic and a mighty fine one at that.

The single is officially released today although we had advance copies last weekend at the San Francisco Popfest. Math and Physics Club were among the featured performers, playing a brilliant set on the Saturday night bill with Remedy ‘n Wren, The Autocollants, The Consultants and The Baskervilles. The band also performed live on KALX radio Saturday afternoon with various Popfest bands. To promote the new release, Math and Physics Club have a handful of upcoming Seattle dates including a record release show at Chop Suey on July 28th, a special appearance at the Seattle Art Museum on August 18th, and a spot at the Bumbershoot Arts Festival on September 4th. See the band website for complete show details. You can also read a new MAPC interview at ace website You Aint No Picasso, based in Kentucky which of course wins lots of points with us.

The band is currently working on its debut full-length scheduled for release early next year. In the meantime, you can score copies of ‘Movie Ending Romance’ and ‘Weekends Away’ from the Matinée order page or any decent record shop. Soundclips for the two title tracks are now playing on the sounds page if you need a taste. I might go have a listen myself as I write a bit more…

Also performing at the San Francisco Popfest was Gregory Webster of Razorcuts and Sportique fame and oh, what a set! All hits: Love and Remains … I Heard You The First Time …. Don’t Believe A Word I Say … I’ll Still Be There … Art & Shopping … Sorry To Embarrass You … plus cameo appearances on Razorcuts covers by Math and Physics Club (A is for Alphabet) and The Autocollants (I Won’t Let You Down). Greg and DJ Downfall (of new Matinée signings Tender Trap) visited Santa Barbara last week en route to San Francisco and, being the perfect houseguests they are, helped me listen to 30-some demos that have come in over the past few months. It was a good night and helped me nearly catch up so if you are one of the bands that recently sent a demo and want to check in feel free to email us.

Speaking of Tender Trap, details of their debut Matinée release are now final. While the band is a new addition to the Matinée roster they have an esteemed discography already on top indie labels Elefant, Fortuna POP!, and K Records…and of course band members Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey, and John Stanley (aka DJ Downfall) individually and collectively have a celebrated past with indie legends Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research and Sportique. The long-awaited follow-up to the debut Tender Trap album ‘Film Molecules’, the new release is the four song ‘Language Lessons’ CDEP (matinée 058) featuring lead track ‘Talking Backwards’ which will appear on a forthcoming album of the same name later this year. The single also features non-album tracks ‘Unputdownable,’ ‘Friendster’ and ‘Cómo Te Llamas?’…the latter taken from a recent Spanish-only single on Elefant Records and featuring fellow Matinée megastar Lupe Nuñez-Fernandez of Pipas in duet with Amelia. It’s a winner! We are still deciding on artwork so the exact release date is undetermined but should be in September. We will report on the album tracklisting and release details next month. In the meantime, ‘Talking Backwards’ is now playing on the sounds page if you just can’t wait. It’s on high rotation here at the moment and is sure to be a hit on your late summer playlists.

Switching to some recent gems, the fantastic debut album ‘Northern Drive’ (matcd038) from The Young Tradition is now available in shops worldwide. Comprised of Japanese-American vocalist Brent Kenji (formerly of The Fairways and Skypark) and Swedish multi-instrumentalist Erik Hanspers, the duo created its classic debut single ‘California Morning’ (matinée 043) entirely through the postal service in 2003. The single earned praise from all corners, including comparisons to 60s legends The Byrds, The Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel; 80s favorites The Springfields, Sea Urchins and Teenage Fanclub; and contemporaries Belle & Sebastian, The Ladybug Transistor and Camera Obscura. Transcending decades with seriously impressive songwriting and beautiful orchestration, the duo gained attention before physically meeting in San Francisco last year to record the songs for this debut album. ‘Northern Drive’ includes ten new Young Tradition classics featuring jangling guitars, keyboards, and strings plus prominent bursts of trumpet, flute, and saxophone along with supremely rich melodies and Brent’s enchanting vocals. Fans of the Fairways will undoubtedly rejoice but 60s pop aficionados should take note as well because this album is a sophisticated pop mix that will delight indie kids and hip parents alike.

All Music Guide awarded the album four-and-a-half stars, saying “The Young Tradition have crafted a real gem of a record, full of emotion, hooks, and depth…an instant classic album.” In other press news, Erik Hanspers recently completed an interview for Swedish magazine Musiklandet so practice your Swedish by clicking here. You can preview four songs from the album on the sounds page and order the CD right now from the Matinée webshop or from your favorite store. While you’re at it, we still have copies of the classic debut ‘California Morning’ EP (matinée 043) which includes exclusive non-album tracks ‘All Up To Me’ and ‘Isolation’…come on, you won’t be disappointed! The Young Tradition are swell.

The new Pale Sunday album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) also continues to impress. The Brazilian trio debuted with the 2003 single ‘A Weekend With Jane’ (matinée 049) earning acclaim from international music press and comparisons to indie legends Another Sunny Day and Razorcuts plus contemporary bands Brideshead and Aerospace. Since then, the band has contributed covers of Smiths and Sportique songs to Matinée compilations ‘Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware’ and ‘Matinée 50’ while writing and recording the ten new songs for this album. ‘Summertime?’ has all the essential POP! ingredients…jangling guitars, addictive choruses, tambourines, trumpets, handclaps, sha-la-la’s and perfect melodies. Sometimes the guitars get fuzzy in classic shoegaze fashion but in the end the bright shimmering pop songs and spirit of ’86 take over. The band wears 80s British pop influences on its sleeves but somehow manages to sound completely modern with some of the catchiest songs of the year. In addition to nine English language hits the album features one song in the band’s native Portuguese, which of course is the most beautiful language in the world.

Among the latest reviews, Finnish webzine One Chord to Another called it “a great summer soundtrack and one of the best indie pop albums in 2005,” while Italian kids-in-the-know Indiepop.it said “Summertime is a passionate rendition of Pale Sunday’s love for pop music…a record that speaks more about love (imaginary and real) than about summer, and an outstandingly good one.” You can also read an interview with Pale Sunday this month at Indiepop.it. If those superlatives aren’t enough to get you clicking to the order page, have a listen to ‘The White Tambourine’, ‘My Punk Girl’ and ‘Strangeways’ on the sounds page. ‘Summertime?’ is available now from the Matinée webshop or your favorite pop emporium, and if you don’t already have the ‘A Weekend With Jane’ EP (matinée 049) then you might just want to pick that up too because it contains four superb non-album tracks and the artwork is pretty ace too.

The tremendous press continues for the latest Lucksmiths masterpiece ‘Warmer Corners’ (matcd039). Some of our favorite recent reviews include Time Off Magazine calling it “an album that’s concurrently vibrant, restrained, mature and brimming with zeal,” Fufkin writing “effortlessly literate and terminally effervescent, this album is a gem,” and our local Santa Barbara Independent concluding “Warmer Corners brims with some of the finest indie-pop you are destined to be listening to this year.” You can preview four songs from ‘Warmer Corners’ on the sounds page, and see complete release details and all current reviews on the catalog page. The CD is available now from the Matinée shop and all good retailers. You know you want it.

During their recent US tour, The Lucksmiths stopped at KEXP radio in Seattle for an interview and in-studio performance which is now archived here. Also just up is a nice interview with PopMatters magazine. In other press action, the band completed an interview with BBC America that will feature on the Global Hit program on Friday, July 22nd. The feature is the last ten minutes of the BBC program The World, which airs on hundreds of radio stations in the US. Some of these stations also broadcast live on the web if you are not near a station or if you want to listen outside the US. The interview will be archived later this month on the Global Hit website, and we will add a link to it from The Lucksmiths artist page. This should be great exposure for the band, so when your granny asks you about The Lucksmiths at your next family reunion don’t be shocked!

Finally, we have about 50 Lucksmiths t-shirts available now from the Matinée mailorder. These are the same shirts they were selling on tour featuring the Lucksmiths guitar logo. The shirts are forest green (in adult medium and adult large) or indigo blue (in adult small and youth large). All shirts are Gildan 100% cotton and if you’re looking for a smaller size the youth large is your best bet. Shirts are just $10 each and they will likely go pretty fast so order now if you want one. We also have a handful of Matinée and Razorcuts t-shirts left for your summertime wardrobe so get ’em before they sell out for good.

Our fine batch of Spring singles – ‘Fools in Love’ (matinée 054) from The Happy Couple, ‘Weekends Away’ (matinée 056) from Math and Physics Club, and ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco’ (matinée 057) from The Lucksmiths – are all still making waves in the music press. Check out the latest reviews for each on the updated catalog page. All are four track EPs with exclusive non-album tracks and all come in our classic new custom minijackets which look really nice, especially when lined up on a shelf so you can read the tiny spines. Singles rule, don’t you think?

Finally, a quick roundup of happenings with some of the other Matinée hitmakers: The Windmills play a rare live gig with Picture Center July 30th at Water Rats in London…The Snowdrops really are finishing up their long delayed new single…Pipas are up to their usual jet-set lifestyle but promise new recordings by the end of the year…Lovejoy look set to play in Denmark this September… Slipslide are currently recording nearly a dozen new songs … Would-Be-Goods are planning a series of autumn dates in the UK and Spain…and Sportique are contemplating world domination with a slightly revised lineup. Stay tuned for details.

Right. I will leave you with a rundown of the top sellers for the month of June. Thanks, as always, for supporting the Matinée mailorder! We truly appreciate your patronage.

10. The Guild League – Inner North CD
9. The Fairways – This is Farewell CD
8. Pipas – Chunnel Autumnal CD
7. The Lucksmiths – San Francisco CDEP
6. The Happy Couple – Fools In Love CDEP
5. Lovejoy – Everybody Hates CD
4. The Young Tradition – Northern Drive CD
3. Pale Sunday – Summertime? CD
2. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
1. The Lucksmiths – Warmer Corners CD

Until next month,
Jimmy
x

Greetings! More new releases plus announcement of two summer singles and another new band on the Matinée roster…hurrah! Here’s the skinny:

First up is the spectacular debut album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) from Brazilian trio Pale Sunday! The band turned heads with its 2003 single ‘A Weekend With Jane’ (matinée 049) earning acclaim from international music press and comparisons to indie legends Another Sunny Day and Razorcuts plus contemporary bands Brideshead and Aerospace. Since then, the band has contributed covers of Smiths and Sportique songs to Matinée compilations ‘Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware’ and ‘Matinée 50’ while writing and recording the ten new songs for this album. ‘Summertime?’ has all the essential POP! ingredients…jangling guitars, addictive choruses, tambourines, trumpets, handclaps, sha-la-la’s and perfect melodies. Sometimes the guitars get fuzzy in classic shoegaze fashion but in the end the bright shimmering pop songs and spirit of ’86 take over. The band wears 80s British pop influences on its sleeves but somehow manages to sound completely modern with some of the catchiest songs of the year. In addition to nine English language hits the album features one song in the band’s native Portuguese, which of course is the most beautiful language in the world.

In reviewing the record, hip UK fanzine Tasty called it “the best indie pop album of the year so far” and of course Tasty is spot on with its reviews so what are you waiting for? You can listen to ‘The White Tambourine’, ‘My Punk Girl’ and ‘Strangeways’ on the sounds page and order the CD right now from the Matinée webshop or your favorite pop emporium. To celebrate the album, Pale Sunday has launched a new website and plans to announce live dates soon. Nice.

Also now available from shops around the globe is the magnificent debut album ‘Northern Drive’ (matcd038) from internationalists The Young Tradition! Comprised of Swedish multi-instrumentalist Erik Hanspers and Japanese-American vocalist Brent Kenji (formerly of The Fairways and Skypark), the duo created its classic debut single ‘California Morning’ (matinée 043) entirely through the international postal service in 2003. The single generated lofty praise from all corners, including favorable comparisons to 60s legends The Byrds, The Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel; 80s favorites The Springfields, Sea Urchins and Teenage Fanclub; and contemporaries Belle & Sebastian, The Ladybug Transistor and Camera Obscura. Transcending decades with seriously impressive songwriting and beautiful orchestration, the duo gained attention before physically meeting in San Francisco last year to record the songs for this debut album. ‘Northern Drive’ includes ten new Young Tradition classics featuring jangling guitars, keyboards, and strings plus prominent bursts of trumpet, flute, and saxophone along with supremely rich melodies and Brent’s enchanting vocals. Fans of the Fairways will undoubtedly rejoice but 60s pop aficionados should take note as well because this album is a sophisticated pop mix that will delight indie kids and hip parents alike.

Venerable music reference All Music Guide awarded the album a very impressive four-and-a-half stars, saying “The Young Tradition have crafted a real gem of a record, full of emotion, hooks, and depth…an instant classic album.” You can preview ‘California Morning’, ‘Pink Opaque’, ‘Northern Drive’ and ‘Now You Know’ on the sounds page and order the CD right now from the Matinée webshop or in stores. Stay tuned for details of potential European live appearances this summer.

The latest Lucksmiths full length ‘Warmer Corners’ (matcd039) is flying off the shelves and onto many midyear ‘Best of 2005’ lists. The album is receiving tremendous reviews and is on pace to be one of the top sellers for the label. Some of our favorite recent press quotes include the Erasing Clouds comment “Warmer Corners offers everything I would want in an album, which is why I plan to play it again and again and again and again…until their next one comes out,” and Stylus Magazine writing “the Lucksmiths deserve much more than merely being weighed against other acts from the so-called “twee” roster. Warmer Corners is a terrific and thoroughly enjoyable effort from a largely underappreciated band.”

The recent whirlwind US tour was a great success including several sold out shows so thanks to everyone who helped with booking, promotion, loaning equipment, or providing accommodation for the band. We have a handful of leftover tour t-shirts shipping back to us right now and will offer them via the mailorder later this month. The band is scheduled for an interview with the BBC in two weeks which will be used on the BBC America program ‘Global Hit.’ The feature will air in July or August and we will provide transmission details once confirmed. In the meantime, you can preview four songs from ‘Warmer Corners’ on the sounds page, and see complete release details and all current reviews on the catalog page. The CD is available now from the Matinée shop and all good retailers.

In addition to celebrating these new albums, we are just finalizing details for two exciting summer singles:

First up is an excellent new release from Seattle quintet Math and Physics Club! While the band’s debut release ‘Weekends Away’ (matinée 056) continues to collect accolades and sales, they have wasted no time in recording another classic single, the ‘Movie Ending Romance’ EP (matinée 059). In addition to a brilliant title track, the EP includes new songs ‘White and Grey’ and ‘Graduation Day’ plus a cover of The Beach Boys song ‘You’re So Good To Me.’ These four songs prove the overwhelming success of the band’s debut EP was no happy accident. Straight off an appearance at last weekend’s Sasquatch Festival in Washington and a recent feature in Seattle Weekly, Math and Physics Club has been invited to play this year’s San Francisco Popfest on July 9 and is working to confirm a few Pacific Northwest shows around that time as well. Check the band’s website for complete show details. ‘Movie Ending Romance’ is now previewed on the sounds page. The single is scheduled for release in late July but we will have advance copies available at the San Francisco show so hope to see you there!

Also coming soon is a fantastic new single from London trio Tender Trap! While the band is a new addition to the Matinée roster they have an esteemed discography already on premiere indie labels Elefant, Fortuna POP!, and K Records…and of course band members Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey, and DJ Downfall individually and collectively have a celebrated past with indie legends Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research and Sportique. So while no real introduction is necessary, we are truly excited to welcome Tender Trap to the Matinée roster and to announce details of their first new material in several years. The debut Matinée release is a four song CDEP (matinée 058) featuring the superb lead track ‘Talking Backwards’ which will appear on a forthcoming album of the same name later this year. The single also features non-album tracks ‘Ampersand,’ ‘Friendster’ and ‘Cómo Te Llamas?’…the latter taken from a recent Spanish-only single on Elefant Records and featuring ace vocal duties from fellow Matinée megastar Lupe Nuñez-Fernandez of Pipas! We have just added ‘Talking Backwards’ to the Matinée sounds page and will be finalizing artwork and other release details this month so stay tuned for more information on the single and album soon.

The debut Math and Physics Club EP ‘Weekends Away’ (matinée 056) continues to be a favorite with everyone…in fact the original pressing sold out in just two months but we now have a fresh supply to meet the fervent demand. It’s a great feeling to have a hit single again because the format is all but forgotten in this country! The EP includes four songs-‘Weekends Away’ (now playing on the sounds page), ‘Sixteen and Pretty,’ ‘Love, Again’ and ‘When We Get Famous.’ The single is in regular rotation at some of the best radio stations in the land including KEXP and WOXY. Meanwhile, Splendid is one of the latest media outlets praising the single, writing “these four short, simple tunes quietly announce the arrival of a great new band.” Even Pitchfork could not ignore this one, writing “sounds like The Clientele performing the first Smiths record after a Saturday night alone with Go-Betweens B-sides.” This, as you know, is hearty praise in Pitchfork-speak. Check out all the reviews on the catalog page. If you don’t have this single already get on board because Math and Physics Club are ace and now the world is finding out what made us smile from ear to ear when we discovered them last year.

The second of three magnificent recent singles is the ‘San Francisco’ EP (matinée 057) from The Lucksmiths. Now every Lucksmiths release is bound to be a hit but when you have a lead song as convincing as ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco’ you know you’re in for something good. Additional tracks ‘Young and Dumb,’ ‘The Winter Proper’ and ‘I Started A Joke’ only sweeten the pot and believe me when you get to the end of this EP all you can do is hit the repeat button to play it all again. The single has amassed a multitude of positive reviews, including Delusions of Adequacy recently writing “This is the indie-pop band [to which] all others should be compared.” Check out all the reviews on the catalog page. ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco’ is now featured on the sounds page and the EP is available from the Matinée mailorder and all other usual suspects.

The third release in our recent singles trilogy is the ‘Fools in Love’ EP (matinée 054) from German duo The Happy Couple! Featuring wonderful tracks ‘Another Sunny Day,’ ‘Hopeless Case,’ ‘The Pop Kid’ and ‘Don’t Call It,’ we’ve said the EP is a modern classic and the numerous reviews now featured on the catalog page confirm it. In recent review action, Splendid said “Sweet English-as-a-second-language female vocals elevate Fools in Love; the Hamburg-based group finds the same mature yet sexy tone that Ivy has and the Hidden Cameras aspire to.” Meanwhile TweeNet wrote “lead track ‘Another Sunny Day’ is probably my favourite pop song of the year…full production, great hooks, Janehoney’s lovely voice and the ba-ba-bas make it one of the songs that stays on repeat for hours.” Of course we agree. You can preview ‘Another Sunny Day’ on the sounds page now. The EP is available from the Matinée mailorder and all reputable record retailers.

Don’t forget we also have shining new releases from Lovejoy and Pipas at the moment. ‘Everybody Hates’ (matcd035) from Lovejoy continues to impress while ‘Chunnel Autumnal’ (matcd036) by Pipas is quickly becoming another modern classic. See the catalog pages for release details and reviews. Both bands are plotting live appearances this summer so check here or the band websites for details.

Pipas are one of several Matinée artists currently threatening new recordings. Others include Would-Be-Goods, Slipslide, Harper Lee, Sportique and The Snowdrops…really! If you haven’t figured it out yet part of the Snowdrops mystique is the tendency to postpone releases for months and months but the long delayed ‘Sleepydust’ EP (matinée 053) is about to have a brand new song called ‘The Boy with the Hummingbird Eyes’ added to it and this will surely make you smile. Other releases are in the planning stages so stay tuned for exclusive soundclips and release details in the coming months.

Now, a quick word about demos: We receive eight or ten emails a week from bands inquiring if they can submit a demo for consideration and of course this is our own fault because we have no stated demo policy on the website. We do accept demos but we are dreadfully behind on listening to them at the moment. We hope to rectify this situation in the next month so feel free to send anything you like to the following address: Matinée Recordings, Post Office Box 2181, Santa Barbara, CA 93120 USA. You do not need to contact us first. Please note that the release schedule is booked nearly a year out so we are not necessarily looking for new bands but then again we weren’t looking for Math and Physics Club last year and look where they are now. Please do not email us mp3s because we will never write you back. If you have further questions about submitting a demo please write to the matineepop@hotmail.com address and if you are one of the bands that recently sent a demo thanks for your patience! We will get back to you.

Finally, the three new albums all made strong debuts on the hit parade with The Lucksmiths’ ‘Warmer Corners’ taking top honors. Following are the top sellers for April and May combined:

10. Lovejoy – Everybody Hates CD
9. Harper Lee – All Things Can Be Mended CD
8. The Guild League – Inner North CD
7. Pipas – Chunnel Autumnal CD
6. The Happy Couple – Fools In Love CDEP
5. The Lucksmiths – San Francisco CDEP
4. Pale Sunday – Summertime? CD
3. The Young Tradition – Northern Drive CD
2. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
1. The Lucksmiths – Warmer Corners CD

Until next month,
Jimmy
x

Hello! The Matinée hit factory continues to operate at top capacity with three new releases since the last update. Thankfully they brew the coffee strong here in Santa Barbara!

First up is the greatly anticipated new album from Melbourne heroes The Lucksmiths! Entitled ‘Warmer Corners’ (matcd039) it’s the seventh studio album from Australia’s hardest-working band and follow-up to the excellent ‘Naturaliste’ album from 2003. As always, there are lots of guitars, some soothing basslines, and a singing drummer who’s far better than Phil Collins, but this time there’s also a horn section having a party, some fiery organs, a string section who dig Phil Spector, and a lazy pedal steel. ‘A Hiccup in Your Happiness’ kicks the album off with an uplifting nod of reassurance to a girl named Louise. Coincidentally, this song also marks the recorded debut for new Lucksmiths guitarist Louis Richter. It’s a dancefloor sizzler! As well as the aforementioned strings and horns, the song features some seriously funky guitar and a bassline possibly borrowed from Orange Juice. From there, the floor just keeps rumbling with ‘The Music Next Door’ and its pleasantly off-kilter guitar riff. By now it’s evident Marty Donald’s turns-of-phrase seem to have ripened with age, while Tali White’s vocals are as warm as ever. As with the last few albums, producer Craig Pilkington was put to work on string and brass arrangements, and he’s done some seriously wonderful things on ‘Warmer Corners’. Notably, the string section on first single ‘The Chapter in Your Life Entitled San Francisco’ drops the song off effortlessly at the bridge (and the monumental first ever use of wah-wah). Later, the fruits of bassist Mark Monnone’s relocation to Tasmania are on display, namely in the hobo lament ‘I Don’t Want to Walk Around Alone No More’ which meanders along gently and runs head first into ‘The Fog of Trujillo’. The former features superb whistling and beautiful acoustic guitar, while the latter, a sort of paean to a daydream, invites the horns back for another sangria and a rockin’ party again ensues. As if that weren’t enough, the album features seven more hits including a Rickenbacker jangler called ‘Sunlight In A Jar’ and the tale of a Kansas City barbecue called ‘Fiction’ that builds to a zydeco wigout! We kid you not. We called it the best Lucksmiths album yet last month and hopefully you’ll agree. Even Pitchfork gave it a positive review – what’s going on here? The band also did a short interview with Pitchfork which you can read here. See the sounds page for a taste, and get your very own copy NOW from the trusty Matinée webshop or your favorite retailer so you can learn all the words before seeing the band live.

The band lands on US soil in a week’s time so hopefully you have your tickets bought and plans made to attend one (or more) of the shows on this criminally short tour. These will be the last Lucksmiths dates for a long while so you’d be remiss to miss them just because they’re up against Survivor or something. As we mentioned last month, Matinée labelmates Pipas and Math and Physics Club are joining them on select shows! Here are full tour details:

April 29 – LOS ANGELES, CA @ The Knitting Factory (AlterKnit Lounge) with Math and Physics Club
(EARLY SHOW! doors 7pm, music 7:30 sharp, ALL AGES, admission $10 from Ticketweb)
April 30 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ The Rickshaw Stop with Remedy & Wren + Math and Physics Club
(doors 8pm, 21+, admission $10 from Virtuous Tickets)
May 1 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ The Make Out Room with The Mosquitoes + Scrabbel
(tickets available at The Make Out Room, admission $10)
May 3 – PORTLAND, OR instore @ Anthem Records
(3:30pm, ALL AGES, FREE!)
May 3 – PORTLAND, OR @ Berbati’s Pan with Andrew Kaffer and more
(tickets available from Berbati’s Pan $7 advance, $8 day of show)
May 4 – SEATTLE, WA live on KEXP Radio
(4:30pm, tune in 90.3 FM in Seattle or at www.kexp.org)
May 4 – SEATTLE, WA @ Sunset Tavern with Tullycraft + Math and Physics Club
(doors 8pm, 21+, admission $10 from Ticketweb)
May 5 – CHICAGO, IL @ Beat Kitchen with Pipas + The Icicles + Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
(doors 8:30pm, admission $10 in advance, $12 day of show from Beat Kitchen)
May 6 – GRAND RAPIDS, MI @ Shuler’s Books and Music with Pipas + The Icicles
(EARLY SHOW! music at 7:30 pm, ALL AGES, FREE!)
May 7 – BOSTON, MA @ PA’s Lounge with The Ladybug Transistor + Pipas
(doors 8:30pm, 18+, admission $9 day of show from PA’s Lounge)
May 8 – NEW YORK, NY @ The Knitting Factory with The Ladybug Transistor + Pipas + In Interview
(doors 8pm, admission $12 in advance, $15 day of show from Ticketweb)
May 9 – PHILADELPHIA, PA @ Philadelphia Ethical Society with The Ladybug Transistor + Pipas + The Snow Fairies
(EARLY SHOW! doors 7pm, music 7:30 sharp, ALL AGES, admission $7)
May 10 – WASHINGTON, DC @ DC9 with The Ladybug Transistor + Pipas + Lil’ Hospital
(music at 9pm, 21+, admission $10 day of show from DC9)

Special note for fans attending the Los Angeles show: it’s an all-ages affair at an early hour…doors at 7pm with Math and Physics Club on stage at 7:30 sharp so get there early! It’s also in the Knitting Factory’s Alterknit Lounge so is likely to sell out. Best bet is to buy tickets in advance or get there early. We will have a full array of Matinée merchandise on display there as well so if you’re at the show please stop by to say hello. In addition to lots of CDs, the band has great new t-shirts printed courtesy of fellow-IndiePager Lo-Fi with Love so a big shout out to Joe and everybody there who worked overtime to get the shirts printed in time!

In other top news, just back from the pressing plant is the debut album ‘Northern Drive’ (matcd038) from The Young Tradition! Comprised of Swedish multi-instrumentalist Erik Hanspers and Japanese-American vocalist Brent Kenji (ex-Fairways), the duo created a classic three-track debut single “California Morning” (matinée 043) entirely through the post in 2003 before meeting in San Francisco last year to complete the songs for this debut album. The single generated lofty praise from all corners, with All Music Guide calling it “a magical EP that will leave indie pop fans desperate for a full-length,” Wide Open Road naming it “single of the year so far,” The Bee’s Knees saying “some of the most impressive recordings by a duo since Simon & Garfunkel” and Logo Magazine declaring it “a wonderful work of art.” ‘Northern Drive’ includes ten new Young Tradition classics demonstrating a sophisticated pop mix featuring guitars, keyboards, and strings with prominent bursts of trumpet, flute, and saxophone. Fans of the Fairways will undoubtedly rejoice but 60s pop aficionados should take note as well because this album is truly impressive. You can preview ‘California Morning’, ‘Pink Opaque’, ‘Northern Drive’ and ‘Now You Know’ on the sounds page and order the CD right now exclusively from the Matinée webshop. The CD is in stores the first week of May so get shopping because The Young Tradition are where it’s at!

Also just back from the pressing plant is the debut album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) from Brazilian trio Pale Sunday! The band turned lots of heads with its debut “A Weekend With Jane” EP (matinée 049) plus covers of Sportique and Smiths songs for the ‘Matinée 50’ (matinée 050) and ‘Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware’ (matcd030) compilations before recording the ten new songs for this album. ‘Summertime?’ is loaded with obligatory POP! ingredients…jangling guitars, sing-along choruses, tambourines, handclaps, trumpets, sha-la-la’s, keyboards, and perfect melodies. Sometimes the guitars get fuzzy in classic shoegaze fashion but in the end the spirit of C-86 wins out. You can listen to ‘The White Tambourine’, ‘My Punk Girl’ and ‘Strangeways’ on the sounds page and order the CD right now exclusively from the Matinée webshop. The CD is in shops the first week of May. Pale Sunday recently played some shows in Brazil and hope to play internationally soon so watch this space for the latest news. For now, enjoy the album!

Switching to our five recent releases, the early reviews are in and we have another few hits on our hands:

Generating plenty of love is the superb new ‘Fools in Love’ CDEP (matinée 054) from German duo The Happy Couple! Respected source All Music Guide described lead track ‘Another Sunny Day’ as ”a frothy sun-kissed track that features most of the hallmarks of classic indie pop, a swinging tambourine, walls of strummy acoustic guitars, cutie pie lyrics, swooning synth strings and “ba da ba” background vocals. It is the kind of song that you’ll want to program your personal music delivery device to play every morning when you wake up because it’ll help you start each day with a big smile.” UK mailorder Melody Bar acknowledged “The Happy Couple fly the kite for Germany and prove that the Swedes don’t have all the best tunes,” and Friends of the Heroes declared it an “instantly catchy slice of champagne-summer picnic-pop of ‘60’s vintage – all breezy acoustic rhythms, sweet female vocals and pah-pah backing.” Featuring ‘Another Sunny Day,’ ‘Hopeless Case,’ ‘The Pop Kid’ and ‘Don’t Call It,’ the EP truly is a modern classic and perfect for fans of Shop Assistants, Pipas, Even As We Speak, Tender Trap, or Club 8. You can listen to ‘Another Sunny Day’ on the catalog or sounds pages now, and order the EP from the Matinée mailorder or your favorite shop in minutes. Go on then!

Continuing to impress is the terrific ‘Weekends Away’ CDEP (matinée 056) from new Seattle quintet Math and Physics Club! We can’t say enough good things about this band, but luckily they have lots of new friends to help us out now, including Tasty reporting “this is their first Matinée release, and they’ve set a pretty high standard…I look forward to this band’s next moves with moist palms. Vanity Project joined in, calling the EP “archetypal Matinée stuff with Marr-like guitars rattling like a sunbeam chased around a barrel, drums tap-tapping like entertained feet,” while Friends of the Heroes warned “with these sweet tunes, luscious melodies and readily embraceable lyrics you’d be mad to miss out. It’s indie heaven!” In addition to the wonderful title track (now playing on the sounds page), the EP includes ‘Sixteen and Pretty,’ ‘Love, Again’ and ‘When We Get Famous.” The single is available in all good record shops or directly from the Matinée webshop now so get your very own copy soon because they’re selling fast! The band joins The Lucksmiths on West Coast dates in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle next week, and were just invited to play the Sasquatch Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in Washington state Memorial Day weekend along with 20 or so other bands including heavyweights Modest Mouse, The Pixies, Wilco and Bloc Party. In addition, the band has been nominated as Best New Artist in the 2005 Seattle Weekly Music Awards! Voting is open until May 2, so if you have a minute click here to cast your ballot. The band is already working on a follow-up EP so stay posted for details.

With all the attention on the new Lucksmiths album and US tour, don’t forget they also have a superb new CDEP out now! The ‘San Francisco’ EP (matinée 057) features the songs ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco,’ and ‘Young and Dumb’ from the new album plus non-album tracks ‘The Winter Proper’ and ‘I Started A Joke.’ The latter is a splendid cover of a classic Bee Gees track from the 60s before they went all disco and, it must be said, is arguably the finest cover the Lucksmiths have ever put to tape. More than a few of the EP reviews gush about this song in particular, including Oz Music Project calling it a “heartfelt, stripped down story of humiliation which, if it doesn’t make you go all tingly, then there’s something wrong with you,” and Losing Today commenting “blessed with a harmonica that’ll cut you in half and housing a numbing sensitivity that’ll leave you silent with jaw dropped for its entire duration.” We couldn’t have described it better. The song still kills me every time I hear it and it must be approaching its 100th play already. The wonderful title track is playing on the sounds page, and the EP is now available from all good shops and mailorders plus the Matinée webshop. The single is limited to 1000 copies so get yours soon so you don’t miss out! We should have a snazzy new video for ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco’ in a few days too so if anybody has friends at MTV or other music channels please get in touch so we can get this played to the masses. How cool would it be to see The Lucksmiths on TV?!

On the album front, Lovejoy is making friends with the wonderful new album ‘Everybody Hates’ (matcd035). English webzine Friends of the Heroes reported “Lovejoy are slowly yet steadily building on a fine history, and seemingly getting better at every juncture. Packed full of chime and melody, ‘Everybody Hates’ cannot fail to impress.” Meanwhile, the always right-on Tasty concluded “the fact remains that no other band I can think of are making such wonderfully depressed pop music,” and top UK mailorder Melody Bar commented “Matinée’s hot streak continues with a beguiling new CD from Lovejoy that on various tracks recalls a more subdued Saint Etienne, a sleepy Sunday morning Pulp or the sombre genius of early Brian.” Expanding on the multilayered sound of previous albums ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ (matcd018) and ‘Songs In The Key of Lovejoy’ (matcd008) with a sophisticated mix of guitars, keyboards, and percussion plus exceptional melodies and harmonies, ‘Everybody Hates’ is undoubtedly the strongest Lovejoy release yet. The sounds page now features ‘Sid Vicious’, ‘Petrol Stars’ and ‘Everybody Hates Us And We Don’t Care’ so have a listen and see what you think. You can get your very own copy right now from the Matinée webshop, your favorite mailorder, or any decent record shop. So, has anybody noticed when you unfold the CD booklet it actually reads “Lovejoy Hates Everybody”?

Finally, favorite London duo Pipas stay above the fold with their latest ‘Chunnel Autumnal’ CD (matcd036). Although technically a reissue of the band’s debut release from 2001, this is really the first time many people have heard it because the original was limited to just 300 copies on 10” vinyl. The reaction, as is now customary with everything Pipas, has been outstanding. Our latest favorite review comes from UK magazine Unpeeled, reporting “Chunnel Autumnal has its genesis in 60’s London, its heart on the left bank, it sings about Amsterdam and has been signed by a Californian record label to be dribbled over by a bloke in Sussex.” Quite fitting for Mark and Lupe who have so many international stamps in their passports they need extra pages. Album tracks “Tout Va Bien,” “Wells Street” and “A Short Film About Sleeping” are now playing on the sounds page, and the CD is available from the Matinée mailorder and all good shops now. Pipas play the final six dates of the Lucksmiths US tour so lucky East Coasters watch out! Rumour has it they have tour goodies with them too. We’ll hopefully lure them to the West Coast again very soon.

Apologies to anyone who sent a demo in the past few months and is still awaiting a response. The pile has tipped over now so we plan to have a demo jukebox jury with members of The Lucksmiths and Math and Physics Club while they are in Santa Barbara next week. I am fairly certain some of them take bribes so do what you have to but do it soon because the jury is happening next Thursday the 28th.

With all the new releases the mailorder is doing a brisk business so thanks to everyone who has supported us the past few months. Upstarts Math and Physics Club retained the top spot on the hit parade for a second month with the ‘Weekends Away’ EP but face tough competition this month from the three new albums. Here are the top sellers for the month of March:

10. The Siddeleys – Slum Clearance CD
9. Harper Lee – All Things Can Be Mended CD
8. The Guild League – Inner North CD
7. Various – The Matinée Winter Warmer CD
6. The Fairways – This is Farewell CD
5. Lovejoy – Everybody Hates CD
4. The Happy Couple – Fools In Love CDEP
3. Pipas – Chunnel Autumnal CD
2. The Lucksmiths – San Francisco CDEP
1. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP

Hope to see some of you in Los Angeles!

Until next month,
Jimmy
x

Greetings happy customers! Yes, we have started off 2005 with a bang but there is so much more on the way. In addition to new releases from The Lucksmiths, Math and Physics Club, The Happy Couple, Lovejoy, and Pipas, this month we report on three further albums coming your way in a matter of weeks (and now available for preorder), opportunities to catch Matinée bands playing live in the US this spring, and assorted other treats. Dear reader, we present the latest Matinée news:

Making its way into shopping baskets across the globe is the splendid new ‘San Francisco’ CDEP (matinée 057) from The Lucksmiths! Featuring new songs ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco,’ ‘Young and Dumb,’ and ‘The Winter Proper’ plus a splendid cover of the venerated Bee Gees’ classic ‘I Started A Joke,’ the band’s first release since 2003’s ‘A Little Distraction’ (matcd027) is a very welcome return indeed. The lead track is taken from the forthcoming album ‘Warmer Corners’ (matcd039) scheduled for release early next month. Initial reviews for the single are in, with All Music Guide proclaiming it “as fine an artifact as they have yet produced…another example of indie pop at its best proving once again that you just can’t go wrong with the Lucksmiths.” Meanwhile, Tangents reports “The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco is a real gem with one of those memorable sing-along chorus lines that stick in your head for days on end and that you find yourself singing aloud at bus stops,” while Losing Today declared it “absolutely perfect.” If you don’t have a copy yet, you can listen to the title track on the catalog or sounds pages and order the EP from the Matinée mailorder or in your favorite shop right now. More on the new album plus tour dates below!

Also making a grand entrance is the debut ‘Weekends Away’ CDEP (matinée 056) from Seattle quintet Math and Physics Club! Radio giant KEXP has been championing the single since before its release and hosted the band for a second in-studio visit last week. The station broadcasts on the web and the response has been fantastic so special thanks to John Richards and everyone at KEXP for their support. All Music Guide has joined them in praise of the single, calling it “a four track gem that manages to escape any charges of imitation by delivering four very strong songs loaded with tender emotion and easy going charm.” Erasing Clouds contend “Weekends Away might seem somewhat typical at first glance, but in the end it will sweep you off your feet,” while Losing Today concluded “A classic all said and done.” The EP includes the wonderful title track plus ‘Sixteen and Pretty,’ ‘Love, Again’ and ‘When We Get Famous.” You can listen to ‘Weekends Away’ on the sounds page and order the EP from the Matinée mailorder or your favorite record emporium as we speak. The single is selling very well so make sure you get a copy soon because they’re talking about it at all the coolest parties and you want to stay hip right? No pressure…

The third of our magnificent trio of singles is the ‘Fools in Love’ CDEP (matinée 054) from German duo The Happy Couple! Featuring terrific tracks ‘Another Sunny Day,’ ‘Hopeless Case,’ ‘The Pop Kid’ and ‘Don’t Call It,’ the EP is a modern classic incorporating all the right influences. In early review action, All Music Guide proclaimed “this is the kind of EP that leaves you breathlessly anticipating a full-length record from the Happy Couple [and] nice proof that the classic sound of indie pop is alive and well and thriving. In the UK, Speakers Push The Air declared “It’s immediate, it’s pop in bloom and it deserves to be ear candy for the nation this spring,” while Losing Today called it “another slice of pristine pop… top-drawer loveliness, warming harmonies a la Boo Radleys beaming so bright you could get a West Coast tan just by sitting in the same room.” Fans of Shop Assistants, Pipas, Even As We Speak, Tender Trap, or Club 8 watch out because The Happy Couple just might be your new favorite band by this time next week! You can listen to ‘Another Sunny Day’ on the catalog or sounds pages now, and order the EP from the Matinée mailorder or your favorite shop in mere minutes. You know you want it…

Also featured on a new release shelf near you is the brilliant new album ‘Everybody Hates’ (matcd035) from Lovejoy! Our friends at Fraction Discs have declared it “an early contributor to your album-of-the-year list” and we couldn’t argue with that now could we? The Swedes are always right. The follow-up to Lovejoy’s classic 2002 album ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ (matcd018), the album expands on the multilayered sound of previous releases with a sophisticated mix of guitars, keyboards, and percussion plus exceptional melodies and harmonies. ‘Everybody Hates’ contains nine new Lovejoy compositions including our favorites ‘Sid Vicious’ and ‘Petrol Stars’ plus a sparkling cover of ‘Drug Autumn’ by Matinée labelmates The Windmills. Peppered with commentary on the music business, relationships, politics and pop culture, the album is the strongest Lovejoy release yet. The sounds page now features full-length previews of ‘Sid Vicious’, ‘Petrol Stars’ and ‘Everybody Hates Us And We Don’t Care’ so have a listen and see what you think. Nice eh? You can get your very own copy right now from the Matinée shop, your favorite mailorder, or any decent record shop. Lovejoy are currently weighing offers for live shows in England, Sweden and Denmark so watch this space for the latest news.

If the thought of four new releases in the past month overwhelms you, sit back because there’s more! In a matter of weeks we will have brand new full-length additions to the Matinée catalog from Pale Sunday, The Young Tradition and The Lucksmiths!

The debut album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) from Brazilian trio Pale Sunday is finally ready and in the hands of our trusty pressing plant! Since release of the fantastic “A Weekend With Jane” EP (matinée 049) in 2003, the band has contributed superb tracks to the ‘Matinée 50’ (matinée 050) and ‘Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware’ (matcd030) compilations while completing the 10 songs for this debut full-length. The album is loaded with all the essential POP! ingredients…jangling guitars, sing-along choruses, sha-la-la’s, handclaps, trumpets, tambourines, keyboards, and perfectly undulating melodies. Sometimes the guitars get all noisy and fuzzy in classic shoegaze fashion but in the end the spirit of C-86 wins out. The album features one song sung in the band’s native Portuguese which it goes without saying is the most beautiful language in the world. The full tracklisting is: 1. The White Tambourine; 2. Mary; 3. Sunday Morning; 4. Twiggy Superstar; 5. My Punk Girl; 6. Sweet Goodbye; 7. A Safe Place; 8. 1978; 9. She’ll Never Be Mine; 10. Strangeways. You can preview three of those on the catalog page and preorder the CD right now on the Matinée order page. The official release date is in late April but we should have copies earlier in the month. Hurrah!

Also now at the pressing plant and scheduled for April release is the debut album ‘Northern Drive’ (matcd038) from The Young Tradition! Renowned for creating its classic debut single “California Morning” (matinée 043) entirely through the post, the duo of Erik Hanspers and Brent Kenji finally met in San Francisco last year to add vocals and additional instrumentation to ten songs recorded in Erik’s native Sweden. The result is a sophisticated mix of classic pop sounds with a strong 60s vibe throughout. Featuring a combination of guitars, keyboards, and strings with prominent bursts of trumpet, flute, and saxophone, this is no simple indiepop record. Brent’s distinctive vocals will of course appeal to fans of The Fairways but the album has the potential to reach a much broader audience if we do our job properly. The full tracklisting is: 1. Gone Are The Days; 2. California Morning; 3. Pink Opaque; 4. Footprints; 5. Triangle; 6. Northern Drive; 7. Now You Know; 8. Whores; 9. Endlessly; 10. Everything We Knew. You can preview four songs on the catalog page, and preorder the CD right now on the Matinée order page. The CD is officially released in late April but we should have copies earlier in the month so the wait is nearly over!

Our final imminent release is the brand new album from your favorite Australians The Lucksmiths! Entitled ‘Warmer Corners’ (matcd039), the album is the follow-up to their excellent ‘Naturaliste’ album from 2003 and dare we say it, this is the best album yet! As usual, there are lots of guitars, some soothing basslines, and a singing drummer who’s far better than Phil Collins, but this time there’s also a horn section having a party, a string section who dig Phil Spector, some fiery organs, and a lazy pedal steel. The full tracklisting is: 1. A Hiccup In Your Happiness; 2. The Music Next Door; 3. Great Lengths; 4. Now I’m Even Further Away; 5. The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco; 6. Sunlight In A Jar; 7. If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home Now; 8. Young And Dumb; 9. Putting It Off And Putting It Off; 10. I Don’t Want To Walk Around Alone No More; 11. The Fog Of Trujillo; 12. Fiction. With off-kilter guitar riffs, dreamy harmonies, trumpets galore, some brilliant Rickenbacker jangle, Orange Juice ripoffs, dancefloor sizzlers, a little bit of wah-wah, a hobo lament, some rocking whistling, and even a little zydeco wigout, it’s everything we’ve always wanted in a Lucksmiths album and more! You can preview four songs on the catalog page, and preorder the CD right now on the Matinée order page! The CD is released April 11 but we should have copies by the the week prior and can ship all preorders then. The CD is released in Australia via Candle Records and in the UK via Fortuna POP!

The Lucksmiths are planning short Australian and US tours in support of the new album, joined by top bands including Matinée labelmates Pipas and Math and Physics Club on select shows! The dates are as follows:

Australian tour:
March 30 – Ballarat @ Karova Lounge with The Ladybug Transistor + Fred Astereo
April 1 – Adelaide @ Jade Monkey with The Ladybug Transistor + Fred Astereo
April 2 – Fremantle @ Mojo’s with The Ladybug Transistor + The Bank Holidays
April 7 – Canberra @ Tilley’s with The Ladybug Transistor (All Ages)
April 8 – Sydney @ Annandale Hotel with The Ladybug Transistor + Fred Astereo
April 9 & 10 – Brisbane @ Troubadour with The Ladybug Transistor + Fred Astereo
April 15 – Melbourne @ Corner Hotel with The Ladybug Transistor + Fred Astereo
April 16 – Hobart @ The Venue with The Ladybug Transistor + Fred Astereo

US tour:
April 29 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Knitting Factory with Math and Physics Club
April 30 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop with Remedy & Wren + Math and Physics Club
May 1 – San Francisco, CA @ The Make-Out Room with The Mosquitoes + Scrabbel
May 2 – Eugene, OR @ Café Paradiso with Andrew Kaffer
May 3 – Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan with Andrew Kaffer
May 4 – Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern with Tullycraft + Math and Physics Club
May 5 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen with Pipas + The Icicles + Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
May 6 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Shuler’s Books with Pipas and The Icicles
May 7 – Boston, MA @ PA’s Lounge with The Ladybug Transistor and Pipas
May 8 – New York, NY @ The Knitting Factory with The Ladybug Transistor + Pipas + In Interview
May 9 – Philadelphia, PA @ Space 1026 with The Ladybug Transistor + Pipas + The Snow Fairies
May 10 – Washington, DC @ DC9 with The Ladybug Transistor + Pipas + Lil’ Hospital

Speaking of Pipas, you wouldn’t think that a January release would make it so far down the news page this quickly but with everything else going on that’s just the fate they find themselves in this month with their still quite new ‘Chunnel Autumnal’ CD (matcd036). As you know, the album is a reissue of the sold out Pipas debut originally released on 10” vinyl in 2001 with added bonus tracks from the debut Matinée 45, ‘A Short Film About Sleeping.’ It has been collecting accolades from various places, including the wonderful Tangents commenting “cool but welcoming, detached but involving, the contradictions of modern life rolled into Pop that similarly sounds strangely contemporary yet infused with the spirit of the Ancients all at once.” We can only grin and nod at the Erasing Clouds observation “after you’re done listening certain words and melodies and sounds come back to you and get under your skin,’ and the somewhat funny conclusion to the Splendid review: “Some people are born with a knack for writing simple, emotionally resonant songs—Pipas among them. The fact that much of Chunnel Autumnal sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom only adds to the disc’s down-to-earth charm.” The sounds page features three full-length previews for your listening pleasure, and the CD is available from the Matinée mailorder or all good shops now. The band is currently recording songs for a new album so stay tuned for more Pipas action soon!

With four new releases last month, the hit parade was anybody’s game so we were pleasantly surprised when one of the new kids on the block outpaced label veterans The Lucksmiths and Lovejoy and Pipas at the top. Nicely done! If early March sales are any indication they might just retain the top spot for awhile… Here are the top sellers for the month:

10. Harper Lee – All Things Can Be Mended CD
9. The Fairways – This is Farewell CD
8. Pipas – Bitter Club CDEP
7. The Guild League – Inner North CD
6. Various – The Matinée Winter Warmer CD
5. Pipas – Chunnel Autumnal CD
4. Lovejoy – Everybody Hates CD
3. The Happy Couple – Fools In Love CDEP
2. The Lucksmiths – San Francisco CDEP
1. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP

Until next month,
Jimmy
x

Happy Valentine’s Day pop lovers! Our gift to you this month is a stack of brand new certified POP! recordings
from the Matinée hit factory so settle into your chair for the latest news…

A fitting start to this Valentine newsletter is the release today of the new album ‘Everybody Hates’ (matcd035)
by Lovejoy! Worth the wait you ask? Of course! The third album from Seaford’s finest is the follow-up to the
classic ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ album in 2002. Since then, Lovejoy has contributed tracks to several top
indie compilations, released a 45 on fashionable UK label Unpopular Records, and played a handful of notable
shows in England, Spain and Sweden. Expanding on the multilayered sound of previous releases with a refined mix
of guitars, keyboards, and percussion plus irresistible melodies and exceptional harmonies, ‘Everybody Hates’
contains nine new Lovejoy compositions including the radio friendly hits ‘Sid Vicious’ and ‘Petrol Stars’ plus a
sparkling cover of ‘Drug Autumn’ by Matinée labelmates The Windmills. Featuring literate songs peppered with
commentary on the music business, relationships, politics and pop culture, ‘Everybody Hates’ is undoubtedly the
strongest Lovejoy release yet. See the catalog and sounds
pages for full tracklisting and soundclips. All CD preorders were mailed today, and if you didn’t preorder you can
get your very own copy now on the order page. The CD will be available in shops from
next week.

The ‘Fools in Love’ CDEP (matinée 054) from The Happy Couple is the
first of three great new CD singles released on February 28th. The first German act on the Matinée roster, The
Happy Couple is a duo of Janehoney and Tom Hilverkus who live in Hamburg and also run the excellent
Félicité Singles Club record label. Among their fine releases is the debut
Happy Couple 45 the ‘Four Seasons’ EP for which hip Swedish fanzine Try Happiness concluded “they do
everything just right.” And that, my friends, is all you need to know about The Happy Couple. This new four song
EP is an instant classic incorporating all the right influences but with a modern sound: lead track ‘Another Sunny
Day’ sounds nothing like the band of the same name but perhaps a little bit like Sarah labelmates Even As We
Speak. ‘Hopeless Case’ and ‘The Pop Kid’ could double as long lost Shop Assistants gems, while ‘Don’t Call It’
recalls classic recordings from Marine Girls or Revolving Paint Dream. As if that weren’t enough to sell you, the
single was masterfully produced by Ulric Kennedy (The Golden Dawn, The Catalysts, The Void, The Mixers) and
Dannie Vallely (The Void, The Catalysts) who collectively helped provide a bright glossy finish to the four songs.
In reviewing an advance copy of the single, English e-zine Speakers
Push The Air declared ‘Another Sunny Day is anything but another indie pop song. On the contrary, here’s
one that keener-eared radio programmers should immediately slot in to the same schedule space once occupied
by the Boo Radleys’ ‘Wake Up Boo!’: the hallowed three and a half minute pop turf leading us out of the news and
weather. It’s immediate, it’s pop in bloom and it deserves to be ear candy for the nation this spring.” We couldn’t
have said it better. Fans of Pipas, Tender Trap, Club 8 and The Pines take notice! You can listen to ‘Another Sunny
Day’ on the catalog or sounds pages now, and order
the EP exclusively from the Matinée mailorder as well. The official release date is
February 28th but we’ll have copies available this week if you just can’t wait.

Also out February 28th is the debut ‘Weekends Away’ CDEP (matinée 056) from
Seattle quintet Math and Physics Club! The first American band to join the Matinée roster in five years,
Math and Physics Club are really something special and fully justify the media frenzy around them already.
Respected Seattle radio station KEXP awarded them ‘Your New Favorite Band’ status last month and has played
several songs from the forthcoming single already. The station also hosted the band in-studio last month for a live
performance and interview and invited them back for another visit March 9 at 9:00 am Pacific time. KEXP streams
live on the web so if you don’t live in Seattle you can listen online by clicking here.
The debut EP includes the wonderful title track plus ‘Sixteen and Pretty,’ ‘Love, Again’ and ‘When We Get
Famous’…four A-sides with jangling guitars, expert drumming, tambourines, violin, handclaps and keyboards plus
excellent lyrics. Fans of The Smiths, The Housemartins, Trash Can Sinatras or The Lucksmiths will be delighted by
this release and it is merely the beginning of the superb songs the band has to offer. You can listen to ‘Weekends
Away’ on the catalog or sounds pages, and order the
EP exclusively from the Matinée mailorder right now! The official release is February 28th
but we’ll have copies available this week so you can be the first kid on your block with a copy. Preorders are very
strong already so some of you will have to settle with being second on your block but hey, that’s pretty cool too.

Now if anyone can follow the preceding two paragraphs of superlatives it’s our old friends The Lucksmiths
with the splendid new ‘San Francisco’ EP (matinée 057)! Featuring new songs
‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco,’ ‘Young and Dumb,’ and ‘The Winter Proper’ plus a brilliant cover
of the adored Bee Gees’ classic ‘I Started A Joke,’ the EP is the band’s first release since 2003’s ‘A Little
Distraction’ (matcd027) and is co-released with Australian label
Candle Records. The lead track is taken from a forthcoming
Lucksmiths album scheduled for release in April, while the other three are non-album tracks exclusive to this
release. You can listen to ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco’ on the catalog
or sounds pages, and order the EP exclusively from the Matinée mailorder
right now too. The official release is February 28th but we’ll have copies available this week so get in on some
new Lucksmiths action today! The band is currently booking a short US tour for late April and early May including
tentative dates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Grand Rapids, New York, Philadelphia,
and Washington. More tour details coming very soon!

Already featured on new release shelves across the globe is the fantastic ‘Chunnel Autumnal’ CD
(matcd036) from Pipas! This CD is a reissue of the sold out Pipas
debut originally released on 10” vinyl in 2001. At the time, Pipas were just another unknown South London duo
writing songs to record on their laptops but since then have become an international sensation…selling thousands
of records, topping countless year-end lists, and charming live audiences in England, Scotland, Spain, Sweden,
Italy, Denmark, Australia, USA and Greece. Needless to say the original pressing of 300 was not sufficient to meet
demand and as a result the eight songs that comprised the 10” achieved a legendary status with many fans only
hearing the songs live or on tape. This reissue CD adds three bonus tracks from the debut Matinée 45, ‘A Short
Film About Sleeping,’ collecting all Pipas songs previously unavailable on CD into one handy package. See the
catalog and sounds pages for the tracklisting and
soundclips. The CD is available from the Matinée mailorder and in shops now but since
nearly every recent order has contained one of these you knew that already right? A little bird told me we may have
some US dates for Pipas in 2005 so watch this space for details.

Also flying off the shelves is the latest in the series of Matinée seasonal samplers ‘The Matinée Winter
Warmer’ (matinée 055). The CD features exclusive new songs, rarities and
seasonal classics from top Matinée artists The Fairways, Harper Lee, The Liberty Ship, Lovejoy, The Lucksmiths,
Melodie Group, The Pines, Pipas, Slipslide and The Windmills and as with all Matinée seasonal samplers it sells
for the price of a single so it’s a great way to catch up with some of the current bands on the label. In reviewing the
CD, the impeccable editors at Tasty zine
said “the usual suspects line up for the seasonal round of exceptional indie tunes on the finest label in the world”
while Erasing Clouds advised “pay
attention to Matinée in 2005…as always they have a lot of great music in store for us.” Check out the catalog
and sounds pages for full tracklisting and soundclips. The CD is available from the
Matinée mailorder or in shops now!

Now scheduled for March release is the debut album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037)
from Brazilian popstars Pale Sunday! Since release of the wonderful “A Weekend With Jane” EP
(matinée 049) in 2003, the band has contributed brilliant tracks to the ‘Matinée 50’
(matinée 050) and ‘Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware’ (matcd030)
compilations while writing and recording the 10 new songs for this highly anticipated album. The full tracklisting is
1. The White Tambourine; 2. Mary; 3. Sunday Morning; 4. Twiggy Superstar; 5. My Punk Girl; 6. Sweet Goodbye;
7. A Safe Place; 8. 1978; 9. She’ll Never Be Mine; 10. Strangeways. Soundclips are now playing on the
catalog and sounds pages. We will divulge
complete release details and start taking preorders next month.

Also scheduled for March release is the debut album ‘Northern Drive’ (matcd038)
from The Young Tradition! Heralded for producing its classic debut single “California Morning”
(matinée 043) entirely through the post, the duo of Erik Hanspers and Brent Kenji
(former lead singer of The Fairways) met in San Francisco to record this album and the result is an outstanding mix
of classic indiepop and AM radio softpop. The full tracklisting is 1. Gone Are The Days; 2. California Morning; 3.
Pink Opaque; 4. Footprints; 5. Triangle; 6. Northern Drive; 7. Now You Know; 8. Whores; 9. Endlessly; 10.
Everything We Knew. Soundclips are now playing on the catalog and
sounds pages. We will reveal more details and start taking preorders next month.

The latest reviews for recent albums from The Guild League, Harper Lee, Would-Be-Goods
and The Fairways are now posted on their catalog pages. Surely you have copies already but if not you
may wish to get straight to the order page to remedy that situation.

As expected, Pipas topped the January hit parade with the new ‘Chunnel Autumnal’ CD. Here are the top sellers
for the month:

10. Would-Be-Goods – The Morning After CD
9. Harper Lee – All Things Can Be Mended CD
8. Various – Romantic and Square Is Hip and Aware CD
7. The Guild League – Inner North CD
6. Matinée 45 holiday ornament
5. Pipas – A Cat Escaped CD
4. Harper Lee – Everything’s Going To Be OK CD
3. Pipas – Bitter Club CDEP
2. Various – The Matinée Winter Warmer CD
1. Pipas – Chunnel Autumnal CD

adios,
Jimmy!

Happy New Year! We are geared up for Matinée’s best year ever so get ready for some exciting news. In addition
to reports on top new releases, this month we offer you two brand new Matinée artists, exclusive sounds, lists of
2004 favorites from Matinée artists and the results of the third annual fanclub poll!

The first of several new releases for 2005 is the fantastic new ‘Chunnel Autumnal’ CD (matcd036)
from international legends-in-the-making Pipas! This is a reissue of the sold out Pipas debut originally
released on 10″ vinyl in 2001. At the time, Pipas were just another unknown South London duo writing songs to
record on their laptops but somewhere along the way they became an international sensation, selling thousands of
records, topping countless year-end lists, and charming live audiences in England, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Italy,
Denmark, Australia, USA and Greece. Needless to say the original pressing of 300 was not sufficient to meet
demand and as a result the eight songs that comprised the original 10″ achieved a sort of legendary status with
many fans only hearing the songs live or on tape. This brilliant reissue CD adds three bonus tracks from the debut
Matinée 45, ‘A Short Film About Sleeping,’ collecting all Pipas songs previously unavailable on CD in one suave
matte finish digipak. The full tracklisting is: 1. Tout Va Bien; 2. Don’t Tell Me That; 3. Wells Street; 4. Moss Oval;
5. Amsterdam; 6. Bye Bye; 7. The Bobby; 8. St. Pancras; 9. A Short Film About Sleeping; 10. Troublesome; 11.
Fingerprints. The CD is available from the Matinée mailorder as we speak and in shops
from January 24th, and you can listen to soundclips on the catalog and
sounds pages right now. Pipas play a record release show in Athens, Greece on
January 21st at Club MAD with support from The Occasional Flickers. More information can be found
here. Pipas at the Acropolis coming soon…

Our other new release is the wonderful ‘Matinée Winter Warmer‘ CD (matinée
055) that came out last month to celebrate the beginning of winter. The CD contains ten wintery songs
especially recorded to keep you warm on those cold winter nights, but of course you can enjoy exclusive new
songs from Harper Lee, The Liberty Ship, The Lucksmiths, Melodie Group, and Pipas plus favorites from The
Fairways, Lovejoy, The Pines, Slipslide and The Windmills all year long. See the full tracklisting and listen to
soundclips on the catalog page. As with all the Matinée seasonal samplers it
sells for the price of a single so you really can’t go wrong now can you? Get it at the mailorder
or your favorite pop emporium now!

Looking ahead, February is shaping up splendidly with a great new album from Lovejoy and new singles
by The Happy Couple, Math and Physics Club and The Lucksmiths all ready for release.

The new Lovejoy album is entitled ‘Everybody Hates’ (matcd035) and it
is undoubtedly the best release yet from our Brighton friends. We have been talking it up for a few months now but
the wait is almost over because now it is just up to my pressing plant and our friendly UPS deliveryman to make it
happen. The first Lovejoy release since the classic ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ CD (matcd018)
in 2002, the CD includes great new songs ‘Everybody Hates Us And We Don’t Care’, ‘Petrol Stars’, ‘America’,
‘Drug Autumn’, ‘Sandcastles’, ‘Sid Vicious’, ‘Nicotine & Love’, ‘Because You’re Worth It’, and ‘This Could Be An
Ending’. We have posted three songs on the updated catalog page and ‘Sid
Vicious’ is also playing on the sounds page so hopefully those will keep you going
until we have copies in hand. The official release is mid-February but we will begin taking preorders at the end of
January so check the order page soon!

The ‘Fools in Love’ CDEP (matinée 054) is the debut Matinée release for our first
German act, The Happy Couple! Some of you might know them from their debut ‘Four Seasons’ 7″ on the
Félicité Singles Club last year but if not get ready for some instantly classic
indiepop incorporating all the right influences but with a modern sound. Lead track ‘Another Sunny Day’ sounds
nothing like the band of the same name but perhaps a little bit like Sarah labelmates Even As We Speak? It
swings! ‘Hopeless Case’ and ‘The Pop Kid’ would have had a home on Subway Records in the late 80s and could
double as long lost Shop Assistants gems, while final track ‘Don’t Call It’ is the one that would make Creation
Records mogul Alan McGee smile and remember his classic recordings from Revolving Paint Dream. Fans of Club
8, Pipas, Camera Obscura, and anything from the Pam Berry or Amelia Fletcher songbooks should also stand up
and take notice. You can get a taste of the wonders of The Happy Couple by listening to ‘Another Sunny Day’ on
the catalog or sounds pages, and check out their new
artist page too! The band also has a great website
of its own so pay them a visit to learn more about their secret world. We will have copies of ‘Fools In Love’
exclusively at the Matinée mailorder in mid-February (official release at the end of the
month) but will take preorders from February 1st so check the order page soon! We now have limited copies of
their debut 7″ too so make sure to add that to your order before they are gone for good.

As if one new band weren’t enough, we are also very excited about our first American act in five years – Math
and Physics Club from Seattle, Washington! Longtime students of the Matinée sound know we have gone
awhile without signing an American band and our good friend Mike Babb at Microindie
Records even questioned whether the band tricked me by posting their demo from the UK in hopes of getting a
listen. In reality we are thrilled to have a band from the US on the Matinée roster and even though Seattle is roughly
1200 miles from Santa Barbara it’s almost like having a local band compared to everyone else in England and
Australia and Sweden and Brazil and Germany. Of course they are brilliant too! Their debut release is the
‘Weekends Away’ CDEP (matinée 056) and it includes the wonderful title track
(now playing on the sounds and catalog pages) plus
‘Sixteen and Pretty,’ ‘Love, Again’ and ‘When We Get Famous.’ The sound is perfect jangle pop that is not a
thousand miles away from The Smiths, Trash Can Sinatras, The Lucksmiths or Magnetic Fields at times. We have
now added a Math and Physics Club artist page to the site, but you should pay a
visit to the band’s own website too for more about them and
additional soundclips. The band has a buzz about them already and we have just sent the debut release off to the
pressing plant this week. Legendary Seattle radio station KEXP is playing songs
from their demo and has scheduled an in-studio performance for them this coming Saturday January 22nd at 6:00
pm pacific standard time (eight hours behind the UK, nine behind continental Europe, and something approaching a
day behind Japan and Australia). You can tune in as it is streamed
live, but the show should be archived if you are not in the US and can’t be bothered to wake up for a listen. The
band also plays a live show January 28th at the Sunset Tavern in Seattle with Cantona. We will have copies of
‘Weekends Away’ exclusively at the mailorder in mid-February (official release
at the end of the month) but will take preorders from February 1st so check the order page soon because these
guys are already a shoe-in for best new band of 2005!

Joining our new Matinée bands with a fresh single in February are old favorites The Lucksmiths! Has it
really been 16 months since ‘A Little Distraction’ (matcd027)? The band marks
its triumphant return with the splendid new ‘San Francisco’ EP (matinée 057)
featuring new songs ‘The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco,’ ‘Young and Dumb,’ ‘The Winter Proper’ and
‘I Started A Joke.’ The lead song is a preview of their forthcoming album scheduled for release this Spring, while
the others are non-album tracks including a brilliant cover of the much adored Bee Gees’ classic ‘I Started A Joke.’
You can listen to the title track now on the updated sounds or catalog
pages. We will have copies of the ‘San Francisco’ EP exclusively at the Matinée mailorder in mid-February (official
release at the end of the month) but will take preorders from February 1st so check the order
page soon to reserve your copy. The single is co-released with Australian label Candle
Records and the band is celebrating the release with a series of Australian shows next month: February 5th in
Brisbane, February 12th in Sydney and February 18th in Melbourne. See the Lucksmiths
or Candle websites for details, and stay tuned for more news about the forthcoming album and possible dates in the
US and Europe.

Following that fantastic lot of singles, March will bring the debut album from Brazilian favorites Pale Sunday!
Entitled ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037), the album features ten great new songs
and is their first release since the much celebrated “A Weekend With Jane” EP (matinée 049)
in 2003. The full tracklisting for the album is 1. The White Tambourine; 2. Mary; 3. Sunday Morning; 4. Twiggy
Superstar; 5. My Punk Girl; 6. Sweet Goodbye; 7. A Safe Place; 8. 1978; 9. She’ll Never Be Mine; 10.
Strangeways. We have added three soundclips to the catalog page and ‘The
White Tambourine’ is also spinning on the updated sounds page so check it out! More
release details next month.

Also scheduled for March release is the debut album ‘Northern Drive’ (matcd038)
from internationalists The Young Tradition! While the duo produced its classic debut single “California
Morning” (matinée 043) entirely through the post, they met to record this new
album and the results are stunning, incorporating broad influences ranging from classic indiepop to jazz to AM
radio softpop. Don’t be scared…it’s a magnificent mix and you can hear samples on the updated catalog
and sounds pages. The full tracklisting for the album is 1. Gone Are The Days; 2.
California Morning; 3. Pink Opaque; 4. Footprints; 5. Triangle; 6. Northern Drive; 7. Now You Know; 8. Whores; 9.
Endlessly; 10. Everything We Knew. More release details on this next month too! Also mark your calendars for the
debut live performance of The Young Tradition on Saturday March 18th in Vasteras, Sweden. We’re not sure where
yet but will let you know next month.

In other news, thanks to everyone who voted in the third annual Matinée Fanclub
poll last month! The winner of the coveted “record of the year” award is ‘All Things Can Be Mended’ from
Harper Lee (37 votes). It seems to be a favorite with nearly everyone as it has shown up on numerous
year-end lists on music websites across the globe. Other top release honors went to ‘Bitter Club’ by Pipas
(30 votes) and ‘This is Farewell’ by The Fairways (24 votes). Congratulations!

As always, there was little consensus on the favorite song ever released on Matinée, with 130 different songs
receiving at least one vote. Only ten songs emerged with four or more votes each this time: “T Shirt Weather” by
The Lucksmiths (11 votes), “Train Not Stopping” by Harper Lee (9), “Untidy Towns” by The Lucksmiths (8),
“California Morning” by The Young Tradition (8), “Sunday, Lovely Sunday” by Edson (6), “Barbapapa” by Pipas (5),
“Killjoy” by Brighter (4), “Anita O’Day” by The Pines (4), “Jean C” by Pipas (4) and “Sorry To Embarrass You” by
Razorcuts (4). Although the top votes tend to go to older releases on the label we are happy to see recent songs
from The Pines, Pipas and The Young Tradition making a splash.

In the favorite band category, The Lucksmiths captured the number one spot (33 votes), followed closely by
Harper Lee (29), Pipas (26), The Pines (14) and Would-Be-Goods (14).

The Matinée website (46 votes) and Pop Polar (13) won the best mailorder
category; while IndiePages (15) and Tangents (7) topped
the best music website/magazine list. We also asked your opinions about what bands, if any, should be
considered for a future retrospective release along the lines of what we have done for The Visitors, Remember Fun,
The Siddeleys, Razorcuts and Brighter. Nearly 70 bands were suggested, with the most votes cast for James
Dean Driving Experience (8), Blueboy (6), East Village (6), The Orchids (6) and The Sugargliders (5). All I can say
is at least one of these bands has contacted us already so we’ll see what we can do…

Congratulations to all the Matinée bands and thanks very much to everyone who entered! The lucky winner of the
five CD prize pack is Dimitra Liakou from Greece. Hurrah! Wish you had won? Join the Matinée
Fanclub to stay hip to this sort of thing. See the archive page for a full poll summary.

We also surveyed all the Matinée artists at the end of the year regarding their favorite things of 2004 (bands,
records, films, books, etc.) and as expected there was a great variety in the responses. See full responses from
members of Airport Girl, The Happy Couple, Harper Lee, The Liberty Ship, Lovejoy, The Lucksmiths, Math and
Physics Club, Melodie Group, Pipas, Simpático, The Snowdrops, Sportique, The Windmills, Would-Be-Goods and
The Young Tradition on the archive page or simply by clicking here.

This update has gone rather long so we’ll skip the usual reviews summary for recent releases and just remind you
that brilliant albums from The Guild League, Harper Lee, Would-Be-Goods and The
Fairways came out last summer and autumn and they are all widely adored in the music press so get straight
on over to the order page to secure your very own copies. New reviews are posted now on
the catalog pages. There are only 50 left of the Matinée 45
holiday ornament too and it is only available in the Matinée shop so if you want one act quickly!

We had a fantastic two months to end 2004 with the mailorder so thank you all for your orders. The top sellers
for November and December combined are:

10. The Fairways – This is Farewell CD
9. Sportique – Love & Remains 7″
8. Razorcuts – A is for Alphabet CDEP
7. Harper Lee – Bug 7″
6. Would-Be-Goods – The Morning After CD
5. Sportique – Don’t Believe A Word I Say 7″
4. The Guild League – Inner North CD
3. Harper Lee – All Things Can Be Mended CD
2. Matinée 45 holiday ornament
1. Various – The Matinée Winter Warmer CD

Until next month,
Jimmy!