Hello and happy 2003! Matinée had an excellent year in 2002 with 15 great releases, and we are even more excited
about our release schedule for this new year.
The first of two brand new releases is the debut full-length from Melodie Group. Entitled “Updownaround”
(matcd022), the album has been named “the sort of record any sort of serious fan
wishes Morrissey would make” by the proven editors at Tasty
fanzine. And while we wait with you for a long-overdue new release by the Mozzer, this will suit us just fine. Previous
Melodie Group releases have earned comparison to other venerable vocalists of yore, including Grant McLennan of the
Go-Betweens and Ian McCulloch of Echo and the Bunnymen. Not bad company you must admit. In the small chance
you don’t believe us, then why not have a listen to the soundclips showcased on the Matinée Sounds page, which should lead you nicely to the Order page where
you can secure your very own copy.
Also now hopefully featured on a new release shelf near you is the debut album from The Guild League called
“Private Transport” (matcd023). And what a triumph it is!
In Love With These Times calls it “an admirable way to start the new year,” while
Tasty predicts “Private Transport could well be your favourite
album of 2003…already.” Everyone seemed to love the band’s debut single “Jet-Set..Go!” last summer, but believe me
when I tell you that was only a taste of the brilliance found on this album. We have highlighted a few of the eclectic
songs from the album on the Matinée Sounds page so give it a test spin if you like.
We’re sure you’ll be back for this one.
We are now busy at work finalizing artwork and other details for several new singles that should see the light of day
between now and April 1st.
Atop the coming soon category is a new 5-track CDEP from Simpático called the “Club Life” EP (matinée 044).
This is the first new material from Simpático since the critically acclaimed album “The Difference Between Alone &
Lonely” (matcd016) released last March. Since then, Jason has toured the US and
played a few shows in Australia, all the while perfecting five of the strongest songs he has crafted to date. The
tracklisting for the EP is: 1. Club Life, 2. Inseparable, 3. Garden Greene, 4. First and Last Warning, 5. Self-conscious…
and we have just posted a real audio version of the lead track on the Sounds page so go
have a listen! Look for the EP in February if everything goes as planned.
Also nearing completion is the debut single from a new band called The Young Tradition. It’s a 7″ single
(PUNK rock!) with the songs “California Morning” and “All Up To Me” and they’re both absolute gems… the sort of
single that you’ll play over and over and hope for an album coming soon. And your wish might just come true because
the group is already working on new songs for the follow-up. But just who is this mystery group? There is a soundclip
for the A-side up on the Sounds page now, and the more astute among you will recognize
the singer as Brent Kenji of The Fairways. His partner in crime for The Young Tradition is a chap named Erik Hanspers
who lives in Sweden and the two collaborated on the songs for this single via the trusty old postal service without ever
meeting. One listen to the songs though, and you’ll realize that these gents have a keen sense of songwriting and
melodies that will make loads of established traditional bands jealous. This one is subject to the whims of the vinyl
pressing plant but we should have it for release in February as well.
In addition to songs from these imminent releases, the updated Sounds page features
exclusive previews of forthcoming releases from The Liberty Ship, Airport Girl, and Sportique.
The Liberty Ship song is the title track from a forthcoming CDEP entitled the “Northern Angel” EP (matinée 046),
Airport Girl‘s “When You Fall” is taken from the upcoming “Do You Dream In Colour?” CDEP (matinée 037),
and “Other People’s Girlfriends” is from the forthcoming Sportique mini-album “Communique No. 9” (matcd024).
We are finalizing artwork for these releases now, so look for more information and release dates in the next update.
Other releases on the horizon include albums from The Fairways and Slipslide and singles by The
Pines, The Snowdrops, and a solo outing from Gregory Webster! Plus a few surprises…
The compilations we mentioned in the last update are progressing well, with the singles compilation “France On A
Bicycle” (matcd010) now fully mastered and awaiting artwork. The tracklisting for the album is: 1. Sweet William
– Dutch Mother; 2. Sportique – Love and Remains; 3. The Lucksmiths – Untidy Towns; 4. The Windmills – Three Sixty
Degrees; 5. Harper Lee – Bug; 6. The Fairways – Darling, Don’t You Think?; 7. Slipslide – Unlucky Charm; 8. Lovejoy –
Getting Away With It All; 9. Bella Vista – Was the Last; 10. Melodie Group – You’ve Got The Whole Of The World In
Your Mouth; 11. Monterey – Another You; 12. Remember Fun – Train Journeys; 13. Ego – Do You Want To Be My
Love ‘Till 1998?; 14. Sweet William – Not Actual, Not Lasting; 15. The Lucksmiths – T-Shirt Weather; 16. Edson –
Sunday, Lovely Sunday; 17. Sportique – Don’t Believe A Word I Say; 18. The Windmills – Everything Is New Each
Day; 19. Simpático – The Postal Museum; 20. Harper Lee – No Happy Ending. We can’t stop listening to it and hope
you’ll have the same reaction when it is released next month.
The list of songs for the very special “Matinée 50” compilation (with each Matinée artist contributing a cover
version of a song by another Matinée artist) is growing every day. Tracks are now confirmed by Lovejoy, Sportique,
Airport Girl, Slipslide, Pipas, Melodie Group, Harper Lee, Simpático, The Lucksmiths, The Windmills, The Pines,
Gregory Webster, The Young Tradition and Pale Sunday…plus the first recordings in a very long while from
Razorcuts and The Visitors! Other bands are yet to confirm their selections but we can’t wait for this release. More
details and perhaps a list of confirmed tracks in the next update.
Speaking of Matinée artists, we’ve asked them all for a list of their favorite things from 2002 and you can see their
lists now on the updated Archive page or by clicking here.
Thanks to everyone who voted in the Matinée Newsgroup
year-end poll! We received nearly 100 responses and the results proved interesting. It was a simple five-question poll,
where respondents could select their favorite Matinée album and single of 2002, favorite song ever released on Matinée,
favorite Matinée bands, and the best place to purchase Matinée releases.
In the favorite album category, all eight albums from 2002 received votes but top honors went to Harper Lee’s
“Everything’s Going To Be OK”. In the singles category, the race was close with the Pipas 7″ “A Short Film About
Sleeping” coming out on top by a mere two-vote margin. In the favorite band category, The Lucksmiths and Harper Lee
claimed the top spots, followed by a tie for third place between Pipas and Lovejoy. The Matinée website was naturally
the clear winner for best spot from which to buy our releases, although Twee Kitten deserves a mention for a dedicated
clientele as well.
The final question (best song ever released on Matinée) proved the most interesting because there was virtually no
consensus. Over 50 songs were nominated and only a dozen received more than one vote. For what it’s worth, three
songs emerged with seven votes each…”Untidy Towns” by The Lucksmiths, “Train Not Stopping” by Harper Lee,
and “T-Shirt Weather” by The Lucksmiths. Bravo!
As we promised when we announced this year-end poll, simply entering made you eligible for a prize of five free
releases of your choice, and the lucky winner of this prize pack is Derek Ang of Del Mar, California. Congratulations!
Wish you had won? Then why not sign up for the Newsgroup
to stay hip to this sort of thing.
We are excited to be named label of the year by trendy Brazilian webzine Esquizofrenia. They have written a
great article on the label, but you’ll need to
break out your Portuguese dictionary! Thanks to Gilberto for this wonderful surprise.
There is also a nice Pipas article on Think Small but it is in
Dutch so I don’t know exactly what it says. Pipas are big winners on the TweeNet
2002 Poll, coming out on top of the best band category, #2 favorite album of the year (behind Harper Lee), and having
numerous other mentions including votes for song of the year, most promising new act, best live experience and best
single. Harper Lee, The Lucksmiths, Would-Be-Goods, Razorcuts, and The Pines also featured prominently in the
voting so congratulations to them all and thanks to anyone who cast their votes for a Matinée artist this year.
New reviews are now posted for recent releases by The Guild League, Melodie Group, Kosmonaut, The Lucksmiths,
Pipas, Razorcuts, Harper Lee, Lovejoy, The Liberty Ship, Simpático and Sportique so go to the
Catalog page for links to the individual release pages.
In upcoming live action, The Liberty Ship are playing in Nottingham February 8th at the Social, while The
Windmills are undertaking a mini-tour of the UK with dates scheduled February 21st at Agricultural College in
Chelmsford, February 22nd at The Grand in Leigh on Sea, and February 24th at The Dublin Castle in London.
We will be in Spain at the end of February for a very special set of shows with Harper Lee and Lovejoy
February 26th in Barcelona (Sala Razzmatazz 3), February 27th in Valencia (Sala Wha Wha), February 28th in Madrid
(Sala Barbarella) and March 1st in La Coruña (Sala Playa Club). All dates are with Trembling Blue Stars and sponsored
by our good friends at Canciones Huérfanas. These dates mark
the first live performances from Harper Lee and the first from Lovejoy outside the UK, so they really shouldn’t be missed.
See you there!
Several Matinée bands will be in the US later in the year, including The Lucksmiths, Sportique and
Pipas who may all be part of the San Francisco popfest scheduled for July. Everything is still in the planning
stages, but now that we are California based look for some West Coast action from your favorite Matinée bands soon!
Given the list of forthcoming singles described above, we are having a sale on all existing singles via the
Matinée mailorder: bargain prices of $2.50 for every 7″ and $4.00 for every CDEP while
supplies last. There are a handful of the early 7″ that are pretty close to deleted so if you were thinking of stocking up
this might just be the time to do so. The sale’s on until February 14th as our Valentine’s gift to you.
In December Mailorder action, Pipas fought off all competition to climb to the top of the chart with their recent album A
Cat Escaped. The full chart follows:
10. Pipas – A Short Film About Sleeping 7″
9. Airport Girl – Honey, I’m An Artist CD
8. The Siddeleys – Slum Clearance CD
7. Kosmonaut – Desert Song 7″
6. The Lucksmiths – Where Were We? CD
5. Melodie Group – Updownaround CD
4. The Lucksmiths – Midweek Midmorning CDEP
3. The Guild League – Private Transport CD
2. Razorcuts – R is for…Razorcuts CD
1. Pipas – A Cat Escaped CD
Until next time, thanks for reading and hope you are enjoying a splendid year so far. Regards, Jimmy