So here’s the news you’ve been waiting for… information on nine (!) new Matinée releases, upcoming US dates for The Lucksmiths and Math and Physics Club, Matinée’s 10-Year anniversary festivities, our very special ‘Matinée Hit Parade’ CD, that Harper Lee repressing we’ve been promising, a fifth new band for the label in just two months, and so much more.
After a notable two-year absence from the new-release racks, The Lucksmiths return with an exhaustive new collection of lost treasures in the form of new double album ‘Spring a Leak’ (matcd044). No mere greatest hits collection, the album compiles over a decade’s worth of great recordings that have never made it onto a Lucksmiths full-length: b-sides, alternate versions (from 7″ singles and demos), songs recorded especially for compilations, live, radio and TV sessions, cover versions, remixes, and various previously unreleased ephemera. Forty-five songs in all (please see tracklisting on the catalog page), packaged in a deluxe double-CD digipak. A major undertaking for the band and the mastering engineer who had to sift through piles of CDs, old DATs and cassette tapes, ‘Spring a Leak’ is the first time many of these songs have turned up on a digital format. The ‘Macintyre’ 7″ (recorded in 1995 and originally limited to 500 highly sought-after copies) sits comfortably amongst more recent work including cover versions of well-loved songs by The Bee Gees, The Smiths, The Modern Lovers, and The Magnetic Fields, as well as lesser-known tracks by some of The Lucksmiths’ friends such as The Simpletons, The Ladybug Transistor, and The Sugargliders.
By the nitpickingly precious Lucksmiths’ own admission, the bar was lowered just a little on this one (although a few tracks originally slated for inclusion were eventually deemed unlistenable, and consequently omitted): there’s the odd bum note, and, inevitably, given the nature of the project, varying degrees of quality across the recordings. In its entirety, however, ‘Spring a Leak’ exhibits both the remarkable consistency and ongoing development of one of this generation’s most esteemed and distinctive pop groups. It’s also our first co-release with the band’s own Lost and Lonesome Recording Company in Australia which is of course further cause for celebration!
The album is released September 10th but we’ll start shipping copies on the 5th so get your orders in now for speediest delivery. In the meantime, we’re featuring one of the unreleased tracks on the sounds page—a cover of ‘Dolly’ by fellow Australian legends The Sugargliders – and an additional seven songs on the catalog page so check it out for the full tracklisting and more release information.
To celebrate the release of ‘Spring A Leak,’ the band is treating us to a short US tour later this month with the following dates:
September 21 – LOS ANGELES, CA @ El Cid with Math and Physics Club
September 22 – SANTA BARBARA, CA @ Reds Espresso and Wine Bar with Math and Physics Club + The Guild League + Maria
September 23 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ 12 Galaxies with Still Flyin’ + Fred Astereo
September 24 – SEATTLE, WA @ Crocodile Café with Math and Physics Club + Fred Astereo
September 25 – PORTLAND, OR @ Holoscene with Andrew Kaffer + Fred Astereo
September 26 – CHICAGO, IL @ Schubas with The Brunettes + Ferraby Lionheart
September 27 – CAMBRIDGE, MA @ TT The Bears with The Ladybug Transistor + Still Flyin’
September 28 – NEW YORK, NY @ The Knitting Factory with The Ladybug Transistor + Still Flyin’
September 29 – BROOKLYN, NY @ Europa with The Ladybug Transistor + Still Flyin’
September 30 – WASHINGTON, DC @ DC9 with The Ladybug Transistor + Still Flyin’
October 1 – DURHAM, NC @ Duke Coffeehouse with The Ladybug Transistor + Still Flyin’
October 2 – ATHENS, GA @ Caledonia Lounge with The Ladybug Transistor
October 3 – NEW ORLEANS, LA @ venue TBC
October 4 – AUSTIN, TX @ Emo’s with Our Solar System
We’re taking advantage of their quick run through the States to have a little celebration on September 22 here in Santa Barbara in honor of 2007 being the 10-year anniversary of the label. Who knew our humble Sweet William 7″ (matinée 001) back in 1997 would lead to everything we have accomplished in the past decade? Of course The Lucksmiths have been with us since nearly the beginning, releasing their amazing ‘Untidy Towns’ EP (matinée 004) in September of 1998 and an additional eleven releases on Matinée plus contributions to eight of our label compilations since then. The band played the magnificent Soirée Matinée in Paris in 1999, our wedding in Washington, DC in 2001, and additional shows in London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Madrid, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Sydney, and Washington that we had the honor of attending so we really couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate with them in town.
To make the occasion even more magnificent we’ve asked our good pals Math and Physics Club to come down too! As the sole American band on the Matinée roster they’re as local as it gets even though they are thousands of miles up the coast in Seattle and we are delighted to have them play Santa Barbara at last.
We’re also happy to report the show will feature a solo set from Tali White of The Guild League! Anyone who saw Tali perform at the San Francisco Popfest picnic in 2003 will remember his amazing set and this one is sure to be equally brilliant as Tali will be featuring songs from the forthcoming third full length from The Guild League as well as old favorites. Hurrah!
Finally, we have invited special guests Maria to open the show. Hailing from nearby Oxnard, California and purveyors of the fine Yay! record label, they are among the most enthusiastic people we’ve encountered and they have a sound that recalls those early releases from The Orchids so we’re looking very forward to having them play as well.
Being a Matinée celebration, we’re planning to start things early in the day (doors at 4:00 pm, first band at 4:45) to take advantage of the daylight hours. It’s an all-ages affair, and did I mention it’s scheduled to happen outside just off the beach? Yes way! The location is Reds Espresso and Wine Bar at 211 Helena Avenue one block east of State Street (@ Yanonali) and two blocks from the beach. Despite it being an outdoor show we’re potentially limited on space so we’re selling advance tickets now for the special price of $6. If you are interested simply email your request to matineepop@hotmail.com and we’ll hook you up. Tickets should be available at the door as well but please order an advance ticket if you know you are coming (or traveling from out of town) to make sure you get in. We’ve already heard from people coming from all over California and even some loyal fans coming in from places like New York and Ohio. Hope to see you there!
Not one to let their Australian labelmates outshadow them, Math and Physics Club have delivered the new release goods for the anniversary show too! The brand new ‘Baby I’m Yours’ EP (matinée 066) is nearly finished at the pressing plant and scheduled for release on October 1st although we’ll have copies available sooner exclusively via the Matinée website and at upcoming Math and Physics Club shows. Featuring exclusive new tracks ‘Baby I’m Yours,’ ‘Nothing Really Happened,’ ‘In This Together’ and ‘Do You Keep A Diary’, the EP is the band’s first release since the best selling self-titled album (matcd042) last year. The title track is an amazing little number on which MAPC drummer extraordinaire Kevin was reportedly encouraged to break out his drumsticks instead of brushes so it’s really cooking! ‘Nothing Really Happened’ is a special one for us because it was (in different form) one of the four songs on the original demo tape we received from Math and Physics Club back in 2004. It is also allegedly the first original Math and Physics Club song so its release is probably long overdue. A classic! ‘In This Together’ has also been around for awhile…I first heard it live at the 2005 San Francisco popfest if memory serves me correctly and Saundrah’s prominent violin part impressed me as much then as it does now. Finally, ‘Do You Keep A Diary’ finishes off the EP with a bit of a surprise. The song was actually kicking around at the time of the album recording sessions but didn’t seem to fit on the album for some reason. Math and Physics Club bassist Ethan snuck into the recording studio one day and muted everyone’s tracks, turning it into a little synth-pop number that evolved over time into this brilliant version balancing electronic and real instruments along with Charles’ superb vocals and a bit of a John Squire guitar explosion from James. New songs from Math and Physics Club are always instant classics and this EP is perhaps the strongest one yet! You can hear ‘Baby I’m Yours’ on the sounds page and we are taking preorders for the EP right now so don’t delay getting your MAPC fix. We will ship all preorders starting on the 12th which isn’t too far away now, is it?
Also now at the pressing plant and scheduled for release October 1st is the debut album ‘Saw You Dancing’ (matcd046) from Glasgow band The Hermit Crabs! The band’s ‘Feel Good Factor’ EP (matinée 063) has spent much of its young life atop the Matinée top sellers chart and with good reason. Following numerous live appearances the past six months, the band is set to return with its debut album containing ten new Scottish pop classics: 1. Tonight; 2. Goodbye My Friend; 3. Closet Fan; 4. Lean, Free Summer; 5. Bad Timing; 6. Friend’s Folk Festival; 7. Secrets and Lies; 8. Feel Good Factor; 9. Third Time Lucky; 10. Soulmate. Trust me when I say this is one for the record books! We’re featuring ‘Closet Fan’ on the Matinée sounds page, and the catalog page features three others including our current favorite ‘Friend’s Folk Festival.’ The band has a few tracks streaming on their Myspace page too so you can hear a good portion of the album as we speak. You can preorder the album right now too on the order page and we’ll start shipping on the 19th so you can be the first hip kid on your block with a copy. You know you want it!
Also in production is the very special new compilation ‘The Matinée Hit Parade‘ (matcd045), featuring 13 exclusive tracks from some of our favorite Matinée artists helping us celebrate ten years of independency. Each band has contributed an exclusive new A-side, 45-caliber song (to match the matcd045 catalog number) for this special anniversary collection. Lesser labels might celebrate such an occasion with a stroll through their back catalog but we’ve opted to deliver fresh goods instead so add this to your wish list because it will be an instant label highlight. The tracklisting for the CD is: 1. Math and Physics Club – A Little Romance; 2. Would-Be-Goods – Temporary Best Friend ; 3. The Lucksmiths – Good Light; 4. The Electric Pop Group – My Only Inspiration; 5. Clay Hips – Failure; 6. Bubblegum Lemonade – Tyler; 7. The Hermit Crabs – Sophia; 8. Harper Lee – Ilene; 9. The Guild League – Call To Prayer; 10. Strawberry Whiplash – Summershine; 11. Slipslide – Let Things Fall Apart; 12. The Pines – Train From Wycombe; 13. Lovejoy – Astronauts. For anyone keeping score, that’s 13 exclusive tracks that you won’t find anywhere else and they’re all smashing pop hits so this will be an instant best seller for the label. We’ve done some special packaging for the CD too so this will not be ready until sometime next month but we’re showcasing tracks from the album on the sounds and catalog pages now and will be featuring more of the songs all month long over on Myspace.
In the coming soon category, we are finalizing artwork and release details now for the next batch of Matinée gems including the debut singles from Bubblegum Lemonade, Strawberry Whiplash, and The Electric Pop Group. There is also a new album from The Guild League and more planned for later this year so watch this space for even more great forthcoming releases! There are a few tracks up for preview on the sounds page and we’ll be adding release details to the website over the next few weeks. In the meantime, here’s a little information on the new bands to whet your appetite:
As we reported last month, Bubblegum Lemonade hail from Glasgow, Scotland and their debut EP (matinée 064) will feature ‘Ten Years Younger’, ‘The Tomorrow People’, ‘Unsafe at Any Speed’ and ‘That Thing You Do!’ In case you were wondering if the last track is a cover of THAT song from THAT movie, the answer is yes and it’s fantastic! Despite the conglomeration of C-86 band names, they actually sound nothing like Bubblegum Splash or Baby Lemonade…instead they pay homage to their Scottish roots with a sound recalling the legendary Jesus and Mary Chain with hints of The Byrds, Razorcuts and early Primal Scream thrown in for good measure. ‘Ten Years Younger’ is now playing on the Matinée sounds page and you can hear several more songs on the band’s Myspace page so head there for a taste of what’s to come. We’re finalizing artwork for this release now so it should be in your hands in October!
Also hailing from Glasgow is an impressive new duo called Strawberry Whiplash and their debut EP (matinée 065) includes the infectious lead track ‘Who’s In Your Dreams?’ plus ‘It Rains On Other Planets’, ‘My Day Today’ and ‘Factory Girl.’ While Strawberry Switchblade and Meat Whiplash aren’t a million miles off, The Shop Assistants and The Primitives are probably better reference points for this duo. The songs are all ace and this is another classic Matinée EP in the making! We’re featuring ‘Who’s In Your Dreams?’ on the sounds page and you can hear additional songs on the band’s Myspace page. We’re finalizing artwork for this release now too so look for it sometime in October. You’re going to love it!
Our third new band is the amazing The Electric Pop Group from Gothenburg, Sweden! This quartet astonished everyone late last year with a self-released debut album that came out of nowhere to make numerous year-end lists. The band has a sound that somehow captures the brilliant influence of Razorcuts and Brighter in one band so we’re confident they will become a firm favorite for a large majority of the Matinée faithful. Having sufficiently impressed us here, we are proud to announce their forthcoming Matinée debut, the four song ‘I Could See The Lights’ EP (matinée 067). The EP will contain the ace title track that will preview a second album planned for early 2008, plus three additional non-album tracks. We’ll be finalizing release details over the next few weeks (and adding the lead track to the sounds page) so stay tuned for one of the singles of the year. In the meantime, please visit the band website or Myspace page where you can listen to several songs and download others. We now have copies of their debut self-titled album for sale on the order page too so grab one before it sells out!
With their contributions to the ‘Hit Parade’ compilation complete, we have added new Matinée artist pages to the site for Bubblegum Lemonade, Clay Hips, The Electric Pop Group, and Strawberry Whiplash so check those out via the artist page.
As if four new Matinée artists weren’t exciting enough, we’ve just this week confirmed a fifth new band to join the label—Copenhagen, Denmark’s Northern Portrait! The first Danish act for the label, Northern Portrait list indie legends The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, and The Housemartins among their influences which is a nice starting point to be sure. Matinée has the honor of releasing the debut single ‘Crazy’ in the near future and the band is also working on its debut album so expect good things soon from this exciting new band. You can preview ‘Crazy’ and two other Northern Portrait songs on their Myspace page. Check back soon for more release information. New bands sure are exciting, eh?
In other release news, we’ve just taken delivery of a very welcome repressing of the magnificent debut album ‘Go Back To Bed’ (matcd009) from Matinée favorites Harper Lee! Originally released in 2001, the album was an early highlight of the Matinée catalog and received a bit of attention from the late John Peel who played singles ‘Dry Land’ and ‘Bug’ on his legendary radio show. An English duo featuring Keris Howard (Brighter, Hal, Trembling Blue Stars) on vocals and guitar, and Laura Bridge (Hood, Kicker) on guitar, keyboards, and drums, Harper Lee has proven one of Matinée’s most popular artists. Named after the famous American author of the classic novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, the duo formed in 1999 with a plan to release one brilliant single, take the world by storm, and withdraw from the public eye just as Lee did following the success of her single novel. Luckily, the modest success of its debut did not afford the band an early retirement so they continued creating classic releases through the brilliant ‘He Holds A Flame’ EP last year. Featuring ten classic tracks of melancholy pop with beautifully layered keyboards and guitars plus heartbreakingly earnest lyrics, ‘Go Back To Bed’ is an essential release from the Matinée catalog in stock again following years of unavailability. I know some of you thought this repressing would never happen but it has at last so get ordering!
Our new Myspace page is the happening place to be these days so drop by if you haven’t already. We are showcasing tracks from all the forthcoming releases for the next month including songs that you can’t even hear on the website so if you’re after new music from Bubblegum Lemonade, Clay Hips, The Electric Pop Group, The Guild League, Harper Lee, The Hermit Crabs, Lovejoy, The Lucksmiths, Math and Physics Club, Northern Portrait, The Pines, Slipslide, Strawberry Whiplash or Would-Be-Goods, check there as we are uploading new songs ever Sunday night in September.
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As you plan your order for new releases, don’t forget to include some of our recent gems as well including the ‘It’s Been A While’ CD (matcd043) from The Pines, ‘Math and Physics Club’ CD (matcd042) from Math and Physics Club, ‘Out To Sea’ CD (matcd041) from Brighter, ‘6 Billion People’ CD (matcd040) from Tender Trap, ‘Feel Good Factor’ EP (matinée 063) from The Hermit Crabs, ‘England Made Me’ EP (matinée 062) from Lovejoy, and ‘He Holds A Flame’ EP (matinée 061) from Harper Lee. Please see the catalog pages for tracklistings, soundclips, and reviews, or skip straight to the order page to make it happen. Check the order page later in the month for some new button and t-shirt action too.
The hit parade is about to have a major overhaul with new releases but for the last two months these were the ones to watch:
10. The Lucksmiths – Where Were We? CD
9. The Snowdrops – Sleepydust CDEP
8. The Lucksmiths – A Hiccup In Your Happiness CDEP
7. Harper Lee – All Things Can Be Mended CD
6. Slipslide – The World Can Wait CD
5. The Lucksmiths – Warmer Corners CD
4. Brighter – Out To Sea CD
3. Math and Physics Club – Movie Ending Romance CDEP
2. The Hermit Crabs – Feel Good Factor CDEP
1. Math and Physics Club – Math and Physics Club CD
That’s all for now. Hope to see some of you in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara later this month with The Lucksmiths and Math and Physics Club! We’ll be back in a few weeks with more new release information and other exciting news.
Regards,
Jimmy
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