To commemorate 15 years of operating as fine purveyors of first-rate indie pop, Matinée Records released a collection of tracks by some of their top artists from the past, some recent mainstays, and a few promising newcomers as well. A mix of previously unreleased songs, hard-to-find gems, and brand-new recordings, the collection spells out Matinée's philosophy again and again: find bands that make super-catchy indie pop, then release it! Sounds simple but it's really not. The old-timers are well represented by an unreleased Lucksmiths cover of Jonathan Richman's "When I'm Walking" and a truly lovely cover of the Marvelettes' "No More Tearstained Makeup" by the Would-Be-Goods. The current roster is looking good too, with fine tracks by Strawberry Whiplash, Northern Portrait, and Pale Sunday. Of the newcomers, Charlie Big Time's sophisticated '80s pop ballad "One Step Closer to Enemies" sounds particularly good. And can Clay Hips please make an album, like yesterday!? Their contribution, the bubbling pop-soul groover "Someone Who Wanders," is the album's high point, and only points out how painfully infrequently they release songs. That thought aside, A Sunday Matinée is a thoroughly listenable look at a wonderful label, and totally invaluable to those who call themselves fans of indie pop music.   --All Music Guide

 

Where would we be without Matinée Recordings? The Santa Barbara label is celebrating its fifteenth year of releasing indie pop, and have just released this compilation of tracks as a celebration of that fact. Straight away what’s evident is the worldwide appeal of both sides of the indie pop coin, the scuzzy and the twee, the joyous and the lonely. The label contacted fifteen of its favourite artists and got them to contribute tracks either rare, or unavailable elsewhere. The album kicks off in typical style with the female fronted jangle pop of Australian collective Bart and Friends, with a short little almost vignette of a song, saying – there’s no place that I’d rather be tonight’, and its followed by Denmark’s Northern Portrait and Scottish band Bubblegum Lemonade, who both provide these jangly, c86/Sarah records homages, but both provide nigh of classic examples of warm bedroom pop. The formers new track The Young and Hopefuls particularly has this genuine warmth about it, that makes it nigh on impossible not to love. Ireland’s September Girls contribution, Danny Wood has this growls guitar and childlike synth like which gives a nice contrast to their sweet harmonies, whilst the Australian band Simpático have this beautiful, slightly haunting electro pop feel on their song The Rays. The legendary Would-be-goods then offer up the first cover on the compilation, with a sweet reworking of Martha and the Vandella’s No more tearstained makeup, And that’s followed by Charlie Big Time who provide another new song, One Step Closer to Enemies, where they bring their melodious Smithsalike brand of pop to the, well, party I suppose. One of the releases were really looking forward to seeing out on Matinée shortly is a Lucksmiths compilation, and the Ausalians make an appearance here, with another cover, with a brilliant version of Jonathan Richman’s When I’m Walking. Parliament Square from the Swedish band The Electric Pop Group meanders delightfully with the kind of tune that made The Field Mice so adored twenty or more years ago, and Scottish duo Strawberry Whiplash follow it with the scuzzy DIY of September Saturday, before Seattles Maths and Physics Club make like Hull for the Housemartinsy I Know its Over. The Steinbecks, something of an Australian indie pop institution add anoth new song to the mix with the interesting and kooky Through the Curtain, which can hardly keep its theatrical tendencies to itself, and will make some b movie somewhere a lovely musical interlude. Another new song follows, this time from Brazils Pale Sunday and their In the Hardest Moment, which hints at Britpop before settling into something softer. Former Fairways Clay Hips provide us with some joyous indie funk, complete with harmonised vocals and this bouncing, chiming optimism with their track ‘someone who wanders’ before the compilation comes to an end with Melodie Group’s first song in eight years Only Forever, a slow burning indie torch song that brings things to a close. Unashamedly Indie Pop, Matinée Recordings have provided the world with some wondrous listening over the years, and given a platform to bands like those featured on this engaging, consistently good overview of their roster. Where would we be without Matinée recordings? A lot worse off, that’s for sure.   --Backseat Mafia

 

Those purveyors of indie twee chime pop Matinée Recordings celebrate their 15th anniversary with a rather spiffing 15 (what else did you think it was going to be) track celebratory compilation entitled ‘A Sunday Matinée’. Shoehorned amid these rarefied grooves friends familiar and forgotten shimmy and serenade to a hand holding shy eyed rush of teen spirited effervescence and bittersweet growing pains. Among the prize pickings the lo-fi lilting saccharine shimmy that is September Girls 50’s bubble grooved ’Danny Wood’ arrested in vintage honeyed harmonies and snared upon a growling riffola to sound not unlike a beat happy Shonen Knife rubbing up and cosying up to the Shangri La’s. Somewhere else The Electric Pop Group’s acutely cute ’Parliament Square’ all longingly drenched in Hey Paulette April showers. Those much loving of their sounds shuffled in a distractively south sea shimmer tone might be best hooking themselves up to the Clay Pipes ’Someone Who Wanders’ – must admit that I’m more than a little smitten by this as it seduces the listening space reclined as were under the caressing cool shade of palm trees feasting upon a coalescing brew of Kane Gang and Bluebells platters. Ripped to a more than attractive power surged strut gouged groove Pale Sundays’ ‘In The Hardest Moment’ storms the barricades sounding not unlike a ‘Seamonsters’ era Weddoes albeit as though forlornly cuffed by the dulling misty eyed ache of the Hoverchairs. Also serving and earning their stripes the bruising and brief ‘There’s No Place’ by Bart and Friends echoes to the sorrowful sculpturing of The Smiths more vulnerable sorties, within its short 66 second tear stained and hollowed hello it prizes its way through your defences and in a flash has your surrendering heart hoisting the white flag. A youthful James are called to mind with the appearance of Northern Portrait’s ‘The Young and Hopefuls’ while Charlie Big Time’s ‘One Step Closer to Enemies’ ushers in like some bracing shoulder to cry on apparition. All said we’re a tad taken by the honey glowed soft psych Spector-esque shade adorned shimmer pop of Strawberry Whiplash’s ’September Saturday’ which unless our ears do deceive purrs to a Blondie-esque motif all effervescently teen thrilled in Lush like glazes. Gem like. 4/5 stars   --God Is In The TV

 

If you’re a long time reader of The Indie Handbook, then you are, no doubt, familiar with Matinée Recordings. Strawberry Whiplash, a Matinée band, was one of the first artists we ever covered here, way back in the spring of 2009. (I can’t believe I’ve been doing this that long.) Since then, they have continued to release so many great records, that I haven’t been able to cover them all. After all, I can’t let this turn into a Matinée only blog, as easy and consistently good as that would be. But Matinée reaches a particularly important milestone this month. In November of 2013, Matinée Recordings turns 15! Now that I’ve had some experience running a record label, I can tell you firsthand what a huge accomplishment that is. This business is hard, and to produce a constant stream of high quality records the way Jimmy and the folks at Matinée have over the last 15 years is a big deal (and quite an undertaking). I could learn a lot from them. Need a refresher? Some of the Matinée bands we’ve covered here in the past include: Strawberry Whiplash, Cats On Fire, Math and Physics Club, and September Girls. You may remember how much I loved Math and Physics Club’s I Shouldn’t Look as Good as I Do and that I am in love with just about everything Strawberry Whiplash have done. But I don’t think I ever mentioned how I fell head over heels for Northern Portrait, just like any good Smiths fan would. It’s an oversight I still regret to this day, three years after I received that first Northern Portrait promo. Thankfully, hope is not lost. I have been given a chance to redeem myself. In celebration of their 15th anniversary, Matinée Recordings are releasing A Sunday Matinée, a compilation of unreleased tracks, rarities, and exclusives from many of the bands that have helped make Matinée the breeding ground for top class indie pop that it is today. Included on A Sunday Matinée are bands like Strawberry Whiplash, September Girls, Math and Physics Club, Bubblegum Lemonade, my beloved Northern Portrait, and Matinée legends The Lucksmiths and, of course, many more. Normally, this is the point where I would provide you with a tracklist for the album. But, in this case, we’ve been provided with a Soundcloud playlist and, if I’m reading this email correctly, I have permission to share the whole playlist with you and, let’s be honest, that’s far more useful than a list of band names. I will say, I am particularly enamored of the Northern Portrait and Math and Physics Club tracks. The album is to be officially released on November 12, but it is available now through the Matinée website. So, after you have a listen, pop over to the website, and pick up a copy of the CD so you can pop it in your car stereo like I will, and spend the next four months pretending it’s summer.   --The Indie Handbook

 

For pop fans A Sunday Matinée is like finding a box of rare coins at the back of your closet. Over the years some of you probably have wished you could have more of the pop gems you read about and sample here (and if you are slutty, on other sites as well), but have concluded that even when bundled in singles and EPs, it is too much trouble and too expensive. Well, we have solved that problem for you. And by "we", I really mean Jimmy and Matinée Recordings (we're just the humble messenger). What Jimmy has done is to celebrate Matinée's 15 years delivering quality pop by packaging 15 gems from many of the finest pop bands in one album. Including bands from England, Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, Seattle and other places, the one constant is the high quality of pop for which the label is known. No band is represented more than once (although Glasgow's clever Laz McCluskey sneaks in on two bands), so the listener enjoys maximum variety. There are no weak tracks. In fact, there are no average tracks, just shimmering pop with affecting lyrics and some well-placed humor. Although I usually don't bother to write much about the pricing of the music, Matinée is only charging $10 for the CD and $8 for a digital download. If I weren't so lazy I'd retype those prices for emphasis. If you are rushed for time (before ordering the album), I'll give you a couple of tracks to sample. But you are well advised to stream the whole record. If you like the kind of chiming pop in which Matinée Recordings specializes, get yourself an early Christmas present.   --When You Motor Away

 

Matinée Recordings celebrate their 15th year as a record label this month. As part of the celebrations they are releasing a new 15-track compilation which features new, unreleased or rare tracks from their stable of artists. Personally I am really pleased to hear the track from The Electric Pop Group after four years as I thought they were dead or something! The new track from Strawberry Whiplash is pretty fine whilst Brazil’s Pale Sunday also pack the goods too. Oh and Northern Portrait. And Bubblegum Lemonade……….   --Records I Like

 

The history and evolution of record labels is an interesting one. Since the dawn of recorded sound there have been certain imprints associated with certain genres. If we skip to the dawn of the rock/pop era then labels such as Chess Records looked to push the sounds of blues, doo-wop and R&B, bringing the world the music of Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Howlin' Wolf. At the same time, Sun Records was launching the careers of Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and more, introducing the new sound of rock n' roll to the world along with country and rockabilly. The '60s saw the major labels snapping up the pop and easy listening markets, with the soul giants Motown, Stax and Atlantic making legendary recordings. It was really the DIY explosion of punk that saw the next major change. Suddenly you didn't need to spend millions on a record, independent labels sprung up to give us punk, post-punk, new-wave, indie, ska and more. Names such as Sarah Records, Factory Records and Creation amongst many others became associated with certain sounds and certain locations. By the 1990s the whole industry had become a musical soup, a blur where label identity was lost somewhat. In fact Blur themselves are a prime example. Known as an "indie" band, they were signed to Food, a part of the EMI/Parlophone group; a major label. Scottish indie label Creation were suddenly home to multi-million sellers Oasis. It wasn't until the internet revolution that another big change came. Predicted by some to render labels obsolete, it actually gave a new freedom to the music world, one perhaps not seen since the late 1970s. Music from around the world could be heard anywhere, at any time, thus enabling labels to seek out and promote the very best on offer in the genre(s) of their choosing. Now, outside of the mainstream, being released by a certain record label can be an indicator of both style and quality once more. Personal favourites include Labrador Records who bring us the best in Scandi-pop, Sonic Cathedral who specialise in all thing shoegaze related, and Matinée Recordings who have spent the past fifteen years uncovering the finest indiepop from the four corners of the world. As a celebration of this milestone, they've asked fifteen bands from across the globe to offer up new, previously unreleased or hard to find rarities for a well deserved anniversary compilation, 'A Sunday Matinée'. It's a testament to the quality that we've come to associate with the Californian imprint that what could have sounded like a selection of off-cuts and tracks that didn't quite make the grade the first time around actually sounds more like a triumphant advertisement. The jangly sounds they often cover perhaps have their spiritual home in Scotland, so representing that country are Bubblegum Lemonade and Strawberry Whiplash who deliver exactly what you're hoping for with the classic sound of the Glasgow underground freshened up for a new generation. England is well represented with Charlie Big Time serving up some hazy and melodic vibes on 'One Step Closer To The Enemies', the beautifully pensive 'Only Forever', the first new song in the best part of a decade by Melodie Group, and also Would-Be-Goods acknowledge the scene's debt to the pop sounds of '60s girl groups with a cover of Martha and the Vandellas' 'No More Tearstained Makeup'. Excellent Irish group 'September Girls' chip in with the fuzzy, electronic lo-fi of 'Danny Wood'. Proving that the advances in technology and communication can be a definite benefit to the music world, we're also treated to plenty of music from further afield that perhaps a few years ago might have slipped under the radar. A real highlight is provided by Danish band Northern Portrait with the brand new 'The Young and Hopefuls', a song that any band in the history of the genre would rightly be proud of. Sweden now has a rich history of providing wonderful guitar-pop, and 'Parliament Square' by The Electric Pop Group ensures they're well represented. Australian is also allowed to shine with Simpatico's shoegazey 'The Rays'; The Steinbecks give us something new in the shape of 'Through The Curtain'; Bart and Friends supply the pretty album opener 'There's No Place', and the now sadly disbanded group The Lucksmiths chip in with a delightful cover of Jonathan Richman's 'When I'm Walking'. Another new recording and another highlight comes from Brazil's Pale Sunday and the sublime 'In The Hardest Moment'. Being a US label, they don't forget that some of the finest indiepop bands going are from their own shores, and so Math and Physics Club turn to the sparser end of '80s guitar-pop for the bounding 'I Know It's Over' (rightly compared to The Housemartins by the label) and another box-fresh addition is contributed by Clay Hips who bring some funk with 'Someone Who Wonders'. If you're new to the music of this genre then 'A Sunday Matinée' will work as a great introduction, and if you're familiar with the bands involved then there are some real treats to be found, some of which you won't know. Either way, this is a fabulously bright and breezy way to celebrate the brilliant work that Matinée have done over the years and the brilliant music made by the bands involved. Fear not, your indiepop is in safe hands. Happy anniversary guys, here's to the next fifteen years!   --The Sound of Confusion

 

If you read the pages of this site from time to time, you’ve surely come across my adoration for Matinée Recordings and all the work the small label has been able to release. From the Lucksmiths to Bubblegum Lemonade…and so many more, they’ve continued to provide indiepop fans with a growing catalog of hit after hit after hit. The label celebrates their 15th year this month by releasing A Sunday Matinée CD, which includes rare songs, unreleased tracks and covers (including Lucksmiths covering Jonathan Richman). It’s a great accomplishment to run a label successfully for so long, so join me in celebrating the label (and ordering the CD).   --Austin Town Hall

 

Those purveyors of indie twee chime pop Matinée Recordings celebrate their 15th anniversary with a rather spiffing 15 (what else did you think it was going to be) track celebratory compilation entitled ‘A Sunday Matinée’. Shoehorned amid these rarefied grooves friends familiar and forgotten shimmy and serenade to a hand holding shy eyed rush of teen spirited effervescence and bittersweet growing pains. Among the prize pickings the lo-fi lilting saccharine shimmy that is September Girls 50’s bubble grooved ’Danny Wood’ arrested in vintage honeyed harmonies and snared upon a growling riffola to sound not unlike a beat happy Shonen Knife rubbing up and cosying up to the Shangri La’s. Somewhere else The Electric Pop Group’s acutely cute ’Parliament Square’ all longingly drenched in Hey Paulette April showers. Those much loving of their sounds shuffled in a distractively south sea shimmer tone might be best hooking themselves up to the Clay Pipes ’Someone Who Wanders’ – must admit that I’m more than a little smitten by this as it seduces the listening space reclined as were under the caressing cool shade of palm trees feasting upon a coalescing brew of Kane Gang and Bluebells platters. Ripped to a more than attractive power surged strut gouged groove Pale Sundays’ ‘In The Hardest Moment’ storms the barricades sounding not unlike a ‘Seamonsters’ era Weddoes albeit as though forlornly cuffed by the dulling misty eyed ache of the Hoverchairs. Also serving and earning their stripes the bruising and brief ‘There’s No Place’ by Bart and Friends echoes to the sorrowful sculpturing of The Smiths more vulnerable sorties, within its short 66 second tear stained and hollowed hello it prizes its way through your defences and in a flash has your surrendering heart hoisting the white flag. A youthful James are called to mind with the appearance of Northern Portrait’s ‘The Young and Hopefuls’ while Charlie Big Time’s ‘One Step Closer to Enemies’ ushers in like some bracing shoulder to cry on apparition. All said we’re a tad taken by the honey glowed soft psych Spector-esque shade adorned shimmer pop of Strawberry Whiplash’s ’September Saturday’ which unless our ears do deceive purrs to a Blondie-esque motif all effervescently teen thrilled in Lush like glazes. Gem like.   --The Sunday Experience

 

Extraordinaria recopilación para festejar el 15º aniversario del conocido sello californiano de indiepop, Matinée. Para este CD han contado con 15 grupos o artistas del sello, que han colaborado con piezas inéditas, rarezas, versiones o canciones exclusivas, dotanto a este recopilatorio de un atractivo especial. Comienzan BART AND FRIENDS con un tema otoñal, al que sigue una de esas joyas de pop luminoso a cargo de los daneses NORTHERN PORTRAIT. El escocés que se esconde tras el nombre de BUBBLEGUM LEMONADE nos ofrece otra exquisita gema pop. El quinteto irlandés de chicas SEPTEMBER GIRLS nos regala otro caramelo pop lleno de reverb y fuzz. SIMPÁTICO se decantan por el electropop. WOULD-BE-GOODS hacen una versión del “No more tearstained makeup” de MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS, con sólo guitarra y voces. CHARLIE BIG TIME nos asombran con un excelente tema de dreampop ensoñador. THE LUCKSMITHS también se atreven con una versión, esta vez del “When I’m walking” de Jonathan Richman. Los suecos THE ELECTRIC POP GROUP rompen un silencio de cuatro años con una nueva canción de melodías radiantes y guitarras jangly. El otro grupo de ‘Laz’ de BUBBLEGUM LEMONADE, STRAWBERRY WHIPLASH, nos enamora con una preciosa canción de pop de guitarras llenas de fuzz y melodía llena de encanto naif. MATH AND PHYSICS CLUB colaboran con uno de los mejores momentos de su reciento nuevo disco. Y THE STEINBECKS nos dejan noqueados con otra nueva canción, realmente impresionante. Los brasileños PALE SUNDAY contribuyen con un diamante pop en estado puro. CLAY HIPS (ex-FAIRWAYS) nos regalan otro caramelo pop. Y cierran el recopilatorio MELODIE GROUP con una extraordinaria canción que pone los pelos de punta, su primera canción en ocho años. Larga vida a Matinée!   --El Planeta Amarillo

 

“Fornitori della miglior qualità di pop internazionale sin dal 1997″. Così recita lo slogan della Matinée Recordings di Santa Barbara (ma nata a Washington nel 1997), una delle poche etichette che ha saputo conquistare la fiducia degli indiepoppers come poche altre. Il catalogo della label parla da solo: artisti come Lucksmiths, Windmills, Simpàtico, non possono mancare in nessuna discografia indie-pop che si rispetti, la presenza dei Would Be Goods e degli Sportique (Gregory Webster dei Razorcuts più la coppia di ex Heavenly A. Fletcher/R. Pursey), oltre che Brighter e Siddeleys ha confermato poi la voglia di continuità tra passato e presente dell’indie-pop che la Matinée si cura di mantenere. Math and Physics Club, Northern Portrait, September Girls, Seabids etc ne sanciscono invece il futuro. E tra una realease e l’altra sono passati poi quindici anni, ottimamente celebrati oggi grazie a questa compilation piena di pezzi mai rilasciati, esclusive e rarità in un tripudio a tutto tondo di Pop. C’è Bart Cummings con i suoi Bart and Friends, una cover dei Martha and the Vandellas ad opera dei Would Be Goods e una di Jonathan Richman targata Lucksmiths (a breve un 2xCD di rarità e la ristampa di Warmer Corners in vinile). C’è il jangle degli Electric Pop Group e dei Northern Portrait in due brani assolutamente incredibili (ma non sbagliano mai un pezzo?), il fuzz-pop degli Strawberry Whiplash, il guitar-pop dei Pale Sunday ed un nuovo pezzo di Melodie Group. Insomma, di compilation indie-pop se ne sono viste a profusione, ma questa va di diritto tra i classiconi della Labrador Records (Sound of Young Sweden), della Enchantè (All’s fair in love and Chickfactor), della March (Pop American Style), della Egg Records (Souvenir from Egg Records) e via dicendo… Se siete stanchi di essere sopraffatti dal peso della responsabilità quando in macchina dovete portarvi non più di 4-5 cd da tenere nel vano oggetti, A Sunday Mantinée vi renderà la vita più facile. Da avere assolutamente.   --Frigopop!

 

Sono sicuro di avere già usato questo titolo per qualche vecchio post. Il fatto è che la Matinée Recordings è con molta probabilità una delle etichette più citate in assoluto sulle pagine di questo blog, oltre che una delle più suonate in tutti questi anni di radio. Una buona parte del catalogo dell'etichetta californiana è composto da ottime compilation che hanno marcato via via anniversari e uscite, e questa nuova A Sunday Matinée, pubblicata per festeggiare i quindici anni di attività, tiene alta la media. Quindici canzoni tra inediti, cover e rarità, alcuni davvero notevoli. Il poker d'apertura è eccezionale: Bart Cummings (Cat's Miaow) e Pam Berry (Black Tambourines) regalano una versione acustica della già classica There's No Place, che mi strappa ogni volta una lacrima; i danesi Northern Portrait distillano jangle pop purissimo e vibrante; gli scozzesi Bubblegum Lemonade confezionano un piccolo inno da tenere più spesso a mente: You Can’t Be Sad All The Time, pieno di ba-ba-ba-ba e la-la-la-la come amo io; e le irlandesi September Girls confermano di avere la stoffa per diventare il girl-group per eccellenza dell'indiepop. In mezzo alla scaletta altre perle, come la cover di When I’m Walking di Jonathan Richman fatta dagli indimenticati Lucksmiths, gli eredi Math And Physics Club con un pezzo perfettamente a metà strada fra Housemartins e Smiths (bingo!) o il ritorno dopo quattro anni degli amati svedesi Electric Pop Group. Qui sotto lo streaming integrale, il link per fare gli auguri alla Matinée nel migliore dei modi è questo.   --Polaroid

 

15 anni di magie sonore targate Matinée Recordings devono essere celebrate nel migliore dei modi. Ecco quindi una compilation-album che uscirà il 12 novembre che diventa una speciale torta "pop" su cui soffiare queste 15 candeline. Compilation che diventa ricca e preziosa non solo per i nomi dei gruppi partecipanti, ma anche per il reale valore dei pezzi, che sono per lo più inediti, esclusivi o comunque piuttosto rari. Preparatevi quindi a declinare la parola pop in tutte le sue sfumature. Jangle e frizzante per gente come Northern Portrait o i brasiliani Pale Sunday, gentile e ipermelodico nella grazia dei The Electric Pop Group (pronti a tornare in pista con un nuovo disco per l'anno prossimo), sonico come consuetudine di Strawberry Whiplash, ma anche struggente come nel caso di Melodie Group. Ma ci fermiamo qui, perchè vogliamo lasciarvi aprire questo scrigno di magie nella più totale tranquillità e senza inutili anticipazioni. Sappiate solo che il vostro spirito ne gioverà, e non poco. Tanti auguri alla Matinée quindi che non smette di tenerci informati sul suo ottimo stato di salute e la cosa non può che emozionarci!   --Troublezine

 

Con la sua combinazione di languori nostalgici e confortevoli tepori, l’autunno è la stagione indie-pop per eccellenza, quella nella quale paiono vivere perennemente canzoni dotate di contorni brillanti e sbarazzini quasi per esorcizzare il contenuto spesso agrodolce e malinconico. Non poteva dunque trovare contestualizzazione temporale migliore per la propria uscita la raccolta celebrativa dei quindici anni di attività della Matinée Recordings, etichetta il cui solo marchio è ormai una garanzia per gli inguaribili appassionati dell’indie-pop, a loro volta facilmente inclini alla nostalgia tanto dal punto di vista del mood quanto da quello dell’amore per suoni che hanno attraversato diversi “periodi d’oro” dai tempi degli Smiths alla Sarah Records, dal C-86 ai primi Belle And Sebastian. Ben lungi da ogni anacronismo, l’indie-pop è tuttavia linguaggio quanto mai vitale, in grado di trascendere confini temporali, geografici e d’età. “A Sunday Matinée” ne offre nuova testimonianza, attraverso quindici brani rari o inediti firmati da altrettante band e artisti che hanno gravitato intorno all’etichetta californiana nel corso dei suoi tre lustri di attività. Ciascuno dei quindici partecipanti alla raccolta contribuisce con la propria personale interpretazione del pop d’autore, eppure i tre quarti d’ora della compilation scorrono lievi e senza cesure nette, animati come sono da un tratto comune, una sensibilità al tempo stesso nostalgica e positiva di chi crede che una canzone pop non potrà cambiare il mondo ma potrà incontrare i sentimenti di chi l’ascolti, aderendovi alla perfezione anche solo per il breve volgere dei suoi tre minuti di durata. Così, la tracklist passa in rapida successione nuovi e consolidati interpreti dell’indie-pop provenienti da mezzo mondo. Si comincia col piglio autunnale degli australiani Bart & Friends, tanto per stabilire un mood frizzante ma sottilmente malinconico che sarà sviluppato ad esempio dai connazionali Simpatico e da Charlie Big Time; echi smithsiani piuttosto evidenti ricorrono da parte dei danesi Northen Portrait e nel coinvolgente jingle jangle degli svedesi The Electric Pop Group (di ritorno da lunga assenza e da tenere assolutamente d’occhio) e dei brasiliani Pale Sundays. Chitarre e ritmiche tendono invece a irrobustirsi nel brano firmato dal quintetto irlandese tutto al femminile September Girls (il cui debutto annunciato a inizio 2014 è già circondato da notevoli aspettative) e nei due brani appannaggio degli altrettanti progetti dello scozzese Laz MacLusky, Strawberry Whiplash e Bubblegum Lemonade. C’è poi spazio per una manciata di omaggi attraverso cover del passato, con i Lucksmiths che reinterpretano “When I’m Walking” di Jonathan Richman, Math And Physics Club alle prese con ”I Know It’s Over” degli Housemartins e i Would-Be-Goods che rispolverano il classico di Martha And The Vandellas “No More Tearstained Makeup”. Quando poi arrivano i Melodie Group di Roy Thirwall a suggellare la raccolta con i dolci languori di “Only Forever”, primo nuovo brano dopo otto anni di silenzio, sembra davvero che il tempo non sia passato: quello dei tre quarti d’ora della raccolta e i pochi o molti anni trascorsi dall’adolescenza (o dall’autunno) perenne di ciascun buon appassionato del genere in assoluto più fuori dal tempo. Auguri Matinée, e grazie!   --Music Won't Save You