Label compilations are either a good way of getting to know great bands that has something similar to another band on the label that you like, OR a few good songs and a lot of boring stuff you’re absolutely not interested in. The label-compilations from Matinée Recordings are usually of the first category, and since I like most of the music this quality-label releases, I often love their label compilations…

Matinée is a very style focused label. All their bands have “the Matinée sound”, – highly melodic, warm, friendly indiepop. It’s usually quite jangly, but never too noisy, and always with a strong pop-focus. This consistency in sound also makes their compilations good as albums, not only as a lot of individual tracks thrown together in a compilation.

Another good thing about the Matinée compilations, is that they usually feature unreleased tracks by the label’s band.
2010′s label compilation is called “Matinée Grand Prix” , and features 11 songs from bands like Northern Portrait, The Lucksmiths, Bubblegum Lemonade, Strawberry Whiplash, The Electric Pop Group, Clay Hips, Tender Trap, Simpatico, Cats on Fire, Math and Physics Club and The Guild League. All songs are new, except The Guild League‘s beautiful “Bookmark”, previously released on Candle Records’ “Hamper” compilation, and The Clay Hips‘ sweet pop-track “Disappointed”, which were on Eardrums’ “A Good Crop“-compilation from last year.

There are several real goodies on this new compilation:
* The Lucksmiths‘ last ever recorded song, “Get-to-bed birds” is amazingly beautiful, and could stand proudly next to any of their older songs.
*The Electric Pop Group can make popsongs that speak directly to my heart, and their contribution to this album is one of those. It’s almost worth buying the album for on its own, but I guess most of these songs are…
*Tender Trap are back again, and they sound fresher than ever with this new girl-group sounding song, “Danger Overboard”. Lovely chorus, the right amount of fuzz on the guitars and lots of aaahhhs, and ooooh’s in the great backing vocals. (Before I started looking at the titles, I hummed along and sang “Danger of a boy”, silly me…).
*The acoustic sound of Cats on Fire‘s “The Hague”  gives me a little “Kings of Convenience-feeling”, and the song itself is one of the better ones I have heard from these guys.
*Bubblegum Lemonade‘s jangly 60s inspired popsong “Cuts like a dream” may be one of my absolute favourites here, – it sounds like summer, warmth and sunshine.
*The song I was most curious of was the new song from Math & Physics Club, “I keep to myself”, who sound quite different than on their album and eps, with a more electronic approach, – but this is so so so good! It took a while to get used to the synth-sound, but it’s an incredibly catchy song and a very good lyric. I am still in love with Math & Physics Club, and I guess it’s a love that will last forever.
*The Guild League‘s “Bookmarks” is the perfect ending of an almost perfect label-compilation from Matinée.

Buy this album from directly from the label, or digitally from  emusic or itunes. It’s also available for streaming on Spotify.

Here’s a song from the compilation:
Cats on Fire – The Hague