(photo by Pooneh Ghana)

As mentioned some months ago, the Austin, TX based trio  Harlem had their summer vacation canceled by Matador Records and they ended being forced to work long hours at Costa Mesa’s Distillery in an effort to produce a worthy followup to 2008′s ‘Free Drugs’. Apparently, there are laws against this kind of thing and eventually, the band had to return to their glamorous lifestyle of making club gigs seem like living room shows (and living room shows feel like club shows with better furniture and cheaper drinks).

Now that the dust has cleared, however, the resulting 16-song pop meisterwerk, recorded with the assistance of Mike McHugh, reveals the triumvirate of Coomers, Curtis and Jose in fine fettle. The gents really “knocked it out of the park” as ice hockey fans are so fond of saying, but we remain hopeful, if not confident this album will have great appeal even for those of you who’ve never laced ‘em up.   Harlem’s 2nd album, ‘Hippies’ hits North American record shops, farmers markets and digital storefronts on April 6 on the always popular LP, CD and MP3/FLAC configurations.  Here’s a taste ;

“Friendly Ghost” (192k mp3)

Though Harlem’s early 2010 dates will be announced soon, we’d be remiss in not mentioning they’re playing Austin’s Emo’s tonight in support of labelmate Jay Reatard, and again on December 17 at the Mohawk with Crystal Antlers.   There’s more news to follow very soon (pre-album 7″, videos to make, travel plans to book, tire pressures to check, etc.)

As noted in this very space some 5 weeks ago, on January 26, 2010, Matador will be releasing ‘Casual Victim Pile’, a double LP/single CD/19 track digital album, in which 17 Austin bands (plus a pair from Denton) are either (take your pick) exposed to a wider audience for the first time….or find themselves brutally exploited by a NYC entertainment monolith  after their friends’ labels have worked so hard to lay the groundwork.  Or maybe it’ll be some combination of the two.  Pretty hard to say this early.

In any event, it’s been a couple of decades since we’ve tried our hands at a regional compilation, and the last time we did this, the notion of an pre-album MP3 hadn’t yet come up.  No matter who we leave out of the mix on this post, it’s pretty hard to get a sense of the stylistic range represented on ‘CVP’, and while I’d hesistate to call the artists below polar opposites — their family trees are only one degree of separation apart — you might at least get a hint this project is not all-about-one-kinda-thing.

(photo by Will Slack)

Though Follow That Bird! have yet to hit either coast, they’ve ventured beyond state lines this year, and the trio’s new, one-sided 10″ EP on Monofonous Press probably won’t be available much longer. Long before last year’s addition of bassist Mitchell Tellstrom, the duo of Lauren Green and Tiffanie Lanmon had staked a claim as one of the nation’s more exciting live bands. These days, however, they’re improving so rapidly, I only pray it’s not a ‘Flowers For Algernon’ type-scenario that will end in tragedy.   “The Ghosts That Wake You” (160k – mp3) is the first song on side one of ‘Casual Victim Pile’ (or if you prefer, the first on a CD that only plays on one side)\

(photo by Shannon Bozeman)

Love Collector (formerly the Modern Fuckers) have one of the comp’s more glittering pedigrees (Ape Shits, Sex Advice, The Fells, The Dirty Sweets, Deadly Companions, old ties to CVP compatriots Lost Controls, The Stuffies and The Persimmons) and their most recent 7″, “My Baby Goes Waaah” b/w “Tell Me”, “Come Back” (Big Action) is yet another “blink and you won’t be able to buy it” classic single.  Recorded under the supervision of the Marked Men’s Mark Ryan, “First 48″ (160k mp3) — which may or may not remind you of this television program —  is the first song on side two of ‘CVP’.

As promised during the last news item about the comp.,  most of the album’s participants will be taking part in a 3-night stand we have planned for Austin’s Beerland on Thursday, February 4, Friday , February 5 and Saturday, February 6.  The full bill and running order will be announced soon.

There’s a ton more news surrounding the folks on this album, but space is almost as limited as your patience.  Tre Orsi‘s new LP will be out in February , Bad Sports‘ self-titled debut album just came out on Douchemaster.  The Golden Boys‘ amazing 4th album, the Greg Ashley-assisted ‘Electric Wolfman’ is newly available from Daggerman.  While stores struggle to find copies of Woven Bones‘ new 12″, the trio are touring in preperation for a new full length on HoZac.  I could tell you a thing or two about the new Harlem album coming out in Spring 2010 but that’s supposed to be the subject of it’s own multi-paragraph news update (and it will be — sooner than you think).

“Casual Victim Pile’ is currently available for pre-orders from The Matador Store for the discount price of $15.30 for the double vinyl, $8.50 for the 19 song CD.

A few months ago, we not-so-casually mentioned the addition of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists to the Matador roster of Talented & Good-Looking Artistic Persons.  Admittedly, it was the bog standard Matador signing announcement.   Obligatory mention of Ted’s impressive back catalog.  Citation of Ted as one of our all-time favorite live artists and songwriters.  Oh-so-predictable references to Chipotle and Trump Realty.

Of course, that was before we heard the new album.  And make no mistake, ‘The Brutalist Bricks’ — available on LP, CD and via all popular digital storefronts March 9, 2010 — is one of those career-defining, “can you believe what you’re hearing?” kinda records that makes most other activity the day you first play it nearly impossible (in other words, we’re suggesting you shower before you open the package).   Recorded through 2009 at Brooklyn’s Seaside Lounge, ‘Bricks’ could be the most confident, kinetic and varied work in Ted’s canon, and considering his body of work until now, that’s no easy claim to make.   If you’ve seen Ted/Rx at any point in the past year, you’ve probably heard a few of the songs before, but the final studio versions pack a considerable punch. And here’s a punch to tide you over (we’d prefer you pay for the full beating) :

“Even Heroes Have To Die”  (192k MP3)

Upcoming dates :

(Ted Leo & The Pharmacists)

Wed, Dec 2nd – Philadelphia PA – First Unitarian Church
Thu, Dec 3rd – Washington DC – The Black Cat
Sat, Dec 5th – Cambridge MA – Middle East
Sun, Dec 6th – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom (sold out)

Thurs, December 10 – Spain – Madrid – Primavera Club ’09
Friday, December 11 – Spain – Barcelona – Primavera Club ’09
Saturday, December 12 – Spain – Barcelona – Primavera Club ’09

Ted Leo (solo):

Mon., December 14 – UK – Brighton – Engine Room (with Dillinger Four + Hard Skin)
Tues., December 15 – UK – Canterbury – Bramleys
Weds, December 16 – UK – London – Brixton Windmill
Thurs., December 17  – UK – Kingston – New Slang
Fri., December 18  – UK – London – Grosvenor (with Wat Tyler)

Ted Leo -website, MySpace,  Twitter

After months of speculation (much of it in our own corridors), we can happily announce that Matador Records has purchased the True Panther Sounds label. TPS, best known to many of you as the imprint behind Girls‘ recent rise to prominence, will continue to be managed by label founder Dean Bein. What would possess Matador to become involved with another label in this capacity? As Victor Kiam once explained his decision to purchase the Remington Shaver operation, “I liked it so much, I bought the company.” Needless to say, we like Dean, Girls, Glasser, Tanlines, Lemonade and Hunx & His Punx much more than than Mr. Kiam appreciated those razor blades.

At the moment, Girls’ ‘Album’ is the only True Panther Sounds title to be worked through Matador’s fearsome promotional & marketing machinery (ie. Hunx’ recent ‘Gay Singles’ LP, was not). However, in the months to come, additional offerings from TPS’ impressive roster (prior releases have included titles from The Fly Girlz, Ty Seagall, Rainbow Bridge, The Standing Nudes amongst others) will receive similar treatment. Stay tuned!

As most of you are aware, when I’m not opening prescription medication I’ve found in Chris Lombardi’s desk attending marketing meetings at 304 Hudson Street,, I spend the majority of my time in the lovely city of Austin, TX. The region’s musical heritage, while often acknowledged in the major trade fairs and sprawling rock festivals, often leaves some folks more recognized than others ; 13th Floor Elevators, Bubble Puppy, Moving Sidewalks, Doctor’s Mob, True Believers, Big Boys, Dicks, Nice Strong Arm, Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid, Texas Instruments, Daniel Johnston, 16 Deluxe, Glorium, …Trail Of Dead, Spoon, Shearwater, Strange Boys, Total Abuse, Hex Dispensers, etc. NONE OF THESE WONDERFUL ARTISTS HAS A STATUE, and that makes me want to cry.

The thing is, I really suck at making statues. I’m a little more accomplished, however, at putting together compilations. On January 26, Matador will be releasing a double LP / single CD collection/ digital album called ‘Casual Victim Pile (Austin 2010′), featuring 17 songs from a newer generation of Austin bands (plus a couple of wildly talented ringers from Denton for good measure). I’ve been working on this comp. off and on over the past year and I feel pretty good about this record being a valid representation of….uh…..the bands I like to see most often? The Austin Chronicle recently touted CVP as “shaping up to be the most impressive regional comp since 1983′s ‘Cottage Cheese From the Lips of Death’ (Ward 9) , and while I’ll take that praise any day of the week, to my ears it more closely recalls Matador’s 1991 NYC underground sampler., ‘New York Eye & Ear Control’.

Of the album’s 19 songs, 18 are previously unreleased, Harlem’s “Beautiful & Very Smart” being the only current exception. Only Harlem, The Golden Boys, The Distant Seconds and Elvis have released full albums previously, while several of the bands on this album (Flesh Lights, Dikes Of Holland, KOSL, The Stuffies, The Persimmons) are making their recorded debuts (at least as of this writing). Here’s the track listing.

Follow That Bird! – The Ghosts That Wake You
The Young – Blister
Woven Bones – Spirits Roam
Flesh Lights – Crush On You
Dikes Of  Holland – Little City Girl
Tre Orsi –  The Engineer
The Distant Seconds – Akron Bureau
Kingdom Of Suicide Lovers – Hoboken Snow
Elvis – Mommy’s Little Soliders

Love Collector – First 48
Bad Sports – Can’t Remember Your Name
Wild America – Drink It Dry
Harlem – Beautiful & Very Smart
The Stuffies – No One’s Gonna Miss You
The Golden Boys – Older Than You
The No No No Hopes –  Nobody’s Fool
The Teeners - Nazis On Film
The Persimmons – The Notice
Lost Controls –  Entirely Wired For Sound

There will be more news to follow in the days in weeks ahead, including a multi-night stand at one of Austin’s more beloved nightspots (OK, Beerland) featuring the majority of the album’s participants. In the meantime, ‘Casual Victim Pile’ is available for preorders starting today from The Matador Store,  2XLP for the discount price of $15.30, single CD for $8.50

P.S.  ‘Casual Victim Pile’ is an anagram for ‘Live Music Capital’.   I learned that from a talking statue.

Free admission if you RSVP to myopenbar.com ($5 after 10).  Because we love bears almost as much as we love CMJ.

Dear Friends,
The weekend is pretty much here but honestly, we’re already looking forward to Monday. This Monday, September 14th, we’re going to premiere Girls’ “Album” as a high-quality stream on the True Panther Sounds site, www.truepanther.com.

If you’ll forgive the editorializing: This is a day that comes after almost two years of hard work by the band, a lot of blood sweat tears laughs and late nights, and the result couldn’t be more exciting for any of us. A lot of you maybe have heard a couple of songs off of the record already, one of them got named one of the top songs of the decade, others have floated around on singles and blogs. Some may have even heard the janky leak! But beyond those few tastes, Album, is a packed and fully realized treasure- the 12 tracks touch on so many familiar and beloved sounds but are fundamentally powered by the unchecked honesty, unbridled sincerity and incredible craftsmanship that is so hard to find in music these days. The New York Times put it better than I probably can (that is why they’re paid to write I suppose!). It’s not a re-exploration of the sounds we have loved but in fact the songs on this album are “templates for others to copy“. This is one of the proudest and most exciting time in this young label’s young life and we want to thank the band and you guys for making it happen.

The premiere stream will be available on the site at 10AM EST, in high quality streaming format from beginning to end. We hope you enjoy it.

Stream “ALBUM” HERE Monday September 14th, 10AM EST
Pre-order “ALBUM” HERE

GIRLS- Lust For Life (mp3)
Read an incredible Interview with Christopher HERE

photo by Sandy Kim

Pre-order “Album” HERE (and get 15% off and a free poster)

With apologies to Pen & Pixel, Dean and Robby did a fantastic job with the new Matador label advertisement, currently scheduled to run in trade publications this autumn.  Chris Lombardi has hung out with some pretty wild characters in his time, but rumor has it he was nearly mauled to death during the above photo session.

(sorry, I was thinking of the Wild Dogs album on Shrapnel! )

(image from Johnny Hanel‘s flickr)

Over the past 18 months, we’ve encountered a series of maddeningly limited vinyl and cassette releases* from the fantastic Philadelphia outfit, Cold Cave. With records on Dais, Hospital Productions and What’s Your Rupture, Cold Cave effortlessly marry elements of experimental noise, sound collage and synth pop. Last month, they released their debut longplayer and one of the most exciting debut albums we’ve heard, ‘Love Comes Close’, on their own publishing house, Heartworm Press. Not surprisingly, it sold out immediately.

We are happy to announce that Matador will be re-releasing ‘Love Comes Close’ worldwide on November 3 as well as additional odds and ends to be announced shortly.

Cold Cave is led by musical journeyman Wesley Eisold and is joined by an orbiting line-up that includes fellow allies Caralee McElroy (formerly of Xiu Xiu), Dominick Fernow (contemporary noise icon Prurient) and Max G. Morton (celebrated author).

We’ve provided two downloadable mp3s from the album:

“The Laurels of Erotomania” (160kbps mp3) showcases album’s rhythmic sensibility with menacing dissonance dappled atop.

“Life Magazine” (160kbps mp3), already an online favorite, brings sonic warmth emerging from Cold Cave’s electronic landscapes, and as The Fader writes, “swims soft, an unmistakable pop bubble bursting bar after bar.”

Cold Cave have collaborated with Prurient, contributed to 2009′s No Fun Fest and have gigged with groups ranging from NON to Comet Gain. You can find Cold Cave on the West Coast in September with many more dates being confirmed as we speak.

September 3: Soda Bar, San Diego w/ Crocodiles & Strange Boys
September 4: The Casbah, San Diego w/ Glass Candy
September 5: LA Historic State Park, Los Angeles: FYF Fest (w/ Black Lips, Lightning Bolt, Fucked Up, Times New Viking, Kurt Vile & More)

* latecomers can find many of these tracks compiled on the Hospital Productions collection ‘Cremations‘

http://www.coldcave.net

http://www.myspace.com/coldcave

http://www.theheartworm.com

As mentioned on the Matablog last June 4, The new Yo La Tengo CD/2XLP/digital album ‘Popular Songs” (OLE 856-1,2) is hitting record shops & e-tailers on September 8. However, as we’ve hinted previously, you can start listening to ‘Popular Songs’ on August 4 via Matador’s award-winning Buy Early Get Now scheme.

Now in it’s 8th incarnation, this version of BEGN features the following for advance purchasers of ‘Popular Songs’ on double LP or compact disc ;

- one of the above configurations, available for collection at a trusted physical retailer on September 8.
- the full album stream starting August 4, with exclusive bonus MP3s to follow.
- a vinyl LP featuring Yo La Tengo’s Orginal Score from the Motion Picture “Adventureland”
- a poster (design TBD, but trust us, you’ll be pleased).

Of course, you can also pre-order ‘Popular Songs’ directly from The Matador Store.

(photograph by Steve Gullick)

We’re also happy to announce the following North American tour dates, with several additional shows still to be confirmed later this week. Support for this jaunt is still being confirmed, however we can tell you The Black Lips are on the September 25 bill at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom. Shows marked * are on sale today.

9/15 – Burlington, VT at Higher Ground
9/16 – Boston at Wilbur Theater*
9/17 – DC at 9:30 Club
9/18 – Durham at Carolina Theater
9/19 – Atlanta at Variety*
9/21 – Asheville at Orange Peel
9/25 – NYC at Roseland
10/2 – Montreal at Le National
10/3 – Toronto at Opera House*
10/5 – Cleveland at Beachland Ballroom*
10/6 – Chicago at the Vic Theatre *
10/7 – Minneapolis at First Ave*
10/9 – Omaha at Slowdown
10/10 – Denver at Ogden *
10/11 – Aspen at Belly Up
10/12 – Salt Lake City at Urban Lounge
10/14 – Phoenix at Marquee
10/15 – Los Angeles at Avalon
10/16 – San Diego at Soma
10/17 – Santa Cruz at Rio Theater*
10/18 – San Francisco at Treasure Island Festival (tickets on sale)
10/20 – Portland at Crystal Ballroom*
10/21 – Vancouver at Commodore Ballroom*
10/22 – Seattle at Showbox SoDo *

A pox on those who claim the venerable VHS format is dead ;  in fact, Times New Viking delivered the master recordings to their forthcoming LP/CD/digital album ‘Born Again Revisited’ (OLE 860) on a Video Home System cassette.  Addressing the mountain of constructive criticism they’ve received from self-styled musicologists wanna-be producers and persons with my initials, the Columbus based trio promise their 2nd Matador album (and 4th overall) features “25% higher fidelity”, a percentage our own engineering staff has confirmed after hourse of exhaustive laboratory tests.

Much has been made in the press of late of Cheap Trick’s attempts to steal Adam, Beth and Jared’s thunder by releasing their upteenth comeback album on 8-track, but with all due respect to the state fair fixtures Rockford’s finest, it’s been a generation since they’ve come up with anything as provocative as ‘Born Again Revisited”s “Move To California” or “No Time No Hope” (mp3).  While Times New Viking continue to make-it-look-easy, I can assure you it’s anything but that.   A cursory glance at the American rock underground reveals a landscape littered with well-intentioned but vastly inferior bands who’ve caught the lo-fi bug ; Times New Viking are well advised to disavow responsibility for the epidemic, but whoever the guilty party is, the ferocity of TNV’s shows and their sheer quality of their songwriting should be enough to win them a presidential pardon, not unlike the one ‘Born Again’ author Chuck Colson never quite received.

And you look very surprised from this vantage point. Tomorrow (July 7), AC Newman’s ‘Live From Montreal’, recording this past March 12 at the Sainte-Catherine Apple Store, will be available exclusively from the iTunes Music Store. Here’s the tracklisting :

1. There Are Maybe Ten Or Twelve
2. Miracle Drug
3. Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer
4. Prophets
5. Secretarial
6. The Heartbreak Rides
7. The Palace at 4 A.M.
8. All Of My Days And All Of My Days Off
9. The Changeling (Get Guilty)
10. Submarines of Stockholm

After a pair of albums under the group nom de plume Preston School Of Industry, Pavement co-founder Scott Kannberg, aka Spiral Stairs, makes his bona fide solo debut with an October 20 LP/CD/digital album release of ‘The Real Feel’ (OLE 858).  Following an extended sojourn in Melbourne, Spiral returned to Seattle rejuvenated at the end of ’08, and commenced recording with a collection of pals including members of PSOI, the Posies, guitarist Ian Moore, Gersey, and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew.  Mixed by the Posies’ Jon Auer, this album is by far the most crafted and introspective of Spiral’s post-Pavement works.

In the words of associate Parker Gibbs, ‘The Real Feel’, “has a vibe similar to classic 70′s albums by Fleetwood Mac (‘Then Play On’), Captain Beefhart (‘Safe As Milk’), and guitar god Richard Thompson, not to mention Aussie psych rock icons Died Pretty. Comparisons aside, this is 100% Spiral Stairs rock, the same rock that made Pavement the most influential band of the 90″s (take that Hoobastank!) and the same strange, dischordant, playful and melodic Spiral Stairs rock that your parents loved.”

“This is indie rock at its best and brightest,” continues Gibbs,  “with Spiral Stairs getting back to the basics that have made him a legend in his own mind and to all of the children willing to enter his home.”  And on that somewhat troubling note, we’ll add the vinyl edition of ‘The Real Feel’ features a different running order and a limited edition bonus 7″.   Live activity throughout the continent of North America is planned for this Autumn, and we’ll surely be letting you know more about that in the days and weeks ahead.

The first track we’ve seen fit to leak from ‘The Real Feel’ is “Maltese Terrier” (MP3).  Please note no raccoons were harmed during the making of the album artwork.  Not by us, anyway.

(l-r, Coomers, Curtis, Jose. In the background – not sure, but hopefully he won’t sue)

It’s a poorly kept secret around the office and the band’s hometown but one we can finally confirm — Matador has signed the Austin, TX trio HARLEM to a multi-record, worldwide deal. 

Led by dual vocalists Michael Coomers and Curtis O’Mara (the duo switch between guitar and drums, both onstage and off), Harlem started in Tucson, AZ before relocating to Austin where they’ve generated a mountain of attention, both with their fantastic live shows and their self-issued 2008 LP/CD ‘Free Drugs’ (Female Fantasy — currently available via Matador Direct)

Pitchfork’s Roque Strew has hailed Harlem as “a marvel of cartoonishly masculine, crudely analog brevity”, while Gorilla Vs. Bear considers ‘Free Drugs’ to be “super infectious, instantly endearing”, and kindly supplying a quote that we’ll gladly take out of context, the Austin Chronicle’s Audra Schroeder has fallen preil to the album’s “anxious, stuttering charm”. I know, that all sounds highly suspicious, but anyone who’s heard ‘Free Drugs’ or witnessed Harlem laying waste to any number of shoebox sized venues (some of which, were in fact, shoeboxes) can attest, the band’s casual virtuosity is only eclipsed by their otherworldly songwriting skills.

Recently joined by bassist Jose Boyer, Harlem will be recording their 2nd album this summer for release on Matador in 2010.  

Harlem – MySpace

(cassette by Dario Robleto)

We have an old saying at Matador HQ, “the only thing predictable about Yo La Tengo albums is their high level of excellence and crazy amount of musical ground covered”.  Trouble is, even if you believe we really have an old saying that unwieldly, it doesn’t really do justice in this instance. The new Yo La Tengo CD/2XLP/digital  album ‘Popular Songs” (OLE 856-1,2) could be the bravest musical statement to date in a career full of ‘em.   Recorded in Hoboken and Nashville in early 2009 with longtime associate Roger Mountenot, ‘Popular Songs’ finds the trio of Georgia Hubley, Ira Kaplan and James McNew at the height of their creative powers, fashioning an epic work that’s cooly confident as it is wildly adventurous.

Even for longtime followers of Yo La Tengo, the stylistic range encompassed on ‘Popular Songs’ is startling ; the band aren’t merely conversant with rock & pop subgenres stretching into the double digits, but their unselfconscious mastery of such is simply uncanny.  Without absolving you of the sacred responsibility of listening to this album from start to finish (with no commercial interruptions!) , we can say with full confidence there are portions of ‘Popular Songs’ where a cursory needle drop reveals a band that doesn’t sound instantly like Yo La Tengo — or at least how you recognized them prior to now.  In the words of Mike Wolf, “Yo La Tengo is not afraid. They walk confidently forward, into the unknown, hand in hand. And 12 (or 14) albums in, they may just be hitting their stride.” 

“Periodically Double Or Triple” is the first MP3 from ‘Popular Songs’.  In the days to follow, we’ll have further announcements regarding a Buy Early Get Now campaign for the album, along with Yo La Tengo’s autumn tour plans.

The second album from Seattle’s Cave Singers is coming on August 18. It is entitled ‘Welcome Joy’ and adds a world of color and nuance to the already great songs from their 2007 debut. The trio of Peter Quirk, Derek Fudesco and Marty Lund were joined on this record by Amber Webber (Black Mountain, Lightning Dust) and Ashley Webber (Lightning Dust). They recorded the album at The Hive in Vancouver with Colin Stewart.

Our first MP3 is the gorgeous, brooding, building “Beach House”:

Beach House (192k mp3)

Look out for the Cave Singers this September and October as they’ll be touring across North America with Lightning Dust. Keep your eyes peeled for details, which will be coming soon.

(photograph by Shawn Brackbill) 

We tend to start new signings entries to the Matablog with lines like “Matador Records is pleased to announce….”, but could we possibly be more redundant?  Of COURSE we’re pleased to announce blah fucking blah, are we gonna say  ”Matador Records reluctantly admits….”  or “we’re obliged to tell you…”?  

So with that in mind, we’re REALLY pleased to announce — perhaps more than ever before in label history — an addition to the label roster we currently consider to be one of the more important figures in American music circa 2009.  Philadelphia guitarist/vocalist Kurt Vile first came to our attention (and possibly yours as well) with the release of the 2008 CD ‘Constant Hitmaker’ on the Gulcher imprint  ( a label whose paw prints extend to dusty genius recordings by the Gizmos and MX80-Sound and contemporary stuff from Home Blitz and Magik Markers).  What the homemade ‘Hitmaker’ (recently reissued on vinyl by Woodsist) lacked in fidelity it more than made for in scope —– to dub the album “psych pop” barely scratches the surface of  a work that’s as impossibly catchy as it is wildly experimental. 

Subsequent exposure to Kurt’s live shows in a variety of settings, both on his own and with crack ensemble The Violators, made it abundantly clear that we’d either have to sign this guy or find someone else who sounded exactly like him.  Since the latter task proved impossible, here we are.  Having signed a worldwide, multi-album pact with Matador, Kurt Vile’s first full-length for the label, ‘Childish Prodigy’ will be released on LP/CD and digital formats in Autumn 2009.  Watch this space for more  news & music to follow.

‘The Matador Records Songbook’ is on one hand, a nod to the old Warner Bros. “loss-leader” compilation LP’s that used to bring Van Dyke Parks or Randy Newman to your attention for a couple of bucks.  On the other hand, it’s also a new iTunes 15 song digital comp. for a mere $7.99. 

And to get totally freakish, if one could have THREE HANDS, the third would consist of previously released, ultra-classic material from Interpol, Belle & Sebastian, Yo La Tengo, Mission Of Burma, A.C. Newman,  Mogwai, Pavement, Cat Power, Shearwater, Fucked Up, the Cave Singers, Stephen Malkmus, , Matmos,  Jay Reatard and Guided By Voices.   You can order and/or peruse the contents here.

I hope it goes without saying that full Matador / Beggars staff attendance at this event is mantadory. Thank you.

(preorder the Condo Fucks’ ‘Fuckbook’ on LP/CD)

Back in the way-back machine when Matador had our very first office (that wasn’t my apartment) we sold direct to stores in addition to selling our own singles and LP’s ; we started selling non matador records we liked, and soon-to-be matador related records. It was a way to keep the lights on with an extremely sparse release schedule (release dates? ha!) I would try to get stores to pick up these singles or albums COD, talking to folks like Bob Schick (of the mighty Honor Role) at Plan 9, Janet from Fallout, Mark Trehus at Oarfolkjokapus, Conrad Capistran at In Your Ear, Mike Lavella at Phantom of the Attic (he mailed me Quaaludes once) and Natalie Carlson at Aarons (boy she was a pain in the ass, but later I learned she was the coolest girl I ever met).

This was how Matador Direct got started. One of the first singles we carried was the very first Chunk single, pre-Matador, right when they had to change their name to Superchunk. The band hand colored 200 of these individual sleeves, and I kept this one. Pretty sweet indeed

(all SY photos in this post by Chris Habib)

As announced previously, the new Sonic Youth double LP/CD/digital album, ‘The Eternal’ is coming out on June 9. However, the album will be available to those taking part in Matador’s Buy Early Get Now campaign on April 28.

Along with your preorder of ‘The Eternal’ on LP or CD, you’ll get an instant stream of the album when BEGN launches on April 28, and later (either picking it up at your fave local record store or through the auspices of the U.S. Postal Service) a bonus limited edition live LP* culled from Sonic Youth’s July 4, 2008 show in Battery Park at the River To River Festival, which will contain an exclusive poster. Additional MP3′s will be delivered via the BEGN site before or after the album’s physical release date (June 9).

The album can be preordered from a trusted local retailer starting March 24 or directly from Matador on April 28.

A separate but equally thrilling variation on Buy Early Get Now for our friends in the United Kingdom and other territories will be announced in this space shortly.

*- while supplies last

Though we’re keeping a rather tight lid on the musical contents to ‘The Eternal’ between now and late April, there’s a somewhat truncated preview that’s just been posted at Newsweek.com.

Unbeknownst to some of you, we sometimes distribute records for non-Matador labels here at Matador Direct. That means that Dave, our co-head of sales at Matador Direct, cherry-picks his favorite records and gets them out to stores. This often means that some really rare, amazing vinyl comes through our doors that mailorder customers don’t get a chance to pick up. Those dark days are over!

We just launched a new section of the store for Dave to pick his favorite distributed items to make available for mailorder. Most of these are limited edition so we’ll be adding and deleting items as they appear and disappear from our stock. Right now, we have the first two releases from the new Captured Tracks imprint (run by Mike Sniper of Blank Dogs), an incredible African music reissue, the Nodzzz LP, No Bunny, and a rare Rob’s House 7″/DVD set. Get them while you can.

Dave’s Record Corner

(album artwork features a painting by John Fahey)

Oh boy.  All sorts of potential problems with this one.  Where do we start with the apologies?   To the estate of Peter Ivers….sorry.   Wicked Witch? WE’LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN.

(above : Empire Records‘ Anthonly La Paglia consoles a tearful Renee Z. after the cancellation of the Chain Gang in-store)

In honor the 2nd annual Record Store Day, we’ll be releasing the following limited edition vinyl titles, only available at independent retailers taking part in RSD.

OLE-864-7   Jay Reatard “Hang Them All” 7″ b/w  Sonic Youth – “No Garage”
OLE-865-7    Sonic Youth – “Pay No Mind” (Beck cover)  b/w  Beck – “Green Light”  (Sonic Youth cover) 7″
OLE-855-1    Pavement    Live In Germany    LP

We’re making 2500 each of the above.  After they’re gone, as the Bard Of Hookset, NH might’ve said (if he collected records), tough fuckin’ shit.

A career-spanning live EP, recorded last October in Brooklyn, NY. Available to own or rent at Rhapsody.

Amazing performances and exquisite recordings.

Legendary New London, CT trio the CONDO FUCKS returned to the stage last March after a long absence from the tri-state area’s concert circuit, and the results of a secretive Hoboken rehearsal recording session 35 is being released in March of ’09 by Matador as the LP/CD, ‘Fuckbook’.

Eschewing such Condo Fucks originals as “Fuckin’ Gary Sandy” and “Let’s Get Rid Of New Haven”, the threesome instead tore thru covers of Small Faces, Richard Hell, Beach Boys, Electric Eels, Troggs, Slade and Flamin’ Groovies classics in the style that previously won them so much acclaim from the Nutmeg State’s music journalists and radio programmers so many years ago.

In the go-go 1990′s the Condo Fucks  released 4 titles on the Matador label, some of which were prominently advertised on the inner sleeve of Yo La Tengo’s ‘I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One’.  Sadly, we cannot provide the media with promotional copies of these records as they are very, very rare.

The Condo Fucks are Georgia Condo (drums), Kid Condo (guitar) and James McNew (bass).   A full tour of major Connecticut nightspots is planned upon ‘Fuckbook”s release.  Though the band are somewhat “old-school” about the modern social networking phenomena, there’s an unofficial myspace page launching very soon.

(l-r James McNew, Kid Condo,  Brooklyn’s Magnetic Field, March 28 2008)

(“Whatcha Gonna Do About It” - mp3)