FROM THE ARCHIVES : MARKING THE 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MATABLOG
(Editor's note : roughly 9 years ago this weekend, internet history was made with the introduction of the Matablog. Since the blog medium was almost entirely played out by that time, this was sort of akin to trumpeting the invention of the CB Radio in 1995, but just the same, we've persevered and thoroughly enjoyed spreading misinformation and hastily correcting broken links. Here's to another 9 years --- at the very least --- of being scooped by Pitchfork on our own news stories! - GC)According to New York Magazine (our personal style bible), this blog thing is really taking off. As you know, the management of Matador Records cannot resist any scheme that might either a) make us money or b) result in our selling half of the company again, so voila, it's THE MATABLOG.
In the days and weeks ahead, you'll be graced with intense, personal observations, screeds and propositions from a star-studded cavalcade of innovative artists and music business veterans. Probably more of the latter. But we're not above composing something and putting Ricky Luanda's name on it, especially if things are slow.
We'll do our best to cover a range of cultural issues, but hopefully not sports. No one wants to read about that shit, trust me.
sincerely,
Gerard Cosloy
your editor
Our Annual Orgy of Self-Aggrandizement, Grandstanding & Overconsumption : Matador Artists & Staff Select Their 2014 Favorites
(above : coaches from "The Voice Of Italy" offer their congratulations to all of 2014's top contenders)
Around this time every year, your
For some historical perspective, here's last year's selections. Questions or comments about our predictable tastes and/or inexcuseable omissions are welcome (but not necessarily appreciated). And without further (Freddy) Adu, let the coronations of Protomartyr,Total Control, Sun Kil Moon and The War On Drugs begin :
Anthony Anzaldo, Ceremony
RECORDS
Lykke Li - I Never Learn
Total Control - Typical System
Prince - Art Official Age
Aphex Twin - Syro
Pharmakon - Bestial Burden
SONGS
Zola Jesus - Dangerous Days
Lykke Li - Just Like A Dream
Total Control - Flesh War
Chromeo - Jealous
Ariana Grande - Problem
SHOWS
Prince at the Fox Theatre in Oakland
NIN at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View
Gorilla Biscuits at Mohawk in Austin
Failure at the El Ray in Los Angeles
The Cure at Bottle Rock in Napa
James McNew, Yo La Tengo
Xetas, "The Knife" 7" (12XU)
Sloppy Heads, Do or Dangle cassette
Run The Jewels, RTJ2 (Fool's Gold)
Shintaro Sakamoto, Let's Dance Raw (Zelone/ OM)
Knyfe Hyts, K is for Knyfe (dropbox)
Spray Paint, Clean Blood Regular Acid (Monofonus Press)
Amps For Christ, Canyons Cars and Crows (Shrimper)
Salyu x Salyu, Bed Room Recordings CDR
$75 Bill, Olives In The Ears cassette
Rob Sonic, Alice in Thunderdome
(OK47)
Obnox, Louder Space (12XU)
Oneida/ People of The North "Brah Tapes" vol 1-4 cassettes
OOIOO, Gamel (Thrill Jockey)
Thurston Moore
1. Chloé Griffin - EDGEWISE : A Picture Of COOKIE MUELLER (b_books)
This book is an astounding labor of love. The author, fascinated by who Cookie Mueller may have been after witnessing her in all the weirdo John Waters films, including Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble, decided to travel the USA interviewing anyone still left alive who spent time with this person. All the insane characters of early 70s Baltimore, P-Town and NYC raise their sloshing glasses to this incredible lightning girl Cookie and all their stories are told in a way which creates a historical travelogue of counter culture avant insanity which is responsible for helping to light the fuse that becomes punk rock and beyond.
2. John Lydon at Rough Trade East 17th October 2014
The Rotten one was bopping around the UK promoting his new book Anger Is An Energy (Simon & Schuster) and we caught his last stop at RT and it was as good as any Sex Pistols or PiL show. He came out with his manager / right hand man and Arsenal accomplice Rambo and a shopping basket full of lager and proceeded to have a high energy back and forth with the audience. His mates from nearby Finsbury Park were there shouting back and forth and Lydon actually did a weird physical transformation into Tony Blair (he hates ‘im). Savage, infuriating – everything his book is – but with a kindness that is always burbling through. I got to meet him fleetingly, the one person I wanted to meet most in this nutso rock n roll world, and he was nice enuff (“Sonic Youth, what are you bloody doing here?”) - but I think he more interested in drowning beers with his pals, which is what he should be doing but damn I think making a record with him in trio with Irmin Schmidt with Can is what Matador should be investing in big time for 2015.
Andy Nelson, Ceremony
Long
Aphex Twin - SYRO
Eno & Hyde - High Life
Francis Harris - Minutes Of Sleep
Future - Honest
Good Throb - Fuck Off
Grouper - Ruins
Hank Wood And The Hammerheads - Stay Home!!
Protomartyr - Under Color Of Official Right
Total Control - Typical System
Vladislav Delay - Visa
Short
Big Zit - Electric Zit Vol. 1
Container - Adhesive
Flesh World - A Line In Wet Grass
Frau - Punk Is My Boyfriend
Golden Teacher - Party People
Pang - Young Professionals
Portable - Surrender
S.H.I. - Struggling Harsh Immortals
Sheer Mag - self titled
Watery Love - Sick People
Elias Ronnenfelt, Iceage
Dirty Beaches - Stateless
Pharmakon - Bestial Burden
Vessel - Punish, Honey
Hank Wood and the Hammerheads - Stay home
Puce Mary - Persona
Institute - Giddy Boys EP
Lower - Seek Warmer Climes
Total Control - Typical System
Anton Rothstein, Lower
What I definitely learned in 2014 is that money still runs the world, that racism is alive and kicking, and that cops in every aspect of the term, be it professionals or amateurs, still are the scum of the earth.
A short best of-list:
Best drummers: Joe Boyd-Brent of Condominium and Adam Kjær Nielsen of Reverie.
Best live band: Hank Wood and the Hammerheads.
Best people: Boat and Speedboat
Adrian Toubro, Lower
I guess, 2014 taught me that life is what you make it.
That positive energy is the mightiest force. It is also the most difficult energy to achieve
That i love my hometown
That i love Lissabon, Portugal
i realized that Oasis still haven’t been beaten in being the greatest band that ever existed.
AND a thousand other things i can’t remember now…
Patrick Amory, Matador Records
The J.B.'s - These Are The J.B.'s (TEG)
- Scott Walker and Sunn O))) - Soused (4AD)
- Steve Gunn - Way Out Weather (Paradise of Bachelors)
- Hailu Mergia and the Walias - Tche Belew (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
- The Velvet Underground - Super Deluxe 45th Anniversary Edition (Polydor/Universal)
- Ed Askew & Josh Burkett - Live on WFMU (Okraina)
- Sleaford Mods - Divide and Exit (Harbinger Sounds)
- Jef Gilson et Malagasy - Gilson et Malagasy (Jazzman)
- Death Wish - Death Wish (Disclaim Recordings)
- Sun Kil Moon - War On Drugs: Suck My Cock
Adam Bohl, Matador Direct
Personal highlights of 2014
Favorite Trip:
Ringing in the new year in Australia, so many great animals there.
Favorite Drink:
Inventing the best (double) mai tai recipe-
1oz Appleton Extra 12 year Jamaican rum
1oz Rhum Clement VSOP
1oz Rhum Barbancourt 8 year
1oz Smith and Cross Jamaican rum
1oz Pierre Ferrand Orange Curacao
2oz Lime juice
1oz Orgeat
Float of Lemon Hart 151
Shake with lots of crushed ice and serve with lime shell and mint bouquet
Favorite Meal:
Brooklyn Star mollasses brined pork chip
Favorite Art viewed:
Liesl Pfeffer - Asclepiadaceae, 2014
Favorite Sporting Moment:
Winning a third bowling league championship
Favorite Shows:
The xx at the Park Avenue Armory
Tyvek at DBA
Chain and the Gang at Union Pool/Babys Allright
Music I enjoyed throughout the year, big/small/new/old
Flesh Eaters - A Moment To Pray A Second To Die
Angel Olson - Burn Your Fire For No Witness
Perfume Genius - Too Bright
V/A - Anthology Of American Folk Music vinyl box
Kim Deal - 7" series
Reigning Sound - Shattered
Turn To Crime - Can't Love
David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights - End Times Undone
Apache Dropout - Heavy Window
Old Testament - Old Testament
Smoke Bellow - Blooming/Middling
Obliterations - Poison Everything
White Fence - For The Recently Found Innocent
Chain and the Gang - Minimum Rock and Roll
Songs: Ohia - Didn't It Rain reissue
Steve Gunn - Way Out Weather
Obnox - Louder Space
The Young - Chrome Cactus
Ty Segall - Manipulator
Dean Bein, True Panther
ALBUMS
Aby Ngana Diop - Liital (Awesome Tapes from Africa)
Adult Jazz- Gist Is (Spare Thought)
Ariana Grande - My Everything (Republic)
Beyoncé - Beyoncé (Columbia) [I know this was last year, but it came out after lists last year and it seems sacrilegious to not include it somewhere]
DJ Dodger stadium - Friend of Mine (FOF/Wedidit)
DJ Spoko - War God (Lit City Tracks)
Flying Lotus - You're Dead! (Warp)
Future Islands- Singles (4AD)
Kassem Mosse- Workshop 19 (Workshop)
Leon Vynehall- Music for the Uninvited (3024)
Lone - Reality Testing (R&S)
Mac Demarco - Salady Days (Captured Tracks)
Katie Pearl & Davinche – Unreleased Album (Self released)
Mica Levi – Under The Skin OST (Milan)
Objekt - Flatland (Pan)
Perfume Genius - Too Bright (Matador)
Popcaan – Where We Come From (Mixpak)
Real Estate -Atlas (Domino)
Rich Gang - Tha Tour Part 1 (Cash Money)
Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron (BDE)
SD Laika - That's Harakiri (Tri Angle)
Vessel - Punish Honey (Tri Angle)
War on Drugs – Lost In The Dream (Secretly Canadian)
V/A - I’m Just Like You: Sly Stone’s Flower Power 1969-70 (Light In The Attic)
YG - My Krazy Life (Def Jam)
MIXTAPES
Bankroll Fresh- Life of a Hot Boy
Dej Loaf- Sell Sole
Ethereal - Blackli$t
Goldlink - God Complex
KevinGates - By Any Means
Lil Bibby - Free Crack 2
Lil Durk - Signed to the Streets 2
Sauce Twinz - In Sauce we Trust
Sicko Mobb – Super Saiyan Vol.1
The Stand4rd - The Stand4rd
Travis Scott - Days Before Rodeo
EP/12”s/LOOSIES
Barnt - Chappel (Hinge Finger)
Cashmere Cat - Wedding Bells EP (
Chief Keef Where's Waldo (self-released)
Dark0 - Fate (Gobstopper)
Evian Christ- Waterfall (Tri Angle)
Future “Hardly”
Gage- Telo (Crazylegs)
Heyqt - Heyqt (XL)
iloveMakonnen - Down So Long (Self-released)
Mumdance x Novelist “Take Time” (Rinse)
Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Herb “Chiraq”
OG Maco - U Guessed It (self-released)
Shura- Touch
Spooky Black - Reason (self-released)
SZA- Sobriety (BDE)
Tirzah - No Romance (Greco-Roman)
Fetty Wrap - Trap Queen
Steve Cross, Remote Control
20 Moments Of Pleasure
Amen Dunes - Lonely Richard
Ann Sorel - L'amour a Plusiers
Cher - A Woman's Story
Chris and Cosey - Dr John (Sleeping Stephen)
Copeland – Advice to Young Girls
Dean Blunt – Forever
Ernie Graham – Sebastian
Future Islands – Light House
G Wayne Thomas - Morning Of The Earth
Holly Herndon – Chorus
Kevin Coyne – The World Is Full Of Fools
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Satan Speeds Up
Leslie Winer – John Says
Marie Davidson - Perte d'identité
New Gods – Caravan Park
Pearls - Big Shot
Perfume Genius – Fool
Sunbeam Sound Machine - Sailing Away
The Liminanas - I Miei Occhi Sono i Tuoi Occhi
The War On Drugs - An Ocean Between The Waves
Ty Segall - She Don't Care
Stuart Davie, Beggars Group
2014:
Ian William Craig - A Turn Of Breath
The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream
Grouper - Ruins
Iceage - Plowing into the Field of Love
Total Control - Typical System
La Dispute - Rooms of the House
Alex G - DSU
Keaton Henson - Romantic Works
Sontag Shogun - Tale
Sun Kil Moon - Benji
Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right
Caribou - Our Love
Tobias Jesso Jr in London
Ought @ The Old Blue Last
Belle and Sebastian @ Winfield House
Nils Frahm & Kurt Vile @ Village Underground
The War On Drugs @ Rickshaw Theatre
Queens of the Stone Age @ Reading Festival
The Goldfinch
Boyhood
The Imitation Game
Homeland season 4
Utopia (UK)
Rian Fossett, Matador Records
Music -
Amen Dunes - Love
Andy Stott - Faith in Strangers
Bedhead - 1992-1998
Bing & Ruth - Tomorrow Was the Golden Age
Caribou - Our Love
Cleaners From Venus - Living with Victoria Grey
Fennesz - Venice 10th Anniversary
Frankie Cosmos - Zentropy
Grouper - Ruins
MINKS - Memory Graffiti
Total Control - Typical System
Unwound - No Energy
Movies -
John Wick, Nightcrawler
TV -
Bron/Broen, Death Note, Les Revenants
Books -
Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel, My Misspent Youth - Meghan Daum,
Preacher: Book One - Garth Ennis
Animals-
This majestic chameleon,
Harlow & Sage,
This particular Russian fox
Matt Harmon (Beggars Group)
Steve Gunn - Way out Weather [Paradise of Bachelors]
Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right [Hardly Art]
Ensemble - Economique Melt Into Nothing [Denovali Records]
Ashley Paul - Heat Source [Important Recs]
Lee Gamble - KOCH [Pan]
Helena Hauff Meets Andreas Gehm EP [Solar One Music]
Jenny Hval & Susanna Meshes of Voice [SusannaSonata]
Skull Defekts - Street Metal [Thrill Jockey]
Ought - More Than Any Other Day [Constellation]
Jon Mueller & Duane Pitre - Inverted Torch [Type]
Andy Stott -Faith in Strangers [Modern Love]
NHK’Koyxen - Dance Classics Vol III [Pan]
Grouper - Ruins [Kranky]
William Tyler - Lost Colony EP [Merge]
Icepick - Hexane cassette [Astral Spirits]
Patrizia Oliva & Metabolismus - Noumenon cassette [self-released]
Natalie Judge, Matador Records
Stuff:
Viv Albertine - Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys.
20,000 Days on Earth - Directed by Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard.
We Are The Best! - Directed by Lukas Moodysson (this actually came out last year, but i only saw it this year so i’m keeping it in.)
Protomartyr - Under Color Of Official Right.
Ariel Pink - Pom Pom.
Ought - More Than Any Other Day.
Caribou - Our Love.
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream.
Steve Gunn - Way Out Weather.
Total Control - Typical System.
Lana Del Ray - Ultraviolence.
LCD Soundsystem - The Long Goodbye.
House of Cards.
Highs:
The American Ambassadors Reception.
Sleaford Mods @ 12 Bar, London.
Kate Bush @ Hammersmith Apollo, London.
New Office.
New Office Light.
Belle & Sebastian open the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Jabberwocky weekend being saved by Kurt Vile, Thee Oh Sees, Ought, Iceage and many more.
Lows:
The attendees of Coachella.
Being promised laser eye surgery, only to be told my eyes are too screwed to have it done.
Sonya Kolowrat, Beggars
Best things of 2014
1) Basilica Festival + Hudson, NY
2) John Darnielle's book Wolf In White Van
3) The Replacements at Forest Hills Stadium
5) Perfume Genius - "Too Bright"
6) Marchi's Restaurant NYC - they don't make them like this anymore.
7) Saltie's Scuttlebutt sandwich
8 John Lurie art opening at Cavin-Morris gallery
9) Dean Blunt
10) And of course, the Serial podcast
Annette Lee, 4AD
2014 's Highlights and Discoveries
Kate Bush @ Hammersmith Apollo
Getting an iPhone
Bitmoji app - the single greatest reason for having an iPhone
Liars @ Village Underground, London
Swans - To Be Kind
Cocktails In a snow-stormy NYC
Ultrabland by Lush
Berners Tavern, London
24 hours in Berlin with Future Islands
The Red Room bar at the Barbican, London (hooray for Barbican memberships)
Allpress Espresso Roastery, Shoreditch
Nakd bars (specifically Banana Bread and Cocoa Orange flavours)
Grayson Perry @ Royal Festival Hall, London
Julia Holter - Loud City Song
The sausage sandwiches from CWTCH aka Pig Vendor, Wandsworth (the hangover go-to place)
Bradford Cox - Teenage soundtrack (shit film, GREAT soundtrack)
The Plough, Clapton
Bounce balls (special shout out to the coconut academia and peanut butter versions)
Belfast weddings with eccentric parents (sadly not my own)
Tatu Ronkko + Efterklang @ giant asbestos-filled power station, Den Haag
Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence
Ten-pin bowling with SOHN in Vienna
Kaosarn, Wandsworth
War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream
A weekend of feasting and beer in Brussels
Klara Lewis - Ett
Dolly Parton @ Glastonbury
Dinner at Beagle, Hoxton
Finally snapping up a copy of this at the Indie Label Market
http://www.soundwayrecords.com/product/sndwcd016-ghana-special-modern-highlife-afro-sounds--ghanaian-blues-1968---1981-
Bijou Basket cocktails at Hoi Polloi @ Ace Hotel, London
Bohren & Der Club of Gore @ Grote Kerk, Den Haag
Elton John @ Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona (I'm actually going this weekend, so this is preemptive)
The beach at Formentera
Tobias Jesso Jr. @ some random place in London Fields
Liars - Mess
Dave Martin, Matador Direct
New Records:
1. Gotobeds - Poor People Are Revolting 12XU
2. Nude Beach - 77 Don Giovanni
3. Sweet Apple - The Golden Age of Glitter TeePee
4. Reigning Sound - Shattered Merge
5. Elisa Ambrogio - The Immoralist Drag City https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3gRyyGZN9A
6. Mordecai - Neil’s Generator Richie Records
7. Cheater Slicks - Live Vol. 3 Columbus Discount Records
8. Connections - Into Sixes Anyway
9. Brain F? - Empty Set Sorry State / Grave Mistake
10. Watery Love - Decorative Feeding In the Red
11. Protomartyr - Under Color Of Official Right Hardly Art
12. Lower Plenty - Life/Thrills Mexican Summer
13. David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights - End Times Undone Merge
14. Dark Matter - S/T Siltbreeze
15. Obnox - Louder Space 12XU
16. The Darling Downs - In The Days When The World Was Wide Beast Records
17. J Mascis - Tied To A Star Sup Pop
18. Run The Jewels - 2 Mass Appeal
19. Mike Rep & Friends - Darby Creek Drifter 540 Records
20. Xylouris White - Goats Other Music Recording Co.
21. Hamish Kilgour - All Of It and Nothing Ba Da Bing
22. Dark Blue - Pure Reality Jade Tree
23. Eastlink - S/T In the Red
24. Ex Hex - Rips Merge
25. The Blind Shake - Breakfast of Failures Goner
Reissues or Archival Stuff:
1. Modey Lemon - House On the Hill & S/T Omentum Records/Mind Cure
2. Penny Arkade - Not The Freeze Sundazed
3. The Stroke Band - Green and Yellow Anthology Recordings
4. Savage Amused - Demo Mind Cure
5. Jack Ruby - Hit And Run AKA the two S/T LPs St. Cecilia / Feeding Tube
6. LiveFastDie - Hit Stains Almost Ready
7. Death of Samantha - If Memory Serves Us Well St. Valentine
8. Don Caballero - Five Pairs of Crazy Pants… Chunklet Industries
9. The Bats - Demo: 5-26-84 Mind Cure
10. Axemen - Derry Legend Luxury Product
11. Fugazi - First Demo Dischord
12. Bored Youth - Are You Alive 1982 Alona's Dream
13. Terminals - Singles and Sundries Ba Da Bing
14. Bent Wind - Sussex Ugly Pop
15. Ngozi Family - Day Of Judgement Now Again
16. The Bats - The Law Of Things Flying Nun
17. Peter Jefferies - Electricity Superior Viaduct
18. Spies Battle of Bosworth Terrace Siltbreeze
19. Thor’s Hammer - If You Knew… Ugly Pop!
20. X_____X - X__Sticky Fingers__X Ektro Recordings
21. X - Spurts: The 1977 Recordings & Aspirations Ugly Pop!
22. Dutch Masters - All In The Wires Spacecase Records
23. Breadwinner - Burner Merge
24. Necros - Live in ‘85 Jett Plastic Records
25. Jimi Hendrix - Hear My Music Dagger / Sony
7”s / 12”s / EPs
1. Gotobeds - New York’s Alright (If You Like Sex & Phones) b/w Prisoners Of Love Mind Cure
2. Deathwish - S/T 12" Disclaim
3. Ukiah Drag - Dirt Trip b/w Poison Ivy Wharf Cat
4. Watery Love - Sick People b/w I Don’t Care In The Red
5. S.O.A. - First Demo Dischord
6. Shock - EP 3 Shock
7. Jon Wahl and the Amadans - The Angst Blues of… Elastic Records
8. Deaf Wish - St. Vincent +3 Sub Pop
9. Giorgio Murder - Primitive World Goner
10. Whatever Brains - SSR 63/64 Sorry State
Live music
Major Stars / The Broke Revue @ Union Pool / The Gotobeds @ The Wick Nov. 29th
Death of Samantha @ Baby’s All Right May 29th
Mordecai / Watery Love / Endless Boogie @ Union Pool May 25th
Protomartyr / Spray Paint @ Cake Shop April 13th
Lower Plenty @ Baby’s All Right / Life Stinks @ Death By Audio Sept. 18th
Dick Diver/ Dark Blue @ Death By Audio Sept. 26th
JSBX / Pampers @ Union Pool March 20th
Cobra Verde @ The Marlin Room @ Webster Hall Nov. 8th
Deaf Wish / Ausmuteants / Pampers / Degreaser @ Death By Audio Oct. 2nd
Xylouris White @ Union Pool October 16th
Hana Mogulescu, Beggars
In no particular order some of my favorite things from 2014:
Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire for No Witness
Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona
Finally watching Twin Peaks after years of being told to do so. WHO KILLED LAURA PALMER?!
Tobias Jesso Jr playing in an airbnb in London and "someone's kitchen" in Brooklyn
Ringing in the new year while listening to Koreless and watching the sunrise over the ocean in Tulum
St Vincent - St Vincent. <3 you forever, Annie
Belle & Sebastian live at the American Ambassador's house in London, complete with an on-stage cameo from the one & only Gabe Spierer
Perfume Genius - Too Bright + all three incredible music videos that have come with it
Watching my best friend since I was 12 get married (cheesy, I know)
Sun Kil Moon - Benji
Hector Montes, Beggars Group
will this year just end already: the list
his name is alive - tecuciztecatl (london london)
the dead space - faker (12xu)
hookworms - the hum (weird world)
a winged victory for the sullen - atomos (kranky)
run the jewels - run the jewels 2 (mass appeal)
wild beasts - present tense (domino)
protomartyr - under cover of official right (hardly art)
total control - typical system (iron lung)
doss - the way i feel (acephale)
naomi punk - television man (captured tracks)
inventions - s/t (temporary residence)
Robby Morris, Matador Records
Gotobeds
Grouper
Steve Gunn
Ninos Du Brasil
Protomartyr
Run The Jewels
Schoolboy Q
Sleaford Mods
Total Control
Ukiah Drag
Vessel
Mark Ohe
Full-length Albums 2014 - A Sweet 16
Alice Gerrard, Follow the Music (Tompkins Square)
Joan Shelley, Electric Ursa (No Quarter)
Steve Gunn, Way Out Weather (Paradise of Bachelors)
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Wig Out at Jagbags (Matador)
Hiss Golden Messneger, Lateness of Dancers (Merge)
Laura Cantrell, No Way There From Here (Thriftshop Recordings)
Hans Chew, Life and Love (At The Helm)
V/A, Parchman Farm: Photographs & Recordings, 1947-1958 (Dust to Digital)
Doug Paisley, Strong Feelings (No Quarter)
Yo La Tengo, Extra Painful (Matador)
Robyn Hitchcock, The Man Upstairs (Yep Roc)
The Spies, The Battle of Bosworth Terrace (Siltbreeze)
Einstürzende Neubauten, Lament (Mute)
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band, Intensity Ghost (No Quarter)
Tinariwen, Emmaar (PIAS)
V/A, When I Reach That Heavenly Shore: Unearthly Black Gospel (Tompkins Square)
Books
This Changes Everything, Naomi Klein
Corruption in America, Zepher Teachout
Our Daily Poison: From Pesticides to Packaging, How Chemicals Have Contaminated the Food Chain and Are Making Us Sick, Marie-Monique Robin
DIY or Die!, Johan Kugelberg
Extracted: How the Quest for Mineral Wealth Is Plundering the Planet, Ugo Bardi
Power Systems, Noam Chomsky
Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life, Graham Nash
Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia, Adam Lerner
Miwa Okumura, Beggars Senior VP, West Coast Operations & Licensing
Big Boys (re-issue) - Where’s My Towel/ Industry Standard LP
Spoon - They Want My Soul
The Horrors - Luminous
David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights - End Times Undone
Future Islands - Singles
The Flesh Eaters (re-issue) - A Minute To Pray A Second To Die LP
Caribou - Our Love
Perfume Genius-Too Bright
The War on Drugs - Lost In The Dream
The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
Boyhood -Richard Linklater
The Leftovers
Transparent
Snaking my way to the front to see The Replacements at Coachella.
Shot a Springfield Arms DP40, 40 Smith and Wesson and a Magpull M4 in Sun Valley, Idaho
The Bar Method (check that off my list)
GBV’s last LA show
Bobby Womack and Teenie Hodges RIP
Reuben Cox’s (Old Style) custom silver foil guitar.
Gonzalo Schiaffino, Everlasting / Popstock
IT’S NOT ONLY ROCK’N ROLL (BUT I LIKE IT) – My favourite albums in no particular order
BECK – Morning Phase
VARIOUS – Warfaring Strangers: Darkscorch Canticles
CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD – Phosphorent Harvest
COLUMPIO ASESINO – Ballenas Muertas En San Sebastian
JOSEPH ARTHUR – Lou
JACK WHITE – Lazaretto
JOLLIE HOLLAND – Wine Dark Sea
THE APE – The Ape
TY SEGALL – Manipulator
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS – Brill Bruisers
PETER HAMMILL / GARY LUCAS – Other World
PERFUME GENIUS – Too Bright
HOLY SONS – The Fact Facer
SLEAFORD MODS – Divide And Exit
ANGEL OLSEN – Burn Your Fire For No Witness
ELISA AMBROGIO – The Inmoralist
FOXYGEN – And Star Power
ARIEL PINK – Pom Pom
BEST CONCERTS (You should be there…)
SAVAGES – Shoko (Madrid 20/2)
ROLLING STONES – Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid 25-6) *with my kids!
QOTSA – Primavera Sound (Barcelona)
TY SEGALL – Sala But (Madrid 27/10)
Helen Rush, Matador Direct
Shows: Jan 2014 – Dec 2014
Bill Nace, Okkuyng Lee & Chris Corsano – Jack
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks – Other Music
Lee Ranaldo / Steve Gunn / Spectre Folk – The Bellhouse
Benefit For Letha Rodman Melchior: Endless Boogie, Crystal Stilts, Love As Laughter, The Rogers Sisters, August Wells, Rebecca Gaffney & Adrian Austin, Nurse & Soldier – Secret Project Robot
Tatsuya Nakatani: Nakantani Gong Orchestra – Jack
Ed Askew / Josephine Foster / Victor Herrero– Columbus Theatre – Providence RI
MV/EE – Baby’s All Right
Charlemagne Palestine (Solo Organ) - Plymouth Church/Issue Project Room
Ben Chasny – Baby’s All Right
Endless Boogie / Magik Markers – Union Pool
Kim Gordon & Okkung Lee – The Stone
Graham Lambkin / Devin DiSanto – Issue Project Room
Yoko Ono & Yo La Tengo - Union Pool
Elisa Ambrogio / Bill Nace / The Double – Union Pool
Jacco Gardner – Baby’s All Right
Prince Rupert’s Drops – Baby’s All Right
Heavy Blanket / Honey – Union Pool
Michael Chapman / Zachary Cale – Union Pool
Keijo Haino & Tony Conrad / Okkung Lee – Issue Project Room
Tim Barnes / Barry Weisblat – Silent Barn
Body/Head / Nate Young / Vanessa Rosetto – Union Pool
Holy Sons / Elisa Ambogio – Union Pool
Kim Gordon & Loren Mazzacane Connors / Gary War – Issue Project Room
Records: In No Particular Order (+ 2 from 2013)
Elisa Ambrogio - The Immoralist (Drag City)
Prince Rupert’s Drops – Climbing Light (Beyond Beyond is Beyond)
Mary Lattimore / Jeff Zeigler - Slant of Light (Thrill Jockey)
Steve Gunn - Way Out Weather (Paradise of Bachelors)
United Waters – Sunburner (Bathetic)
Tom Carter / Pat Murano - Four Infernal Rivers (MIE)
Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire for No Witness – (Jagjaguwar)
Tinariwen – Emmaar (Anti)
Vashti Bunyan – Heartleap (Fat Cat/DiCristina)
Fugazi – First Demo (Dischord)
Nathan Bowles – Nansemond (Paradise of Bachelors)
Ty Segall - Manipulator - (Drag City)
Jacco Gardner - Cabinet of Curiosities (Trouble In Mind) 2013
Nathan Salsburg – Hard For To Win And Can’t Be Won (No Quarter ) 2013
Body/Head - The Show Is Over 7” (Matador)
Hamish Kilgour -- All Of It And Nothing' (Ba Da Bing)
Chrissy Stuart, Beggars Music
Twigs at Trees
Paragliding over Lake Atitlan
Drake - "0 to 100 / The Catch Up"
Mica Levi's Under The Skin score
thefatjewish
The War On Drugs - Lost in the Dream
1st LA earthquake (5.1)
Kim Kardashian as bike rack
Star Wars
Busta Rhymes 2014 (in general)
Beck - "Turn Away"
Future - "Move That Dope"
NYE sunrise celebration in Tulum w/ the best of the best
Mac Demarco "Salad Days"
Popcaan
Gerard Cosloy, Matador Records
Sleaford Mods - Divide & Exit (Harbinger Sounds)
Mordecai - Neil’s Generator (Richie)
Califone - Stitches (Dead Oceans)
Ultimate Painting - s/t (Trouble In Mind)
Rat Columns - Leaf (RIP Society)
Watery Love - Decorative Feeding (In The Red)
Mark Kozelek - Live At Biko (Calo Verde)
Musk - s/t (Holy Mountain)
Swans - To Be Kind (Young God)
Golden Pelicans - s/t (Total Punk)
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band - Intensity Ghost (No Quarter)
Good Throb - Fuck Off (White Denim)
Centro-matic - Take Pride In Your Long Odds (Navigational Transmissions)
Manateees - Sit n Spin (Pelican Pow Wow)
Spray Paint - Clean Blood, Regular Acid (Monofonus Press)
Exhaustion - Biker (Aarght)
OBN III’s- Third Time To Harm (Tic Tac Totally)
Low Life - Dogging (RIP Society)
Degreaser - Rougher Squalor (ever/never)
Wussy - Attica (Shake It)
John Schooley & His One Man Band - The Man Who Rode The Mule Around The World (Voodoo Rhythm)
Dark Blue - Pure Reality (Jade Tree)
Protomarytr - Under Color Of Official Light (Hardly Art)
Ausmuteants - Order Of Operation (Goner)
Kid Millions / Jim Sauter - Fountain (Family Vineyard)
Real Kids - Shake Outta Control (Ace Of Hearts)
Shellac - Dude Incredible (Touch & Go)
12" EP’s
Institute - Salt - (Sacred Bones)
Nazi Gold - Climbing The Tower (Super Secret)
Uniform - s/t (Beggar's Tomb)
Gary Wrong Group - Floods Of Fire (Jeth Row/Bat Shit)
Outer Spaces - Garbage Beach (Salinas)
7”'s
Mystic Inane - “Deep Creep” (Negative Jazz)
Breakout - “True Crime” (Grave Mistake)
Deaf Wish - St. Vincent’s EP (Sub/Pop)
Hysterics - “Can’t I Live” EP (M’Ladys)
Sick Thoughts - “Moral Sickness” (Blast Of Silence)
Sick Thoughts - “Coming Over” (Going Underground)
Sick Thoughts - “I Got Hands” b/w “I’m Tired Of You” (Hidden Volume)
Total Abuse - “Looking For Love” (Deranged)
Lumpy & The Dumpers - “Gnats In The Pisser” (Total Punk)
reissues / archival stuff :
Owen Maercks - Teenage Sex Therapist (Feeding Tube)
Flesh Eaters - A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die (Superior Viaduct)
The Sluts - 12" Of Sluts (Spread 'Em/Jeth Row/Race)
Bedhead - 1992-1998 (Numero)
Madrigal - s/t (Lysergia)
Jack Ruby - LP1 /Volume Two (Feeding Tube)
Medival - One Morbid (Buried By Time & Dust)
Shoes This High - Straight To Hell (Siltbreeze)
live shows :
Deaf Wish, Hi Tone, Memphis, Mohawk, Austin September
Counter Intuits, Now That’s Class, Cleveland, May
Swans, Lincoln Hall, Chicago, June
Wreckmeister Harmonies, Elysium, Austin, November
Midnight, Dirty Dog, Austin, August
Wreckless Eric, Hole In The Wall, Austin, October
Tom Carter, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, Austin, November
Radioactivity, Beerland, Austin, March, Hi Tone, Memphis, September
Mordecai, Now That’s Class, Cleveland, May
Life Stinks, Murphy’s, Memphis TN, Septmber
The Clean, Ace Of Cups, Columbus, July
eyehategod, North Door, Austin, November
Godflesh, Mohawk, Austin, April
Califone, someone’s house, Austin, April
Kraftwerk, Riveria Theatre, Chicago, March
The Rebel, Beerland Austin, March, Hotel Vegas, Austin, September
No Bails, Hotel Vegas, Austin, June
Devo, ACL LIve, July
Civil Union, The Grand, Austin, July
If Something Great Comes Out In The Next 17 Days, We Don't Wanna Know ; Matador Artists, Staff & Pals Tie A Bow Around 2011
(trusty 2011 Matador ballot counters voice displeasure over management cancelling a game that required them to drink 27 shots each time Total Control received a vote)
The whole year-end Best-Of thing has gotten completely out of hand. For starters, I hear Sub Pop published theirs on Labor Day. Spin's list featured 4 albums from the same NYC indie in their top 11 ; even Vladimir Putin thinks there's something screwy going on. Still, even though such polls reek of patronage and self-congratulation, some traditions die hard around here. And without further ado, we present the 2011 edition of "Hey Check Us Out, We Like Cool Stuff". It is our fervent hope that after scanning these lists, you'll
James McNew, Yo La Tengo Inc.
Shintaro Sakamoto, How To Live With A Phantom (Zelone, JP)
Oneida, Absolute II (Jagjaguwar)
Shinji Masuko, Woven Music (Brah)
Tyvek, Nothing Fits (In The Red)
Hail Mary Mallon, Are You Gonna Eat That (Rhymesayers)
Jennifer O'Connor, I Want What You Want (Kiam)
Antietam, Tenth Life (Carrot Top)
Eleventh Dream Day, Riot Now! (Thrill Jockey)
Thee Oh Sees, Castlemania (In The Red)
Salyu, S(o)un(d)beams (Toy's Factory, JP)
Feelies, Here Before (Bar None)
PJ Harvey, Let England Shake (Island/ Vagrant)
Alvarius B, Baroque Primitiva (Poon Village)
Heidecker & Wood, Starting From Nowhere (Little Record Co.)
Wesley Eisold, Cold Cave
Cut Hands- s/t LP
Cass McCombs- Wit's End LP
Bleached- Searching Through The Past/Electric Chair 7"
Veronica Falls- s/t LP
Ke/Hil- Hellstation LP
Weekend- Red EP
Creamers - Modern Day (Jolly Dream)
Creamers - Slow Burn (Secret Beach)
Avon Ladies - Guns & Gold (Katorga Works)
Women In Prison - Strange Waves (HoZac)]
Sex Cult - Errand Boy (Goner)
Slices - Modern Bride (Kemado)
Charles Albright - Weight (Permanent)
old bits reissued nicely : Laurice/Grudge (Mighty Mouth), Tyvek (M'Lady's), Art Yard (Ride The Snake), The Gruberger Brothers
live : Unholy Two (Austin, March and May), Deaf Wish (Memphis, September), Wiccans (Austin, July), Mind Spiders (Atlanta, April), Cheap Time (Austin, Memphis, September), Reigning Sound (NYC, November), Hank Wood & The Hammerheads (NYC, October), Wire (London, February) Hank IV (San Francisco, October), Broken Water (Austin, April), Wax Museums (Austin, March), Brain Idea (Chicago, July), Richard Buckner (Austin, October)
Best (non-human) things in the world : J. Mueller, this guy, this place. That's enough oversharing for one day.
UK/EU BEGN Customers - If You Experienced Problems
Sometimes, as much as you try to get things 'right' they always come out 'nearly there'. Yesterday we opened orders for BEGN for the upcoming Fucked Up release of 'David Comes To Life' and some European customers may have experienced issues with their digital downloads.
If you are a UK or EU customer, you may have experienced problems redeeming your voucher code, thus unable to download the MP3 delights promised to you. If this was you, we sincerely apologise. All gremlins have now been removed from the system and regular service has resumed. Please do not try to pay again, we'll only keep your money. Instead, head back to www.buyearlygetnow.com, log in, re-input your code that you received from Sandbag yesterday and you should be on your way to aural pleasure. Please note: in the "retailer" field, enter 'Sandbag' (not Sandman). Any other problems, please comment below and we'll help you out, or refer to the help page on Sandbag.
Regards, The Management.
The Worst Part Is, They're Registered At Williams-Sonoma
Staff, management and the entire artist roster of Matador Records wish to congratulate Robyn Hitchcock and Chris Lombardi on their recent marriage.
It's a hell of a way to avoid the draft, but immigrating to Canada's not so easy.
Inquiring Minds Wanna Know : What's Up With The Blank Discs In The Pretty Box?
Q: Why are the extra discs in my 'Challengers' Executive Edition box set blank?
A : Don't worry, they're not defective. They're supposed to be blank.
Here's how the Executive Edition works : the box set you've bought is packaging for 3 screen printed CD-Rs. The content for the box set will be made available to download a track at a time from www.buyearlygetnow.com. When all the tracks and files have been made available, you can burn them to the appropriate CD-R.
Q: What file formats will this stuff be in?
A: Audio files will be provided as 256kbps MP3, as well as in FLAC format. Most people are familiar with mp3s, they're the download format of choice and play in virtually any portable audio file device like the iPod.FLAC is a lossless, open source format that provides audio at the same quality as factory pressed CDs. The file size is significantly larger than mp3, and the files don't play in iTunes. For more info on FLAC, go to http://flac.sourceforge.net/.
Q: How will I know when to burn the CDs?
A: At www.buyearlygetnow.com there's a burn meter that shows you how much Executive material we've released, and how much more is left to go until you can burn each disc. We've got material lined up for the next couple months, so expect not to burn the discs until then.
Q: I'd like to watch late night television tonight but haven't done so since Ted Koppel left "Nightline". Do you have any recommendations?
A: Absolutely. The New Pornographers will be performing tonight on CBS's "The Late Show With David Letterman." Dave's other guests will be Hayden Panettiere and Jeff Goldblum. Hopefully the latter will have some good stories to share from his days playing opposite Ben Vereen on "Tenspeed & Brown Shoe", though perhaps he's done something since, too.
We Get Your Letters
Sure. We get some letters. A lot of letters. Like this classic one. But, this latest might take the cake. Why? Because it's not restraining order worthy nor is it demanding money back in exchange for returning some downloads. No, the stars have aligned for this Mr. Tough and this one band (who he seems to own more than one album from):
Dear (Matador)
Hi. I am a citizen of Glagow in Scotland, and my name (as you may see) is Michael Tough. Interestingly, Yo La Tengo's latest single release in the UK is entitled Mr. Tough. I have been aware of Yo La Tengo since I bought their single Danelectro (version 2 of which is on the playlist for my funeral - when it comes), and have purchased a couple of albums since, namely Prisoners Of Love and the current I Am Not Afraid Of You....
I tried to purchase the single Mr. Tough, but none of the major or independent stores in Glasgow had it listed, leading me to believe it is only available as a download. Would this be correct?
The point I am trying to get round to, though, is this; would there be any promotional material available for the current single? It is not every day that a record is realeased with one's name as its title, and this 'novelty' holds an appeal. I saw some cover art for the single on a couple of download sites, but am reluctant to print and copy it on to a t-shirt, for example, for copyright reasons. As I now have the song on hard copy twice (once on the album and once, ironically, from a free new-release compilation CD given away by HMV when I bought the album) I see less need to buy the single if indeed it is available on hard copy.
If there might be any promo items with the Mr. Tough text and imagery that are lying around the office and looking for a home with a real Mr. Tough (by name only, and not so much by nature to be honest) then I would be happy to provide that home and very appreciative. In the offchance that you could please help me in my quest, may I provide a postal address upon request at a later time? Thankyou for taking the time to read this essentially begging letter, and I hope it doesn't bother you .
Yours
Mr. Michael Tough
We have since learned he has a cousin Ronnie. Can someone get this guy onto that helicopter?
Related: Yo La Tengo do Mr. Tough (YouTube)
Paging Stuart Murdoch!
In the snail mail days, this would've made the Matador Wall Of Shame, easy.Hi,
We are currently looking for 6 artists to write 6 songs over the course of the next six months with Nikki Sixx from Mötley Crüe. We are looking for songs to be written that can go from rock to alt to pop.
Please contact Jason Spies with questions and or artist submissions:
Thanks
Sam Alpert
10th Street Entertainment/Eleven Seven Music
568 Broadway, Suite 608
New York, NY 10012
p: (212) 334-3160 ext. 107
f: (212) 334-3285
Motley Crue* Meat Loaf* Blondie* Yes* Everclear* The New Cars* Hanson* Buckcherry* Marion Raven* Jonny Lives* Exies*
Here's a question: does Matablog replace the Matador BB?
And if not, why not? I mean, even if you don't have blog posting privileges (which presumably you regular posters could apply for), you can always make comments to blog posts. And none of you are.So... what's the difference? What's the value to Matador the label, and its artists, to maintain a lightly moderated BB and a heavily (or at least more) moderated blog on the same site? What purposes do each serve? Please respond (and your response will not be edited, I promise.)
Eagerly awaiting answers and participation, eagerly promoting (we don't hide beind "coolness" here) current albums from Matmos, Mission Of Burma, Brightblack Morning Lght, and upcoming new releases from Jennifer O'Connor on Aug 22, Yo La Tengo on Sep 12, Chavez comp on Oct 10, and Pavement Wowee Deluxe in November... let's see some action guys. Or why are we here? What purpose does the BB serve? What purpose does the matablog serve? I wanna see reponses from tinobeat, bitterfuit, Lukas, Maximo, vesper, 9000, Mr. HCI and all the regular BB posters. Is the blog too "corporate" and "controlled" for you? How about some comments at least???
Patrick
Damage Control Is Our Business (And Business Is Very Good)
From this morning's New York Times.
Matador Records' Gerard Cosloy (above) said Tuesday he harbors no hatred towards wearers of straw hats and he apologized to ''everyone in the indie rock community for the vitriolic and harmful words'' he used in a infrequently visited, rarely updated weblog.
''Hatred of any kind goes against my faith,'' he said in a statement released through publicist Nils Bernstein
''I'm not just asking for forgiveness,'' Cosloy said. ''I would like to take it one step further, and meet with the Pitchfork staff, with whom I can have a one-on-one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing.''
Cosloy said he's ''in the process of understanding where those vicious words came from during that Fuze energy drink inspired display'' and hopes members of the Chicago community, ''whom I have personally offended,'' will help him in his recovery efforts.
''There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of anti-straw hat remark,'' Cosloy said.
''But please know from my heart that I am not against people who wear straw hats or flip-flops in public. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith.''
Cosloy acknowledged ''there will be many in that community who will want nothing to do with me, and that would be understandable. But I pray that door is not forever closed.''
He said he must take responsibility for making anti-straw hat remarks because as a public person, ''when I say something, either articulated, typed, or blurted out in a moment of insanity, my words carry weight in the public arena. Not very much weight, but enough to impact future party invitations."
Greetings
According to New York Magazine (our personal style bible), this blog thing is really taking off. As you know, the management of Matador Records cannot resist any scheme that might either a) make us money or b) result in our selling half of the company again, so voila, it's THE MATABLOG.In the days and weeks ahead, you'll be graced with intense, personal observations, screeds and propositions from a star-studded cavalcade of innovative artists and music business veterans. Probably more of the latter. But we're not above composing something and putting Ricky Luanda's name on it, especially if things are slow.
We'll do our best to cover a range of cultural issues, but hopefully not sports. No one wants to read about that shit, trust me.
sincerely,
Gerard Cosloy
your editor