Some of my fav compilations are from Matador. I buy them because of four/five artists I like, then end up liking a bunch more....

1. 1997 WHAT'S UP MATADOR

Introduced me to Cat Power,Yo La Tengo,Bettie Serveert,Spoon(early Spoon, but didn't pay attention until this Month ..on MERGE),Chavez.
I bought this back then on the clout of Helium, GBV, Liz Phair and Pavement. Awesome where that comp. led me to.

2. EVERYTHING IS NICE 10TH ANNIVERSARY (1999)

New artists I enjoyed...Cornelius, Nightmares On Wax, Boards of Canada, Matmos, Solex, along with the rest of the gang...

3. MATADOR AT 15(2004)

Dead Meadow and Preston School of Industry are the only new ones here, but along the way, through the Matador Label(in between compilations) I've picked up on Mogwai, New Pornograghers and Pretty Girls Make Graves. Even to have great tunes by artists I wouldn't go out and buy are here such as Interpol, Sleater Kinney, Pizzicato Five, etc. Other smaller artists not listed have great tunes and usually these compilations don't have any song that are worth skipping.

Top Matador Roommates:
Cat Power
Bettie Serveert
Mogwai
GBV
Pretty Girls Make Graves
Yo La Tengo
Pavement
Dead Meadow
Chavez
Matmos
(still softspot for fHelium...in smaller doses)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jayman,

Matador put out the first Teenage Fanclub record, which gives them cool points with me. I don't think I own that many Matador bands though...

The New Pornographers track on the Matador at 15 comp is great...probably my favorite thing they've done.

Matador is definitely my favorite label at the moment, with:
Interpol
Belle & Sebastian
Cat Power
New Pornographers
Yo La Tengo
Mission Of Burma
Pavement

quote:

Originally posted by BContrat:
Matador is definitely my favorite label at the moment, with:
Interpol
Belle & Sebastian
Cat Power
New Pornographers
Yo La Tengo
Mission Of Burma
Pavement

I've always been a fan of Matador. In additon to those bands they also managed to release some of the better Guided By Voices albums, as well as the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Also, if you haven't checked her out, Mary Timony is on Matador, and I was quite impressed with her after seeing her open for Spoon last year. Her live show just consisted of her on guitar and a drummer, so it was sort of a gender inverted White Stripes.

I believe Mary Timony was namedropped in a Ted Leo song (Timorous Me). Neat that she has her stuff on this label! Matador is pretty rad. My favorite band off of the label is definitely the New Pornographers, but Pavement and PGMG are pretty rad as well!

(However, the Matador at 15 New Porns track, while it's good, sounds a WHOLE lot like Sing Me Spanish Techno.)

Matador is my fav label. Cat Power is by far and away my favourite artist of all time. As great and extraordinary as Cat Power is though I feel a label must have/had many incredible talents on its roster to qualify as a truly great label. Matador qualifies because along with Cat Power theyve also released records by Helium, Chavez, Pavement, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Yo La Tengo and M Ward

Unfortunately I think that lately theyve had a dry spell when it comes to new signings but there may be signs of this drought being over because theyve just signed Times New Viking.