Matador's Spring 2008 <i>Intended Play</i> Sampler

Matador has always excelled in throwing together worthwhile compilations, from the impressive What’s Up Matador? (1997), Everything is Nice (1999) and Matador At Fifteen (2004) retrospectives, to the more disposable seasonal promos.

While any hardcore Matador disciple will look at the Spring 2008 Intended Play sampler and tick off seven out of these 12 songs, it’s the five new previews that give this collection its status of temporarily indispensable.

Forgetting everything with a March release date or earlier, the cream of this crop begins with Jay Reatard and the first taste of his seven-inch series that will launch April 8. In an odd decision, Matador jump ahead to his third release and premiere "Always Wanting More,” which demonstrates that Jay can throw in an acoustic and a tambourine to make something less volatile than his standard garage punk explosions. The result comes off sounding like a muscular take on a Cheap Trick ditty.

Shearwater follow up the magnificent Paulo Santo with "Leviathan, Bound,” taken from the forthcoming Rook; very free-spirited in an early ’70s ethereal folk manner, the strings are decadent, and the melodies very sublime.

Matmos drop the obvious concept sampling experiments for something you can almost dance to. Not far from Pong’s very own glittery disco score, it has some acidic reflux scoured throughout the middle that explodes into a code red video game meltdown, but ends on an adorably delicate note.

The most curious contribution is by Jaguar Love, the new meeting of minds by the Blood Brothers’ Johnny Whitney and Cody Votolato, and Pretty Girls Makes Graves’ Jay Clark. "Love Bats Over The Pacific Ocean” is an amphetamine-raging alt-country anthem, marching to an over-excited acoustic strum/snare beat, while Whitney waxes nostalgic and abstract in his inimitable whine. Can’t wait to hear the album (expected in the summer).

Finally, it’s comedy duo Earles & Jensen, who try to take back the prank phone call from those long gone but sadly not forgotten Jerky Boys. Personally, I don’t get what the fuss is; rambling in "black voice” about some the homecoming of a character named "Bleachy”? And really, are we supposed to forget the Earles in question is that blowhard from Magnet’s unanimously and consistently unfunny "Where’s the Street Team?” column? Nope.

Tracklisting:

1. Jay Reatard "Always Wanting More” (from seven-inch #3, due out June 17)
2. Times New Viking "DROP-OUT” (from Rip It Off, released January 22)
3. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks "Cold Son” (from Real Emotional Trash, released March 4)
4. Shearwater "Leviathan, Bound” (from Rook, due out June 3)
5. Cat Power "Metal Heart” (from Jukebox, released January 22)
6. Matmos "Polychords” (from Supreme Balloon, due out May 6)
7. Mission Of Burma "That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate” (from Vs.: The Definitive Edition, released March 18)
8. Jaguar "Love Bats Over The Pacific Ocean” (from Take Me To The Sea, due out this summer)
9. The Cave Singers "Helen” (from Invitation Songs, released last September)
10. Dead Meadow "I’m Gone” (from Old Growth, released February 5)
11. The New Pornographers "All The Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth” (live) (from Live From Soho (iTunes Exclusive), released March 11)
12. Earles & Jensen "Bleachy Is Back In Town, Look Out” (from Just Farr A Laugh Vols. 1 & 2: The Greatest Prank Phone Calls Ever!, due out April 22)

Download Matador’s Spring 2008 Intended Play comp