Brighton, England’s Lovejoy is like every other lovable Matinee Records artist in that the songs take you back to a day when Sarah Records ruled the land with indie pop artists that have come to influence a lot of the music I listen to today. Other definites with Matinee releases are Morrissey and The Smiths references and retro covers. A Taste of the High Life is no different with its ancient indy-car cover and Morrissey-style pop.

The Lucksmiths’ recently hit the states on a rare tour for the Australian quartet in support of their latest album, Spring A Leak: A Collection Of B-Sides, Covers, Rarities, And Other Treasures Of The Deep. With select exclusive material, the album does take several vinyl-only tracks and gives them a digital edge. It’s the unreleased live versions and hard to find b-sides that make Spring A Leak a joy.

What is the best way to debut on a record label devoted to the sweetest of indie pop? How about naming the single after a hit song from the ’80s and covering that song as the A-Side? While it may not work for every band, it works almost too well for The Snowdrops. You’ve likely heard the original by Tears for Fears. You probably even like the Gary Jules cover better after seeing it in Donnie Darko. Well, look no further as The Snowdrops have created the ultimate version of …

“Sixteen & Pretty” may be my favorite song by Seattle indie-pop group Math & Physics Club. It is a soft ballad filled with jangle and some light strings. There is little I find sweeter than this song, featuring tambourine in the chorus and lyrics reminiscent of an innocent first kiss.

I cannot decide which item I’m more excited about, the free mp3 of “Dead Hour” or the video of “Mouse Vs. Mountain” by The Guild League. This band has been around a while and hints strongly of The Lucksmiths (thanks to their indie-pop nature, Australian home, and the frontman being none other than Tali White), and their following even includes… President Obama?

As a child I was fascinated with the Beach Boys. Songs about surfing and care-free relations with women on the beach made my feet tap, though many of the latter references were well above my head. All that mattered was that they had hot rods on their record covers and that they looked cool. I found Brian Wilson to be not only the best looking of the bunch, but also the one with the most charm and grace. He appeared natural on the back of the cover while the rest …

This material, though new, is not really new. There are so many parallels between First Frost and the earlier work of The Lucksmiths (MySpace), that it virtually dwarfs any element that could be considered a fresh direction from Australia’s pop darlings. And that is what makes First Frost both extremely comforting and a damn great album.