Twenty years, countless songs and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of jangly guitar hooks. Mythical Motors, the long-running project of Matt Addison, celebrates two decades of gloriously melodic DIY pop with Selections from the Psychic’s Museum, Volume 2 (2006–2026). Released through Subjangle, this 40-track double album offers a lovingly curated trip through the band’s extensive back catalogue. We caught up with Matt to talk about digging through the archives, rediscovering old favourites and the enduring appeal of the greatest-hits album.

You released Selections from the Psychic’s Museum in 2016, covering your first decade, and now you’re returning to the idea for a 20-year retrospective. How did the idea for a second volume come about? Was it something you’d been thinking about for a while, or did a particular moment make you realise it was time?

I had been hoping to releases volume 2 for quite a while. I’m happy and grateful to have been able to do this for 20 years and counting, and it seemed like an occasion worthy of commemoration.

Forty tracks across two discs is a lot of music to choose from, especially with such an extensive catalogue. How did you approach the selection? Were you looking for the songs that best represent Mythical Motors, your personal favourites, or perhaps tracks you felt deserved more attention the first time around?

I was hoping to compile a collection that would serve as a good entry point for Mythical Motors. I definitely chose some of my favorites, as well as songs that best represent our discography. And since it was being released by Subjangle, I also wanted to appeal to fans and supporters of the label. So, while I wanted the compilation to contain some variety of song styles, I didn’t include some of our heavier, more psychedelic material. Ultimately, I think it’s a good overview of Mythical Motors that does include some garage/post-punk songs and a few slower, more atmospheric numbers, while still leaning heavily towards jangly power-pop.

What is it like revisiting songs you wrote years or even decades ago? Do you hear them differently now, perhaps noticing things you missed at the time, or do some of them still take you straight back to the person you were when you made them?

I think it’s a little of both. As I was assembling this compilation, I listened to several songs that I hadn’t heard in a few years and some of them seemed new again, almost like hearing them for the first time. Other songs reminded me of the time when Mythical Motors was still playing live, as there are a few songs featured here that were once live staples.

You’re working with Subjangle again for this release. What makes that relationship work for you, and how important is a label with a genuine passion for jangle pop and independent guitar music in helping a project like Mythical Motors find its audience?

It’s been great getting to work with Darrin at Subjangle. His label has released tons of great music and I’ve been enjoying recent albums from Victims Of The New Math, Shapes Like People, and Hamlet to name a few.

For me, I think that Subjangle has helped to bring my music to a new more pop-focused audience. Darrin is able to release lots of music at a quick pace, and that has made it possible for me to release several CDs in a short amount of time. My first release for the label was a compilation of tracks that were previously only available digitally called The Painted Unseen. Subjangle also released the CD version of my most recent album, Tremolo On The Punchline, which was released on vinyl by Repeating Cloud and Best Brother Records. And since Subjangle is based outside of the U.S., they have helped to make some of my music more readily available overseas.

Greatest-hits albums used to be a Christmas staple, the perfect gift for fans who already owned all the regular albums. I love the idea of bringing back that grand old tradition. Any chance you’ll throw in some Mythical Motors wrapping paper to complete the package?

I hadn’t considered Mythical Motors wrapping paper, but maybe I should look into that!

Listen to Selections from the Psychic’s Museum, Volume 2 on Bandcamp