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In the span of a couple years, Mates of State has turned into a household name within the indie-pop community. The band's highly lauded debut album, My Solo Project, was backed by a successful tour, which accumulated a dedicated fan base-- ultimately resulting in the duo's marriage. To top it all off, Mates of State has churned out 32 more minutes of pure indie-pop bliss on their latest offering, Our Constant Concern.
Our Constant Concern sees the duo at their most comfortable. The songs are consistently strong and have a sense of maturity. The instrumentation is a bit more complex, while the vocal melodies are even more confident than before. With only two musicians, Mates of State create an album with a lot of breathing room yet never comes off as being awkward or unfulfilling.
Stylistically, the 10 songs are merely baby steps away from the songs on My Solo Project. With tangent after tangent, the songs' unpredictable nature never detracts from the cohesiveness of the album, requiring repeated listens to fully realize the songs. As before, the main driving forces are the vocal melodies coupled with air-tight musicianship. Kori Gardner (keyboards) and husband Jason Hammel (drums) belt out their unique vocal arrangements, while the keyboard and drums further accentuate the cute melodies.
As the old adages goes: if it ain't broke, don't fix it; and Mates of State does just that. Aside from the upped sound quality of the recording, Our Constant Concern doesn't stray too far from the formula that initially gained them attention. Any one of these songs could have easily fit on My Solo Project. But be warned: although it's an effective formula, it can wear a little thin-- especially if you're already accustomed to MOS' style. But if you're an MOS virgin, Our Constant Concern is just as good a starting point as any other.
1. Hoarding It For Home
2. 10 Years Later
3. Uber Legitimate
4. Girls Singing
5. I Know, And I Said Forget It
6. Quit Doin' It
7. A Duel Will Settle This
8. Clean Out
9. Halves And Have-nots
10. As Night As Now
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