Mates of State
http://www.matesofstate.com
styles: indie pop, indie rock
others: Quasi, the Spinanes, Death Cab for Cutie
 Bring
It Back
Barsuk, 2006
rating: 2.5/5
reviewer: jspicer
Mates of State cause great nostalgia. The sounds of Bring It Back echo
late '80s and early '90s pop. I'm reminded of school boy days running amuck
during the dog days of a midwestern summer. Nothing to tie me down, no teachers
to obey, and tons of radio stations full of the latest pop hits to keep me
company. And while Bring It Back would have been a fantastic fit during
the times of bubblegum pop stars and glam metal heroics, the album feels a
little out of place. "Nature and the Wreck" could have been that Debbie Gibson
or Susanna Hoff ballad to make your 13 year old sister crush even harder on the
16-year-old hunk next door. The synth heavy "So Many Ways" perverts the Quasi
ethos into a grab bag of Flock of Seagulls anthems and 'Til Tuesday parodies.
And how apropos that Bring It Back would house "Fraud in the 80s," which
is indeed the biggest rip-off of electronic pop from the decade of decadence.
It's hard to shake the image of college freshmen dancing in hot pants and leg
warmers, snorting lines of coke, and doing those cheesy shimmies that were
televised to a confused populace during the last legs of American Bandstand.
Those of us who were wide-eyed and naive thought life in our teens would be as
dreamy and peachy as MTV promised. Of course, we were the generation that turned
our backs on the Izod, Hypercolor, Roxette '80s for a marginalized wardrobe of
torn denim and baggy flannel shirts. Apparently Mates of State would prefer to
forget most of the '90s and travel back to a time when radio was innocent,
carefree, and driven by "Word Up." You can't fault them for wanting to recapture
that time, to put it in a bottle and unleash it for a crowd wanting to hear fun,
but good pop. Sadly, Bring It Back--appropriate title and all--is at best
shaky. It all seems a bit too canned and contrived. While trying to bring it
back, Kori and Jason have taken a few steps back.
1. Think Long
2. Fraud in the 80s
3. Like U Crazy
4. Beautiful Dreamer
5. What it Means
6. For the Actor
7. Nature and the Wreck
8. So Many Ways
9. Punchlines
10. Running Out
 Our
Constant Concern
Polyvinyl, 2002
rating: 3/5
reviewer: xiou
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
 My
Solo Project
Omnibus, 2000
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: ranzgirl
I was first introduced to the San Francisco based, Mates of State as an opening
band for the beautifully bubbly Beulah. Now, most opening bands normally serve
the function of giving the audience time to go to the bathroom or refill their
drinks; but something was intriguingly different about this one. A) It was a
duo. B) The girl reminded me a lot of one of the Brady girls (Jan, perhaps?). C)
They really seemed to love what they were doing.
Kori Gardner is the "girl" on organ and vocals, paired up with Jason Hammel on
drums as well as harmonizing vocals. But they pull off their parts so well you
don't even miss the guitar and bass. The two of them project this charismatic
energy with their melodic songs and whimsical lyrics that can't help but be
memorized.
So I did what I have very rarely done at a show… dropped down my ten bucks for
their debut album, My Solo Project. The first track struck me as utterly
odd; it was a toned down version of the theme music to Fame. I wondered
if I had picked up someone else's album by mistake. The next eight tunes,
however, made me grin from ear to ear. “Proofs” kicks things off with an
organ-smashing tune blended in with methodical drumbeats. Most of the tunes on
this album have the same prescription of organs and drums. Some of them are more
cohesive than others. “A Control Group” is one of the standout tracks. The
blending of vocal backgrounds behinds these two instruments is quite impressive
and refreshing. I was not getting the typical: bass, drums, guitar sound that we
are so accustomed to. This is an ingenious duo, one that I have never come
across.
Someone told me that these two were recently married. Well, I would not doubt it
because seeing them in person is like watching them flirt on stage. Gardner has
this very cute, but not annoyingly cute voice, that's not perfect, but fits
perfectly with Hammel's. Both work equally hard note for note, tempo change for
tempo change and they still manage to keep their enthusiastic pace going. Though
their lyrics aren't exactly profound and most times what you think you hear
doesn't even make sense, it's all still good fun.
1. Names
2. Proofs
3. What I Could Stand For
4. La'hov
5. Nice Things That Look Good
6. A Control Group
7. Throw Down
8. I Have Space
9. Everyone Needs an Editor
10. Tan/Black
11. Ride Again
12. More in Me
|