Mates of State - Bring It Back

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Mates of State are soooo cute! Their playful banter on stage at last summer’s Siren Festival, where they gave the audience a taste of what would be on their latest album, was as sweet as the cotton candy on the Coney Island boardwalk. At last, Bring It Back was released by Barsuk Records in March 2006. The sugar-high indie-pop is fun and infectious, yet poignant at times.

Bring It Back is like a Tootsie Roll Pop: one, two, a-threeeee! spins of its melodies and crunch! you discover some chewy lyrics. Mates of State certainly don’t wax poetic with multi-syllabic words the way more pretentious bands might, but their themes are rich. More mature than their previous albums, Bring It Back seems to parallel the lives of the indie world’s favorite couple. (Sorry, Tomkat and Brangelina.) Now with baby in tow, Kori Gardner (organ, vox) and Jason Hammel (drums, vox) sing about the routine of eating in the same ol’ restaurants all the time and even feature a gurgling infant in one track.

Still, Mates of State are not kidding when they sing, “You will surely find this pleasing to your ears” on “Fraud in the 80’s”. They have a youthful energy that makes you want to roll down all the windows in the car and feel “the sun on your face,” that makes you want to dance, that makes you want to be in love. Jam-packed with bouncy harmonies, “Fraud in the 80’s” and “Punchlines” are destined to become concert favorites.

With Bring It Back, Mates of State are gaining more exposure. They were recently interviewed by fans for Jane magazine, and their music has been pumping through Old Navy store and MTV2 alike. Clearly exhausted from their rigorous tour schedule, a gaunt Jason confessed he was sick at a March concert at Virgin Megastore in Union Square. Still, the twosome put on a fun show to a crowd full of in-the-know New Yorkers with cool haircuts. Mates of State will be hitting the big summer festivals this year and touring with Death Cab for Cutie, so check out their website for info.

Posted on May 15, 2006 12:00 AM