I did it! I think I have discovered the cure for depression! Bring It Back! Mates Of State’s newest is an album full of infectious indie-pop, from which the only disease you will catch is love.
As far as gimmicks go, this band has got the very best - a husband and wife duo, who recently had a daughter, dropped their day jobs as a teacher and a cancer researcher, and have been touring the world since 2001. Of course, Mates Of State are the real thing and don’t need a gimmick to make a fan of you or me.
Bring It Back is the couple’s fourth full-length album (among a handful of EPs and singles), and it marks a new evolution for the band. Technical knowledge acquired from the road through extensive touring over the years was “brought back” to the studio, leading to greater experimentation in the studio during the recording of Bring It Back. Also, their writing and recording style had to mature as they had to also be a mommy and daddy. Instead of their normal way of writing in small durations throughout the year, they had to compress their efforts into a few hour shifts and then fine-tune their work individually.
As much as I love Mates Of State, I have to say that the songwriting shift can be heard. Bring It Back does not stand up as tall as their last full length, Team Boo. Fans of the Mates’ previous works will definitely be able to tell contemporary Mates Of State from older releases. That being said, Bring It Back still has that ‘classic’ Mates Of State sound lead by the bass-heavy organ of Kori Gardner and the creative drumming of hubby Jason Hammel. Fans will still hear the vocal harmonies of these lovers over the complex and lighthearted music.
Bring It Back begins with “Think Long,” which sets the pace for the rest of the album. The very upbeat, chipper drumming and shouts of ‘get up or get out’ in the background by Hammel lay the foundation for Gardner’s sultry voice which takes us back to Mates Of State days past. The vocals at times overlap and then other times are alternating, and are sometimes hard to discern because of Hammel and Gardner’s similar voices (that’s a nice way of saying “Jason Hammel sounds like a girl).
Article comments