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Avg: 4.0 (3 ratings)
- Date Released: March 21, 2006
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Style: Alternative
- Label: Moshi Moshi Records / RoyaltyShare
Handsome married synth ’n’ drums duo release their first record on indie powerhouse Barsuk.
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We Say...
Mates of State is a band Christopher Guest might create if he made a Mighty Wind-style mockumentary on indie bands of the Noughties. Not only are Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel a handsome married synth ’n’ drums duo who take their darling daughter Magnolia on tour with them, they also have a tendency to sing at each other onstage. The radiation of positivity is so strong you can’t help thinking it’s faintly sinister. And that falls right into their trap — they want us to stop being so self-conscious, so knowing, so cynical and just get on with enjoying their most ambitious set of anthemic lo-fi pop yet. From the same Barsuk stable as They Might Be Giants, Jim Noir and Death Cab for Cutie, they’re like a grown-up Go! Team reared on power-pop rather than breaks and beats. Every morbid teenager in the country should own a copy.
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They Say...
Bring It Back is Mates of State's fourth album and their first for new label Barsuk. Usually by the time of a band's fourth album they start to sound like the last half of their new label's name. That's not the case here, not by a long shot. The duo of Kori Gardner (various keyboards/vocals) and Jason Hammel (drums/vocals) have actually improved, and the album sports stronger songs, a fuller sound, more emotional weight, and an exuberant soul that spills out of the speakers like milk and cake at a kid's birthday party. It's hard to pinpoint what makes this record more satisfying than the rest of their excellent back catalog. Perhaps it is the reliance on more piano than usual, maybe the richer vocals of Gardner, maybe the punchy and powerful production from Bill Racine, or that the band has added some guitar and bass to their sound. It's a combination of all that, but most of all it's the number of memorable songs, which count among some of the best of their career. There are songs with surging vocal harmonies ("Beautiful Dreamer," "So Many Ways"), songs with choruses that inspire you to add your own heartfelt vocal contributions ("Fraud in the 80s," "For the Actor"), songs with spine-tingling dynamic shifts ("What It Means," "Think Long"), songs that make a fuzzed-out organ seem like the coolest possible instrument, ("Punchlines"). A song like "Running Out" (a monumental epic that starts as a simple ballad and builds to a heart-wrenching climax complete with a vocal choir) shows how assured and interesting the band has become. Mates of State started off their career as a kind of curiosity (no guitars!) but have grown into the kind of group where you can't wait to see what they will do next, even if it is only to release records like Bring It Back that strengthen and perfect their formula. Mike Love would be proud.
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You Say...
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TRACK UNAVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
One or more tracks from this album are unavailable for download at this time.
| 01. |
Think Long |
4:44 | ||
| 02. |  |
Fraud In The 80's |
4:22 |  |
| 03. | |
Like You Crazy |
3:58 | |
| 04. | |
Beautiful Dreamer |
4:39 | |
| 05. | |
What It Means |
2:25 | |
| 06. |
For The Actor |
4:33 | ||
| 07. | |
Nature And The Wreck |
2:22 | |
| 08. | |
So Many Ways |
3:56 | |
| 09. | |
Punchlines |
3:53 | |
| 10. | |
Running Out |
6:51 | |
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10 Total Tracks, 41:43 Total Length
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Credits
- Brian Paulson - Engineer // Emily Lazar - Mastering // Sean McCabe - Art Direction // Sean McCabe - Design // Sean McCabe - Photography // Jason Hammel - Group Member // Kori Gardner - Group Member // Dave Heise - Percussion // Dave Heise - Choir, Chorus // Bill Racine - Bass // Bill Racine - Trumpet // Bill Racine - Noise // Bill Racine - Producer // Bill Racine - Engineer // Bill Racine - Mixing // Ben Dickey - Management // Sam Miller - Percussion // Sam Miller - Choir, Chorus // Jim Aveni - Percussion // Jim Aveni - Choir, Chorus // Gene Park - Viola
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