It is possibly the only stable and steady relationship in the realm of indie pop. Instead of writing songs based on failed relationships and heartaches, Mates of State have celebrated their bountiful relationship, love and joy for each other in their music. The bond they share proves to be incredibly strong and deep, especially on their latest release, Bring It Back.
Throughout their musical career, the duo, Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, have developed a rich, unique sound, leaving listeners in awe of their intensity, dizzying melodies and the passion they evoke in their music. Bring it Back is their first release on the Barsuk label, and Mates of State take Team Boo to another level by creating a more mature, dynamic and full sound. Their overall charm and distinctive vocals come through in full force as they easily crank out feel good tunes and sentimental tracks.
Their sound is still driven by the piano and drums and their harmonious vocal banter is hard to top—it is almost viral, giving listeners no choice but to sing along. They use their strong vocals to their advantage, almost as if they add two more instruments into the mix. The album starts off with Think Long,\ which seems a bit mellow, but in classic Mates of State style, they rapidly switch directions, change tempos and build up more vocals, drums and organ. The track points to changes in their sound; they have a quality to their music, but they do not stray far from their roots.
Their single, ""Fraud in the 80s"" captures the essence of Mates of State's music, as it harkens back to ""Ha Ha"" and ""Haves and Have-nots."" The track is laced with layers of organ and vocals, which all build up craziness and ends with powerful vocals. ""For the Actor"" is another carefree, danceable track, showing how a simple melody can become complex. Mates of State create a great hook, and they are able to change direction a number of times in the track and add in guitar into the mix. ""So Many Ways"" and ""Punchlines"" continue to build energy while resembling older material and being incredibly addicting.
While Mates of State specialize in creating up-beat, feel good tracks, they are able to show their emotions through their ballads. Their bond shines in ""Like U Crazy,"" and ""Nature and the Wreck,"" as their sentimental side is captured perfectly. ""Like U Crazy"" is one of the strongest of the album, since they use vocals as instruments and experiment with more innovative sounds. The meaningful lyrics complement the instruments, and ""Nature and the Wreck"" pulls at the heartstrings with a piano counter-melody that captures the emotions behind the lyrics. Gardner's approach on the piano is absolutely stunning—simple, but with great depth. It is these two tracks that showcase how incredibly diverse and musically gifted Mates of State are.
Bring it Back is seamless and incredibly fluid, arranged in a way that all the tracks fit together and complement the others. These mates bring their listeners back to the foundation that they created with their sound, but also bring them a more dynamic, mature sound that is undeniable.
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