Customer Reviews

Bring It Back

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Until now, Mates of State has been viewed too much as a curiousity item. "Look! no guitars! and only 2 people in the band! and they're married to each other!" Mates of States have been at it since the late 90s and now release their 4th album.

On "Bring It Back" (10 tracks, 45 min.), the husband and wife team of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel that comprises Mates of State open up their musical landscape, giving it a fuller sound, and to great effect. (If you are not familiar with Mates of State, their sound is similar to, say, Aqueduct.) Check out songs like "Beautiful Dreamer", an all-out rocker (remember, no guitars!). Kori's keyboards are much more fleshed out musically than ever, and Jason's drumming is as hard as ever, but the harmonizing vocals remain one of the best assets of the band. Other highlights of the album include "What It Means", a short but sweet song, "For the Actor", another harder song, and the closer track "Running Out", a 7 min. epic song that starts as off as a sweet song, only to bust loose, what a great way to finish the album.

"Bring It Back" is a breakout album for Mates of State, and one of the best album of 2006. If you have a chance to see them live, don't miss them. I saw them this weekend at the Desdemona Festival in Cincinnait, and they put on a terrific show. Highly recommended.

If there is anyone worthy of making fresh the overall wretched moniker of "indie pop darlings" it is a married couple Mates of State. Indie Pop darlings was an overall easy and corny joke and rundown upon the fact that any other pop album these days are either shiny, unclassifiable, the kind of sway your head to, or simply the ones your little brother/sister will quick get to before they hit their Slipknot and Pussycat Dolls' phase. Well, Mates of State is an absolute proof of not only do indie pop darlings fit them well enough, but they also prove that a joined group that plays together stays together long enough to hop onto another record label. (They were once on Polyvinyl, now they are residing on Barsuk Records.)

Opening with the basic starter, "Think Long", they play an ordinary Indie candidate so well that we barely notice that this band is drums and keyboard. The middle will snap you out of it and have you remember that this album is a melody scanner; an album that should forever be imprinted in your mind. It's when they play "Fraud in the 80's" that you raise the mandatory balloons and start shaking the feet. The chorus is also very considered catchy enough to get you zoning out. With the Mates of State, usually what you will get is a few melodies that will have you guessing that it is home-recorded (Yahoo! Even called the melodies "minimalist"), but "Fraud In The 80's" is a first sign that Mates of State will surely pull their power together to make them sound like there are two more people in the band packing such Garage sound.

"Like U Crazy" is an ultimate love song for the flawed, in where the lines "I like you crazy" doesn't really try to get into your brain, but they don't save the shining moment for just one spot into the song. "Like U Crazy" relies not on the power of the chorus. "Beautiful Dreamer", unfortunately, is not a cover, but in fact a portal to say "a dreamer is a beautiful mess" and have you believe it the whole way. The song even sounds long enough to be an opera you near missed out on. While "What It Means" tries to hold your attention enough to notice that the song isn't as short as it seems, "For The Actor" bursts into the scene, proving no further disappointment with the album. The music makes you wonder if this was pilfered from the Twin Cinema sessions.

"Nature and the Wreck" is THE calm piece of the album that promises never to overload on bombastic pop, but to have you focus on the overall beauty of mutual co-dependency. It has that certain quality of a love couple who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. Just enough to keep you smiling as they near push the human beat addition in the so-so "So Many Ways". And while "Punchlines" bombards your ears with finesse in every move, the illuminating ender "Running Out" is just the song to help take the album to accessible heights in new millennium AM satisfaction. It is even a song that is begging for you to push the repeat button.

I never thought that Mates of State would really get to this very level, but these are the same true Indie Pop darlings (yes, I am using that very loosely) that can create just as much power as any other dynamic Indie Rock album without the consistent use of the standard Rock instruments. And if the Dresden Dolls could push an idea like that, why can't you count on a band like Mates of State to try and top the same idea?

My feelings about this album are that it's better, but it also has some downsides that the other albums didn't have because they were so hyper and that's that they are too repetitious with the ends of songs and that should just know when to cut it off. Other than that the music sounds great and they can only get better from here.

Two things:

1) if you enjoyed Team Boo, you'll enjoy this. Bit calmer, less.. hyper. Just as good.

2) I took "Nature & The Wreck" to be Kori's song to her baby daughter. Quite possibly the sweetest ode to parental love ever. "I know we haven't said enough, but I know I've never loved this much.." (Plus, if you look at the credits, a Magnolia Gardner Hammel gets credit for singing and kazoo playing on that track. Which is of course, the hoot and baby gurgles you hear at the end.)

Trust me, i've been a fan since the beginning. It grows on you until you can't sleep without hearing it in your head. Buy it. You wont regret it.

I agree with my fellow fans who rated this album highly. This album is truly the best Mates of State have put out. However, one must take into account that Mates are now signed with Barsuk, one of the best Indie labels. I like all the other albums, but I really connected with this album from the first listen. I like every song on this album, but I can see why a someone may not like it. Anyone with an ear for good Indie music should hear that this album is truly a masterpiece. "Fraud in the 80's" would have to be my favorite on this album.

Mates of State's newest album, "Bring It Back" is just as good (if not better) than "Team Boo", the duo's previous album."

The album takes awhile to really start, due to the laid-back, almost lazy feel of the opening track, "Think Long." The following track, "Fraud in the 80's" is the band's first single, and it picks up the pace considerably from the previous track. The group's customary harmonies and layered vocals are as prominent as ever, with Jason and Kori's voices melding just as beautifully as on the most polished tracks of "Boo." At one point, the due croons "you will surely find this pleasing to your ears", and its hard to argue with them. Next is the 40's-style doo-wopping ballad, "Like U Crazy", during which one can't help but admire the sincere feelings the two of them share.
"Beautiful Dreamer" and "What It Means" are both strong tracks, with the latter being a rare song that Jason sings solo. I'm not sure if he wrote it with or without Kori, but it definitely has its own sound. "For the Actor" is my personal favorite track on the album, which begs the question why it wasnt the first single, a'la "Ha Ha." Regardless, this song will get stuck in your head as only that "Team Boo" track could.
"Nature and the Wreck" sounds exactly as the emotions it conveys: a sweeping, beautiful ballad in which Kori sings to her newly born daughter. The track ends with the cooing of their baby, which is gonna be cool for that kid when she grows up. "So Many Ways" is slightly weaker than the rest of the tracks, but still stands on its own as a strong track, with Jason really getting a chance to slam those cymbals. "Punchlines" is the second-strongest track on the cd, and is incredibly catchy all the way through, with the two vocalists really getting a chance to layer their instruments. The second half in particular is insanely catchy, with each of them singing in turn to the beat. The final track, "Running Out" is a very strong ending to the cd. At one point during the song, Kori belts "I'm tired of singing!" over and over again. Its difficult to imagine a more appropriate ending to an album.

So yeah, I loved it.

This has to be my favorite Mates album (Team Boo is a close second, and Re-Arrange Us is barely behind that). There's no more concise way to describe this music besides the word "citrus." It sounds like a refreshing glass of lemonade, a splash of lime, a grapefruit soda. Bring It Back is the essence of jubilance--that feeling you get when you're completely free, where you feel like nothing holds you from shouting the lyrics at the top of your voice.

Technically, Mates of State have nothing going for them besides the fantastic, warm sounds of a rock organ, incredible hooks, and vocals you never want to forget about. Basically, they have a lot going for them. Skill at music doesn't matter--I don't want Mates of State to start showing out their instrumental skills. It doesn't need that, and I would argue that restraint in use of complicated or difficult musical motifs is a technical merit rather than a drawback.

I just got the vinyl in the mail today, and after spending several minutes try to determine whether I liked the A side or the B side better, I realized that there wasn't a single song on this record that I didn't absolutely love and sing along with whenever it came on. So if you'll excuse me, I'll put this one back on my turntable and enjoy another 48 minutes, 22 seconds of pure joy.

...is what I felt when first listening to this album. I had been vaguely familiar with Mates of State for the last few years, but their last couple of albums seemed a bit too giddy/sugary sweet for me. Additionally, I honestly do not enjoy vocalists who shout/sing almost entirely in a higher register (as these two do).

This being said, I recently heard both of the singles off of 'Bring it Back' and knew that I had to have the album. I was correct in making this assumption. The album is toned down a couple notches from what I've heard of the duo's previous work. There are lush, bouncy pop songs mixed in with some sweet (but not excessively so) mid-tempo ballads. The singing is also somewhat restrained. This allows for some lovely harmonizing.

As others have said, this is most likely the perfect introduction for folks new to the band's music. I still don't know if I am going to run out and buy their earlier work, but I cannot wait for their next album, which will be released shortly!

Anyway, I'm not typically a fan of pure pop music. This, however, is as good as it gets.

im not here to persuade anyone here since what i write is not going to be at all convincing. i am simply a music lover who has found a great deal of fondness in this mates of state album. i read elsewhere that the duo suffers from the fact that their sound becomes tedious in the second half of the cd because of the lack of instruments. i found this to be completely ridiculous considering if you like the sound in the beginning you will not be lead to disappointment in the end. my favorite tracks actually dont come until near the end of the cd, in the songs "so many ways" and "running out". so many ways just has lyrics that i connected to and their great sound comes through very well here. in running out their sound is probably at its best in my opinion putting kori's voice on display as she brings tears to the heavy hearted with her angelic voice and touch. and i just know for a fact that while i watched them in concert at the great american music hall in san francisco each song was splendidly performed and i have never been more impressed with such a small group of talent. i just hope you dont limit their level of talent in your minds simply because of the limited amount of instruments being used. just needed to make sure i stuck up for them. they are great and should be celebrated.