Customer Reviews

Team Boo

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Mates of State are a keyboard and drums duo. No guitar, no bass. With that said, they still have a classic pop sound. They charmingly layer the vocals the two singers in a Beatlesque manner and their songs jump about between various hooks and bridges like the Beach Boys on speed. Some people may find this annoying if it's not their bag. But if you're not put off by energetic gleeful melodies you should certainly check out this band. If you're into Beulah or New Pornographers this group makes them seem relatively traditional and calm.

Team Boo is obviously more polished than their other efforts, with better sound quality and they have upgraded their keyboards for some verasatile synthesizers. This is the perfect first album to acquaint yourself with the band, because it captures their sonic energy much better than their early albums.

A definite listen is required before purchase. I can understand why this music might rub people the wrong way, the same way a bright light can hurt your eyes. But for people who love to bask in melodic sunlight, ENJOY!

This is a really good album, and you should check it out.

I mostly made this review to say that you can get this album cheaper at http://www.matesofstate.com in the shop section, and they will give you stickers and a free sampler of other Polyvinyl records bands.

This CD may as well have been titled "guilty pleasure," because for me, that's exactly what it is. Somehow Mates Of State have made one of the most immediately catchy and captivating albums in recent memory while defying every notion I had of what makes a good "rock album." The songs on this disc are blatent and direct, saturated with unapologetic, childish glee.
The Mates Of State aesthetic consists of a male/female (and in fact husband/wife) vocal attack, shrill, giddy organs and keys, and thankfully ballsy, solid drums holding it all together. The sound here is as blissful as it is ridiculous, a sort of fun-house ride through pulsating organs hammering out bold, instantly hummable melody lines, tight (sometimes shouted) vocal harmonies that resemble Rainer Maria's back-and-forth dynamic, and strikingly upbeat lyrics. The duo manage to cover a broad range of sounds with this seemingly limited setup. The organs hum like bass guitars, squeal like Strats, and spit out all kinds of crazy sounds and textures in between, giving the ultra-sweet pop tunes on Team Boo a truly undefinable sound.
At face value, this approach recalls the gimmickery of the White Stripes girl-and-guy minimalism. But where that duo's shortcomings are apparent (Meg's miserable drumming and a self-conscious attempt to be lo-fi) both "Mates" are very adept at their respective instruments, creating a full, energizing, and completely satisfying sound. And it all sounds completely genuine, devoid of the pretense with which other indie acts of the day deliver their music.
Tunes like "Ha-Ha," "Whiner's Bio" and "I Got This Feelin'" bounce around between absurdly catchy hooks, sing-songy choruses and chaotic organ noise, and ultimately leave you totally disoriented, but wholly pleased with the experience. The Mates ground these bursts of nervous teenage energy with a couple of well-placed mid-tempo pieces. The surprisingly melancholy "Parachutes" finds the duo singing about a couple who sky-dive to their deaths and appreciate the ride together, over a lulling piano line that tugs at the heartstrings as Kori sings "twenty-five seconds to live, and I'm falling." "An Experiment" follows, with a moody, haunting organ fade-in punctuated with analog blips and beeps. A slow build during the verse gives way to a shimmering chorus highlighting perhaps the best lyrical moment on the disc, "I wonder if I could tie the ocean to your knees..." - an achingly beautiful sentiment that feels right at home on an album so overflowing with raw emotion. It's just that the vast majority of that emotion is pure unadulturated bliss, the likes of which is rare in these times of self-consciously serious rock bands and cold, detached electronica. Give this album a spin before you leave for work in the morning, and you're sure to feel somehow a little better about your day.

I really dug the the first Mates of State CD. My Solo Project had plenty of odd tempo changes, obscure lyrics, and weird beats, accompanied by decisively pop-sounding vocals. To my disappointment, the second cd with the exception of "a duel will settle this" settled into a much more pop consistency of songs, with some of the tracks having choruses sounding like children's rhymes. So how does "Team Boo" measure up? Well, despite the title the third cd tastes much closer to the underground-pop feel of the first. Unfortunately, on occasion Mates spout trite lyrics like "It all begins with a smile" and make various noises usually reserved for mock-pop. Whenever I hear them go "Bom ba bom BA BOm" I have to roll my eyes. I understand Mates of State is not there to appease my personal musical desires, but it aggravates me because they so clearly have the capacity to do so. Anyways, there are enough moments of artistic catchiness that even if it doesn't directly correlate with my tastes I can still enjoy it. And if I have to have one pop CD in my collection I'd rather it be Mates of State than anything else.

Having seen Mates of State (MOS) perform live recently, I can say with assurance that their live act sounds as good if not better than their albums (unlike a lot of lip-synching fiascos today, e.g. Ashlee Simpson, they back up their sound on stage). They pack a lot of energy and enthusiasm for a duo. If you like melodic-driven pop with an experimental edge, this is a good CD to add to your collection. It's not a radio-friendly sound simply because it's so peppy, upbeat and different--in fact that energy is MOS' charm. There is a sweet innocence and appreciation of nonconformity to their music that is so refreshing. The lyrics are not boring or typical but are very singable. They are not afraid to belt out a tune and run with the melody or lyrics. MOS will make you break out your hula hoop or skip down the street. My favorite songs are "Ha Ha," "Open Book," "The Kissaway" and "Parachutes." Their sound reminds me a bit of Bis--yes, the European trio that sang the theme song to Powerpuff Girls. Bonus, the CD pacakaging is beyond cute. You will either love it or hate it so be sure to preview the tracks before buying.

Mates of State are husband-and-wife combo Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel that play spunky childlike drum-and-keyboards pop with slight attention deficit disorder. Case in point: album opener "Ha Ha" is three minutes of rollercoaster loops and ups and downs with sharp tempo twists and turns. And the same goes for "Fluke". Though their harmonies can be a bit grating at times, individually their vocals are often utterly charming, particularly Gardner's. But what is most suprising, is the full sound they create with layers of various synths, carnival-like organs and piano. You'll never miss the absent bass and guitars.

MOS is the band you need to check out if you're getting sick of the run of the mill emo crap that's out there. This album is even better than Our Constant Concern (just barely, though). The mix of the unorthodox harmonies, psychadelic organ, and straight up emo drums really works well. It makes you feel like you're walking home from school during fall in the seventies. "An Experiment" and "Open Book" are two of the most anthemic, moving songs that have come out this year. They'll give you goosebumps.

There is no better word for this album, and with energy coming out the gills from songs like "Ha Ha" and "Whiner's Bio" you'll be trying to hum along as you do your daily run of the mill. While it's sometimes hard to make out the dueling lyrics, it's just as good because it just makes the fun of the music come out. While some of the lyrics are intelligible, there is a certain subjective wordplay here and it makes you want to ask them what certain things mean, but I'm just happy enjoying the energy of it. To those who don't know, it's just a married drums and keys duo and a good one at that.

I had first heard of Mates of State this past winter when my local college radio (www.impact89fm.org) played their cover of David Bowie's "Starman." I searched for some of their music and was really impressed. This disc is simply a blast to listen to, and I still haven't grown tired of it. The songs are incredibly catchy, but not in a radio-friendly way; they're simply too chaotic for that. It amazes me at the complex layers of keyboard/organ sounds that she can create. Kori has some pretty decent drumming as well--not powerful, but crisp and timely. Share this disc with your friends. They'll either love you or hate you for it. (Which means, Listen to this disc before buying it. It's very unique and may turn you off if you're no fun.)

MOS are just getting better with age. On Team Boo, they follow their previous equation for beautiful melodic pop songs with lovey-dovey undertones. From a musician standpoint, Kori's vocals really have matured on this album, and Jason is as tight as ever on the drums. The harmonies these two produce are just downright some of the best in music today, regardless of genre. Kori's keys really add a lot to this album. There is some GREAT low end on this album and Jason's drums just sound stellar. Jim Eno (Spoon's Drummer) produced or engineered this record, and it sounds great!

Team Boo's songs flow together so much better than their previous records. Tracks 3-5 have that "can't listen to one without the others" feel to them (you know...like Heartbreaker-->Living Loving Maid by Zep). Tracks like Ha Ha & Whiner's Bio kick the album off like a roller coaster's first ascent. "Open Book" has some stellar background vocals & harmonies during what I'll call the chorus "Tell me what you have...". On Track 5 "Middle Is Gold" check out Kori's vocal harmony (and dynamic range) at the end during the "You can get" refrain. Simply stunning, and probably one of the best harmonies I've EVER heard! The album tails out with some equally addicting songs like Experiment and Sound It Off with the keys and drums just sounding like a raucous party! Tie it all up with a soft little diddy "Separate the People" and you are going to be reaching for the "repeat all" button on your CD player...guaranteed.