Band of the Week: Mates of State

[May 25 - June 1]
Mates of State
Sounds Like: Indie-Pop
Drinking Buddies: Au Revoir Simone, Her Space Holiday, Tilly and the Wall
Synopsis: Quietly textured, thoroughly layered pictures of life, magnified, and made audible.
Makes You Want To...: Harmonize; Be in a relationship; Walk in the park.
[Myspace]




One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is Mates of State

Do you feel that? That draft in the air. Do you smell that? That fragrant aroma that is absolutely irresistible. Can you hear that? That wonderful, harmonious sound that you can't deny. Whoever said love was in the air during Spring was clearly a botanist and was thinking of the procreation of plants. I, on the other hand, see love blooming all around. Amongst summer reunions with family, parties with young friends meeting for the first time, or all these wonderful summer concerts cropping up all around, there is plenty to fall for this summer.

Mates of State know all about love. This duo from The Great Plains, who has sense lived on both coasts, now residing in Connecticut, has prided themselves on love. They met amongst the midst of the music scene. They moved to San Francisco together. They married, giving up their careers (a schoolteacher and a cancer researcher) to pursue one of music. They moved to the East Coast and had their beautiful daughter, Magnolia.

If anything, these two have helped define love a little more. They sing their beautiful, amorous lyrics in absolutely heartmelting melodies. They follow the beat of their own drum, while humming the playful tune unique in its own like an organ. Their songs are quirky like any relationship, yet their rhythms ebb and flow, and are always progressive, never growing dull. Both sing their hearts out, and harmonize their lyrics as harmoniously as they are together. If that's not love, I don't know what is.

Mates of State has just released their brand new full-length album, Re-Arrange Us, as of last Tuesday. In support of the new album, our daring duo is giving the United States a summer tour to be remembered. If that wasn't enough to wet your whistle, their discography of four full-length albums (including the well touted Bring It Back), as well as the absolutely memorable tunes from their All Day EP will surely ensnare your heart. Of course, Mates of State has a Myspace. If that wasn't enough, Daytrotter featured them; you can't miss their blend of "Like U Crazy" and "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. And if that wasn't enough, they also have an excellent cover of "California" by Phantom Planet featured on their Myspace. So as you drift into the arms of love (or at least lovely music), you should have a very good week, and I shall see more of you lovers later.

xoxo