Mates
of State
My Solo Project
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REVIEWS
Splendid E-zine
Occasionally, I get lucky enough to meet really charming people.
Everyone loves them on sight, and they're impossible to dislike, unless you're
the Grinch or something. Ida is a prime example; when I met them at a show
interview, I was amazed by how content they were with their lot -- a
rare thing to see in D.C., which seems full of slightly jaded and languidly
hip people. Mates of State's My Solo Project is so bubbly, so happy, so up
that on first hearing, you're sure you'd invite Kori Gardner and Jason
Hammel back to your house for a beer the minute you met them. They seem
ecstatically in love with life and each other, and their music
instantly conveys this, from the opening track, in which Kori's sister Kelly
sings the theme song from Cheers, to the last song (an analog recording of Kelly
singing the theme song to Fame). MOS even loves happy TV, it seems, and
that just adds to their likeability.
Given such raves, it's probably reasonable to wonder if MOS at some
point descend into kitschiness or general too-tweeness. Representing such
genuine joy must be difficult to balance, but they do it. With only the
cheerful burbling of Gardner's ancient Hammond organ and Hammel's oddly beat
drum kit, the sweet -- but not saccharine -- pop shines through, proving
that simple, classic stylings are frequently better. Their harmonies are
pleasingly textured -- Gardner and Hammel's voices intertwine
skillfully, blending and then echoing like round singers. The melodies are always
pretty, but you can feel the underlying punk influence of Hammel's
musical tastes with the harder rocking edges of some songs, as in "La'hov" and
"Names". The latter opens with a chorus of "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" that
sounds like the songs you wished the Partridge Family would play when you were
a kid . "La'hov" opens with the energetic, punkish chorus "Thought about
who you are" and simple organ chords; this song relies on the interplay of
the vocals to charm you. "I Have Space" is built more around Gardner's
higher, girlish tones and a lovely organ melody. The drums are limited and
muted, and Hammel chimes in only now and again to harmonize. "Everybody Needs
an Editor" sounds like a realistic love song from a punk perspective.
Every song is a bit different, even though the overall feel is as unified as
the singers' hearts and voices.
Great art requires great love from the artist. My Solo Project makes
you feel that love.
-Jenn Sikes
TUNE FILTER
Wow, where do we start!
Here we were, distinguished guests of the CMJ Change Music in San
Francisco in August - popping on down to the Edinburgh Castle to catch a couple
of acts in that weekend's festivities. Unbeknownst to us, a local band
which had yet to cross tunefilter's path - Mates of State - were headlining
this fine Saturday night. We're one of about 75 people crammed in the warm,
cozy Castle upstairs as the opening act departs the stage. Cold beverage in
hand, we eagerly await as the headliners set up.
The drums get set up (we partake another cold beverage). A decidedly
normal looking girl in Gap shirt and jeans - a feat in and of itself in the SF
music scene - heaves a some-odd 70 pound, circa 1970 Yahama keyboard
top on a stand and hooks it up. We partake more beverage and groan from the
back-breaking memory of having to lift mom's Hammond and Leslie when
unpacking the van on Sundays during the parent's wedding band days. But
the unsettling feeling we have, yet haven't quite formed into a question
yet, was, where's everyone else? More beverage, more set up, but still no guitars being carried on to
the stage. Finally, setup activity ceases and the band takes the stage.
It finally dawns on us - there is no guitar player. There's no bass
player! It's just said girl behind the ole Yahama and an equally as normal,
lanky midwestern looking dude on drums. Catching us in the middle of
scratching our heads, the Mates (yeah, okay, now we see the obvious) suddenly
start rocking out. The look of confusion soon turns to puzzlement as we try
to comprehend what we're seeing. Sound like it's coming from a dozen
people as Gap-clad girl has both hands flying all over that Yahama while belting
(and we mean BELTING) out the vocals. Midwestern boy matches every key with
a drum lick of his own while belting his own vocals in perfect harmony.
Our mouth is agape as this perfectly controlled shouting match carries
itself out over shear drum and keyboard dexterity. And on top of all
of this, just when we think we've got the groove of the song down, it
picks up and takes a 90 degree turn into a whole different direction. Four bars
of intro may be thrown out the window for 8 bars of staccato scales which
suddenly give way to a driving beat with the potential energy that we
last saw on Fugazi's 13 songs. We don't know whether to throw our heads
through a wall or sit down with a calculator to figure out the tune. So,
bemused and baffled, we drink and try to enjoy.
Epilogue
We've been spinning My Solo Project at tunefilter HQ for about a good
month now and that same energy we saw at the Castle comes across beautifully
on this recording (and when we saw them again at Kimo's in September).
Their songs are probably not for everybody - after all, twelve bars of the
average Mates song probably hit more notes than an entire Limp Bizket album.
But we can't get the tension lined melodies of their their best tunes -
La'hov, Throw Down, and Tan/Black - out of our heads. Surely among the best
songs released this year.
-savo
PORTLAND MERCURY
MATES OF STATE
My Solo Project
(Omnibus Records)
****
This album is absolutely perfect. Yes. This is a perfect album. It
crosses
genre boundaries so well I can't imagine who wouldn't like it. Kori
Gardner
and Jason Hammel, who comprise Mates of State, have cut out the best
elements of emo and pop wave like a valentine, leaving the overwhelming
sugar and self-consciousness to more fad-susceptible musicians. Their
base
of vocal harmonies is relentlessly catchy, but powerful, painstaking
musicianship isn't sacrificed to make it that way. Track 4 will be
branded
on your brains--its funky Wurlitzer, milk-and-crackers chorus, and
winky
bass will make you dance the crusty-punk cabbage patch. God! At least
go
listen to this album. Mates of State is like a thinking person's
Hanson;
it's so fucking happy, if you say you hate it, you're either lying or
hopelessly bitter. And that ain't cool. JULIANNE SHEPHERD
EAST BAY EXPRESS
MATES OF STATE: My Solo Project (Omnibus)
Lovers yelling at each other
never sounded so good. The boyfriend/girlfriend duo of Kori Garner and
Jason
Hammel are a more playful Quasi, driven by loads of organ, propulsive
pauses
and delightfully nonsensical lyrics. Fans of the much-missed PEE will
be
overjoyed to see Jim and Kelly's legacy being carried on (albeit with a
touch less math); everyone else should be overjoyed that these badass
rockers deign to call the Bay Area home.
EAST BAY EXPRESS
MATES OF STATE: My Solo Project (Omnibus)
My Solo Project is the first full-length from the Bay Area duo Mates of
State and it's chock-full of twinkly pop goodness. After a few enticing
singles, the album continues to showcase the bubbly power of two:
besides
the vocal harmonies, the pair utilizes only keyboard and drums.
Although the
approach is minimal, the discordant jubilance of the music shines
through.
Songs such as "A Control Group" frantically gallop past, but the frenzy
often cools mid-track on numbers including "Everyone Needs an Editor"
or
"Proofs." The slowed tempo emphasizes the vocal pairing, melding quite
nicely at times and in a more agitated manner on other tracks. The
keyboards
often have a sweet, tinkling, childish tone. Kick in the drums and
vocals,
and the sound is much more mature. Spacey pop, humming melodies, rants
and
raves it's easy to forget that only two people are responsible for this
much
sound.
Mo Herms
Mates Of State "My Solo Project" (Omnibus)
Armed with one Yamaha organ, a drum set, and two of the most amazing
voices
you've heard, Mates Of State have definately conquered a sound that
most
four-piece bands can't accomplish. I first saw these two late last
year, and
they have brought a breath of fresh air to the San Francisco scene and
I
have been following them closely ever since. I will say without
hesitation,
that this band will be the next big thing in the indie circuit. Not
only are
MOS a great band, but the label, Omnibus, is one of my favorite new
record
labels, featuring The Shins, Electro Group, and many more.
(Kevin Evinger) HECKLER MAGAZINE http://www.heckler.com
Gutless (e)-zine
Mates Of State could easily be called a mix of
Quasi and Rainier Maria. Actually, I stole that
comparison from my friend Ryan. It's the perfect
description. The Mates hail from the California
Bay Area. Their latest effort, "My Solo Project"
is on Omnibus Records. The most important aspect
of their appeal is their enthusiasm. You know
they smile a lot while playing, and the Yamaha
organ is their best friend. The cover is of a
man and woman, in black body suits, carrying a
small watercraft to sea, with a crowded beach
behind them. If the people are Kori and Jason,
their watercraft is pure pop glee. Their vocals
overlap interestingly on "Proofs". It's not
always a sing-a-long, but it often is. I cannot
overstate the the simple wisdom of the phrase
"Yeah, it hardly matters" (from "Proofs"). The
remainder of the CD is a.... my mental thesaurus
is failing me here. I certainly have a fondness
for artists who can turn a flicker switch on in
your head when you're feeling a little blue...and
make you bob your head and tap your feet instead,
realizing the beauty that is all around you.
Based on the picture of Kori and Jason inside the
CD, and the disarming "live in the moment"
perspective in their lyrics, you can sense their
love for the music they've created. (SC)
Slide The Needle
Mates Of State "My Solo Project" (Omnibus)
Yay! More songs by this amazing duo! This like their other stuff with great
hooks and emotionally driven vocals. Their sound is upbeat popness with
organs, drums and a lot of cute boy/girl singing. Plus to top it off, this
is a couple, hence their name. I hope this band gets the recognition they
deserve so please don't miss out and overlook this band. Plus they rock just
as much live and they're great people to meet. My Solo Project is full of
songs that don't stop with the feel good harmonies, but what's cool with
this band is their skill to know how to pick it up and when to slow down.
Highly recommended (JK)
DELUSIONS OF ADEQUACY
MATES OF STATE "MY SOLO PROJECT" (Omnibus)
Damn, who would have thought two people, with only two basic instruments,
could make so much noise? Mates of State are Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel,
and the two only play keyboards and drums. But the combination of the
keyboards, the drumming, and the boy/girl vocals make it easy to forget
you're hearing a simple duo here.
This is some impressive pop/rock music, made
all the more impressive by
Gardner and Hammel singing together. Their voices contrast each other
perfectly, in the same way that Rainer Maria's boy/girl vocals contrast each
other. In fact, the best comparison I could make for Mates of State is
Rainer Maria's two singers doing the vocals for a synth-pop band like
Wolfie. Odd comparison, but it works so perfectly.
"Proofs" is my favorite song
on this album, probably because it has an
intensity that pushes it more toward the rock end than the pop end, and
Gardner's "Yeah-ahhh!"s are pretty damn cool! The keyboards take center
stage on songs like "What I Could Stand For," providing a very full sound,
both organ, synthesizer, and assorted other sounds to accompany the drumming
and dual singing. "La-hov" is just cute, a slower but pretty song with a
light poppy beat and more emphasis on Gardner's vocals. The band even
manages to make a complete, full sound when they just sing to the soft
drumming, as on "La-hov." I love the emotion with which Gardner belts out
her lyrics on "Nice Things That Look Good," and "A Control Group" runs the
gambit from slower, keyboard-heavy pop to faster and more emphatic power and
blasting vocals. The duo slows things down on "I Have Space," and it's nice
to hear they can sing slow and prettily as well as louder and more powerful.
"Tan/Black," for some reason, totally reminds me of a Billy Joel song. That,
and the fact that they use the organ sound a bit too much, makes this my
least favorite song here. But they make up for it with the very poppy and
slightly new-wavey "Ride Again."
I think Mates of State are my new favorite pop
band. Keyboard pop is
generally not my thing, but this doesn't really sound like that. It's
amazing what these two people do with two instruments and an emphasis on
their singing, and the singing really has to be heard to believe. Great, fun
pop songs, some even with an emo quotient. The Rainer Maria vs. pop bands
like Wolfie, Dressy Bessy or others is the best comparison. But you've got
to hear them for yourself. -Jeff
Mates Of State "My Solo Project"
from http://www.adkg.com
Granted, I still haven't heard the new Modest Mouse CD, but this here is
the
best CD of 2000. Mates of State are a two-piece organ-and-drums,
boy-girl
combo from San Francisco. These two can sing like there's no
tomorrow, and
construct some damn good pop songs in-between. Now before
you go off making
comparisons to Rainer Maria and the like, listen up:
Jason, the drummer, has a
high, slightly whiny voice, which perfectly
complements the sweet soothing
voice of Kori, the organist. The lyrics,
while tending to be a tad
repetitious, have a sort of nonsensical
understanding to them. You know what
they are saying, even though a lot of
it is a bit off-kilter. Kori gets sounds
out of her organ that I could
never imagine, creating a virtual undersea
adventure for "Nice Things That
Look Good," generating an almost polka-feel for
"A Control Group" and
putting an anthematic vibe to "La'hov" that all of the
sudden will flip
into a mellow dance beat. These sort of crazy!
time and style changes occur
i
n an abundance of their songs, all of which are pulled off astoundingly
well on
recording and live in concert. Kori also seems to have a knack for
using plays
on words, with lyrics such as "I am not your yellow knot" and
"You come in
twos, you're coming to." They sound a little cheesy, but in
the context of the
music, they will slide right from her mouth to your
ears, where you will enjoy.
I can only find one possible fault with this
CD: it looks like Jason and Kori
are an item, so if they break up, that
might be the end of the band. Please do
not break up. Besides that, I
have no qualms about recommending this CD to
anyone who appreciates a good
pop song, and also to anyone who does not. Mates
of State will change your
mind. If anyone can listen to this CD all the way
through and not be able
to hum at least one part of a song, they must be deaf.
Everyone, please go
buy this; I will guarantee you will not be disappointed.
-Scott Heisel
SF Bay Guardian
Mates of State
My Solo Project (Omnibus)
In all of its post-hardcore strains,
emo is a nostalgic aesthetic in which
its authors dreamily gaze back to the malaise of suburban adolescence.
Musically, it's a sound that evolved from the furious urgency of Fugazi but
is wholly devoid of a political agenda. Instead emo taps into the awakening
of the emotional self, earnestly exposing the first feelings of life as an
awkward teenager. For Sunny Day Real Estate it was the alienation of being
mocked for going to church youth groups; for the Get Up Kids it was the
confusion of getting dumped by a girl and/or beat up by the football team.
For
the San Francisco duo Mates of State, the catalyst that propelled them
from childhood into adult awareness was love, or – perhaps less profoundly –
the bright-eyed innocence of a first crush. Mates of State's Spartan
instrumentation for a clunky '70s Yamaha organ, a drum kit, and girl-boy
vocals has served them well in attaining a warm and almost groovy emo sound.
My Solo Project, their first album after a few singles, proves that the lack
of guitars does not translate to a lack of depth. While the songs follow the
best of emo formulas, with complex arrangements and strained vocal harmonies
from Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, this is not an angst-ridden collection;
it's full of whimsy and daydreaming. While indie hipster references to the
Young Marble Giants and PEE pop up quite noticeably in Mates of State's
work, their breathtaking vocal harmonies recall such terminally uncool yet
undeniably catchy '70s and '80s icons as Air Supply and the Bee Gees. Mates
of State's nearly perfect pop debut succeeds by, thankfully, refraining from
any irony that lesser artists would inject into the music. (Jim Haynes)
Alice Kenner review of Mates album in
Luna Kafe (Norway)
from Section M
Nintendo-emo. It's f*cking brilliant.
San Francisco's drum and organ duo Mates Of State say no to conventional pop
and indie rock with a childlike innocence and courage on their latest
release from Omnibus Records, My Solo Project. The band's first CD
(previously recorded material was released only on 45's) stays surprisingly
true to their live sound, and demonstrates some good old-fashioned punk
integrity, although their music can hardly be pigeon-holed as such. In
fact, they're not very punk at all - Mates Of State harnesses a similar
energy, like two kids taking on the world, with only their ambition and
music to spur them on. And the nostalgic 8-bit quality of the gigantic organ
that Kori Gardner wields like a rhinoceros, coupled with the hard-hitting
drum work of Jason Hammel on his modest jazz kit, puts the listener right
alongside them on their sonic crusade.
One of the primary highlights of the band is their unique girl/boy vocal
interplay, in which neither one tries to out-do the other with a
"more-lead-singer-than-thou" stance. Instead, the duo harmonizes with each
other, takes turns in the lead role, and in many cases, doubles the lead
part which often evolves into an unobtrusive call-and-answer. Their melodies
have an incessant knack for getting stuck in your head, but do not stray
much from their own formula, which is arguably Mates Of State's only
downfall. True to the punk mentality, however, their songs are rarely over 3
minutes long, and change sections so quickly and with enough variety and
dynamics that they are anything but monotonous or unoriginal.
My Solo Project is a collection of ingenious pop gems, filled to the brim
with radio-friendly hit after hit, with a semi-sloppy indie flair that makes
the band all that more endearing. "Proofs" begins the main course, with
Gardner's tastefully distorted keyboard spilling out a melodic phrase worthy
of classical acclaim, leading into the first of many glorious doubled anthem
lines, "Yeah-ah! It hardly matters..." which hooks your hear immediately and
leads you through the rest of the album on a string. "La'Hov" is easily one
of the "hits" of the CD, and "Nice Things That Look Good" wins the award
for "Most Heart-wrenching Chorus in an Upbeat Pop Song". Other memorable
moments include the ballad of the album, "I Have Space", where Gardner
replaces the organ with a Cheers-tone piano and lays down a remarkably
innovative descending line. Also ecstatically noteworthy, the Mega-Man-ish
keyboard melody on "Throw Down", the choruses in "A Control Group" and
"Everyone Needs An Editor" and all of "Ride Again".
Of course, if you want to hear my favorite Mates Of State song, you'll have
to purchase "Its The Law" on vinyl ("Thought you were alright, but I would
die withought you... by ...my ...side"), but this album is a must-have for
any CD collection. Go buy the album right now. It's f*cking brilliant.
-Judah Nagler (Section M)
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