Moonsigns  |  Band Guide  |  Blogs  |  In Pictures  |  Adult
Boston  |  Portland  |  Providence
 
Music
CD Reviews  |  Classical  |  Download  |  Live Reviews  |  Music Features  |  New England Music News

Mates of State: Re-Arrange Us

Barsuk
By BEN WESTHOFF  |  June 3, 2008
4.0 4.0 Stars
matesofstateINSIDE.jpg
Although their last CD experimented with song structure, for their fifth album, Mates of State sought out and found the perfect pop tune. Ten of them, actually. The title, I imagine, refers equally to the members’ family (husband-and-wife team Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner recently had another daughter and moved to New York), their group (they’re joined by players from Spoon and Death Cab), and the songs, which have been ecstatically conceived and contain nary a molecule of fat. “Now,” “My Only Offer,” and “The Re-Arranger” are so instantly pleasurable, it will take you a minute to realize that they’re about growing pains, marital compromise, and other heady, unglamorous domestic stuff. But as DC outfit Georgie James showed with their 2007 debut, Places, pretty ditties and relationship discord can be made to melt together. “Love loud, don’t lose loud,” Mates of State sing, offering parenthood and marriage as potent topics for rock stars.
Related:
  Topics: CD Reviews , Mates of State , Mates of State , Mates of State ,  More more >
  • Share:
  • RSS feed Rss
  • Email this article to a friend Email
  • Print this article Print
Comments

election special
ARTICLES BY BEN WESTHOFF
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   SAY WHAT?!  |  September 02, 2008
    East Coast Avengers wrong the right with ‘Kill Bill O’Reilly’
  •   THE CALL OF THE WILD  |  July 28, 2008
    Wolf Parade get instinctual
  •   THE SILENT RAPPER  |  July 21, 2008
    What the hell has Rakim been up to?
  •   GREEN INITIATIVE  |  July 21, 2008
    Hip-hop’s heads go on Wale watch
  •   WOLF PARADE  |  June 24, 2008
    At Mount Zoomer | Sub Pop

 See all articles by: BEN WESTHOFF

MOST POPULAR
RSS Feed of for the most popular articles
 Most Viewed   Most Emailed 
HOT TOPICS
 More Topics . . .
LATEST SLIDESHOWS

All Slideshows



Featured Articles in New England Music News:

Technical difficulties

Busdriver walks out on Harpers Ferry
070928_blackshaw_list

Acoustic alchemy

James Blackshaw brings his talents to town
070921-day_list

Day by Day by Day

A column ends
070913_joeb-list

The Duff connection

Joe Bermudez, DJ to the stars
070907_lupe_list

Party pros

DJ Lupe Loop and Paul Dailey
Tuesday, October 07, 2008  |  Sign In  |  Register
 
thePhoenix.com:
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2008 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group