Mates of State

Mates of State signed yesterday to Barsuk Records, home of Nada Surf, Rilo Kiley, They Might Be Giants, and Death Cab For Cutie.

I saw Mates of State perform last Spring and I liked them, although the venue I saw them in sucked, so their sound kind of got drowned out. The band is a husband/wife duo, Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, and they are now out of San Francisco (transplants from the Midwest). Their music is very simple and infectiously happy-sounding, with just mainly an organ/keyboard and drums, with their vocal harmonies supplying the rest.

Since the Barsuk Records website mp3 section doesn't have any Mates of State tracks (although they have lots of good other ones from their roster of bands), here is one from my collection:

Goods, Mates of State (from the "All Day" EP, 2004)

Mates of State will release their first album with Barsuk, Bring It Back, on March 21, 2006. I recommend going to see them live if you get a chance. It is a good-time vibe, especially if you can see them in a more intimate venue. As one local (Denver) reviewer wrote after their show at the Bluebird, "You can't help but love these two and want to kidnap them so they can be your children." They are pretty dang cute, but more than that, they are also good musicians with an original sound. Check them out.