Mates of State
Mates of State |
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Mates of State are an American indie rock duo, active since 1997. The group is composed of Kori Gardner (vocals, Electone and Hammond B-3 electric organs, Casio synthesizer, and Rhodes electric piano, piano, and occasional guitar) and Jason Hammel (vocals, drum set, glockenspiel, other percussion, and occasional Casio synthesizer).
Gardner and Hammel met in Lawrence, Kansas, while they were involved with other people and other musical projects. Although they exchanged daily e-mails, they didn't get together until three months later when they were both single again, and were inseparable from then on. The main instruments used by the band are drum set and the electric organ. Although they both started out playing the guitar, they found they ended up fooling around with the organ and the drums in their practice space more often than with more traditional instruments. They formed in Lawrence, Kansas in 1997 while both were playing together in a four-piece rock band called Vosotros, in which they both sang and played electric guitar. Shortly thereafter moving to California, Hammel applied to medical school, but opted (in 2001) to devote his time to making music and touring with Gardner (and they married in 2001).
Mates of State's songs are notable for their male/female vocal harmony, shifting rhythms, and quirky song structure - most tracks comprise distinct, almost disjointed movements. Both members sing with great intensity, often in the upper ranges of their voices, and often sing different (yet complementary) melodies and lyrics simultaneously. Tempos are nearly always fast, with beats often resembling those found in electronic club or dance music.
The band recorded one album on Omnibus Records before moving to Polyvinyl for their second and third full-lengths. They have also released five 7-inch singles and two EPs. In December 2005 the band signed with Barsuk Records and released an album entitled Bring It Back on March 21, 2006.
On October 11, 2004, the band held a contest for fans to create their own video for the first track on their All Day EP: "Goods (All In Your Head)." The winning entry became the official video for the song, and was aired on MTV on June 12, 2005. It and an all-dance video made by director G. J. Echternkamp are available for download in the Media section of the band's official site (below). Interestingly, there were at least two versions of the dance video, one in which Echternkamp dances alone in a room during the song and another version in which he is joined by new dancers throughout the video. The solo dance was first available for download and later replaced by the version with multiple dancers. The explanation for this can be found in the band's online forum.
Gardner and Hammel originally lived in San Francisco, California, but have resided since 2004 in East Haven, Connecticut. In February 2007 they sold their house in East Haven and are currently living in New York.[1]
Mates of State have toured the United States many times, and have also performed in Europe, Japan, and Australia. The couple has a daughter, Magnolia.
During the summer of 2006, Mates of State toured with Spoon and Death Cab for Cutie.
During the months of February and March of 2007, Mates of State toured as the house band for WBEZ Chicago's This American Life, hosted by Ira Glass. Tour locations included New York, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, and Minneapolis.
"Goods (All In Your Head)" from All Day EP appeared in the 2007 film In the Land of Women.
The song "For the Actor" from the album Bring It Back is shown on a AT&T commercial for wireless phones. In the commercial, the group is on stage performing the song, although the commercial is quite short.
On Earth Day, 2007 Mates Of State headlined the Concert For A Green Earth in Westport, CT in an effort to raise awareness for the environment. Local act In-Flight Radio also played the event.
The band has a new album in the works. No details have bee revealed yet, but their news update explains that they have recorded 3 songs with Chris Walla, and that they eventually they will be recording with Jim Eno, Peter Katis, and Bill Racine, among others.
Discography
Albums
- My Solo Project (Omnibus, 2000; later re-released on Polyvinyl)
- Our Constant Concern (Polyvinyl, 2002)
- Team Boo (Polyvinyl, 2003)
- Bring It Back (Barsuk Records, 2006)
EPs
- European Tour 2003 EP (2003)
- All Day EP (Polyvinyl, 2004)
7" Singles
- Mates of State/Fighter D Split (Omnibus, 1999)
- Mates of State (Omnibus, 2000)
- "Lower" (Devil in the Woods, 2001) (Note: split single with The Shins & Sparklehorse)
- "Beehive State/Über Legitimate" (Snow Globe, 2001)
- Mates of State/Dear Nora Split (Polyvinyl, 2002)
- "Fraud in the '80s" (Moshi Moshi, 2006)
- "Like U Crazy" (Moshi Moshi, 2006)
Other releases
- 2002 - "Why You Little..." on the compilation CD Ten Years of Noise Pop (Amazing Grease)
- 2004 - "These Days" (Nico cover) on the Wicker Park soundtrack (MGM)
- 2005 - "Invitation Inn" on the compilation A House Full of Friends (Magic Marker)
- 2006 - "California" (Phantom Planet cover) on the compilation Music from the OC: Mix 6 (WEA)
- 2006 - "Popular Mistakes" on the compilation This is a Care Package (Exotic Fever)
Films
- Two of Us (2004). Produced, directed, shot, and edited by Thadd Day. Released by Hooked on Sonics!
Press
- Summer 2007 - "For the Actor" from the 2006 album Bring It Back, featured in United States national television advertising campaign for AT&T