Mates of State

Mates of State - La'Hov (goes to outside site with the song)

I was trying to come up with a new theme this weekend for DIB music, and I couldn't. I thought about doing songs about cops, but decided that the topic is kind of dumb and boring. So I settled for something even more dumb and boring: songs by bands with married couples! No, I'm not going to be posting any White Stripes, because I couldn't even name one of their tunes. Plus, as I discovered on the wiki, they're not married anymore, so there goes that.

Anyway, here's the first band, Mates of State, who are slated to release a new album very soon (out on Polyvinyl Records) and consist of husband-and-wife team Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel. Mrs. DIB and I have seen them live a handful of times, and for all their cutsie-ness (see their opening websplash) they're a pretty cool, tight band. In fact, it was because of MOS that Mrs. DIB and I once tried to form a band together, but then we realized that Mrs. DIB no longer owned her marching-band bass clarinet and I'm a shitty drummer.

Mates of State, are just a keyboard and drum set, and yet they make surprisingly rich music. I think the White Stripes are praised for their stripped-down guitar and drum sound, and there is some of that minimalism here, but the keyboards can add a really complicated dynamic to the music and I think today's selection is a perfect example of that. In addition, I think the vocals are nothing short of stunning, and I find her voice often chilling. I would equate the power in her voice to Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley and the chick from Cat Power, whose name I can't remember right now. Have you ever seen any of these bands play? When Jenny Lewis lets it blow, she can fucking rattle your cage. Jason's drumming is simple but solid, and I think that's why this works so well without ever feeling like something is missing.

I hope you enjoy this song, and please please please go buy their shit and don't steal it. For actual factual information on MOS (and for purchasing their stuff), see the official site. Their myspace page has more music of theirs, as does the Polyvinyl site.

I know this ruins my punk creds, but who cares? It's too good to not listen to.

-DIB.