mates of state  Mates of State are an American indie pop duo, active since 1997.[1] The group is composed of the husband-and-wife team Kori Gardner (vocals, Yamaha Electone and Hammond B-3 electric organs, microKORG and Casio synthesizers, Yamaha and Rhodes electric pianos, piano, and occasional guitar) and Jason Hammel (vocals, drum set, glockenspiel, other percussion, and occasional Casio synthesizer). Gardner and Hammel met in Lawrence, Kansas,[2] while both were involved in relationships with other people. Although they exchanged e-mails regularly, they didn't get together until three months later when they were both single again, and were inseparable from then on. They originally played together in a four-piece rock band called Vosotros,[3] in which they both sang and played guitar. Shortly after the couple moved to California in 1998, Gardner began teaching and Hammel applied to medical school.[4] They both opted later to devote their time to making music and touring together instead and ultimately, the two of them got married in 2001. Gardner and Hammel originally lived together in San Francisco, and in 2004 they moved to East Haven, Connecticut.[5] In February 2007, they sold their house in East Haven and are currently living in Stratford, Connecticut. Gardner and Hammel have two daughters, Magnolia, born in 2004, and June Elizabeth, born in 2008. For the band, touring is a family affair, with both daughters going on the road with their parents. Gardner currently writes a blog, Band on the Diaper Run, that appears onBabble.com. In it, she recounts their experiences of life on the road and the unique circumstance of touring with two young children in tow.[6] The main instruments used by the band in early recordings were drums and the electric organ. Although they both started out playing the guitar, they found they ended up fooling around with the organ and drums in their practice space more often than with more traditional instruments. However, in later recordings, the band moved away from their signature, organ-dominated sound and incorporated additional instrumentation. Evidence of this sound progression is first heard on the "All Day EP" and continues into "Bring It Back", their fourth studio album. Ultimately, they abandoned the organ completely on their fifth album, "Re-Arrange Us".[7] Mates of State 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 simultaneously sing different, complementary melodies and lyrics. 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. In December 2005, the band signed with Barsuk Records and released two full-length albums and an EP of remixes on the label. Their latest album was released on their own label, MOS Records and was also produced by Gardner and Hammel themselves. On October 11, 2004, the band held a contest for fans to create their own video for "Goods (All In Your Head)," the first track on their All Day EP. The winning entry, directed by G. J. Echternkamp, became the official video for the song and was aired on MTV on June 12, 2005. It and an all-dance video for the song, also directed by and featuring Echternkamp, are available for download in the Media section of the band's official site. The band's fifth album, Re-Arrange Us, was released on May 20, 2008[8] and for their tour in support of the album, Mates of State became a quartet by adding Lewis and Anton Patzner ofJudgement Day as multi-instrumentalists[9] to compliment the duo's sound on select songs. On June 15th, 2010, Mates of State released their sixth studio album, Crushes (The Covers Mixtape), which consists entirely of their cover versions of songs previously recorded by other musical artists,[10] including "Long Way Home" by Tom Waits and "Son Et Lumiere" by The Mars Volta. Music videos have been made for two of the songs: Nick Cave's "Love Letter" and Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End." The former was directed by Daniel Garcia and the latter was produced in conjunction with ABC News for its indie rock program, "Amplified."[11] In the summer of 2010, they embarked on a tour in support of the new album. Mates of State have performed all over the globe; in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia. In the summer of 2001, they played shows with Superdrag and Beulah & later in the year opened for The Anniversary during the release tour for their album Your Majesty.[12] In 2003, Mates of State toured with Palomar.[13] In 2005, Mates of State performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas. In 2006, Mates of State toured with Spoon and Death Cab for Cutie.[14] Mates of State also provided support (alongside Au Revoir Simone) forWe Are Scientists on their tour of the UK in November 2006.[15] During February–March 2007, Mates of State toured as the house band for WBEZ Chicago's This American Life, hosted by Ira Glass.[16]Tour locations included New York, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Recordings of some of the band's performances during this tour were included in a 2008 episode entitled "What I Learned from Television".[17] On Earth Day in 2007, Mates of State headlined the Concert for a Green Earth in Westport, Connecticut.[18] In 2008, they appeared again at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, in addition to performing at Lollapalooza in Chicago,[19] the All Points West Music & Arts Festival in Jersey City, and the Pemberton Festival in Pemberton, BC.[20] In 2009, they played at Diversafest in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans on Halloween weekend.[21] In 2010, they appeared on the children's television show Yo Gabba Gabba in Rochester, New York.[22 |
mates of state these days |
