Mates of State – Mountaintops
Barsuk: 2011
There’s a brief but telling moment in the teaser for Mountaintops, the new Mates of State record. It’s an off-center, out of focus shot of the married couple rehearsing and in it, Kori Gardner Hammel suggests a song’s chorus take on a rougher tone. As soon as she’s done suggesting and singing, James Hammel asks, “Is there a way to change the word ‘baby’ out of there, too?”
Subtle as those suggestions may be, over the course of 10 tracks, it adds up to an edgier and more engaging LP, their seventh. The pair seem to have found the groove of parenthood and moved on to make deceptively simple, energetic and entertaining pop. The melodies are clever, catchy but also meaningful. There are only a few smatterings of eye-roll inducing “husband-wife moments,” leaving the music, lyrics and ample chemistry to do the heavy lifting.
The opening of the album comes out firing, with the three tracks boasting the most energy on the record. Opener “Palomino” builds, breaks down and repeats, replete with a scorching sing-a-long chorus. Second track “Maracas” is equally worthy of a single release or a dance party. The album gets a little more serious with “Unless I’m Led” and again on album closer “Mistakes”, lending substance to the affair and balancing out a fine, and frankly, quite enjoyable record.
3 out of 5