Mates of State Re-Arrange Themselves
Here's my semi-uninformed take on the new Mates of State song I heard. I think their sound has evolved from what used to be a loose-limbed full-on energy burst into a slightly subdued version of that same manic sensibility.
I like it a lot, actually. I love how they're using strings (take note, all you other cheesy purveyors of violins and cellos, this is how it should be done) and I think the drums are fuller sounding, much less like he's sitting in his garage banging away and more like he's on a real drum set in a studio. The vocals, too, are more polished and less mental sounding. They're still just as joyful, though, that hasn't changed.
I'm sure there are those among you who will not appreciate these evolutions. You will miss the crazed let-it-all-hang-out feeling their older music has. And of course, I am basing my opinion on just one song off the new album Re-Arrange Us, so I could very well be talking out my ass.
I tell you what, I'll give you three songs to compare and contrast, starting from oldest to newest, and then you can tell me what you think.
Mates of State--"Goods (All In Your Head)" mp3 off All Day EP (buy)
Mates of State--"Like U Crazy" mp3 off Bring it Back (buy)
Mates of State--"Get Better" mp3 off Re-Arrange Us (buy--comes out May 20th) This is my favorite line:
"Everything's gonna get lighter, even if never gets better"
Can I have that in writing please?
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