The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - Mates of State

Mates of State's Staring Contest (Apr’15) is one of the best pop records of 2015 and never mind the ‘indie’. The track starts with singer Kori Gardner saying,“Hey! I like it like this,”as a big atmospheric beat is laid down. No wonder she liked it. Synths and drums lead a nostalgyic tour de force of carefree youth in love, sample lyrics “...we once were wild," and complimented by spectacular alternating female and male vocals and a crashing staccato rhythm. Movement magazine called Staring Contest "a fist-pumping opener" and regardless of what you're pumping, Staring Contest is one of the best indie songs of 2015.

Mates of State are a husband and wife indie pop duo from Connecticut, by way of San Franciso, with seven long players in the vault. Pop Matters calls them, "...valid and essential pop."  Mates of State's influences are Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Metallica, Neil Diamond, Neil Finn and Fugazi.  Mates of State have been compared to Feist, Los Camposinos! and St. Vincent but prefer not to be shoe-horned into a genre.

“Climb higher on the chain link fence
It's all about you, I'm wild about you”

 

Shit you need to know:

"Staring Contest" is the debut single from a five song short player "You're Going To Make It” (June'15).

NPR said Staring Contest, "...bursts with giddy excitement."

Movement Magazine said the new EP is, "...nothing but choice cuts; five anthemic and emotionally-rich songs..."

Of the band in general Pop Matters felt, "...musically they are like no one else around."

Not everyone is feeling the love. Pitchfork said "You're Gonna Make It" is "...out of time at best, irrelevant at worst."

Mates of State have toured intensively internationally and have performed fluffer duties for bands like The Postal Service, Spoon, Jimmy Eat World and Death Cab For Cutie.

Mates of State released an album of covers called "Crushes (The Covers Mixtape) (2010) with a Belle and Sebastian cover, Sleep The Clock Around, and others by Death Cab For Cutie and Nick Cave.

If you need more Mates of State check out Gonna Get It.

 

Todays tag team effort is from Mates Of State's 2005 tour mates, the Ariziona rock band Jimmy Eat World.

This is Jimmy Eat World's biggest hit, a raucous punk pop banger, The Middle (2001).
 

"Hey! Don't write yourself off yet

It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on"