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MATES OF GREAT!


Posted by Hartley On May 15, 2008

BRM blog image

They are mates ... ... ... get it!?!?

Well. Anyways. Yes. If you haven't already gathered the new Mates of State album is here. It's titled Rearrange Us (Barsuk), and they definitely didn't slag on the cover art - which is appropriately interactive, making the album title literal, allowing you to "rearrange the mates' cover picture to your liking.

Here's one possible variant:

BRM blog image

Nice. Even better, though, is the actual music. As we've come to expect from these lovebirds - they never let us down. No one makes more lush, immediately infectious, joyous pop music these days - and hell, I'll "go there" and call Rearrange Us - standout track, "Now" the single best ELO song not actually by ELO. And the BRM loves Electric Light Orchestra, so you know we were freaking when we heard "Now." The opener, "Get Better" isn't mistitled either - it's a huge life-affirming Polyphonic Spree-esq singalong that's also totally slaying us. In fact, with help from producer extraordinary, Peter Katis (The National, Spoon, Frightened Rabbit), and Chris Walla (um, DCFC, Tegan and Sarah), Mates just may have delivered the best album of their career. Bravo.

Here's "Now" off of Rearrange Us out 5/20 on Barsuk:

PS - Mates of State will be playing a very secret invite-only show the night before their new record drops. I wish I could tell you more - but I've sworn to stay mum. However, supervisors (and I do mean supervisors, and only supervisors), if you'd like to go to this show give us a holler. You know where to reach us.

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