Everything’s going to get louder, even if it never gets better

Another one of those teaser posts, but I just can’t resist. The new record from Mates of State is due out on May 20, and surely will deserve a lengthy review then. But for now, here’s the lead track.

Get Better – Mates of State

I often end up disappointed at follow up records – a band will have my album of the year with one release, but the next won’t strike me nearly as perfectly. It’s perfectly understandable – tastes are extremely fickle and it’s a very rare band who can routinely catch lightning in a bottle.

So I have some trepidations about a new release from Mates of State. After all, they only finally found the perfect refinement of their sound on Bring It Back. Can they replicate it here, without it sounding like a pale imitation? Can they bring in something new without losing the charm and exuberance?

If this track is any sign, the answer is an emphatic yes. It sounds big, and the gentle incorporation of strings adds another layer of depth to the always-excellent keyboard/drums interaction. In this respect they remain among the finest sonic artists around – dabbing chords here and there, building choruses with broad strokes. It’s an impressionist feast that bursts forth into your ears with the lightness and warmth of a summer day.

But there’s also something more, a wonderful tension in the theme: “forget all your politics for a while.” It’s an injunction, but also a plea…can’t we just lose ourselves in everything beautiful? But we can’t help but wonder if the tradeoff inherent in this escapism is worth it. After all, there’s a certain darkness in the central refrain: “everything’s going to get louder, even if it never gets better.”

The record is called Re-Arrange Us, and it’s out May 20, from Barsuk.

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