have to get these out into the open before i move on into my glorious weekend — otherwise i’ll probably never remember.

mates of state – our constant concern – 3 stars

(mates of state live – really good)

first the show. i saw them first last year without having really listened to them at any point, but willing to go check them out because i trust joe. he was right about rilo kiley so he might be onto something. that show blew my mind, as it turned out, which is tough for a band to do when i don’t know any of their music to follow along with. so they came back to town, i went back to the show, and this time i picked up a cd.

the sound is unique for sure, because i don’t know many other boy/girl husband/wife keyboard/drum bands, and unique in a good way. the layered vocals reward you for paying attention and the pace switches up often enough to make you feel like dancing between the sad little pauses. i could see someone writing them off as too carnivalesque though after listening to this cd, which i guess i can’t entirely disagree with. only then you’d be likely to miss their live show, unfortunately for you, which takes all the fun songs from their repertoire and turns up the energy a few notches. something about the sight of two people you know are married on stage throwing themselves into songs while half-facing you, half-facing each other — it just makes the whole experience a very positive feeling i would recommend even if you think the cd is ‘just okay’.

(although if i had to repeat this particular show, i would step outside for the band ‘i am the world trade center’. i’m really sorry guys, but pounding electronic beats and a machine that makes a guy’s voice sound like a robot’s voice when he sings does not mean your band is good, even if the girl half of your duo is really cute when she smiles. in all honesty, i couldn’t wait for you to get off stage.)

hey mercedes – loses control – 5 stars

i will admit to putting this cd into my stereo the first time and thinking, ‘oh no. they’re gone. it’s over,’ and being sad, because this cd sounded too polished and clean to be the same band i loved for their odd layered guitars and intricate drum fills, and an overall sound that was much more thick with details than a lot of my other favorites. i know that’s partially me wishing hey mercedes was still braid, but that’s always going to linger as long as it’s the same voice singing over a band that’s obviously evolved.

the second time through though, after i was done expecting it to be something it wouldn’t be, i heard it more for what it was, and realized it wasn’t over at all. hey mercedes is growing its own muscles, is all. after my hesitation to accept a tighter, smoother production, the loveable elements were all still there, and maybe even better than before. the lyrical wordplay is still intact, the guitars my sound glossier but they’re still churning out deep chords mixed with admirable picking, and the voice is just as creamy and intoxicating. now i can’t stop listening to it just like the last one.

i know i’m never going to get another frame and canvas; but once i accept that i can start getting really excited about loses control and everything that will hopefully come after it. and this is still going to make my top five for this year, for sure.

and since i’m so nice, and so you can test both cd’s, and for neglecting the pay day song last time around, leaving you with mc chris a little longer than necessary, this time you get two. police police me from hey mercedes and halves and have-nots from mates of state. rock and roll, i’m off to vegas halfway through tomorrow.