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Here's a couple that turns in a strong fifth LP. Kori Gardner (keys, vox) and Jason Hammel (drums, vox) keep their cheery, indie rock, boy-girl harmonies intact while simultaneously exorcising any relationship-related demons that may lurk in their Connecticut home.
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Entertainment WeeklyWith their fifth disc, the duo are still effervescent, if a bit more lyrically plaintive. [13 2008, p.69]
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Most of all it will go down like honey for Mates of State fans who have been following the band's progression from an edgy lo-fi duo to the indie rock hit making machine they have so gracefully become.
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Gardner and Hammel haven’t come close to exhausting their songwriting prowess, and Re-Arrange Us is probably their most appealing album to date.
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The duo’s song structures haven’t become any less appreciably quirky over the years—the rhythms still shift unpredictably, often throwing down from third to fifth gear within a single track--nevertheless, they’ve become easier on the ears.
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Alternative PressGardner and drummer Jason Hammel discover a prettier, fuller-bodied sound and enrich it with other instruments, such as strings on the inviting opener, 'Get Better.' [June 2008, p.130]
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Adorned with piano and synth, the ten songs on Re-Arrange Us are fuller, more elegant vessels for the duo’s warm, intricate melodies.
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Under The RadarListening to this record is a pleasure. [Summer 2008]
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MagnetBuilding considerably on the subtle expansion of 2006's "Bring It Back," the powerhouse Re-Arrange Us is both natural progression and quantum leap. [Summer 2008, p.107]
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The formula isn't quite as fresh here as it has been on previous outings; after a few tracks, the amped-up glee-club vibe can begin to wear on all but the most devoted of nerves.
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FilterOverall, the songs are well formed but lack some of the vibrancy and hooks of yore. [Spring 2008, p.92]
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Unfortunately there aren't a lot of opportunities to get caught in that lovely crossfire on Re-Arrange Us, a record that, for all its lush bells and whistles, finds the pair sounding as bare-boned and sparse as you'd expect a two-person band to be.
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Despite some worthwhile moments in efforts like 'The Re-Arranger,' 'My Only Offer,' and the serenely infectious 'You Are Free,' the biggest fault in Re-Arrange Us lies in the duo’s inability this time around to capitalize upon original ideas that have been presented but not built upon.
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BlenderIt's sweet. And dull. And, OK, excruciting. [July 2008, p.74]
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The Mates recapture a bit of brio of 'The Re-Arranger' and 'Help Help,' but the rest of Re-Arrange Us is only useful for putting the kids to sleep.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 7 out of 8
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Mixed: 0 out of 8
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Negative: 1 out of 8
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ColinG.Jun 25, 2008
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BryanB.Jun 11, 2008
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CameronS.May 25, 2008