Since their jump from respected Indie label Polyvinyl to another respected Indie label Barsuk in 2006, it seems like the husband and wife duo of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel who respectively make up the entire collective of Mates of State have been working overtime to create a more lush and mature sound than their earlier works consisted of. 2006's Bring it Back truly was the beginning of something special. An album that saw them tone down their berating organ and overly peppy vocals for more up front drums and piano, Bring it Back was their best album up to that point. Much to my chagrin however, Mates of State have trumped even that great work with their latest album Re-Arrange Us, an almost perfect record that's been damn near impossible for me to stop listening to.

The trick to Re-Arrange Us that makes it so addictive is it's sly sequencing and short running time. At ten tracks and just around 35 minute running length, Re-Arrange Us leaves you wanting more after every single listen. Nine out of the ten tracks here are probably the most tight and memorable tunes that Gardner and Hammel have ever crafted and I just can't seem to get them out of my head. The lush string work of "Get Better" and the fun sing along style of "Now" and "Help Help" are so infectious they should come with a warning label. "The Re-Arranger" almost sounds like it could be a Buckingham-Nicks creation during their Fleetwood Mac years and the call and response style of "Jigsaw" is pure bliss. Even their more somber and melancholy songs such as "My Only Offer," "Blue and Gold Print" and "You Are Free" make for some of the best listening so far this year. If you love beautiful compositions and harmonies that drip down your ears like honey, Mates of State's gorgeous new album is a must listen and a must own.