Racking Up Plays: “Palomino” by Mates of State
These are the posts where I gush about some song that I’ve got a huge crush on at the moment, and you put up with it and listen because you’re a good friend.
“Palomino,” Mates of State
For years now, I’ve contended that my cat’s favorite band is husband-and-wife indie-pop duo Mates of State. I always make sure I have some Mates of State cued up on the iPod when we’re going to the vet, because I’ve half-convinced myself that the former San Francisco band’s candy-coated melodies calm her down like no other group. You’d think a creature that spends 5/6 of the day napping would go for something a little less manic, but as soon as Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel’s ebullient voices start mixing, there’s a noticeable reduction in concerned yowls emanating from the cat carrier.
OK, maybe it’s just a combination of coincidence, anthropomorphism and my sincere desire to have the hippest cat on the block. (“My cat listens to bands that haven’t even formed yet!”) Still, she’s on my lap right now as I’m listening to the opening track to Mountaintops, Mates of State’s seventh album, and her reaction to “Palomino” can be summed up as follows: “Prrrrrrrrrrr.”
I concur. This is some comforting power-pop that stimulates all your brain’s pleasure centers.
Those who thought the use of real, acoustic piano on the duo’s last proper album sounded too mature for a band that made its name with blissed-out, youthful energy—ahem, A.V. Club—will be happy to hear that Gardner is back to playing effervescent synths on this track. The song makes use of the full Mates of State formula: two distinct acts, plenty of “woo ooh ooh” sing-along opportunities and an all-around optimistic, joyful vibe. Here’s what the band had to say about the track and its Waking Life-esque video [via NPR]:
We teamed up with a dedicated, visionary artist, Jimi Patterson, to make a video that captured both the spirit of our band and the thematic nature of Mountaintops. Our new record centers itself on the old zen saying, “Aim for Cold Mountain.” We love the idea that in every aspect of life, there is always going to be another peak in the distance. Jimi immediately thought rotoscoping would capture this ascent in a stunning way. It’s magical and slightly haunting — an arduous and continual climb. He spent more than 600 hours of time animating every frame and painted each scene with intense attention to detail. We feel the overall result captures where we’re at in our lives and serves as one giant metaphor. Visually, it depicts the song “Palomino,” which is a reflection on childhood and life’s inevitable progression. It’s about getting to a place of inner peace without losing the ability to take risks. Ultimately, it’s about leaving the past and reaching new ground.
So apparently it has as much to do with gold-and-white horses as it does with calico cats.
