When
Jason Hammel spoke with me via PopMatters last year, he promised that a new “Mates”
album would be ready soon. With the release of Mountaintops September
13, it’s a promise fulfilled and the married duo are now on tour in support of
the new release (next Wednesday, Oct. 12 as posted in "Next Up NYC" section to the right, other dates here). Together with Kori Gardner, Mates of State
have also produced an enchanting video for the opening track, “Palomino.” Long
gone are the days of sparse production with Gardner playing keyboards and
Hammel on drums. “Palomino” begins with a lush cascade of sound, a solid
introduction before those familiar synched vocals even begin. The band
explained to npr that the song is a “reflection on childhood and life’s
inevitable progression.” Referencing an old zen saying to “Aim for Cold
Mountain,” the idea suggests that “there is always going to be another peak in
the distance.”
Director
Jimi Patterson deftly uses rotoscope animation to tell the story, filming the
live-action material first before digitally hand-painting all 3,240
frames. The couple encounters a series of mountaintops, reflecting the
theme of this album. Along the way they even come upon little girls that
look like the couple’s two tow-headed daughters, as featured on Gardner’s blog
“Band on the (diaper) run.” This video follows their musical journey in a
vast landscape of visual expression.