Before Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel paid Daytrotter the first of what we hope will be multiple visits, the control room of the Daytrotter studio – Futureappletree 1 — had been used for countless different things, but never what they used it for. It has been a bar in the past. Back when it was still a radio station, decades ago, there were likely weather updates and cheesy segues from a gray day forecast into the next news bit on the railroad, just out the doors and around the corner of the building. It’s been a place of introspection and intense listening. It’s been a diner – or at least the working version of the diner (a table) – where numerous calzones and slices of drippy, warm, mozzarellaed pizza was consumed. It’s been a waiting room, a place for rumination, a reading room and a place to shoot the shit. It’s never before – until the Mates of State choo-choo pulled into town been turned into a romper room or a place for the business of changing poopy diapers. Gardner and Hammel are not just bandmates, but also husband and wife and parents of a gleeful and sweet two-year-old daughter named Magnolia. She, in her bright red pair of dinky Chuck Taylors, couldn’t fight nature and when Gardner cleaned up a dirty diaper, it was a big first. It was a big first just having a toddler in the control room, muffed with huge headphones that matched her sneakers. It was a fun moment hearing Gardner leave the control room admonishing her daughter that there wasn’t to be any crying while mommy and daddy were recording their songs. Along with the two Mates were a tour manager, a nanny and another friend who helped with the technical details of a tour. All of the traveling crew were essentially caregivers with Magnolia’s best interests in mind. It was great to see and it’s the one reason that the two are able to continue touring and opening shows for Spoon and Death Cab For Cutie – as they did this past summer. They won’t do anything if they can’t bring their daughter with them. When Kori came into the control room before the final song was to be recorded, she wanted to see if Magnolia wanted to sing. On “These Days,” Magnolia made her recording debut and you’ll hear her coos and random harmonies interspersed throughout the track. It’s probably the coolest, most human and gratifying piece of music we’ve recorded to-date. It’s the essence of what our intentions are – capturing certain moments of fleeting time on tape. Now, Magnolia’s impromptu first time at the microphone (she also hopped up and played dad’s drums when the breaking down began) is petrified forever.

Daddy/husband/drummer extraordinaire Jason Hammel gives the dirty on the four session songs. Have at them.

First song
Beautiful Dreamer (Mates of State) [4.49MB] [6004 downloads]


– original version appears on Bring It Back
I never thought this song could be done pared down, because it’s such a straight rocker. While in Australia, we had no choice since all that was backlined for a radio show was a piano and snare drum. Surprisingly, it works quite well.

Second song
So Many Ways (Mates of State) [3.73MB] [5617 downloads]


– original version appears on Bring It Back
We always play this song anytime/anyhow. It’s a good one to warm up, and by the end you’re screaming life’s finer things. It’s about gossiping and jealousy of your friends’ success.

Third song
Like U Crazy (Mates of State) [4.53MB] [5725 downloads]


– original version appears on Bring It Back
50’s doo-wop right here. This is one of those songs that wrote itself. We popped it out in a day, recorded that night. Also a staple in every set.

Fourth song
These Days (Mates of State) [3.77MB] [6680 downloads]


– original version appears on the Wicker Park soundtrack
A crowd pleaser. Mags really got into this one while we recorded it for Daytrotter. She had to have her own mic, and at the end of the song she said loudly “I wanna go walking now,” which is fitting since the first verse is, “I’ve been out walking.”