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Music: Rock/Pop Mates of State

Once an ethos, then a (vaguely defined) genre, now a commercial force, "indie rock" has become infinitely fragmented and grossly commodified over the last decade. There's no shame in longing for the days when a band like Mates of State could win over the cognoscenti. The onetime San Francisco duo's new album, Re-arrange Us, dresses their pop quirks in vast orchestrations and some seriously anthemic choruses. Always most entrancing for the chemistry of husband-and-wife Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, Mates of State are a comforting reminder of what was so lovable in "independence" — never mind their AT&T ad appearance.

– Nicholas Nauman