Mates Of State: Bring It Back

Herald rating: * * *

Album number four from husband and wife, organ and drum duo AS A couple, Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel look utterly adorable. She is one hot blonde and he is an oddly handsome bloke. And you have to admire them because in 2001 they ditched their day jobs, got married and took their music to the world.

As a musical duo they are, at times, twee. But when all you have is a couple of voices, an organ, and drums, then perhaps that's what you're going for.

That organ brings back memories of the Clean - albeit a very cute Clean - from the early 80s. But there's nothing abrasive or jangly on this couple's fourth album.

There is something delightful about their genteel and quirky songs - the shimmy and shake of Fraud In the 80s, the sweetness of Like U Crazy and the rollicking Beautiful Dreamer. But Nature and the Wreck and What It Means are plain dreary.

There are some great moments here but much of it's like a big daydream you want them to snap out of. It makes you realise how hard it is for a two-piece to hold your attention, even if you are making charming noises like this.

Label: Spunk/EMI