A few years ago I went to one of those parties that a lot of us have attended. There was plenty of PBR flowing and occupants had their fair share of scarves on. Yes, it was a hipster party and I was miserable. The girls there were all too young for me to bother hitting on and all the guys were talking about bands I neither cared about nor ever heard of. Eventually one of these drunken dudes wouldn't stop talking about this married duo called Mates of State and forced me at broken beer bottle point to watch a DVD of the band. What followed were some keyboard driven cutesy pop songs that couldn't rock their way out a wet paper bag. I vowed never to hear another indie-pop duo so long as I lived.
Fast forward to 2008, life is short and I'm listening to yet another indie-pop dual. I wasn't forced into hearing Slingshot Dakota this time. I actually wanted to hear them ever since I heard the drummer of the underrated but appreciated Latterman left the band to start Slingshot Dakota. Chicks, man, they make you do crazy things. Unlike, Mates of State I don't know if Slingshot Dakota members Carly and Tom are married or even dating, but why else would anyone stop being in Latterman?
Alright, I'm being a gossip-ridden dick. I have no idea if Latterman broke up with Tom forming Slingshot Dakota with Carly, but I always have to be bitter about something when bands break up. Remember when Lifetime broke up and Ari started that awful Zero Zero with his wife? Same thing. Sorry; I'll get over it.
Back to the Mates of State comparison, which I'm sure Slingshot Dakota gets a lot of since they are both comprised a male drummer and a female keyboard player. They also both play darling little pop tunes full of songs about living rooms, hearts, and being all giddy like schoolgirls. If the next nerdy babe I convince to date me doesn't include "Until the Day I Die" on a mixtape, I might feel a little offended.
I haven't bothered to listen to Mates of State since the fabled night at Hipster Hangout #2124545 and I probably never will. However, Slingshot Dakota I like. I can't deny the fact that this duo writes some really catchy songs. I found myself humming a bar or two at the bank and trying to remember where it came from. Then I got embarrassed when I remembered. Sure the keyboards are a bit much and everything down to packaging reeks of adorableness but you know what? I can be sappy sometimes and Their Dreams are Dead, But Ours is the Golden Ghost fills that part of me when it's needed. If you see me skipping down the street licking a lollipop hand in hand with a pigtailed cutesy this probably is our soundtrack. And that probably will never happen. Nevertheless, in case it does, I'll be keeping this CD around.
