Meet The State Department

Holy mid 1980s, y'all. The State Department, part of the cream of the current DC crop, sounds distinctly retro Brit at heart, and ain't that the way to this girl's heart? Well, that and a bottomless amaretto sour. But I digress. They don't forget their roots, either, adding in some spiky guitar and super loud drums to give sonic shout-outs to DC. All of which means, my little darlings, that The State Department is probably really a band you probably really should be listening to and loving.

Comprised of four local gentlemen and citing influences as varied as Neil Diamond, William Shatner, and the beloved Happy Mondays, The State Department is hereby decreed as one to keep one's eye on. I love them most of all for that sound thouroughly soaked in the magical Molotov cocktail of the British school: the threatening glowering jangle of A Certain Ratio and Gang of Four, the clever jauntiness of Orange Juice and Josef K, and lyrical witticisims not too far removed from first album Blur. Oh, and they cover "Waiting for My Man", and Velvet Underground covers are pretty much the bee's knees. Put it all together and you've got one heck of a dandy little sound. It's music geared towards having a good time, and who doesn't like having a good time?

In closing, well, just go forth and add a little State Department to your life. You'll be ever so glad you did.

mp3: Bon Vivant (The State Department from The State Department EP)

[photo by Sam Goldstein]