On paper, Mates of State kind of look like they would be comparable to Marty and Bobbi Culp -- cheeseball music teachers once portrayed by Will Ferrell and Ana Gasteyer on Saturday Night Live. On the show, the couple formed a two-person band -- Ferrell playing keyboard during high school assemblies as they sang duets of butchered pop songs.

Mates of State, on the other hand, consists of married couple Jason Hammel (on drums) and former teacher Kori Gardner singing duets while Gardner plays organ. Thankfully, that's where the actual comparisons end.

The couple has been steadily building indie cred over the past eight years with songs lush enough you might not initially realize there's only two of them. They've also had commercial success, including a recent appearance on Late Night With Conan O'Brien and an AT&T Wireless commercial that prominently features the typically enthusiastic crowd their concerts tent to attract.

The band released a new album several weeks ago and will begin the summer festival circuit this week with the Wakarusa hippie-rock gathering in Lawrence, Kan. The festival circuit will continue with Lollapalooza in August and ends for them in September with an appearance at Austin City Limits.

But if $150 festival tickets aren't your thing, perhaps next week's tour through Texas will fit your budget better. They'll perform at the Granada Theater in Dallas on Wednesday and at Emo's in Austin June 13. Tickets are $15, with Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bears opening.

-- Craig Kapitan

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