Brightest Young Things

All Photos by Bill Jenne, check out his work at www.billjenne.com

When was the last time you were completely bowled over by a local band you’d never heard before? For me, it was about three weeks ago when I got an advance copy of The State Department’s debut release––a 5-song corker of a self-titled EP.

This highly danceable and hugely appealing indie guitar band has had my number from the first listen, a rare feat these days. But what--specifically--is so great about them, you ask?

First, let’s start with the obvious: they've got hooks. And lots of them. Seriously, I haven’t been hit with this many hooks at once since the last time I walked past the men’s discount suit rack at H&M!

You know the feeling you get when you hear a terrific pop song for the first time that’s destined to be a favorite? You’re not even trying, but you nail a note perfect Keanu impression. "Whoa." Or to put it another way: you know right then and there that this is going to be a song on constant repeat. That’s how I felt listening to The State Department’s new EP. With. All. Five. Songs.

Second, it’s the attitude man. It’s the attitude. This is a band that could never be accused of hopping aboard the hipster trend express or feigning po-faced seriousness. These cats can’t be bothered. Better things to do. More important things to think about. Like making irresistible sounds to shake your naughty bits too. And pushing you into some highly intriguing musical territory while doing it. Priorities. It’s all about priorities.

Oh yeah. Speaking of attitude, I neglected to mention the band does a cover of the Velvet Underground classic “I’m Waiting for the Man.” It's a ballsy move---one that will no doubt invite the scorn of many a music snob. But, but, but...it’s good. It’s really good. In fact, I’ll use another word: Scorching.

Third, Mike Medlock's voice. To put it simply, this guy just has a terrific voice for this type of no frills rock and roll with a side of fisticuffs ("Bon Vivant" and "Waiting for the Man" are particularly striking examples of what Mike is capable of). And not only does he sound good, but you FEEL it with this guy. I'm convinced Mike could sing the ingredients off a cereal box and I'd be feeling it. So would you I suspect.

Fourth, it’s the little things. The non-obvious moments if you will. Like the strange atonal noises that Patrick Kigongo extracts from his guitar on "The Way To A Man's Heart Is Through His Chest" (a nod to the brilliant work of Gang of Four guitarist Jon King) or the intriguing tom patterns and funky percussive flourishes of Nick Valcourt (which call to mind the rhythmic approaches favored by post-punk legends A Certain Ratio and Liquid Liquid). Jason Mogavero's tasteful bass playing is another key highlight, providing the perfect punctuation at just the right moments.

These relatively more subtle details provide an interesting counterpoint to the band's very direct, go-for-the-jugular approach it utilizes to create its thumping, broad-stroke guitar skirmishes. It’s almost as if there’s some bizarre magnetic force pushing two seemingly opposite musical polarities together (the brazen, rough and tumble rock “id” on the one side and the artier, more cerebral "ego" on the other.) The tension between the two makes for fascinating listening---it's the type of music that can be appreciated just as much through headphones as it can through a big state-of-the-art club speaker system.

So how could a relatively new band like The State Department sound so fully formed and developed in such a short amount of time? Perhaps it has something to do with the various CVs of the musicians themselves? With the band gearing up for a show at the Black Cat Mainstage this Saturday with Detox Retox and Loose Lips, BYT sought to get some answers. Thankfully, the band was more than willing to oblige...

BYT: How did the band form? Were all of you guys in other active bands when you decided to make music together?

Jason: Nick and I had played together for over a year in the Spiritual Machine (may she rest in peace), and in that time a natural, instinctive rhythm section had formed. I knew I wanted to play in a band with Patrick––we're good friends, we geek out about a lot of the same bands, and we play off each other well, so it seemed stupid not to be in a band together.

Nick: Jason and I lived in the house where Ra Ra Rasputin would practice and therefore were both massive fans of Patrick. We snagged him away once to record a soundtrack for a short film and it felt good for to us to be doing something new. Some time went by, then I saw a Black and White Jacksons’ show where Mike was kicking beer bottles off of tables and running around like a wild beast. Jason suggested we all get together and start a band, thus magic was made.

Patrick: It was summer of 2009 and Ra Ra Rasputin had a little time off after we played at 9:30 Club. Mike's band, Black & White Jacksons, had just split up, and Jason and Nick weren't doing anything musical at that time. Me, Nick and Jason had always talked about how wild Mike was as a frontman and how cool it would be to do a band with him.

Mike: The three of them were looking for a singer when they heard from Brock (who is also in Ra Ra Rasputin) that my band broke up so Jason emailed me. I came in for a meet-and-greet and the rest is history.

Patrick: We practiced for a few months and then played our first show with Ringo Deathstarr and Last Tide.

BYT: When you started out did you have a specific vision of what you wanted the band to sound like?

Patrick: No, not to my knowledge. It's a lot easier to just let things flow out naturally when you're first starting.

Jason: We took a “back to basics” tack: guitar, bass, drums, vox. Patrick, Nick, and I have all played in bands (Ra Ra Rasputin and the Spiritual Machine) that were heavily reliant on electronic synth sounds. Plus, it didn't seem like many bands in DC were doing straightforward, upbeat rock music, so we've tried to go for that with a bit of post-punk inflection.

Nick: I think we were going for something that was energetic, raw but focused and funky. The idea was to put together songs that went over the top with that Gang of Four-type attitude while still wading in the pool of rock played by drunk kids.

Mike: I had no idea what to expect as I didn't know the guys that well at that point, other then the music was probably going to be “dancey.” I based that on the music their other bands had made. I think we're evolving away from being strictly a dance beat kind of band and into our own rock/dance/post punk thing now, which I like.

BYT: I’m curious about the songwriting process. Are there certain band members who serve as the primary songwriters or is it more of a collective thing?

Jason: It's definitely a collective thing. All our songs start with one small idea––a chord change, a vocal melody, even a guitar or bass tone––then grow into their finished forms because of the efforts of all four people in the band.

Patrick: Most of our songs evolve out of me, Nick and Jason jamming around an idea that we come up with at rehearsal or something that one of us brought in. While we're messing around, Mike will scat or hum lyrics to try and come up with a melody. Some songs, like "Mt. Pleasant," came together quite naturally. While others, such as "The Way to a Man's Heart Is Through His Chest," took a bit of experimentation.

Mike: Usually Jason or Patrick will come up with a riff on the spot and then Nick and I add our two cents. We generally contribute equally after that however. It’s definitely a democracy. We sometimes butt heads over the songwriting process, but in the end, we're all very happy with the finished product, I'd say.

Nick: It’s a credit to our band that all of our songs are co-written with all four members. It’s a very dynamic process that requires everyone’s input on their own parts, the structure of the song and what everyone else is playing. The result of this is that we are each more heavily invested as individuals in making the song sound the best it can be.

BYT: You guys haven’t been together that long but have succeeded in generating some nice buzz, particularly about your live show. The Velvet Underground’s classic “Waiting for the Man” is a staple of your set. Whose idea was it to do that and what has the crowd reaction been like?

Jason: If memory serves, both Mike and Patrick were talking about covering a VU or Lou Reed song, and obviously Nick and I were all for it. I'll get more into how we actually worked out our version later, but as for the crowd reaction: people go apeshit. It ended one set with a bunch of audience members dancing with us onstage and shouting the chorus.

Mike: We decided if we were going to cover that we had to speed it up and make it our own. Surprisingly, it’s one of the most popular songs in our set. People seem to love it.

Patrick: I think our take on "Waiting for the Man" more accurately captures the urgency of making a trip uptown to score. We almost covered Lou Reed's "The Gun," but we never got around to practicing it. I sometimes wonder how that would've worked out.

Nick: Since I was a teenager, I’ve always known that you have to wait on the man. Frankly, it’s frustrating, so why not beat up that resentment by taking a classic Velvet Underground song and giving it some balls? Crowd reaction? People love it.

BYT: One of the things I’ve noticed about DC’s indie music scene is there are quite a number of musicians involved with more than one band, with members of The State Department being a case in point. There’s a lot of collaboration going on, and in some cases, pairings that you wouldn’t usually expect. What do you think this says about the District’s music scene?

Jason: I think the fluidity and networking (Jesus, I hate that word, but it works here) you see in a lot of DC bands is possible because of the essential nature of the DC music scene: friendly and supportive. People from Imperial China, US Royalty, Animal Genital, Vita Ruins, Ra Ra Rasputin, Loose Lips, pretty much any DC band have come to our shows, and you can almost always find us at theirs.

Patrick: I play with a lot of bands because I love playing music. I feel like I've grown a lot as a musician in the last year because I've learned to apply the lessons from one group to another. In addition, there's a lot of talented people in DC. There's no reason why being in one band should prevent you from doing a one-off performance or a side project with other folks.

Mike: It’s a small scene for sure. Or maybe it’s just the cliques within the scene are small? I dunno, but it seems like everyone knows everyone and we're all friends. I think it’s a natural progression to want to branch out from what you're currently doing and so you turn to your friends for new projects.

Nick: I deplore the study of social sciences and therefore reject the notion of any type of “scene.” Regardless, the reason people play in multiple bands is because it’s fun. You can get your energy out with one group of people in a way that’s totally different than another group. It also challenges you to approach music from different directions and be a shameless self promotional machine.

BYT: Let’s talk about your new EP. What was it like recording that? Where did you record?

Mike: The whole thing was done in a flash. We tracked the instruments on all five songs in about five hours or so on one Sunday at American University. I came back once or twice in the next week for an hour each time to do the vocals. Everything was done in one or two takes max, without breaks. The mixing was done over the course of a couple days, I believe.

Jason: I think we nailed all the songs in three takes or fewer. I had much worse luck beating Nick in an office chair race out in the AU basement's hallway, though.

Patrick: Recording the EP was a bit of a blur! Me, Jason and Nick banged out the basic tracks completely live, no overdubbing. Apart from some small edits and effects on the vocals, there's very little studio magic on these recordings. I must admit, it was a little strange for me, because I really enjoy overdubbing and hyper-analyzing the recording process. But everybody bought their "A" game, and we were able to pull it off.

Nick: I think the quick in and out pace of that session was essential to capturing what we actually sound like and our ability as musicians. This recording isn’t sugar coated or spruced up with excessive layering. It’s just us on tape.

BYT: This is the part of the feature where we ask the band to comment on the songs on their new EP...

“Mt. Pleasant”

The State Dept - Mt. Pleasant

Jason: I had this guitar riff sitting around for longer than I've been in DC bands. I'd (humbly) nicknamed it “Million Dollar Guitar Riff,” and when I played it for the guys, it became clear that it was gonna be a State Department song. If you want to participate in one of our live shows, stand close to the stage in front of me––I might snatch your beer bottle out of your hand to play the solo. (Sorry to that girl whose Amstel Light I ruined at Rock and Roll Hotel last month, by the way.)

Patrick: This song was built around a guitar riff that Jason wrote, and it's him playing guitar on the record (with me on bass). It's really a pleasure to watch him play this live. In fact, it's a pleasure to watch everyone play this song. Nick is a beast on the drums (listen to those toms) and Mike genuinely cannot help but go crazy when we play this live. We played a house show in West Virginia and when we launched into "Mt Pleasant" he was just barrelling into people.

Nick: I always thought this was about getting the chicken burrito platter at Haydee’s and then skipping out on your bar tab at the Raven. Mike told me it wasn’t, but I don’t believe him.

Mike: It’s about coke.

“Bon Vivant”

The State Dept - Bon Vivant

Jason: This is the only State Department song that isn't 100% original. The bass line came from a Spiritual Machine song that was originally really gritty and in a minor key. I started playing it at our very first practice, then on the spot, Patrick came up with this light, skippy, funky major-key part, and it became this jaunty pop tune (and probably my favorite of ours). Like I said before, this band couldn't have happened without collaboration. Also, Mike writes all of our lyrics, but this song features the only line I've written for the band: "She's the kind of girl I would drink a little less for."

Patrick: This is our "cool, New York rock in-the-mid-1990s" song. You know, I saw a video of the Chrome Cranks playing "Hot Blonde Cocktail," recently. And while "Bon Vivant" bears no resemblance to that song, it's hard to listen to either track and not feel like a bad muthafucka. This is probably one of my favorite State Department songs to play live.

Nick: It’s got that four-on-the-floor/post punk beat happening with some pretentious yet cleanly aware lyrics.

Mike: This was one of the first songs we wrote after I joined the band. It’s chock full of 'tude. Jason wrote the melody for the verse and I wrote the chorus. We’re like a chubby Lennon and McCarthy.

“Engender Me”

The State Dept - Engender Me

Patrick: A very fun and jangly pop song. I was probably listening to a lot of McCarthy or the Smiths when we wrote this.

Jason: Mike wrote this song's chord change on his iPhone! Just pure, unadulterated pop.

Mike: I came up with a little ditty on the piano that the guys took and ran with. The lyrics are about how one day we all die and everything we thought mattered in life just does not in the end. Not money, success, war, anything.

Nick: Genius wit set to an easy-on-the-ears pop melody.

“I’m Waiting for the Man”

The State Dept - I'm Waiting for the Man

Mike: Our fuzz bass, spazzed out cover of the Velvet Underground song.

Jason: I think any great cover demands some sort of deconstruction or inversion of the original's form. For example, we played the Stone Roses' "I Wanna Be Adored" at one show, but we played it almost exactly the same way the original song went, and it clearly didn't go over as well. Therefore, we knew we wanted to play this fucker fast and loud. At one point, Mike asked "So how should I sing it?" I thought about how Lou Reed sort of nonchalantly uttered the original lyrics and how commanding a roar Mike can summon for his vocals, and the lightbulb went off. I replied "Lou Reed sang this song about scoring heroin; you sing it about scoring blow." Mike nailed the vocal in one take.

Patrick: I slept maybe two hours the night before we were due to go into the studio but I was so excited to record these songs that I didn't really feel sleepy. I was especially excited to record this number, as it was the last song of the afternoon. Apart from "The Gift," this is probably my favorite Velvet Underground song of all time.

Nick: Play this at a house party anywhere and watch the place erupt. Hell, it even makes me want to get wasted whenever it comes up on the iPod shuffle.

“The Way to a Man’s Heart Is Through His Chest”

The State Dept - The Way to a Man's Heart

Jason: I love love love Patrick's guitar work on this. His girlfriend, Farrah, is Syrian, and so at some point Patrick learned a few Arabic scales. You can definitely hear them on this. I'm amazed how Patrick was able to conjure such a massive, impressionistic, epic sound with such a minimalist part. I think of Lawrence of Arabia every time I listen to it.

Patrick: When we play this song live, I usually do a crazy feedback and delay drenched overture. I genuinely had no idea what Mike was singing on this song until I listened to the scratch vocals that he laid down in the studio.

Mike: This is our Gilgamesh––two parts God/one part man. In my opinion, our epic opus. I leave the lyrics open to interpretation.

Nick: This is a favorite of mine because (1) no one else is writing songs in this vein and (2) it never really happens the same way twice….like a snowflake, or drunk sex.

BYT: Thanks very much guys!

Catch The State Department this Saturday on the Black Cat Mainstage along with Detox Retox and Loose Lips!

More here: http://www.myspace.com/thestatedepartment