The Morning Benders

For my first post on this glorious blog I thought I'd write about one of my favorite bands, one I saw in concert last Friday. As the title suggests, I'm talking about The Morning Benders. This band from Berkeley, CA has come a long way since their debut album, "Talking Through Tin Cans,"
came out 2 years ago. That album was indie pop with an emphasis on 'pop.' Don't get me wrong, it was a very good album, but it seems almost empty compared with their new album, "Big Echo." The latter is produced by Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor, a man with a great skill for guitar flourishes, feedback and small details. All of that comes through on Big Echo. Lead singer Chris Chu is, to put it bluntly, phenomenal. He has an incredible voice that sounds like someone from the 60's and his musical vision is incredible. Don't take it from me, click on this link and enjoy Excuses, the opening song from Big Echo. It uses a Phil Spector wall of sound aesthetic to accomplish something that is both visually and auditorily stunning.

The Morning Benders- Excuses (youtube video)