Review: The Morning Benders, Big Echo

The Morning Benders

Big Echo

A-

Once upon a summer time, two years ago, yours truly attended a life changing concert at Terminal 5 in a notably derelict area of Midtown New York City. The headlining band was the Kooks, soon to become a favorite band of mine. While the event was significant in regards to a blossoming infatuation with the Kooks’ frontman, Luke Pritchard, the gig was also special for its surprisingly decent opening band, the Morning Benders. The band hailing from the far coast of Berkeley, California shores appeared awkward at first. Dressed in Sunday-best polos, dirty sneakers, and thick-rimmed glasses, the newbie boys looked every bit the part of the opening band experiencing their big break while accompanying the well-toured British Kooks. The Morning Benders serenaded the crowd with pleasant and refreshing tunes, reminding the New York concert-goers of all those laid back, naïve, and innocent teenage years they never had. As reviews of the show later revealed to agree, I found the opening band impressive and genuinely delightful. After a few songs to get themselves comfortable, the scrawny lads seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage, despite the audience’s hesitation to support the neophytes…typical. (cont'd after the jump)

Concert Review: The Morning Benders at the Black Cat

The Morning Benders @ The Black Cat
March 11, 2010

The morning benders played a sold out show at the Black Cat on March 11. This band’s popularity came as a surprise to no one but the morning benders themselves. Throughout the incredible set comprised solely of songs off of their second album, “Big Echo,” frontman Chris Chu commented effusively on how thankful the band was for everyone in attendance. It is this earnestness which to me is the secret of the morning bender’s [lower caps intentional] inescapable charm. “Big Echo” marks a departure from their debut album, “Talking through Tin Cans,” the kind of sweet, innocuous indie rock which elicited some luke-warm comparisons to The Shins. Their newest release comes from the idea that a big shout produces a big echo, and this album marks the transcendence of the pleasant small echo of "Talking Through Tin Cans" to the loftier reverberations of their own big echo. For this album the benders explored Phil Spector’s concept of the "wall of sound," adding an inescapable depth to the more doleful melodies.

Concert Pick of the Week: Morning Benders

The Morning Benders @ The Black Cat

March 11, 2010

We're on Spring Break over here, so posting will be light this week, but if you're still in the District you won't want to miss the pleasant grooves and sunny indie-pop of The Morning Benders when they take the stage at the Black Cat Thursday. On the heels of the release of their latest EP, Grain of Salt, this band is gaining fans for their three-part harmonies and gentle surround-sound vibe.