The Morning Benders

Sounds like: The Bay Area, like they heart Rod Argent, and if a young Brian Wilson fronted a band like Grizzly Bear.
Album to listen to: Big Echo
Songs to listen to: Excuses, Hand Me Downs, Wet Cement

The Morning Benders are another band that I really enjoyed from SXSW. Originally from Berkley, CA, these boys fit right into the sounds that seem to be continuously pouring out of SF right now. Cool toned and laid back, these songs transport you to their sunnier and seemingly happier coast. This is a great example of what I'm loving in music right now. Their sound is perfectly poppy but is still thoughtful in texture and instrumentation. They also hit on another trend: vocal harmony. From bands like Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, and the more recent Local Natives; this is a trend that I hope to not tire of anytime soon, especially because it is being done incredibly well.

A perfect example of all of this is the song Excuses.  The song begins with a soft and tranquil guitar lick while the piano tinkers quietly in the background. Starting out perfect in it's simplicity, the sound quickly builds to some sort of majestic score for a sunny day. The strings stream throughout dreamy harmonies, popping in and out like beams of sunlight. The bridge, in all its catchy glory, showcases the bands grasp on vocal harmonies, as well as nods to Beach Boy style oohs and ahs. However, The Morning Benders don't rely solely on smooth beach-y sounds, as the feel gets a bit more aggressive in songs like Hand Me Downs, which boasts a playful jungle beat and I cant help but mention, an almost Vampire Weekend-y feel.  Another reason to appreciate this band is for humorous lyrics like "Stuck in the mason jar, where I sealed up my heart. I take it out once a week, to donate to charity," which make me think of something artist, David Shrigley, would have written. 

Although The Morning Benders can come off as a band of capricious too-cool youths to some, I stick by their ability to write some really great pop jams. As for their live performance, they seemed a bit reserved in front of an audience at times, but I have to admit...they also seem pretty cool.