Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #31 - The Morning Benders

Why I Decree it to Be So:

I love pretty much just about everything about Big Echo. No lie, my friends. The Morning Benders hit it out of that proverbial park, got a hole-in-one, and got themselves the winning buzzer-beater or whatever little sporty metaphor tickles your fancy. Big Echo is bucolically beautiful, robust and sunbursting, an homage to the beachtastic 60s and the glammiest of 70s in equal, and equally-pleasing measure. Christopher Chu's vocals are simply lovely, and oh-so beach ready, and the whole record elicits plenty of California daydreamin. It's idyllic and poppily pastoral and just plain gorgeous. Buy it immediately.

mp3: Excuses (The Morning Benders from Big Echo)

Free Music Friday--The Monday After the Fact Edition

What with it most likely being a short week here at LET this week (gobble, gobble, kids), i decided that if i let last week's Free Music Friday slip by, it probably would be at least another week before i got one done. Since nobody wanted that to happen, here we are with The Monday After the Fact Edition.

Validating our continuing love of all things Swedish, jj dropped a couple of freebie tracks last week, now with sample-y goodness from the xx and Akon!

mp3: let them (jj from Sincerely Yours)

mp3: i'm the one/money on my mind (jj from Sincerely Yours)

With his ninth solo joint, The Apollo Kids, hitting shelves December 14, Ghostface Killah decides to show you what he's got on the first single, "Together Baby." With a soulful sample on the hook, GK continues to slaughter on this one.

mp3: Together Baby (Ghostface Killah from The Apollo Kids)

Continuing their tradition of unearthing seldom heard gems, Light in the Attic knocks another one out of the park with Jim Sullivan's U.F.O. Utilizing the legendary Wrecking Crew as his backing band, the artist is shrouded in mystery. For our purposes, though, the sumbitch could write a mean pysch-folk-rock tune, and that's really all we care about here.

mp3: Highways (Jim Sullivan from U.F.O. )

Katy Goodman must have decided two bands simply were not enough, with the Vivian Girls / All Saints Day member dropping a new one as La Sera. First single, "Never Come Around," shares the same dream-pop vision as her trio, but without the wall of fuzz. Quite frankly, a welcome change of pace to my ears.

mp3: Never Come Around (La Sera from Never Come Around/Behind Your Eyes 7")

And to send you on your merry way, the Golden Filter remix of the Morning Benders' "Excuses" (incidentally, my favorite track on their Big Echo). Now with more dance floor-y-ness!

mp3: Excuses (The Golden Filter Remix) (The Morning Benders from their website)

Mixtape Love Across the Board

The term "mixtape" is misleading these days. For all practical purposes, the term has become interchangeable with "non-studio release album," more often than not put out by hip hop artists . Of course, the original was far more meaningful. Gather round, children, while your Uncle Terrible relates how it was back in the day, before mp3s and iPods, when if you wanted to listen to a bunch of your favorite tracks in a row, you had to fucking make an LP yourself, for all practical purposes.

Fuck that, you don't care, and i don't feel like explaining to those of you who weren't there anyway. It's already been proven that i'm the master at the old skool version of said mixtapes, and that's enough. Fortunately, though, today we have examples of both, so listen up and take notes. There will be a blue book quiz later.

Straight out of the OFWGKTA camp, Domo Genesis just dropped Rolling Papers. Featuring more incredible production by Tyler, the Creator (who, along with his co-conspirators from OFWGKTA, shares some guest rap duties), these kids are the next wave, i tell you what. This one is a slight departure from their usual, "don't call us horrorcore," violent fare by focusing far more on the most glorious of weeds, as the title suggests. Good call, that.

mp3: Kickin' It (Domo Genesis from Rolling Papers)

mp3: Super Market ft. Ace Creator (Domo Genesis from Rolling Papers)

Remember when i posted that Andreya Triana mix the other day? Well, turns out the DJ in charge also records under the Bobby Quine Experiment moniker, and turns out some nice, chilled instrumentals in the process. His Lucid Dreams EP is "inspired by" the movie "Inception." Pretty decent flick, but this is a far less confusing way to spend your time.

mp3: Architects (The Bobby Quine Experiment from Lucid Dreams)

The Morning Benders must be a lot older than i thought they were when i saw them open for the Black Keys a while back. Either that, or there must be some older siblings related to that band, as they've just dropped their second mixtape. No, not like their past covers album, but an honest-to-Dolemite, old skool, half-hour mix of what i'm guessing are some of lead singer Chris Chu's favorites these days, ranging from Nino Rota to Harry Nilsson, with a Paul McCartney cover by the MB themselves to keep things going. In Chu's words, "I think it's more of an Autumn mix this time." Regardless, it's a groover.

mp3: Echomix2 (The Morning Benders from ECHOMIXES Series)

Live Review: The Black Keys at DAR Constitution, 7-26-10

i'm beginning to think the Black Keys are incapable of putting on a bad show. i've seen Dan Auerbach tear it up solo apparently while suffering from the flu, and while last night may not have been my favorite time seeing them, to claim the boys were in less than their usual rarefied air would simply be untrue.

It might have had something to do with the fact that my ass hat of a brother who i also bought tickets for showed up almost half an hour late, or it may have just been the fact that i'm not a huge fan of DAR, but i couldn't quite get into the swing of things last night.

It certainly wasn't openers The Morning Benders. While my knowledge of them is largely limited to that cover CD they put out a couple of years ago, they certainly performed admirably. While they seemed somewhat mismatched with the harder sounding Keys at first, by the time they closed with "Excuses," damn near the entire house at that point (let's say just over half full) gave them a standing ovation, myself included.

Maybe i was thrown by the fact that Patrick Carney didn't wear glasses for the entire set, a first for me, and i've seen them at least a half dozen or so times already. i'm not sure how this is possible, but the heir apparent to John Bonham's frenzied style of playing appeared somehow even angrier than usual, beating the skins with a renewed passion one does not typically see outside of long-term, abusive relationships of the type found on "Cops" reruns. His drumming, however, remained flawless. The same should be said of Auerbach's guitar work, if anything better than the last couple of times i've seen him play solo. The song selection wasn't bad, either. Once they got "Stack Shot Billy" and "10 a.m. Automatic" out of the way, they pretty much covered my bases. More than half the show was dedicated to their earlier CDs, though they did bring out a bassists and keyboardist (another first for me seeing them), which wasn't a half bad affair at all, to help with their newer material. i'm not sure they added a whole hell of a lot, but they certainly didn't detract in the least. From the new CD, they played my faves again, ("Everlasting Light," "Next Girl," "Tighten Up," "Howlin' for You"), so it couldn't have been that, either. They did play their Twilight track, and while a kick-ass tune, teenage vampires do piss me off something fierce.

i dunno. Maybe my shoes were too tight, because upon further review, they obviously rocked last night.

Never mind. These are not the droids you're looking for. Move along; move along.

mp3: Excuses (The Morning Benders from Big Echo)

mp3: Ohio (The Black Keys from previous 7", now available at the website for the price of your email addy)

mp3: "Fight for Air" Mash-up (Mr. Dibbs sampling the Black Keys from Attack & Release)

Free Music Friday: The Timely, Canadian, Rationalizing, Sickly, Give Me Your Email Address, Up and Down Version

For whatever reason, the Powers That Be opted not to drop copious amounts of free mp3s into ye olde inbox this week, but fret not! It'll just harsh your buzz if you do. Besides, because i am such a helluva guy, i scoured the Interwebs near and far to find your lazy asses the best new freebie schwag out there today.

To get things started, we've got the return of Field Music. The boys in the band (brothers Peter and David Brewis [vox], Kev Dosdale [guitar and keys] and Ian Black [bass]) are coming off a "self-imposed three year hiatus" with a new 20-track monster, Field Music (Measure). The boys are touring, too, but alas and alack, are coming nowhere particularly near our neck of the woods. Seriously, though, is it just me or are the vocal similarities between the Brother Brewis and Steely Dan downright uncanny? Regardless, you can stream the entire new CD over here at KCRW.

mp3: Each Time Is a New Time (Field Music from Field Music (Measure)) (right click)

The next few tracks are going to cost you something, but they're three stellar fucking tracks, so get over it. As i mentioned recently, the new currency for most free mp3s is your email address. Take solace in the fact, however, that as soon as these boys (hopefully some of your favorite bands) put out that next 7" that they're only releasing on Record Store Day, you'll be in the know.

Caribou nee Manitoba has a new one coming, too. His Swim hits is scheduled to hit shelves April 20. Each of his CDs has been successively better, so i, at least, have high hopes for this one. His expertise lies in creating electronic music that sounds like anything but. First single "Odessa" is a bit heavier than some of his earlier stuff, but dense means good here.

mp3: Odessa (Caribou from Swim) (left click)

i didn't really know the morning benders for more than their sometimes excellent bedroom covers CD, but it appears i was cutting these cats much less slack than they deserved. Their Big Echo is due March 9. If first track "Excuses" is any indication, this puppy is going to be a monster. Have you seen the accompanying video yet? Old boy is going for a Phil Spector Wall of Sound vibe, and i'll be damned if he doesn't nail it.

mp3: Excuses (the morning benders from Big Echo) (left click)

One of my top five favorite bands, Broken Social Scene, is back after far too long away. Sure, the white Canuck version of Wu-Tang put out a couple of stellar "Broken Social Scene Presents" CDs, but those still weren't the same thing. Can a RZA or Ghostface Killah solo joint ever be quite as strong as a collaborative group effort? i argue no. It appears most of the dates for the upcoming supporting tour for Forgiveness Rock Record (out May 4) are taking place overseas in Europe. Did somebody say "Euro Trip?" Anyway, first single "World Sick" is the type of sprawling rocker we've come to except from these masterful bastards.

As a complete side note, i recently almost broke down into fisticuffs when someone disagreed with me that You Forgot It In People was hands down one of the top 10 CDs of the Aughties. Fortunately, i'm lazy and out of shape, so that didn't happen, but the fact remains, these cats kick a tasty groove, and there ain't no bout a doubt it.

mp3: World Sick (Broken Social Scene from Forgiveness Rock Record) (left click)

To wrap things up, i just received the latest from LET's preferred charitable organization, the Mark Sandman Music Project, who are back with three new free tracks this week. Over the past few months, they've had a very successful run bringing musical opportunities to young people in the Greater Boston Metro Area. They've taught some audio engineering classes, recorded some young up and comers out of high school, and are in the early stages of offering an intensive songwriting and recording class. Of course, none of that is possible without a few ducats from cats like you and me, so let's get with it people, and get to giving. It's the least you can do after all the excellent music the late Mr. Sandman and the boys in Morphine gave and continue to give to the world.

mp3: Yo Yo (Mark Sandman from the Mark Sandman Tribute Recordings) (left click)

It's Covered: Lovefool

OK, at this point, even i'm tired of hearing about what a shitty, tiring week i'm having. So what do we all need in this instance? That's right, a little levity never hurt nothing, as my less than grammatically correct friends are apt to say.

With that, let's take a few listens to a few different takes on everyone's favorite song about the political collapse of third world micronauts during the decline of omniversal mining rights. No, i'm just fucking with you. Lovefool was written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson (gotta love those Scandinavian names) for the Cardigan's third studio album, First Band on the Moon, way back in 1996. Like most kids at the time, though, I was hipped to that track by the soundtrack for William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Whether you feel Claire Danes and Leo DeCrappy did the Bard's work justice, the OST had a number of money tracks, this one included.

We're going to start with the original and then follow that with a pretty kick ass acoustic take, again by the Cardigans, called "The Puck Version." Then we've got a slightly more techno/bossa nova take from Just Jack, followed by an even techno-ier version by Jolin Tsai. And to round things out, a kind of sing-along version by The Morning Benders.

And while we're enjoying the hell out of this thing, who remembers when Jim couldn't stop singing it on the Office?

mp3: Lovefool (The Cardigans from First Band on the Moon)

mp3: Lovefool (The Cardigans from Best Of)

mp3: Lovefool (Just Jack from Radio 1 Established 1967)

mp3: Lovefool (Jolin Tsai from Love Exercise)

mp3: Lovefool (The Morning Benders from The Bedroom Covers)