Backstory: A melodic-rock Berkeley, Calif., foursome used to self-recording and releasing EPs, the Morning Benders made the jump to the pro studio when singer-songwriter Chris Chu got an unpaid job in a recording studio, where he recorded this—the group’s full length debut.
Why you should care: Virtually every buzz band of the year—from the Kooks to MGMT—has hand-picked the Morning Benders as tourmates.
Verdict: It's obvious from the first song, the retro-feeling “Damnit Anna,” that the Morning Benders have one foot in the past and one in the present; the song is a perfect amalgam of Kinks-ian power-pop melody and Shins-ish acoustic lilt. The short, sweet album continues the trend, with foot-stomping drums, smartly syncopated electric leads and sing-songy choruses befitting both a classic rock aesthetic and a modern rock sensibility.
X-Factor: The band's MySpace page has a Madlib-style fill-in-the-blanks Morning Benders bio—make up your own nonsensical anecdotes about the band!
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