With the power of the Internet, there is an oversaturation of new artists out there. A music fan can easily get overwhelmed with the large number of new musicians trying to make a name for themselves.
It can be said that some bands try too hard when it comes to promoting themselves, often using tired techniques that aren’t impressive and don’t earn themselves any new fans.
Up-and-coming indie band The Morning Benders went back to simplicity when the time came to get people excited about its second album, “Big Echo.”
The Morning Benders created a huge amount of buzz after releasing a live video of them performing their new song “Excuses.” The video was music in its purest form; it was such a simple way to get people excited for a new album, and the next thing you knew everyone was talking about them.
The video wasn’t flashy, edgy or game-changing. Rather, it showed a young band doing the thing it loves, playing music with their friends. It grabbed music fans by the heart and reminded us why we love music in the first place.
The Morning Benders are a four-piece band originally from Berkeley, Calif., who have recently moved to Brooklyn for the release of “Big Echo.”
Their first album, “Talking Through Tin Cans,” was a successful indie album that iTunes picked as the best indie album of 2008. The album was full of sunny pop-rock that held the essence of California within its palms. It was a great debut album that caught the attention of lots of music fans.
The Morning Benders paid their dues for many years, opening up for bands like Death Cab for Cutie, MGMT and Grizzly Bear. At a performance back in 2008 with indie-rock fave The Kooks, The Morning Benders quickly rose to be an exciting new band in the eyes of many.
With “Big Echo,” the band brought in Grizzly Bear’s bassist Chris Taylor to produce the album. Taylor, known for his production on the Grizzly Bear albums, took The Morning Benders’ ability to write hooks and melodies and transformed them into a darker, more serious band.
Listening to the song “Excuses,” you can’t help but have your breath taken away. It has real depth and beauty to it, creating a hazy 1960s atmosphere. It was a brilliant choice by the band to release the live video for this gem.
Since the release of the video on a San Francisco Web site called Yours Truly, the band’s popularity in the indie community has really taken off. They were the No. 1 artist on popular MP3 blog aggregators — like The Hype Machine and Elbo.ws — and were talked about by practically every music publication out there.
“Big Echo” is full of wonderful moments like “Excuses.” It showcases four young men making music that is genuine. There is no doubt that 2010 is going to be the year of The Morning Benders.