The Morning Benders Release Big Echo Out Today, Announce Tour Dates

Big Echo, the second full-length record from California's Morning Benders dropped today on Rough Trade Records. Lead singer/guitarist Chris Chu took production credit this time round, along with Grizzley Bear's Chris Taylor (talk about instant indie cred). Chu's songwriting is always so interesting-while it may sound like "just a power pop song," at first, let it breathe if you will, and run it a couple more times-Chu consistently turns quite a phrase amidst the musical complexities that the band brings to a track.

The Benders start out on tour tomorrow through April in support of Big Echo. Their acoustic SXSW show with Ben Gibbard for Stereogum at The Parish is slated as the hottest ticket this year for sure.

The Morning Benders Spring 2010 Tour Dates
March 10th: Jonny Brenda s, Philadelphia, PA*
March 11th: The Black Cat, Washington DC*
March 12th: Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC *
March 13th: The Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta, GA*
March 13th, 6pm: Criminal Records Instore, Atlanta, GA
March 15th: The Bottletree, Birmingham, AL*
March 17th Brooklyn Vegan Day Party at Emo s Austin
March 17th Rough Trade Records Showcase at Emo s Austin
March 18th Mess With Texas Party Austin
March 18th FADER Fort Austin
March 18th True Panther Sounds Showcase at Ms. Bea s Austin
March 20th Stereogum Range Life at The Parish (acoustic set) Austin
March 23rd: The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ
March 25th: Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA#
March 26th, 5pm: M-Theory Instore w/ Surfer Blood, San Diego, CA
March 26th: Casbah, San Diego, CA#
March 27th: Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa, CA
March 28th: Muddy Waters, Santa Barbara, CA
March 30th: The Independent, San Francisco, CA%
April 1st: Holocene, Portland, OR
April 2nd: Crocodile Café, Seattle, WA
April 3rd: Media Club, Vancouver, Canada
April 5th: Club Velour, Provo, UT
April 7th: Hi-Dive, Denver, CO
April 9th: The Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA
April 10th: The Maintenance Shop, Ames, IA
April 11th: Huckleberry's Pizza (Presented by Daytrotter), Rock Island, IL
April 12th: Schubas Tavern, Chicago,IL
April 14th: The Drake Hotel, Toronto, Canada
April 15th: La Sala Rossa, Montreal, Canada
April 16th: The Monkey House, Winooski, Vermont
April 17th: TT The Bear s, Boston, MA
April 18th: Hamilton College, Clinton, NY*
April 22nd and 28th*: The Mercury Lounge, NYC

*Acrylics, #We Barbarians, %the Mumlers
Miniature Tigers will be supporting the morning benders on all dates.

Check out our interview with The Morning Benders from early last year here.

The Morning Benders Sign to Rough Trade Records, Announce New Record and Spring Tour

2010 is a year that is bound to be platinum for The Morning Benders. They just got a record deal (Rough Trade Records picked them up), a new full-length album coming out, (Big Echo, which was produced by TMBs lead singer/guitarist Chris Chu and Grizzley Bear's Chris Taylor), and a large spring headlining tour that starts the day after Big Echo comes out on 3/9. Having opened for a variety of bands on major tours already (The Kooks and We are Scientists, among others), this gang of four has definitely worked hard for all their good fortune. As we said about them with our interview earlier this year, It's not an easy existence, criss-crossing the country as a touring band, but The Morning Benders are clearly four guys who take their music seriously and settle in for a good laugh about the rest, all the while enjoying the ride.

Give a Listen: Grain of Salt (Big Echo version) (from the Grain of Salt EP)

Morning Bender Spring US Tour

March 10th Jonny Brenda's Philadelphia
March 11th The Black Cat Washington DC
March 12th Local 506 Chapel Hill
March 13th The Drunken Unicorn Atlanta
March 15th The Bottletree Birmingham
March 23rd The Rhythm Room Phoenix
March 25th Troubadour Los Angeles
March 26th Casbah San Diego
March 27th Detroit Bar Costa Mesa
March 28th Muddy Waters Santa Barbara
March 30th The Independent San Francisco
April 1st Holocene Portland
April 2nd Crocodile Café Seattle
April 3rd Media Club Vancouver
April 5th Club Velour Provo
April 7th Hi-Dive Denver
April 9th The Vaudeville Mews Des Moines
April 10th The Maintenance Shop Ames, IA
April 11th Huckleberry's Pizza – Presented by Daytrotter Rock Island, IL
April 12th Schubas Tavern Chicago
April 14th The Drake Hotel Toronto
April 15th La Sala Rossa Montreal
April 16th The Monkey House Vermont
April 17th TT The Bear's Boston
April 22nd The Mercury Lounge NYC

Chris Taylor/Arthur Russell 7-inch Released, First in Terrible Records Series

Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear) and Ethan Silverman (Lust Boys)'s Terrible Records released the first of the label's 7-inch series yesterday with the Chris Taylor/Arthur Russell pairing of "CANT"/"Come to Life" that we mentioned awhile back.

CANT is the title of Taylor's first solo release, "Ghosts," and is coupled with a previously unreleased song recorded by Arthur Russell in the late '70's, called "Come To Life" (courtesy of Audika Records).

CANT is the first in a series of 7-inches recorded at Terrible Studios. The series will continue with songs produced by Taylor, recorded at his church-studio in Brooklyn where Taylor produced much of the latest Grizzly Bear record, Veckatimist. The CANT 7-inch release is limited to 1000 copies.

The next release for Terrible will be the Taylor-produced 5-song, 10" EP from NY group Acrylics on October 28th, entitled All of the Fire.

CANT can be purchased here.

Give a Listen: Ghosts-Chris Taylor

Terrible Records will be hosting a CMJ showcase at Pianos in NYC next Friday (10/23). Taylor and Silverman will be djing between sets.

Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear) and Ethan Silverman (Lust Boys) Announce First Terrible Records Releases, Includes Taylor Solo Tracks

Not to be confused with the FL label from the late 90s, but Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear and Ethan Silverman of Lust Boys have started an indie label based out of Brooklyn, Terrible Records.
The duo has been having events for the label since at least July, but the first records to come out will be a 7-inch series of Taylor's first solo releases, and a previously unreleased song by Arthur Russell.

CANT, as Taylor has chosen to call his project, offers the aptly-titled "Ghosts." The song is a haunting underwater trip through his familiar sonic territory that is found on each Grizzly Bear release. "Come To Life" is a previously unreleased folk track written and recorded by Arthur Russell in the late '70's. Its origins are a mystery but the beauty of the song shines brightly. Initially intended for inclusion on last years compilation of unreleased folk, pop, and country tunes called Love Is Overtaking Me.

Audika Records will release the digital download of the song on 10/13. The CANT 7-inch release is limited to 1000 copies and will be available at the Terrible Records website and select retailers.