The Morning Benders

Equally indebted towards the Shins and Brian Wilson, the Morning Benders mix sunny pop songcraft with jangling guitars, collegiate wit, and a contemporary indie ethic. Frontman Chris Chu released the group being a single task in 2005, utilizing a one microphone and notebook to record his initial batch of music. The Loose Transformation EP found its way to Sept 2006, and Chu eventually opened up the Benders’ doorways to many of his UC Berkeley classmates, including drummer Julian Harmon, bassist Tim Or, and guitarist/organist Joe Ferrell. Another EP, Boarded Doorways, made an appearance in early 2007 and was well received by such Bay Region magazines as The SF Regular, prompting Chu to have a part-time work as a studio room engineer to be able to finance yet another record. Largely created, engineered, and blended by Chu himself, the full-length Speaking Through Tin Cans found its way to May 2008 in the recently minted +1 Information label. Speaking Through Tin Cans fared well in indie pop circles, as well as the music group toured heavily to get its release, sometimes portion as the starting act for rings like Loss of life Cab for Cutie as well as the Kooks. After launching an record of acoustic pop addresses, the Morning hours Benders taken up stakes and transferred to Brooklyn, where their ’60s SoCal hooks steadily gave method to a far more experimental audio. With Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor portion as co-producer, the bandmates presented their brand-new approach with 2010’s Big Echo, an ambitious record that fused Chu’s pop melodies with atmospheric textures. Quickly following album’s discharge, Ferrell still left the music group, changed by Chris’ sibling Jon Chu. Amid touring and focus on a new record, the music group left SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA for Brooklyn. In early 2012 the music group announced via tweets and Facebook they’d become changing their name to Pop Etc. after learning the term “bender” transported some homophobic connotations in the U.K.