The Morning Benders

Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

POP ETC's 'Live It Up': Watch the Morning Benders Try to Remake Themselves Into Smooth R&B

Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

Pop Etc: Could the Morning Benders Have Chosen a Worse New Name?

Our sympathies to the members of the Morning Benders, who recently chose -- but were basically forced -- to change their band name. In a note posted to their old website over the weekend, the members explained that since "bender" is a widely used derogatory slang term for "homosexual" in the U.K. an ... More >>

Chris Taylor: Show Preview

Fresh Times for Mission Recording Studio Different Fur

Fresh Times for Mission Recording Studio Different Fur, the Mountain Goats, and More

From SF Weekly's latest music section: Different Fur owner/engineer Patrick Brown behind the board.​Different Fur: Late in 2009, the Mission recording studio Different Fur played host to a night of local musical magic. Upstart Berkeley band the Morning Benders was recording a video with the t ... More >>

Hear the Morning Benders' "Oh Annie," an Unreleased New Song

Need more Morning Benders?​For some, the Morning Benders' Big Echo just wasn't enough. Not enough songs, that is. The Berkeley quartet's second album was a lush, dream-pop breakthrough, but it only contained 10 songs. (Not that there's anything wrong with 10-song albums!)For those who want more Bi ... More >>

Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

Morning Benders Release Japan Echo EP for Earthquake Relief

​File this under super-cool ways to benefit the struggling, earthquake-torn nation on the other side of Ocean Beach: the Morning Benders, the Berkeley-via-Brooklyn indie-pop quartet that basically took the world by storm last year, has released an EP whose sales will go exclusively to benefit the ... More >>

The Sounds of 2010

What we'll remember from the year in S.F. music.

Watch: A Bunch of Kids (And a Full Orchestra) Cover the Morning Benders' 'Excuses'

Shashika, leading dozens in a Morning Benders cover.​Well, this is almost as cute as that story today about the 17 German puppies: What appears to be a high school band -- orchestra and rock group -- plus one darling singer and her ukulele, covering "Excuses" as the Morning Benders played it for Y ... More >>

Turkey Day Treat: The Morning Benders' Excuses (The Golden Filter Remix)'

​Hear this while high: The Morning Benders' "Excuses (The Golden Filter Remix)" courtesy of Gorilla vs. Bear. Behind the buzz: Berkeleyites transplanted to the no-neck wilds of Brooklyn, The Morning Benders scored in '08 with an impressive debut full-length Talking Through Tin Cans ... More >>

Morning Benders Still Look Fresh From Berkeley Campus in New Video

Jack Ferry directed this simple, cute clip for the Berkeley-born Morning Benders' "All Day Day Light," from the band's still-stunning album Big Echo. It has the four band members bangin' through the song while changing clothes as the seasons inside the studio seem to change. Which means: fall l ... More >>

Ten Places We're Tired of Seeing Bands Pose For Photos

Social Studies, A Day To Remember​Rarely are bands' press photos shot on a stage, at a bar, in front of a microphone, or at a stuffy wedding reception. Though these places would seem the most logical place to plaster on a smile -- given that,  you know, that's where musicians play -- the most ... More >>

A B & The Sea Think the Morning Benders Are Hot (Literally)

myspace.com/abthesea​In 2008, two students at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh packed up their life, bid farewell to a lifestyle of cheese, beer, bratwurst -- and a favorite local band called Cheeseheads With Attitude -- and drove west to San Francisco. The two guitarists, Koley O'Brien and Joe ... More >>

Another Morning Benders Treat from Yours Truly: 'Stitches'

Earlier this year, San Francisco videographers Yours Truly posted a sublime clip of the Morning Benders performing "Excuses," the gorgeous opener to their current album Big Echo, along with dozens of friends at Different Fur studios in the Mission. Today, the site features a second video of the Morn ... More >>

Wines That Go Well With Bay Area Bands

​You can go to a restaurant and ask the server to offer wine pairings to accompany your fancy-pants menu choice. But imagine you're home and have just reached for the latest album from that hip new San Francisco band. You're all ready to crank up those sweet tunes, but what to drink to compliment ... More >>

New Morning Benders MP3 from the Cutting Room Floor

Weston Walker​Berkeley-bred foursome The Morning Benders' have been busy this past year with their Big Echo release, an upcoming tour with Black Keys, and that tweenage Bonnie and Clyde video for "Promises," which was nearly as gratuitously cute/violent as a school play of Scarface. Now the band h ... More >>

Moondoggies in the Ladies' Room @ the Independent (Video)

The Moondoggies "It's a Shame, It's a Pity" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.Ladies: the next time you're waiting in line for a stall at the Independent, you can pretend this lovely serenade by Seattle roots rockers Moondoggies is still happening. When the band was in San Francisco back in March, the musi ... More >>

Video of the Day: "Promises" by The Morning Benders

Morning Benders "Promises" from Focus Creeps on Vimeo. Bay Area-bred band The Morning Benders' song "Promises" off Big Echo is a charmed and bittersweet 50s-esque ballad that tells the tale of an uncertain relationship. The video features a tween Bonnie and Clyde smoking, boozing, shooting Tommy gu ... More >>

Videos of the Day: Ukulele Covers of MGMT and Train (by an 8-year-old)

I have a new rule when it comes to Train songs. I only want to hear them as covered by this cute little 8-year-old on his ukulele. Otherwise, I don't want to hear them at all.    There's a whole YouTube genre of uke covers--some of which are actually good songs to start with. MGMT' ... More >>

Video of the Day: New Morning Benders, "Promises"

"Promises"the morning benders | MySpace Music Videos The latest clip from the Morning Benders Big Echo camp is for "Promises," a gorgeous song that wistfully admits "I can't help thinking we grew up too fast. And I know this won't last a second longer than it has." The video plays on that the ... More >>

Video of the Day: The Morning Benders' "Excuses" Covered on Ukulele

Now this is pretty sweet. A cover of the Morning Benders' "Excuses," made by some young dudes in their attic using minimal instrumentation (ukulele, trumpet, snaps, drumming on a bucket and chair, shaking an aspirin bottle) shows the song is still pretty great even when you strip it back to the ba ... More >>

Green Day, Rogue Wave, The Dodos, Morning Benders to Play Lollapalooza

The Morning Benders​While it isn't exactly a Bay Area takeover of the Chicago festival, local indie acts are making a strong showing in the 2010 Lollapalooza lineup, which was just announced last night. Rogue Wave, The Dodos, and the Morning Benders all made the cut to play the Grant Park sta ... More >>

Local Frequency: Bay Area Band Q&A w/ Blood and Sunshine

Geno Valle​Like peanut butter and jelly, and chips and salsa, it's fun putting complimentary elements together. Blood and Sunshine are no exception. Combing their backgrounds of shoegaze and electronica, the duo of Joseph Macrino (vocals, guitar, Omnichord) and James Brennan (vocals, synth, machi ... More >>

Last Night: The Morning Benders, Miniature Tigers, The Mumlers at the Independent

Joseph SchellThe Morning Benders​The Morning Benders, Miniature Tigers, The Mumlers Tuesday, March 30, 2010 The Independent Better than: Overindulgent rock shows.The Morning Benders are in a new musical phase. And if you couldn't tell from the words printed on guitarist Jonathan Chu's t-shirt las ... More >>

The Morning Benders head east and pair with a Grizzly Bear

SXSW Roundup Thursday PM Pt. 2: Surf City NZ

Levi's took over the east side of Austin for all of SXSW, creating a semi-private world of tight pants and tall beers, a denim labyrinth where the 45-minute line to grab a wristband was made slightly more entertaining by a DJ who loved Michael Jackson. Loved him so much he told the crowd repeatedly, ... More >>

SXSW Friday Morning Scorecard (So Far)

​Scorecard for SXSW w/ 2 Days Down, 2 Left To GoAwesome!*Sets by The Antlers, Real Estate, The Morning Benders, Surf City*Your first veggie dog with a can of Lone Star in the sunshine* Music "venues" in old museums, warehouses, and giant dead lawns, across the industrial side of Austin*Free ice cr ... More >>

Bay Area Music Links: Ukulele Hendrix, Springtime Death Metal, Bad Dad's Laments

Danny ClinchJake Shimabukuro​ Pitchfork turned on by Hunx & His Punx. [Pitchfork] and elated with The Morning Benders. Spring means sunshine, flowers, and Death Metal. [The Bay Bridged] Video: Mark Growden plays bike handlebars like a flute -- and it sounds good! [Mission Mission] Says ... More >>

SXSW 2010 Showgoers' Guide to Bay Area Acts

Noise Pop Preview: Q&A w/ A B & The Sea

Helena Price​Guitarists Joe Spargur and Koley O'Brien of the new indie-pop quintet A B & The Sea moved out to San Francisco from Winneconne, Wisconsin at the end of 2008. They came at the suggestion of the Morning Benders to take a serious stab at the music business. It seems to be paying off. ... More >>

Like Free Energy? Win Free Tickets to Their Studio Taping Next Week

​Philly act Free Energy indulges its upbeat classic rock influences, down to the cowbells, sax solos, and hand claps. The band definitely shows a different side to label DFA Records, which signed this crew of feel-good power poppers just to show all those dance floor addicts they still wanna rock ... More >>

The Morning Benders Get All Phil Spector w/ Vanderslice, Girls, & More

Yours Truly Presents: The Morning Benders "Excuses" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.The Morning Benders are a different class of pop band now that they've recorded Big Echo. The stunning new album, out March 9, was co-produced with Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, who helped elevate the local act's sound int ... More >>

New MP3 from 2010's Big Pop Contenders The Morning Benders

Weston Walker​I got a sneak listen to Big Echo, the new album due out in March from the Morning Benders. And I know it's early, but I already think this record could end up on my best of 2010 list. The group enlisted Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor as co-producer, and the songs are just slightly weird ... More >>

The Morning Benders

Music Awards Program Guide

Track(s) of the Day: Music Awards Nominees (Indie Rock/Pop)

​It's gettin' down to it. One more day to vote for your favorite Bay Area acts in this year's music awards. And two more days until we announce the winners at a big ol' party at Ruby Skye (with, as we've mentioned before, performances by Wallpaper., Loco Bloco, and Lazer Sword) on Thursday. Today ... More >>

Vote! SF Weekly's Music Awards Ballot Goes Live

​The Bay Area music scene's crazy with talent, and we've been working hard as of late to narrow that massive creative pool down to 40 acts worthy of jumping on this year's Music Awards Ballot. So after much research by own own staff, and much polling of respected members of the music industry, we' ... More >>

Outside Lands Announces Ace Lineup: Beasties, Ween, Tom Jones, Dirtbombs, and More

Soren Solkaer StarbirdSan Francisco's giant music marathon, Outside Lands, announced its lineup this morning, capping its press release with headliners like Pearl Jam, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, and, yes, Dave Matthews Band hitting Golden Gate Park between August 28-30. Also in the ... More >>

2008 Music Awards Nominees

SF Weekly Music Awards Nominee: The Morning Benders

Treasure Island picks: in haiku form!

More Treasure Island News: New Bands, New Art

MP3 of the Day: Morning Benders Cover The Ronettes

Morning Benders to headline Good block party

The Morning Benders: love gone wrong in three minutes or less

Morning Benders

Boarded Doors (Self-released)