Music Snitch

The Morning Benders just released their new EP Grain of Salt on +1 Records. This EP features the title track (one of their live staples and a crowd favorite), as well as three previously unreleased b-sides. For those who purchase the bundle on iTunes, a 5th bonus track will be included for free: an alternate version of Grain of Salt.

In March, The Morning Benders will be headed down to SXSW in Austin:
03.18.09 || 9:00pm || Stimulus Package hosted by HearYa.com @ Paradise Cafe
03.19.09 || 3:30pm || The Bay Area Takeover @ The Beauty Bar
03.20.09 || 12 – 6pm || The +1 House Party @ The Legendary Hank Sinatra’s 03.21.09 || 1:00am || Wave Rooftop: Official SXSW Showcase

Also, The Morning Benders dropped by the Daytrotter studios once again to record their second Daytrotter session. This new session, out now on daytrotter.com, features two original songs along with a classic cover.

Take A Listen: Your Dark Side by The Morning Benders

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Here’s a few new releases this week that we think are worth a bit of your attention.

The Morning Benders Grain of Salt – EP	Spokes People Like People Like You	Gentleman Reg Jet Black

While getting directions to the Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta, I noticed a recurring comment regarding the venue.  Apparently this much raved about concert haunt is near impossible to find your first time there.  There is no sign, no phone number, and it is underground…literally.  Thankfully after about 20 minutes of wandering around looking for a flock of dudes wearing skinny jeans, I got some much-appreciated help from a gentleman of the homeless persuasion.

I thought that Kyle Andrews would be playing with a band but turned out it was him solo, singing with an acoustic guitar backed by a laptop.  Not a lot to say about his set really, he sounded ok and the beats were pretty catchy at times…not sure if I would dig more than 25 minutes of his music though.

Before seeing The Submarines, I had only heard a few of their songs and was ambivalent about their music.  However, after a few minutes into their set, my ambivalence faded when I started enjoying the band and their trusty laptop.  The vocal duties were split between John Dragonetti & Blake Hazard, so there was a nice bit of mood variation. John played conductor with the laptop, Blake switched between various instruments and the fluffy haired drummer could not escape my vision…the live drums meshed well with the synthesized sound.  I don’t know if it’s because they are married but the two singers seem to compliment each other nicely on stage.  The crowd was definitely enthralled in the show and seemed rather comfortable shouting out song requests.  The Submarines did a nice job at rotating the tempo of their set and I rather enjoyed the songs, Swimming Pool and Vote. * I think the drummers name is Jay.

The Morning Benders‘ music seems shiny and fresh, yet reminiscent of the era when pop rock was softer, smoother and a bit lofty.  The DIY, not too complicated way The Benders create music gives them and their tunes, character and charm.  The quartet seemed really relaxed and comfortable on stage, especially the fresh-faced lead singer Chris Chu, who has an unconventional swagger about him. The Morning Benders‘ songs are typically short and sweet, so their set moved right along, including songs from their latest album, Talking Through Tin Cans as well as their older EPs.  Oh, and it looked as if the drummer was using a maraca as one of his drumsticks (is this common?). In a live setting, the Morning Benders kind of reminded me of Vampire Weekend…which is a good thing in my concert book.

The Morning Benders‘ North American tour, co-headlining with The Submarines, kicks off today. Their cross-country travels will take them through 23 cities, concluding with high profile shows at the Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco and The Troubadour in Los Angeles.

Tour Dates:
02.01.09 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
02.03.09 Austin, TX – Stubb’s BBQ
02.04.09 Dallas, TX – Pontiac Garage
02.06.09 Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn
02.07.09 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
02.08.09 Washington, DC – Black Cat
02.09.09 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
02.10.09 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
02.11.09 Brooklyn, NY – Bell House
02.13.09 Boston, MA – Middle East
02.14.09 Montreal, QC – Il Motore
02.15.09 Toronto, ON – Drake Hotel
02.17.09 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s
02.18.09 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
02.20.09 Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
02.21.09 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
02.23.09 Vancouver, BC – Biltmore Cabaret
02.24.09 Seattle, WA – Chop Suey
02.25.09 Portland, OR – Doug Fir
02.27.09 San Francisco, CA – Slims (Noise Pop)
02.28.09 Los Angeles, CA – The Troubadour

In conjunction with this tour, the morning benders covered a track by The Submarines…and The Submarines returned the favor by covering a benders song. Both songs are being offered to their fans for free.

Take A Listen:

1940 (Submarines Cover) by The Morning Benders:

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Download Both Songs:  Here   (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox.)