The Morning Benders ' Big Echo' (2010)

1. Excuses
2. Promises
3. Wet Cement
4. Cold War (Nice Clean Fight)
5. Pleasure Sighs
6. Hand Me Downs
7. Mason Jar
8. All Day Day Light
9. Stitches
10. Sleeping In

The Morning Benders are back with their second LP 'Big Echo'. After recently signing to Rough Trade Records some more publicity is bound to ensue, that helped along with the added production value on the new LP from Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor. The Morning Benders, currently a 3-piece from Berkeley California, have been with quite the groups on their tours of late, with artists such as Grizzly Bear, MGMT, Death Cab For Cutie and Yo La Tengo accompanying them.

'Big Echo' opens with the track 'Excuses'. A lovely introduction to the sound of the band with violin being layered with acoustic guitars, bass and steel tapping on the drums. The sound of the band is somewhat a country feel mixed together with a nostalgic 60's style. Favourite tracks on the album for me are the next pair 'Promises' and 'Wet Cement'. Combined vocals, start and stop electric guitars on 'Promises' provide a sound that is clearly mimicked from the Grizzly Bear producer. 'Wet Cement' is a much slower number with some nice picking on the guitar and deep bass drum. The album picks up some pace with 'Cold War', and we are treated to some nice xylophone as well (which seems to be a very popular choice of instrument these days), and slows right down again with 'Pleasure Sighs' which boasts all sorts of emotion in one song with some high pitched vocals. 'Hand Me Downs' feels angry with distorted guitar and loud drumming throughout. More of the same follows on 'Mason Jar' but we get the loud summery tune of 'All Day Day Light' next which would be ideal for driving down the coast in the sunshine. 'Stitches' boasts a long building crescendo throughout showing all the band's various sounds and the album is finished off with closing track 'Sleeping In', a track which begins off very tame but closes well for the end of the album.

For me this is a lovely album. A real summery feel about it and definitely one to check out if you are a fan of the likes Grizzly Bear and anything with a country vibe to the music. I can imagine fans of Mumford and Suns liking this one too, but didn't want to mention their name. Seems fitting with the summer months approaching to be listening to it. I know I certainly enjoy listening to it on the walks to work in the morning.