It’s going to be impossible for The Morning Benders to escape constant comparisons to Brooklyn indie darlings Grizzly Bear with their album Big Echo. The album traffics in the same Brill Building nostalgia, knee-buckling shuffle and otherworldly harmonies that Grizzly Bear rode to breakthrough success on last year’s Veckatimest. Wisely, the Benders didn’t try to run from the inevitable referencing, and instead enlisted Grizzly Bear bassist Chris Taylor to produce Big Echo.
The move has paid off; thick, sun-drenched warmth permeates every nook of Big Echo, giving The Morning Benders’ songs a thoroughly inviting sound. Of course, this would all be for naught if the songs themselves weren’t up to snuff, but here the band also makes good. Over 10 songs, The Morning Benders unfold pure, gorgeous pop with deep singalong choruses and not a single unnecessary note. Steeped in the innocent, beach-bound good times of the ’50s and ’60s, each song on Big Echo could be a half-forgotten relic from the AM dial. The album’s easy familiarity can sometimes become a bit too easy and familiar, but on the whole, Big Echo is simply a joy to hear.
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