Rating: NNN
Following a few years of blog love and word-of-mouth hype, the Morning Benders are ready for their close-up. The Berkeley four-piece’s second full-length and first for the venerable Rough Trade label finds the band fleshing out their sound with production help from Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor, whose presence looms large.
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The Grizzly Bearification is mostly beneficial layered arrangements and a new sense of dynamics beef up otherwise one-dimensional West Coast pop tunes. For example, opening tracks Excuses and Promises – a solid one-two punch – feature sunny AM pop hooks surrounded by orchestral flourishes and intricate rhythms.
Unfortunately, the band lacks Grizzly Bear’s songwriting chops. After that early-album peak, the tracks begin to sound like undercooked compositions coasting on bells and whistles. Production can only do so much.
Top track: Promises
The Morning Benders play the Drake Wednesday (April 14).
