Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Morning Benders


The night air here in Detroit is starting to get just a smidge chillier. I'm looking forward to thermal shirts and cable knit tights...and Jim Halpert back on the TV! Who else is missing The Office? Remember back in Season 3 when Large Tuna was heartbroken at the Stamford branch, annoying his co-workers with a high-pitched cover of Lovefool by The Cardigans? Ever since then, I've had a soft spot in my heart for that song. And that is the only reason The Morning Benders caught my eye.

On their free, digitally released album called The Bedroom Covers, The Morning Benders had the good sense to include "Lovefool". It's one of 11 oldies but goodies, all recorded in their bedroom. (Well, in someone's bedroom. I assume the whole band doesn't share bunk beds and go to sleep in matching pajamas.) Also highly recommended are their takes of Roy Orbison's "Crying" and Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams".

Not only are the acoustic recordings beautiful and haunting, they really inspired me to try and record music again. I've always had trouble envisioning a song without drums. I always jumped to the conclusion that I'd have to use some cheesy synthesized drum track. But The Morning Benders make simple percussion instruments like maracas and tambourines sound natural, part of the fabric of the song, and not folky or coffee shop-ish. I once tried to record a cover of The Smiths' "I Won't Share You", which is track 5 on this compilation. I spent hours recording the guitar part, only to discover later that I couldn't sing high enough to finish the vocals....

Download the whole shebang over at The Morning Benders' blog.

Tracklist:
1. crying - roy orbison
2. mother and child reunion - paul simon
3. why dont they let us fall in love? - the ronettes
4. lovefool - the cardigans
5. i won't share you - the smiths
6. he's a rebel - the crystals
7. marie - randy newman
8. fools rush in - johnny mercer/rube bloom
9. temptation inside your heart - velvet underground
10. dreams - fleetwood mac
11. pull up the roots - talking heads
12. caroline, no- beach boys remix (bonus track)

No comments:

 
Clicky Web Analytics