Pop Etc (pronounced "pop et cetera"), formerly known as The Morning Benders , is an indie rock band. They originally formed in Berkeley, California but moved to Brooklyn, New York later in their career.
34-604: In 2008, they released their debut album Talking Through Tin Cans on +1 Records . The band has toured in support of Broken Bells (spring 2010), Grizzly Bear (fall 2009), The Kooks and Death Cab for Cutie (summer 2008), Ra Ra Riot (fall 2008), and has also played with Yo La Tengo , MGMT , Grand Archives , Yeasayer , Two Gallants , The Rosebuds , Au Revoir Simone , We Are Scientists , and White Rabbits . They also toured with Broken Bells and The Black Keys in 2010 . In December 2008, iTunes deemed Talking Through Tin Cans
68-609: A co-operative . Label activities began in 1978. Soon after, Rough Trade also set up a distribution arm that serviced independent retail outlets across Britain, a network that became known as the Cartel . In 1983, Rough Trade signed the Smiths . Interest and investment of major labels in the UK indie scene in the late 1980s, as well as overtrading on behalf of Rough Trade's distribution wing, led to cash flow problems, and eventually to bankruptcy, forcing
102-487: A band with friends who he had met in UC Berkeley. The Morning Benders began playing in local gigs, making friends on MySpace, emailing bloggers, and conversing with club promoters. This led to offers from various local independent labels to record an album. The Morning Benders chose +1 Records to support them in recording their albums. In September 2006, The Morning Benders released their first EP titled “Loose Change.” At
136-736: A cover of "Waiting for a War." In March, they also performed at SXSW in Austin, Texas. They performed with their friend John Vanderslice on May 19 at San Francisco's Rickshaw Stop . On May 20, they did a show at El Rey Theatre with The Walkmen . The Morning Benders toured the UK and Europe in early August. From August 28 through 30th, they played the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco. In October, they toured with Grizzly Bear , and in December, they toured with Girls . The Grain of Salt EP
170-499: A customer of the shop, was offered a job soon after it opened and became its effective co-manager. Travis and Montgomery were joined by a further employee, Richard Scott, in June 1977. Rough Trade produced its own record for the first time after French punk band Métal Urbain came into the shop asking for assistance in publicising their music. The Rough Trade label subsequently issued a single by Jamaican reggae musician Augustus Pablo ,
204-688: A new record, later announced to be called Souvenir. They supported The Wombats on tour in 2015 and in January 2016, toured the Northeast U.S. with Oh Wonder. Beginning with "Routine" in March 2017, the band put out a series of singles, dubbed the Infinite Singles Collection , throughout 2017 and 2018. This was followed by the official announcement in August 2018 that their next album, Half , featuring many of
238-682: A part of the Zomba Group until 11 June 2002 when BMG bought out this business. Prior to the BMG buyout, Rough Trade Records released the Strokes ' debut EP The Modern Age in the spring of 2001. In July 2007 Sanctuary Records then sold its stake in Rough Trade to the Beggars Group for £800,000 making Rough Trade independent once again. However, it can be argued that Rough Trade is not truly independent as it
272-571: A record shop, opened by Geoff Travis on Kensington Park Road, West London, in February 1976, with Travis reportedly taking the shop name from the Canadian art punk / new wave band Rough Trade . It was inspired by what Travis has described as the "community-based environment" of the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, and specialised in garage rock and reggae . Steve Montgomery, initially
306-600: Is an American indie rock band composed of artist-producer Brian Burton (better known as Danger Mouse ) and James Mercer , the lead vocalist and guitarist for the indie rock band The Shins . Broken Bells compose and create as a duo, but are joined by Dan Elkan and Jon Sortland when performing live. The previous live band included Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band sidemen Nate Walcott and Nik Freitas, and Jonathan Hischke and Dan Elkan , both ex-members of Hella . Following their 2010 self-titled debut album ,
340-470: Is currently run by co-managing directors Travis and Jeannette Lee and is affiliated to Beggars Group . Having successfully promoted and sold records by punk rock and early post-punk and indie pop bands such as the Normal and Desperate Bicycles , Travis began to manage acts and distribute bands such as Scritti Politti and began the label, which was informed by left-wing politics and structured as
374-575: The Bedroom Covers EP, on Gigantic, their old blog. The EP featured covers of many bands and artists including Velvet Underground, The Cardigans, Fleetwood Mac, and The Smiths. The cover artwork was done by Kyle Lee. In 2009, the Morning Benders toured the U.S. with The Submarines . Both bands covered each other's songs, with The Morning Benders doing a cover of "1940's", whilst the Submarines did
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#1732868833101408-630: The Sparklehorse frontman who died in early 2010. Broken Bells' self-titled debut album was released in the United States and Canada on March 9, 2010 through Columbia Records , and has sold over 400,000 copies domestically, peaking at number 7 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album received positive reviews. Rolling Stone magazine gave it a four-star review and stated that it was "the year’s coolest left field pop disc." In addition to having one of
442-516: The debut EP by Sheffield band Cabaret Voltaire and the second Stiff Little Fingers single, "Alternative Ulster". During 1978, the label released singles by the Monochrome Set , Subway Sect , Swell Maps , Electric Eels , Spizzoil and Kleenex . In 1979, Rough Trade's first album, Inflammable Material by Stiff Little Fingers, reached number 14 in the UK charts and became the first independently released album to sell over 100,000 copies in
476-542: The " Wall of Sound " recording technique in the 1950s and 60s – Big Echo was recorded in eleven days and mixed on the twelfth day in Brooklyn. Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear helped produce the album. "Excuses", the first track of the album, received many positive reviews. The second song, "Promises", had a music video focused on the theme of children growing up too fast. The album was released on March 9, 2010 on Rough Trade. In 2010, Chris Chu's brother Jon replaced Joe Ferrell as
510-648: The Disco . Broken Bells released their lead single from the album, titled "Holding on for Life", on November 4, 2013. After the Disco was released on February 4, 2014. That same day the band covered "And I Love Her" alongside footage of Ringo Starr on an old television as part of the Late Show With David Letterman' s "Beatles Week" to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' debut appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show . The band performed "Holding on for Life" on
544-568: The March 7, 2014 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . On December 7, 2018, Broken Bells released "Shelter", their first single in three years. A follow-up single, "Good Luck", was issued on September 27, 2019. "We're Not in Orbit Yet...", the first single from Broken Bells' third album, Into the Blue , was released on June 29, 2022 after an eight-year hiatus. The band released another single, "Saturdays", on August 10, 2022. On September 21,
578-658: The Thai band Polycat . In May 2017, Chris co-wrote and produced WATERS' album Something More! An advertisement for Sony 3D televisions in Southeast Asia featured "Excuses". An advertisement for Reese's peanut butter cups candy in the United States featured "Excuses". "Excuses" is also featured in the episode "Chuck vs. Phase Three" on the TV series Chuck . Torey Pudwill's skateboarding part for Transworld's Hallelujah featured "Excuses". Burton's 2009 snowboard movie The B features
612-506: The UK. Rough Trade's significance by this time was such that it was made the subject of a South Bank Show documentary. By the mid-1980s the label sought partnerships with bands from multiple genres, stating that "Hardcore, Dance, Reggae, Experimental & undefinable are all welcome." Rough Trade Records was relaunched in 2000 as an independently owned entity, a partnership between Travis, Jeannette Lee (a former member of Public Image Ltd. ), and minority partners Sanctuary Records , as
646-513: The band discovered that the term ' bender ' has negative connotations in certain countries outside the United States, particularly in the United Kingdom where the term can be used as a pejorative. The Morning Benders began as a solo project for Chris Chu in 2005. Chu studied music at the University of California, Berkeley and spent his spare time recording songs from a laptop. He eventually formed
680-467: The band released "Love On The Run", the third single from the album. Official members Touring members Broken Bells were nominated at the 2011 Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album. Rough Trade Records Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London, England. It was formed in 1976 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove . It
714-490: The band's guitarist. They gathered with all their closest friends to play a live performance of "Excuses" on Yours Truly. The band moved to Brooklyn. In October 2010, they debuted their new song "Virgins" on La Blogothèque. They had planned to have a tour in Tokyo, but because of the disastrous Japanese earthquake and tsunami, they had to cancel and reschedule. They released Japan Echo EP earlier in 2011, to support those affected by
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#1732868833101748-410: The best indie/alternative album of 2008. Earlier that year, they also received the "Editor's Pick" award. In March 2010, the music website Pitchfork deemed their second studio album, Big Echo, "Best New Music," and gave it an 8.2 rating. On March 25, 2012, the band posted on Facebook and Twitter that their original name "The Morning Benders" would be changed to Pop Etc. The decision was made after
782-561: The duo released an EP, Meyrin Fields , in 2011 and their second studio album, After the Disco , in 2014. In 2022 they released a third studio album, Into the Blue . Brian Burton and James Mercer decided to work together after meeting at the Roskilde Festival in 2004 and finding they were fans of each other's work. By March 2008, Mercer and Burton began recording together in secret at Burton's Los Angeles–based studio. The project
816-673: The label into receivership . However, Travis resurrected the label in the late 1990s partnering with Lee, finding success with the Libertines , the Strokes , Anohni and the Johnsons and more. The roster is diverse, with Sleaford Mods , Dean Blunt , black midi , Jarvis Cocker , Special Interest , Jockstrap and Lankum among those signed to the label, which has ranged stylistically through alternative rock , post-punk and new wave , garage rock , and psychedelic rock , but also art pop , folk , electronic , and soul . Rough Trade began as
850-507: The lyrics for "is". "Running in Circles" is included in a YouTube video uploaded by JonTron , in which Jon and his friend Ethan from h3h3Productions attempt to learn martial arts. "Running in Circles" is included in an episode of the British television series Lovesick on Netflix. "Same Mistake" is featured in season 2 episode 5 of New Amsterdam . Broken Bells Broken Bells
884-450: The resulting floods. The EP included many artists such as Twin Sister, Star Slinger, and Wild Nothing. In early August, the band was finally able to play at Summer Sonic in Tokyo and Osaka. In 2012, the band changed their name to POP ETC and released an album-length mixtape for free, followed by a self-titled album. The band spent the years following the release of POP ETC writing material for
918-446: The singles from the collection, would be released on October 3 of that year. In 2010, Chris Chu produced So Many Wizard's album Love Songs for When You Leave Me . In January 2011, Chris produced Chloe Makes Music's debut The Puppeteer , and was featured on the song "The Duel". In October 2013, Chris produced Japanese rock band Galileo Galilei 's album ALARMS ; he also co-wrote their See More Glass EP. In April 2014, Chris mixed
952-467: The song "900 Hands" for the band Elskling. In December 2014, Chris produced and wrote music for J-pop idol Kimura Kaela 's album MIETA . In April 2015, Chris co-wrote and produced WATERS ' album ' What's Real , alongside Ryan Rabin from Grouplove . In September 2016, Chris co-wrote "Revolution" by First Aid Kit and Van William . In Spring and Summer 2017, Chris produced and co-wrote "Don't You Go" by Thai star Stamp Apiwat , in collaboration with
986-754: The song "Waiting for a War" from Talking Through Tin Cans . Top Gear (season 17, episode 5) references the band in a discussion about the Aston Martin Cygnet & Colette. The intro of "Excuses" is now the theme song for The New Normal . "Speak Up" is featured on the soundtrack for Breaking Dawn Part 2 , the final installment of The Twilight Saga . Shinichiro Watanabe 's 2014 anime series Terror in Resonance features two original songs: "is", featured in episode 4; and "lava". Both songs' vocals are performed by Chris Chu, and feature lyrics written by Chu. Additionally, Keisuke Tominaga contributed to
1020-432: The time, Chris, Van Pierszalowski , Joe Ferrell, and Tom Peyton were included as band members. The EP was recorded on a laptop. In early 2007, the Morning Benders released a second EP, Boarded Doors . The EP was recorded in the band's basement, which was also their practice space. During this time, Chris started to work as a studio engineer to help pay for his band's recordings. Their debut album Talking Through Tin Cans
1054-411: The year’s highest-charting debut albums, the band sold out shows on their first-ever tour. Broken Bells released an EP titled Meyrin Fields on March 18, 2011. On February 14, 2012, in an interview with KINK.FM (a Portland, Oregon radio station), Mercer stated that he was currently working on Broken Bells' second album. On October 8, 2013, the band announced the release of its second album, After
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1088-458: Was first announced on September 29, 2009. Burton and Mercer described their material as "melodic, but experimental, too." Prior to the formation of Broken Bells, Mercer and Burton worked together on the track "Insane Lullaby" on the album Dark Night of the Soul by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse . Broken Bells have since performed the song several times, often as a tribute to the late Mark Linkous ,
1122-436: Was produced, engineered, and mixed by Chris Chu. It was released on their label +1 Records. The album's style was referred to as "So-Cal 60's pop". They toured with various acts, including The Kooks and Death Cab for Cutie . In December, iTunes called the album the best indie/alternative album of 2008. The members involved in this album were Chris Chu, Joe Ferrell, David Perales, and Julian Harmon. The Morning Benders released
1156-588: Was released on February 24, 2009, and included songs such as "A Song" and "Your Dark Side." There was also a different version of "Grain of Salt" included as a bonus track. On July 7, 2009, iTunes released a Frank Sinatra tribute album, His Way, Our Way , which included The Morning Benders covering "Strangers in the Night". On December 15, 2009, The Morning Benders signed to Rough Trade Records to release their next album in early 2010. Influenced by many contemporary bands and artists, including Phil Spector – who developed
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