Morning Benders Release Japan Echo EP for Earthquake Relief

By Ian S. Port Thu., Mar. 24 2011 at 9:36 AM

Categories: Music + Serious Things

Pin It

File this under super-cool ways to benefit the struggling, earthquake-torn nation on the other side of Ocean Beach: the Morning Benders, the Berkeley-via-Brooklyn indie-pop quartet that basically took the world by storm last year, has released an EP whose sales will go exclusively to benefit the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. Turns out the Morning Benders had their own connection the disaster there earlier this month. Check out the full story and download info after the jump.

The EP includes previously unreleased Morning Benders songs, plus a remixes of well-known songs from the band's breakthrough album, Big Echo, by artists such as Wild Nothing, Twin Sister, and Star Slinger. It's available for purchase on the band's website for between $5 and $100 -- whatever you feel like donating.

What especially caught our eye about this was Morning Benders frontman Chris Chu's largely unexplored connection to the island nation:

Last week we were scheduled to go to Tokyo to play our first show ever in Japan. It was going to be a very special trip for us, and for me in particular. I had always dreamt of going back to Japan to play music. not many people know this, but I was actually born in Japan, and although I only lived there for a couple years, I've always had a deep love for the country and its people. I cannot express how sad and helpless I've felt reading about everything that is happening there right now, and even though we couldn't be there, we wanted to do everything we could to help.

We love you Japan.

xo,

Chris

Well, then. What you do after reading that is up to you, folks. You can buy the EP here.

----
Follow us on Twitter @SFAllShookDown, follow Ian S. Port @iPORT, and like us at Facebook.com/SFAllShookDown.

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Music Newsletter: Keep your thumb on the local music scene with music features, additional online music listings and show picks. We'll also send special ticket offers and music promotions available only to our Music Newsletter subscribers.