POP ETC
Price: Amazon Music Unlimited
(as of Aug 19, 2025 06:06:36 UTC – Details)
Once they were The Morning Benders and now they are POP ETC. The stunning debut from POP ETC is an unapologetic celebration of pop music. Written, performed, produced and arranged by POP ETC with collaborations from Andrew Dawson (Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne) and Danger Mouse. LP + mp3 coupon
Language : English
Product Dimensions : 12.2 x 0.2 x 12.2 inches; 10.4 ounces
Manufacturer : Rough Trade
Item model number : RT 667
Original Release Date : 2012
Date First Available : April 9, 2012
Label : Rough Trade
ASIN : B007SNQH4A
Number of discs : 1
Best Sellers Rank: #549,295 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl) #47,503 in Alternative Rock (CDs & Vinyl) #213,058 in Rock (CDs & Vinyl)
Customer Reviews: 3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 11 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
T. A. Daniel –
Slick and Shiny, but Hollow on the Inside
POP ETC’s 2012 self-titled release finds the band formerly known as The Morning Benders making a pretty big shift. Not only was it a change of name, this album works as a reboot of sorts. This doesn’t feel like the same band that recorded Big Echo. Instead of embracing experimental rock producer (and Grizzly Bear bassist,) Chris Taylor, POP ETC brought in Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) and Andrew Dawson (producer for Kayne West and Lil Wayne) to work on this reinvention. The result is an album that has all the right ingredients: bombastic melodies, electronic synthesizers, drum machines, but it falls short of producing any really memorable moments.The most frustrating aspect of this album is the potential. It really sounds great. It sounds like it should be a fantastic album. There’s nothing really wrong with the production, instrumentation, or vocals. POP ETC just seems to lack the soul. The band doesn’t feel committed; instead, it feels like a cynical, pre-manufactured attempt to gain fame. It feels as if the members of the band were operating with a check-list, adding in all the ingredients to make a modern, top-40 radio success. Instead of creating a genuine “celebration-of-pop” (as the band is calling it), it feels less like a salute and more like mimcry. POP ETC feels like a piece of candy — it’s great in the moment, but it has no nutritional value and isn’t filling. The melodies created here just aren’t catchy enough to really make these songs enduring.Fans of Danger Mouse’s projects might find something here to enjoy. Anyone with an interest in genre-blending pop records should give POP ETC a try; while I didn’t like this album too much, I’m sure it will find its audience. This album would work well in any party setting — it’s light, breezy, and inoffensive. Recommended tracks to sample: “Halfway to Heaven,” and “New Life.”
Matt –
Extreme disappointment
I’m three years late to this album, but it wasn’t worth the wait. I had never heard of Morning Benders until their sophomore album “Big Echo” came out and started getting rave reviews. I loved that album beginning to end. They did a lot of wonderful things with melody, atmosphere and composition. I wondered why I hadn’t heard anything else about them in the last couple of years, and this morning I looked them up and found out about their name change. I downloaded “POP ETC” and threw it on a playlist for a road trip. When “Big Echo” wrapped up and this came on, I was four songs in before I even realized what I was listening to. What a disappointment. Everything I loved about their previous album was gone, and in its place was a pile of techno pop bubblegum that falls somewhere between Postal Service and Phoenix without being as good as either. Even the lyrics at times fall into generic pop cliches. A couple of tracks, like “Keep It For Your Own,” rise above the blandness, but overall it’s just not anything I feel compelled to listen to more than once. It seems to me that they owe a lot to whoever produces their albums. When Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear produced “Big Echo,” it took on some very Grizzly Bear sounding dynamics. When Danger Mouse produced POP ETC, it turned out like this. I’ve heard a couple of new tracks that they’ve written, and hopefully the next outing will be better than this.
Nse Ette –
Simply fluffy fun!
Pop Etc were previously named The Morning Benders and are a trio comprising Julian Harmon, Jon and Chris Chu. Once I found out that Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton was involved, my interest was piqued.They write and perform very catchy Pop tunes with electronic flourishes and layered harmonies, reminiscent of Yeasayer, or even Burton’s Broken Bells. Shimmery synths and ethereal vocals aplenty. Opening cut finds vocalist Chris Chu lamenting “”If I could, I would give it all back for just one more day with you” over softly bubbling synths. “Keep It For Your Own” is saccharine sweet indie pop with dreamy vocals flitting out from the rich soundscape. The down tempo “Live It Up” is more stripped with a pseudo Jazz feel, “Everything Is Gone” features a ghostly whistle, while “I Wanna Be Your Man” is set to glitches and bloops.For ballads, we have the falsetto-sung “Why’d You Do It Honey”, and the pretty Beatles-esque C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-E. Closing is the stomping Dance Pop “Yoyo” which sounds like the perfect soundtrack to a summer party. Fluffy fun.
DSF –
A Big Mistake
If you are a fan of the band’s earlier stuff (when they were known as The Morning Benders), you may find this album the musical equivalent of a slap in the face. I’m all for a band trying new things, but auto-tuning the vocals is NOT the way to go. This reeks of desperation.
John D. Pride –
Much Better Before
They were quite good as The Morning Benders. This is pretty forgettable fluff. Too many bands lately have been trying to emulate the worst of 80s radio, and these guys are now a part of that unfortunate trend.
wade –
sucks
When they left the name, they lost their substance. Album is not worth more than a Christina Aguilera album, which is a pretty close comparison in terms of musical quality and effort.
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