Remember the Morning Benders? In case you need a refresher, the Berkeley boys behind everyone’s favorite album of 2010 (Big Echo, released via Rough Trade) are now POP ETC. To help fans with the change, they released a mixtape back in 2012. Since then, we haven’t heard much from them, until now — the band, led by Chris Chu, just announced their first album as POP ETC. It’s called Souvenir and it’ll be out on January 29, 2016.
The album took them years to record, but the final product is one they’re proud of. Speaking about the record, Chu said in a recent press release:
“I’m not sure I know what this album is about exactly. At least not yet. But listening to it now I do think we captured some kind of feeling, some kind of snapshot of what the three of us have been going through these last few years. A Souvenir to hold on to and remember those days.”
Currently, they’re on tour in Japan with Galileo Galilei and will embark on a stateside tour with the Wombats and Royal Teeth at the end of November. (Unfortunately, no West Coast dates have been announced. Stay tuned for a possible album tour soon.)
To keep fans satiated until the album release, POP ETC have released a video for their single “Bad Break,” a soaring eighties-influenced pop number that may just become your personal earworm for days. The video features the band attempting to escape from some hooded figures trying to record them, within the picturesque views of Manhattan. On top of it all, the video is karaoke friendly! Once you’ve watched it a few times, you can follow along with the lyrics at the bottom of the screen and let the dance party rip. You can watch the video below.
‘Souvenir’ is out January 29.