{"product_id":"bendrethegiant-swollen-eyes","title":"BendreTheGiant - Swollen Eyes (PRE-ORDER)*","description":"\u003cp\u003ePre-order will ship the week before 6\/12\/2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“BendreTheGiant weaves Alice In Chains Energy into R\u0026amp;B vibes.” \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e– Willamette Week\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A luxe baritone, Steely Dan keys, deep bass lines and tasteful, groove-oriented percussion geared toward a late night-out comedown.”  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e– Eugene Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe music of BendreTheGiant is an essential antidote to contemporary reality. A modern, dynamic take on funk-infused R\u0026amp;B, Bendre promises to be there for you when you need him. Built on a genre-fluid ethos, they draw on everything from classic PNW heaviness and big-band brass to folk balladry and cumbia-inflected rhythms. Debut full-length \u003ci\u003eSwollen Eyes\u003c\/i\u003e follows a series of well-received singles and EPs, delivering a full-wrought, mature sound only hinted at previously. From the title track’s languid, jazz-tinged rumination on heartbreak to the disco-scented raveup of album standout “Voice Inside My Head”, \u003ci\u003eSwollen Eyes\u003c\/i\u003e is both a compelling declaration of artistic intent and a love letter to late nights, early morning, and the hours we lose between them.     \u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBendreTheGiant is the creative vessel of Portland, Oregon vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Ben Estrada, whose towering presence and imaginative songwriting gave rise to the project’s name. “I grew up watching The Princess Bride all the time,” Estrada recalls. “When I first made an Instagram account as a teen, I wanted a unique handle that represented me. I was a tall kid and a fan of Andre. So, I went with BendreTheGiant. When I began my individual music career after school, I just thought it fit, and now it’s officially stuck.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEstrada began releasing music in 2020, working largely alone until 2024, when he expanded the project into a full band with longtime collaborator and keyboardist \/ vocalist Delos Erickson, bassist \/ vocalist Eli Hansen, drummer Nate Hansen, saxophonist Ben Harris, and guitarist Avery Scanlon. Estrada and Erickson first met in high school band and choir. The rest of the group came together through the University of Oregon’s music community and its dynamic range of cross-pollinating bands. After Estrada moved from Seattle to Eugene in 2023, the current lineup formed and began writing together. The project was officially relocated to Portland in 2024.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMuch of \u003ci\u003eSwollen Eyes\u003c\/i\u003e began as Estrada’s earliest demos (Ableton sketches, early writing sessions with Erickson, even iPhone voice memos), some dating back to 2022. To develop the material, the band rented a house in Seaside, Oregon, for a three-day writing retreat, then tested the songs live on a three-month West Coast tour. That run included Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Offbeat Fest in Reno, and a sold-out capstone show at Polaris Hall in Portland.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecording for the album unfolded across four studios over several months. Supported in part by MusicOregon’s “Echo Fund” artist grant, overdubs, editing, and mixing were completed with producer Justin Yu (Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy). Estrada, Erickson, and Eli Hansen co-produced. The record also features standout guest appearances from saxophonist Nicole McCabe (on “Take My Time-Reprise”) and Katy Ohsiek of Foamboy (vocals on “Do You Remember Me”).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt the heart of the album lies a reflective emotional core. “This is a record about loss, picking up the pieces in the aftermath, and sticking around for another year to see what happens,” Estrada says. And while the band refuses to offer tidy conclusions, Estrada hopes the music resonates on a human level: “Nothing is perfect and closure doesn’t really exist, but there’s still a light at the end of the tunnel. If you fall in the dirt long enough, eventually you’ll grow roots… and flowers will bloom.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTLE Records is proud to release BendreTheGiant's \u003ci\u003eSwollen Eyes\u003c\/i\u003e on June 12th 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TLE Music","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":62739648905587,"sku":"TLE115LP","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1193\/8946\/files\/BendretheGiant_SwollenEyes_Cover-1.jpg?v=1776721971","url":"https:\/\/tenderlovingempire.com\/products\/bendrethegiant-swollen-eyes","provider":"Tender Loving Empire","version":"1.0","type":"link"}