The Welcome Wagon Release New Album 'Esther'
Brooklyn indie folk duo The Welcome Wagon (Vito Aiuto and Monique Aiuto) release their album Esther via Asthmatic Kitty Records.
Esther is the fourth full-length album from the Welcome Wagon as they return to Asthmatic Kitty Records, the label on which they began their musical journey. Fittingly, it is a record that explores the idea of home in all its beauty and complexity. It is as much about homecoming as it is about making peace with-and a home in-uncertainty. The project had its beginnings in the summer of 2017, when the family took a two-month sabbatical to California. Shortly after returning to Brooklyn, Vito found himself holding his guitar and allowing his fingers to play a few notes that just felt…right. Then the pandemic hit, and Vito’s strumming, lyrics, and thoughts became the soundtrack of the family’s lockdown lives.
Esther is part of an ongoing audiovisual collaboration between Monique and Vito. Monique has made a painting to correspond to each of Vito’s songs on the album, three of which are featured in the album’s artwork, with a limited edition print of the piece “Isaiah, California†available as part of a special LP bundle.
Earlier this week, The Welcome Wagon premiered their “"Thanksgiving, Christmas, Record-Release Special!" Filmed in a retired Lutheran chapel somewhere in the swamps of Jersey, the special features songs from the duo's new album 'Esther,' plus one classic. Surrounded by friends and family, Monique & Vito are joined on stage by a host of talented musicians - plus a few special guests!
