Monarchs: “Business Casual”
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Celeste Griffin put together Monarchs in her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. When she relocated to Austin in 2008 (to study Community and Regional Planning at UT), she continued to perform under the same moniker with a set of musicians she informally dubbed “the ATX Monarchs.” The band released a string of EPs over the last three years, mostly DIY-style. But for the band’s debut LP, The Rise and Fall, Griffin enlisted the help of one of Austin’s most well respected producers, Mike McCarthy (best known for his work with Spoon).
Our friends over at Austin Sound have described Monarchs as occupying a space “between hypnotic Americana and evocative soul.” This Saturday, the band will host an album release party at Swan Dive (651 Red River) at which they’ll be selling the new record on vinyl (and digital download). Today marks the official release date of the new record, and you’ll be able to hear some of the new songs live on KUT later this week. “Business Casual” is the lead single from The Rise and Fall and features a unique hand-clap-meets-old-school-soul vibe.
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