Gwyneth & Monko Release Full-Length Album on February 15th

Gwyneth and Monko are evolving. Their new record, Gwyneth & Monko, which was recorded at Old School Studio in Caspar, CA, will more accurately reflect what the duo sounds like live, which is somewhere between folky acoustic and indie rock. And it’s no wonder their new work sounds this way, as they’ve been on the road for most of 2010, taking weekends here and there to record. Guest artists Scott Southard on bass, Jimmy Gallagher on drums and Matt Cooper Borkenhagen on pedal steel and dobro, join Gwyneth and Monko on their self-titled album which will be released on February 15th, 2011.

This record exists in part because of a month of creative exploration. In July, Gwyneth Moreland and Michael Monko spent time honing new songs in a home recording studio. Those sketches came to life in Old School Studio and are filled with new elements: Moreland on banjo, Monko on fiddle and guest artists adding drums and bass. These additions allow Gwyneth and Monko to explore a different dynamic while still keeping the old-timey and Americana influences, songwriting style, Moreland’s vocal style and Monko’s intricate instrumentation.

In July, Gwyneth and Monko released their EP, Good Old Horse, which evokes a feeling of nostalgia rooted deep in classic country fundamentals. Their first release as a duo, it breathes gently with down-home roots and indie folk sensibilities. Lead singer Gwyneth Moreland and multi-instrumentalist Michael Monko create intimate, pure and heartfelt songs infused with sentimental lyrics. Click Here to Read More..

Gwyneth & Monko Kick Off Late Summer Tour Out West

Northern California duo, Gwyneth & Monko, will bring their earnest, stripped-down blend of folk, Americana and blues when they begin the late summer leg of their 17 city Western tour through California, Oregon and Washington to celebrate the release of their first EP, Good Old Horse, due out July 20th.

Gwyneth Moreland has a voice that invokes Jenny Lewis’ solo work crossed with the intimate folk of Gillian Welch. Michael Monko accompanies her lyrical stories with trickling mandolin, steady acoustic guitar and folk accents. Together they play pure, earnest folk that would be at home in the South, even though they both call Northern California home.



Audiences can expect the same sparse instrumentation and vocals found on Good Old Horse in Gwyneth and Monko’s live show. The duo tours in an RV that serves as a temporary home on the road. The phrase “less is more,” couldn’t be more apt for Gwyneth & Monko. “We travel in a camper van that has a sink, cook top, and refrigerator,” says Gwyneth. “We both love to travel and so we view touring as away to do all our favorite things: playing music and traveling.”

Gwyneth & Monko Tour Dates
7/24/10 CD Release Show, The Cozmic Cafe & Pub, Placerville, CA
8/1/10 CD Release Show, The Rock-It Room, San Francisco, CA
8/11/10 The Rock N' Soul Café, Boulder, CO
8/13/10 The Downtown Bar, Pueblo, CO
8/14/10 Eske's Brew Pub, Taos, NM
8/15/10 Cowgirl BBQ, Santa Fe, NM
8/20/10 Dakota Lounge, Santa Monica, CA
8/21/10 Wynola Pizza Express, Julian, CA
8/23/10 The Coffee Gallery Backstage, Altadena, CA
8/24/10 Linnaea’s Café, San Luis Obispo, CA
8/24/10 San Luis Obispo, CA
8/25/10 The Pour House, Paso Robles, CA
8/26/10 The Pour House, Paso Robles, CA
8/28/10 Mendo Folk House, Mendocino, CA
8/30/10 Amnesia, San Francisco, CA
9/2/10 The Axe & Fiddle, Cottage Grove, OR
9/5/10 Sirens Pub, Port Townsend, WA
9/8/10 The Green Frog Acoustic Tavern, Bellingham, WA
9/9/10 The Mandolin Café, Tacoma, WA Click Here to Read More..