New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Hard-touring Virginia upstarts Major And The Monbacks have announced their new album 'Moonlight Anthems,' out June 16th via Yep Roc Records. Produced by fellow Virginian Matthew E. White (Natalie Prass, Flo Morrissey) and recorded live in the studio at Montrose Recording in Richmond, the album harnesses the ecstatic energy of the band's live show while exhibiting a newfound sonic adventurousness that hearkens to The Band's funky Americana, The Beatles' playful arrangements, and CSNY's rich vocal harmonies.
Major And The Monbacks just premiered "We Are Doing Fine," the lead track from the new album, with American Songwriter.
Major And The Monbacks, whose name is a portmanteau of the common southern farewell "C'mon back," initially grew out of informal, after-school bedroom jams led by bassist Cole Friedman and his twin brother Neal, a gifted keyboard player and singer whose grandfather owned the legendary Norfolk record store Frankie's Birdland, which served as the epicenter of the city's lively soul, jazz, and R&B scenes.
Players came and went as the band's sound morphed and matured, but when the dust finally settled, a core six-piece remained: the Friedman twins, plus brothers Michael and Bryan Adkins (guitar/vocals and drums), percussionist Tyler West, and guitarist/vocalist Harry Slater.
Three years ago, they bought a used van, booked over 150 shows in nine months, and embarked on their first-ever national tour. There were no labels or booking agents or tour managers at the time, but The Monbacks pushed that van to its limits, blossoming from local favorites into one of the most promising young rock bands working today, performing at festivals like Firefly and sharing stages with Charles Bradley, Os Mutantes and more.
Set in hi-fi by Matthew E. White's crisp production, 'Moonlight Anthems' sees Major And The Monbacks embracing a spirited, genre-agnostic ethos. Opener "There, There" layers pastoral, Fleet Foxes-style harmonies atop psychedelic southern rock, while other tracks blend prog-rock concept with soul tenderness ("Condition") or funk grooves and British Invasion exuberance ("The Clap").
Major And The Monbacks are touring throughout the year, including performances at SXSW and Sweetwater 420 Fest. Full dates below.
Tracklist:
1. There, There
2. Moonlight Anthems
3. We Are Doing Fine
4. Holidays
5. You Should Know
6. Condition
7. The Clap
8. Here Comes The King
9. Over And Over
10. Moonlight (Reprise)
11. You Only See Me (At Night)
12. Happiness
Tour Dates:
3/09 -- Savannah, GA @ Savannah Historic District
3/10 -- Aberdeen, NC @ The Rooster's Wife
3/11 -- Charlotte, NC @ Green River Revival
3/14 -- Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/16 -- Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/17 -- Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/18 -- Austin, TX @ SXSW
4/21 -- Atlanta, GA @ Sweetwater 420 Fest
4/22 -- Atlanta, GA @ Sweetwater 420 Fest
4/23 -- Atlanta, GA @ Sweetwater 420 Fest
4/25 -- Athens, GA @ Georgia Theater
5/13 -- Nags Head, NC @ 28th Annual Artrageous Art Festival At Dowdy Park
Pre-Order 'Moonlight Anthems':
https://lnk.to/mjrmbks
More info on Major And The Monbacks:
Website: https://www.majorandthemonbacks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MajorandtheMonbacks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instamonback/
