The Welcome Wagon

Last updated
The Welcome Wagon
Origin Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres Indie pop, Gospel
Years active2001–present
Labels Asthmatic Kitty
Members
  • Monique Aiuto
  • Vito Aiuto
Website welcometothewelcomewagon.com

The Welcome Wagon is a Gospel/indie pop band from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. [1] The group consists of Presbyterian minister Thomas Vito Aiuto and his wife, Monique. [2] Their debut album, Welcome to the Welcome Wagon (2008), was produced by Sufjan Stevens. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

History

Vito Aiuto pastors Resurrection Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, an EPC [6] congregation which he founded in 2005, and is based at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. [3] [7] Both natives of Michigan, Vito studied literature at Western Michigan University before moving on to Princeton Theological Seminary, while Monique moved to New York to study art and works as a preschool teacher. [1] [8]

Their first released music was on the 2001 compilation To Spirit Back the Mews. [8] The groups's 2008 debut album, Welcome to the Welcome Wagon, featured major involvement from Sufjan Stevens, who recorded, engineered, mixed, and contributed vocals and various instruments to the album, as well as designing the artwork, and it was released on Stevens' Asthmatic Kitty label. [3]

Second album Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices followed in 2012. [9]

Third album Light Up The Stairs, was released in 2017.

The group released their fourth studio album Esther, on November 4, 2022.

The group's music was described by Allmusic as a "hybrid of contemporary folk, gospel, and indie pop". [8]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Compilation appearances

Live band

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References

  1. 1 2 Meltzer, Marisa (2 November 2011). "A Congregation in Skinny Jeans". The New York Times . Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  2. Suarez, Jessica. "God Is In Welcome Wagon's Living Room". The Village Voice . Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Petrusich, Amanda. "The Welcome Wagon - 'Welcome to the Welcome Wagon'". Pitchfork . Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  4. Farias, Andree. "Welcome to the Welcome Wagon". Christianity Today . Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  5. Hamilton, Billy. "Reviews: The Welcome Wagon - 'Welcome To The Welcome Wagon'". The Skinny . Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  6. "Churches | EPC". epc.org. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
  7. Stosuy, Brandon (2009) "Quit Your Day Job: The Welcome Wagon", Stereogum, February 11, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2017
  8. 1 2 3 Leahey, Andrew "The Welcome Wagon Biography", Allmusic. Retrieved September 9, 2017
  9. Gill, Andy (2012) "Album: The Welcome Wagon Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices Asthmatic Kitty", The Independent , July 27, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2017