The Milk Carton Kids are an American indie folk duo from Eagle Rock, California, United States, consisting of singer-guitarists Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan. They began making music together in early 2011 and have recorded and released six albums. Their first two albums were released free of charge online. They were featured on the Peacock TV show Girls5Eva with their song, New York Lonely Boy.[1] Their instrumental and vocal style has been likened to that of Simon and Garfunkel.
Biography
Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale came together as a musical duo after Ryan attended a solo performance by Pattengale in their hometown of Eagle Rock, California. Both artists had had largely unsuccessful solo careers up to this point and had reached a professional crossroads.[2]
They released Retrospect, a live album recorded at Zoey's Cafe in Ventura, California, in March 2011. Retrospect predated the band name and was released as Kenneth Pattengale & Joey Ryan. After performing at SXSW in March 2011, the newly-named Milk Carton Kids joined Joe Purdy's North American tour as his opening act and backing band.[3]
Albums
The duo released Prologue on July 19, 2011, their first studio album and the first release under their group name.[4] The San Francisco Chronicle described Prologue as "bittersweet and beautiful."[5] Following Prologue’s release, the duo headlined a North American tour.[6] "There By Your Side" from the album was named National Public Radio's Song of the Day.[7]Prologue made Daytrotter,[8]American Songwriter,[9] and About.com[10] year-end lists.
Their second album, The Ash & Clay, was released on ANTI- records on March 26, 2013.[11] Promotion for the album included a tour with Austin-based artist Sarah Jarosz, and a November taping of Austin City Limits.
The next album, Monterey, was released on May 19, 2015 on ANTI- records.[12] It was well-reviewed, with Rolling Stone calling it a "beautifully realised folk recording,"[13] and Paste calling the album, "exquisite."[14]
All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn't Do was released on June 29, 2018 on Anti- Records.[15]Rolling Stone praised the album, and writer Luke Levenson noted that the bandmates' life changes had been significant influences on its sound, commenting that "both halves of the troubadour twosome have undergone serious life changes, with Joey Ryan fathering his second child, and Kenneth Pattengale overcoming cancer and the breakup of a seven-year relationship."[16]
Their fifth album, The Only Ones, was released on October 18, 2019, and was marketed and distributed by Thirty Tigers. It was relatively short for a studio album, at 25 minutes 33 seconds. This led the band to quip at live performances that they had intended to release an EP, but added two extra songs.
I Only See the Moon was released on May 19, 2023. Banjo, played by Ryan, was added to several songs. A tour of the US was undertaken to support the album.
On April 29, 2014 National Public Radio released a full concert DVD of the duo, Live at Lincoln Theatre.[25] On April 11 &12, 2014, they collaborated with Joe Henry and Over the Rhine for a two-night live performance and recording of new songs inspired by the Great American Songbook.[26] An album of the collaboration is expected .
In October 2016, the duo joined the Lampedusa concert tour in the US in support of equal human rights for refugees.
Instruments
Ryan plays a 1951 Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar. Pattengale performs on a 1954 Martin 0-15.
Awards, honors, distinctions
The group has been nominated four times for a Grammy Award. Their albums The Ash & Clay (2013) and I Only See the Moon (2023) both received nominations for Best Folk Album, the song City of Our Lady from their 2015 album Monterey received a nomination for Best American Roots Performance, and their 2018 album All the Things That I Did and All the Things that I Didn't Do was nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.[27]
Both Prologue and Retrospect were made available for free download at the group's website.[30] By the end of 2011, the two albums had been downloaded for free over 60,000 times. By February 2014 downloads had reached 275,000.[31]