After 24-year wait, THE VELDT opens time-capsule with the release of their Robin Guthrie-produced 'Illuminated 1989' album

November 24, 2023

"This album is not only a historical sonic document, but it’s a shimmering, charming, sensual and cinematic body of remarkable psychedelic rock that resembles nothing currently in the music sphere" ~ Spill Magazine

US alternative rock / postpunk outfit The Veldt release their 'Illuminated 1989' album on November 24 via Portland-based Little Cloud Records and North Carolina’s 5BC Records. This is the original 1989 full-length record produced by Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie, previewed by the latest offering 'Angel Heart', the lead track 'The Everlasting Gobstopper', and the single 'Aurora Borealis' (with Elizabeth Fraser making a cameo appearance on backing vocals), plus a B-side remix, created by The Veldt.

Guthrie also remastered the album for vinyl earlier this year. While originally intended to be the band's first album, their label Capitol Records shelved the recording and sent them back into the studio with producer Lincoln Fong (Moose), resulting in their first album released with the title 'Marigolds'.

One of the most notable first-wave shoegaze bands, formed in North Carolina in the 1980s, The Veldt revolves around identical twins Daniel Chavis (vocals, guitar) and Danny Chavis (guitar). Their unique sound was influenced by Cocteau Twins as readily as Marvin Gaye and free-jazz warriors Sun Ra and Pharaoh Sanders. Referencing European post-punk while embracing modern hip-hop, these trailblazers work with transient dreamscapes as fluidly as solid song structures.

Pitchfork included The Veldt's album 'Afrodisiac', produced by the legendary Ray Shulman (The Sundays, Bjork, The Sugarcubes) and released via Mercury Records, in the top 50 shoegaze albums ever released, while Stereogum included ‘Until You’re Forever’ in the top 31 shoegaze tracks. Their sound also inspired future generations of alternative artists, including TV On the Radio.

The Veldt's journey is fascinating. Performing since they were children, the Chavis brothers’ musical roots lead back to the church and southern juke-joints, and listening to music that included gospel, Motown and Pink Floyd. The Veldt formed in the late 80’s in Raleigh amongst the legendary North Carolina music scene of the time, initially signing with Mammoth Records - leading to a chain of major-label relationships that took the group across Europe and the U.S. playing shows with the likes of Throwing Muses, Pixies, Cocteau Twins and Jesus & Mary Chain.

After moving from Raleigh to New York, they briefly performed as Apollo Heights before returning to their original name The Veldt. Joined by Japanese bassist-programmer Hayato Nakao, they together forging music that is a heady and sensual blend of shoegaze and progressive soul, dreamy soundscapes and infectious grooves. Some of the band's recent notable releases include 'The Shocking Fuzz Of Your Electric Fur' EP (2017) and the album 'Entropy is the Mainline to God' (2022).

Over the years, The Veldt has collaborated with TV On The Radio, Mos Def, Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite), A.R.Kane and toured or played with Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Pixies, Throwing Muses, Echo & The Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, Manic Street Preachers, Phantogram, Modern English, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Oasis, Chuck D, Living Colour and Schooly D.

On November 24, the 'Illuminated 1989' album will be released digitally via Portland-based Little Cloud Records and 5BC Records, and available from fine music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. The Veldt is currently touring the USA and will be joined by TREMOURS throughout December, culminating in a performance at Seattle's KEXP. The album will be released on vinyl on December 15.

CREDITS
‘Illuminated 1989’ released via Little Cloud Records and 5BC Records
Danny Chavis - guitar
Daniel Chavis - vocals, guitar, lyrics
Marvin Levi - drums
Joseph Hue Boyle - bass
Elizabeth Fraser - additional vocals
Robin Guthrie - programming, additional guitars
Lincoln Fong - programming
Written by Danny and Daniel Chavis
Recorded and produced at September Sound by Robin Guthrie
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

TOUR DATES
MON 11/27 = Atlanta, GA @ 529
TUE 11/28 = Birmingham, AL @ TBA
WED 11/29 = New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
THU 11/30 = Houston, TX @ 1810 Ojeman
FRI 12/1 = Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas
SAT 12/2 = Silver City, NM @ Whiskey Creek Zocalo w/ Tremours
SUN 12/3 = Phoenix, AZ @ Linger Longer Lounge w/ Tremours
MON 12/4 = San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar w/ Tremours
TUE 12/5 = Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers w/ Tremours
WED 12/6 = San Francisco, CA @ Kilowatt w/ Tremours
THU 12/7 = Portland, OR @ Show Bar w/ Tremours
FRI 12/8 = Seattle, WA @ the Central Saloon (TremoloFest) w/ Tremours
SAT 12/9 = Vancouver, BC @ TBA
SUN 12/10 = Bellingham, WA @ The Shakedown w/ Tremours)
MON 12/11 = Eugene, OR @ Old Nick’s w/ Tremours
TUE 12/12 = Olympia, WA @ Le Voyeur w/ Tremours
WED 12/13 = Tacoma, WA @ TBA
THU 12/14 = Seattle, WA @ KEXP

Keep up with The Veldt
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Apple Music | Spotify | BandsInTown | Press contact

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THE VELDT announces tour dates and ‘Aurora Borealis’ single, a beautiful foreshadowing of their original Robin Guthrie-produced album

October 3, 2023

As they approach the release of their 'Illuminated 1989' album, the original 1989 full-length record produced by Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie, trailblazing soul-influenced shoegazers The Veldt announce North American tour dates and also present the single 'Aurora Borealis' with Elizabeth Fraser making a cameo appearance on backing vocals towards the end. Complementing this is the B-side remix, created by The Veldt around the turn of the century.

This is the second single from the album, which Guthrie produced in autumn 1989 and has now remastered for vinyl. While intended to be the band's first album, their label Capitol Records shelved the recording and sent them back into the studio with producer Lincoln Fong (Moose), resulting in their first album released with the title 'Marigolds'.

Earlier, the band released the lead track 'The Everlasting Gobstopper' digitally (with a video produced by Jammi York and the late Yuko Sueta) and on vinyl, involving a B-side previously unreleased vinyl exclusive 'Joshuu Lullaby', also recently produced by Guthrie.

One of the most notable first-wave shoegaze bands, formed in North Carolina in the 1980s, The Veldt surrounds identical twins Daniel Chavis (vocals, guitar) and Danny Chavis (guitar). Their unique sound was influenced by Cocteau Twins as readily as Marvin Gaye and free-jazz warriors Sun Ra and Pharaoh Sanders. Referencing European post-punk while embracing modern hip-hop, these trailblazers work with transient dreamscapes as fluidly as solid song structures.

Pitchfork included The Veldt's album 'Afrodisiac', produced by the legendary Ray Shulman (The Sundays, Bjork, The Sugarcubes) and released via Mercury Records, in the top 50 shoegaze albums ever released, while Stereogum included ‘Until You’re Forever’ in the top 31 shoegaze tracks. Their sound also inspired future generations of alternative artists, including TV On the Radio.

Daniel Chavis on their inspiration for 'Aurora Borealis': "This song is about my brother's love for his newborn daughter. Written out of high school and dug out around the time the band had started to get noticed. We had written so many, but it was one of the newest pieces that we had begun experimenting. This would signal our departure from being a band that made people dance to a band that made people confused. 'The Everlasting Gobstopper' came shortly thereafter and was being finished."

Danny Chavis adds, "This song was written in 1986 and was included in the first batch of songs we demoed under the name VELDT. Having heard 'Treasure' by Cocteau Twins, this song was inspired by that very album and RUN DMC’s 'Sucker MC’s' around the same time that year."

The Veldt's journey is fascinating. Performing since they were children, the Chavis brothers’ musical roots lead back to the church and southern juke-joints, and listening to music that included gospel, Motown and Pink Floyd. The Veldt formed in the late 80’s in Raleigh amongst the legendary North Carolina music scene of the time, initially signing with Mammoth Records - leading to a chain of major-label relationships that took the group across Europe and the U.S. playing shows with the likes of Throwing Muses, Pixies, Cocteau Twins and Jesus & Mary Chain.

After moving from Raleigh to New York, they briefly performed as Apollo Heightsbefore returning to their original name The Veldt. Joined by Japanese bassist-programmer Hayato Nakao, they together forging music that is a heady and sensual blend of shoegaze and progressive soul, dreamy soundscapes and infectious grooves. Some of the band's recent notable releases include 'The Shocking Fuzz Of Your Electric Fur' EP (2017) and the album 'Entropy is the Mainline to God' (2022).

Over the years, The Veldt has collaborated with TV On The Radio, Mos Def, Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite), A.R.Kane and toured or played with Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Pixies, Throwing Muses, Echo & The Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, Manic Street Preachers, Phantogram, Modern English, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Oasis, Chuck D, Living Colour and Schooly D.

'Aurora Borealis' is now available everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. On November 24, the 'Illuminated 1989' album will be released on vinyl, CD, cassette and digitally via Portland-based Little Cloud Records and 5BC Records. From October through December, The Veldt will be touring many cities and will be performing at Levitation Festival in Austin and Seattle's KEXP, as well as playing several exclusive dates supporting Violent Femmes.

CREDITS
‘Illuminated 1989’ released via 5BC Records and Little Cloud Records Danny Chavis - guitar
Daniel Chavis - vocals, guitar, lyrics
Marvin Levi - drums
Joseph Hue Boyle - bass
Elizabeth Fraser - additional vocals
Robin Guthrie - programming, additional guitars
Lincoln Fong - programming
Written by Danny and Daniel Chavis
Recorded and produced at September Sound by Robin Guthrie
Live photos of The Veldt shot by Alice Teeple
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

TOUR DATES
SAT 10/21 = Norfolk, VA @ the NorVa w/ Violent Femmes
SUN 10/22 = Richmond, VA @ the National w/ Violent Femmes
MON 10/23 = Asheville, NC @ TBA
TUE 10/24 = Nashville, TN @ the Underdog
WED 10/25 = Memphis, TN @ Growlers
THU 10/26 = Little Rock, AR @ EJ’s Drinks and Eats
FRI 10/27 = Dallas, TX @ TBA
SAT 10/28 = Austin, TX @ the Far Out Lounge (LEVITATION Festival)
MON 11/27 = Atlanta, GA @ 529
TUE 11/28 = Birmingham, AL @ TBA
WED 11/29 = New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
THU 11/30 = Houston, TX @ 1810 Ojeman
FRI 12/1 = Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas
SAT 12/2 = Silver City, NM @ Whiskey Creek Zocalo w/ Tremours
SUN 12/3 = Phoenix, AZ @ Linger Longer Lounge w/ Tremours
MON 12/4 = San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar w/ Tremours
TUE 12/5 = Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers w/ Tremours
WED 12/6 = San Francisco, CA @ Kilowatt w/ Tremours
THU 12/7 = Portland, OR @ Show Bar w/ Tremours
FRI 12/8 = Seattle, WA @ the Central Saloon (TremoloFest) w/ Tremours
SAT 12/9 = Vancouver, BC @ TBA
SUN 12/10 = Bellingham, WA @ The Shakedown w/ Tremours)
MON 12/11 = Eugene, OR @ Old Nick’s w/ Tremours
TUE 12/12 = Olympia, WA @ Le Voyeur w/ Tremours
WED 12/13 = Tacoma, WA @ TBA
THU 12/14 = Seattle, WA @ KEXP

Keep up with The Veldt
Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Apple Music | Spotify | BandsInTown | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram | LinkedIn | Email

American alternative crooner Fred Abong (Throwing Muses, Belly) brings new offering - 'Shadows' from the 'Fear Pageant' LP

September 5, 2023

“Purity and honesty in his approach that gets more and more intense with each track... like you’re riding a wave of energy” ~ Higher Plain Music

“Thoughtful, minimalist. The ghost of Syd Barrett watches over everything... ‘another sonic leap forward” ~ Real Gone Rocks

“An almost painful intimacy to his words despite the oblique phrasing and imagery he conjures” ~ Isolation Records

“An ascent out of singer-songwriter folk territory into something bordering on punk and psychedelia” ~ Fatea Magazine

“Beautifully raw, uncluttered and quite cinematic... Melodically infectious and lyrically mysterious ~ Newport Naked

New Orleans-based alternative folk-rock artist Fred Abong presents the single 'Shadows' from his latest 'Fear Pageant' album, recently released via Seattle label Disc Drive. This is Abong's seventh long-player to date.

Shadows, swans, and spooky trees. An aged romantic lip syncing poorly. Carnival organs, distorted steel drums, and cheesy synth piano. Dramatic black and white footage. Understated color splashes and expert frame dissolves. This video has it all.

Fred Abong got his musical start in the 1980’s on the Rhode Island hardcore punk scene. In the early 1990s, he played bass for Throwing Muses and then Belly. Putting music on hold for academic pursuits, he then earned a PhD in Humanities and taught at various universities for eight years before returning to music. Now back as a solo artist, Abong also plays bass in the Kristin Hersh Electric Trio.

A Filipino-American singer-songwriter, Abong's music has a raw and unpolished production aesthetic with an overall direct, though deceptively imaginative and oblique, presentation. Abong has also been a practicing Vedic astrologer for the past 20 plus years.

"Shadows came into being in much the same way as all my songs do … via a set of strong images or vignettes that flood into my head in response to a piece of music I’ve written," says Fred Abong.

"I mentioned that the song makes me want to slow dance with my woman. This is exactly what I was seeing when I first laid down the arpeggiated chord progression that constitutes the beginning of the song … that and her lovely silhouette dappling every surface in the room. Those images gave way to Homeric scenes, something like Odysseus returning to Penelope after the Trojan War. A sense of triumph is the idea, though in this case not over armed conflict, but over a long and bloody war of the heart. Prayers of gratitude are in order."

Creating music that is a blend of “ragged Replacements and lyric-driven Bob Dylan” and “Elliott Smith with balls”, his songs are existentially and romantically focused, poetic, and slightly off-kilter. Detuned guitars, unconventional song structures, and a raw and unpolished production aesthetic characterize the overall sound. Fred’s hypnotic, sometimes gravelly voice adds to the effect.

"Shadows is kind of the sleeper track on Fear Pageant, if you ask me. Blatantly and unapologetically romantic, it feels to me like Kenny G meets Leonard Cohen. It borders on, but never crosses into, total cheesiness. At least, I don’t think it does. But you will have to be the judge of that. In any case, the song makes *me* want to slow dance with my lady … I hope you find yourself in a similar state when you hear it," says Fred Abong.

Abong earlier teased several tracks from the album, including 'Father', 'My Way'and 'Fear Pageant'. This new record follows Abong's 'Yellowthroat' album, released in 2022 and recorded with Rob Ahlers (50FOOTWAVE, Kristin Hersh Electric Trio) and earlier albums 'Homeless', 'Pulsing' and 'OMOPH'.

The 'Fear Pageant' album is out now and available across fine music platforms, including Bandcamp. The record is available on vinyl or as a digital download.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Fred Abong
All songs recorded, mixed and performed by Fred Abong
All instruments by Fred Abong
Mastered by Fred Thomas
Videos by Fred Abong
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Alternative folk-rock troubadour Fred Abong (Throwing Muses, Belly) unveils 'Fear Pageant' title track from seventh album

August 12, 2023

Fred Abong got his musical start in the 1980’s as a drummer, bassist and guitarist on the Rhode Island hardcore punk scene. In the early 1990s, he played bass for Throwing Muses and then Belly. He then put music on hold for academic pursuits, earning a PhD in Humanities and teaching at various universities for eight years before returning to music. Now back as a solo artist, Abong also plays bass in the Kristin Hersh Electric Trio.

A Filipino-American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Abong's music has a raw and unpolished production aesthetic with an overall direct, though deceptively imaginative and oblique, presentation. Abong has also been a practicing Vedic astrologer for the past 20 plus years.

"This album started with the love of a new guitar I had recently purchased - a gold Gretsch Rancher Penguin. As with all my guitars, I immediately adjusted it to baritone tuning and began writing. Pretty quickly, I had enough songs for a record. I knew these songs were going to get a fuller production treatment than previous efforts though. The main reason for this is that, like a good commie, I was finally in possession of the means of production, having been gifted a Mac Workbook, upon which to load my DAW of choice. With the aid of a keyboard MIDI controller, I could finally do everything myself, which has always been my dream. Fear Pageant is thus my first attempt at a truly DIY solo effort," says Fred Abong.

"Outside of these technical details, the songs are of course rooted in the same existential and romantic hangups as usual, i.e., in an ongoing anxiety about my tenuous place in the world and in the lives of intimates. Taken together, the subject matter of the songs struck me as a kind of never-ending personal drama, one that others might also identify with, of course, but one that feels incredibly ostentatious and elaborate ‘on the inside’. Like a one-man Fear Pageant, in other words."

In the lead-up to the album's release, Abong also released the lead singles 'Father' and 'My Way'. The new album itself follows Abong's 'Yellowthroat' album, released in 2022 and recorded with Rob Ahlers (50FOOTWAVE, Kristin Hersh Electric Trio).

His songs are existentially and romantically focused, poetic, and slightly off-kilter. Detuned guitars, unconventional song structures, and a raw and unpolished production aesthetic characterize the overall sound. Fred’s hypnotic, sometimes gravelly voice adds to the effect.

'Fear Pageant' is out now and available across fine music platforms, including Bandcamp. The record is available on vinyl or as a digital download.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Fred Abong
All songs recorded, mixed and performed by Fred Abong
All instruments by Fred Abong
Mastered by Fred Thomas
Videos by Fred Abong

Alternative folk-rock troubadour Fred Abong releases 'My Way', final single ahead of 'Fear Pageant' album

July 11, 2023

“Purity and honesty in his approach that gets more and more intense with each track... like you’re riding a wave of energy” ~ Higher Plain Music

“Thoughtful, minimalist. The ghost of Syd Barrett watches over everything... ‘another sonic leap forward” ~ Real Gone Rocks

“An almost painful intimacy to his words despite the oblique phrasing and imagery he conjures” ~ Isolation Records

“An ascent out of singer-songwriter folk territory into something bordering on punk and psychedelia” ~ Fatea Magazine

“Beautifully raw, uncluttered and quite cinematic... Melodically infectious and lyrically mysterious ~ Newport Naked

Ahead of releasing his 'Fear Pageant' album - his seventh to date - via Seattle label Disc Drive, alternative folk-leaning indie rock artist Fred Abong presents his latest single and video for 'My Way'. Though just as impressive, this is quite a different beast than the lead track 'Father'.

This follows Abong's 2022 'Yellowthroat' album, recorded with Rob Ahlers (50FOOTWAVE, Kristin Hersh Electric Trio). Here, Abong - a Filipino-American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist - upholds his reputation for creating music that is a blend of “ragged Replacements and lyric-driven Bob Dylan” and “Elliott Smith with balls”.

Currently based in New Orleans, Fred Abong got his musical start in the 1980’s on Rhode Island as a drummer, bassist and guitarist in various hardcore punk bands. He spent the early 1990s playing bass for Throwing Muses and then Belly. He then put music as a profession on hold for academic pursuits, earning a PhD in Humanities and serving as a professor at various universities for eight years before returning to music.

Continuing as a solo artist, Abong's music has a raw and unpolished production aesthetic with an overall direct, though deceptively imaginative and oblique, presentation. Apart from his work as a solo artist, Fred Abong is also currently bassist in the Kristin Hersh Electric Trio and has also been a practicing Vedic astrologer for the past 20 plus years.

"Unlike the Sinatra song of the same name, this is not a manifesto of self-determination or a reflection on individualism and world-beating fearlessness. It’s also not a send-up of that attitude or sentiment. My ‘My Way’ is, accidentally, closer to the subject matter (but not the sentiment) of the original French version of the Sinatra song. In the French version, of which I only recently became aware, the gradual erosion of marriage and love by the crushing boredom of mundane life is the focus," says Fred Abong.

"My ‘My Way’ is definitely a kind of self-portrait and a meditation on love and marriage. But it is not triumphant or regretful. It’s more about the mixing of romance and resignation than anything else. It also recognizes the omnipresence of death, both physical and spiritual. And it explores the longing, conscious or unconscious, for wholeness and 'completion' present in intimate relationships."

His songs are existentially and romantically focused, poetic, and slightly off-kilter. Detuned guitars, unconventional song structures, and a raw and unpolished production aesthetic characterize the overall sound. Fred’s hypnotic, sometimes gravelly voice adds to the effect.

'My Way' is out now across fine music platforms, including Bandcamp, where the 'Fear Pageant' album is now available to order. On July 20, it will be released on vinyl or as a digital download.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Fred Abong
All songs recorded, mixed and performed by Fred Abong
All instruments by Fred Abong
Mastered by Fred Thomas
Videos by Fred Abong

Alternative singer-songwriter Fred Abong presents pensive new single 'My Way', previewing 'Fear Pageant' album

June 29, 2023

“Purity and honesty in his approach that gets more and more intense with each track... like you’re riding a wave of energy” ~ Higher Plain Music

“Thoughtful, minimalist. The ghost of Syd Barrett watches over everything... ‘another sonic leap forward” ~ Real Gone Rocks

“An almost painful intimacy to his words despite the oblique phrasing and imagery he conjures” ~ Isolation Records

“An ascent out of singer-songwriter folk territory into something bordering on punk and psychedelia” ~ Fatea Magazine

“Beautifully raw, uncluttered and quite cinematic... Melodically infectious and lyrically mysterious ~ Newport Naked

Singer-songwriter / indie rock artist Fred Abong presents 'My Way', the second singe from his forthcoming 'Fear Pageant' album, slated for release in late summer via Seattle-based label Disc Drive. Earlier, Abong released the record's lead track 'Father'.

This is Abong's seventh album (most were self-released, as were his two EPs), following up his 'Yellowthroat' album, released in mid-2022 and recorded together with Rob Ahlers (50FOOTWAVE, Kristin Hersh Electric Trio). On this release, Abong - a Filipino-American alternative singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist - upholds his reputation for creating a blend of “ragged Replacements and lyric-driven Bob Dylan” and as “Elliott Smith with balls”.

A musical and geographical wanderer, he grew up in the Northeast, has lived in Southern California, and currently calls New Orleans home. His songs are existentially and romantically focused, poetic, and slightly off-kilter. Detuned guitars, unconventional song structures, and a raw and unpolished production aesthetic characterize the overall sound. Fred’s hypnotic, sometimes gravelly voice adds to the effect.

"Unlike the Sinatra song of the same name, this is not a manifesto of self-determination or a reflection on individualism and world-beating fearlessness. It’s also not a send-up of that attitude or sentiment. My ‘My Way’ is, accidentally, closer to the subject matter (but not the sentiment) of the original French version of the Sinatra song. In the French version, of which I only recently became aware, the gradual erosion of marriage and love by the crushing boredom of mundane life is the focus," says Fred Abong.

"While I may be able to relate to both versions on some level, they were neither the inspiration nor the reference for my song. That said, ‘My Way’ is definitely a kind of self-portrait and a meditation on love and marriage. But it is not triumphant or regretful. It’s more about the mixing of romance and resignation than anything else. It also recognizes the omnipresence of death, both physical and spiritual. And it explores the longing, conscious or unconscious, for wholeness and 'completion' present in intimate relationships. Given that these things are universal, I probably should've called the song 'The Way' rather than 'My Way'. You can call it that if you want."

Getting his musical start in 1980’s Rhode Island as a drummer, bassist and guitarist in an array of hardcore punk bands, Abong spent the early 1990s playing bass for Throwing Muses and then Belly. He then put music as a profession on hold for academic pursuits, earning a PhD in Humanities and serving as a professor at various universities for eight years before returning to music.

Continuing to write songs as a solo artist, Abong's music has a raw and unpolished production aesthetic with an overall direct, though deceptively imaginative and oblique, presentation. Apart from his work as a solo artist, Fred Abong is also currently bassist in the Kristin Hersh Electric Trio and has also been a practicing Vedic astrologer for the past 20 plus years.

'My Way' is available from fine music platforms, including Bandcamp, where his 'Yellowthroat' record is also available in all formats. The full 'Fear Pageant' album will be released (digitally and on vinyl) on July 20.

Alternative singer-songwriter Fred Abong releases 'Father', first taste of forthcoming 'Fear Pageant' album

June 7, 2023

“Purity and honesty in his approach that gets more and more intense with each track... like you’re riding a wave of energy” ~ Higher Plain Music

“Thoughtful, minimalist. The ghost of Syd Barrett watches over everything... ‘another sonic leap forward” ~ Real Gone Rocks

“An almost painful intimacy to his words despite the oblique phrasing and imagery he conjures” ~ Isolation Records

“An ascent out of singer-songwriter folk territory into something bordering on punk and psychedelia” ~ Fatea Magazine

“Beautifully raw, uncluttered and quite cinematic... Melodically infectious and lyrically mysterious ~ Newport Naked

Indie rock artist Fred Abong presents his new single 'Father', the first taste of his forthcoming album 'Fear Pageant', slated for release in late summer via Seattle-based label Disc Drive.

This is Abong's seventh album (most of which have been self-released, along with his two EPs), following up his 'Yellowthroat' album, released in mid-2022 and recorded together with Rob Ahlers (50FOOTWAVE, Kristin Hersh Electric Trio).

On this release, Abong - a Filipino-American indie / alternative rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist - upholds his reputation as a songwriter creating a blend of “ragged Replacements and lyric-driven Bob Dylan” and as “Elliott Smith with balls”.

A musical and geographical wanderer, he grew up in the Northeast, has lived in Southern California, and currently calls New Orleans home. His songs are existentially and romantically focused, poetic, and slightly off-kilter. Detuned guitars, unconventional song structures, and a raw and unpolished production aesthetic characterize the overall sound. Fred’s hypnotic, sometimes gravelly adds to the effect.

"This was one of the last songs to be written for this album. Though I never know what ‘inspires’ a song in any kind of obvious way (I don’t get ‘ideas’ for songs or anything like that), it’s possible the song is informed by the fact that my children are all adults now. But that’s too linear an interpretation. The song is both less and more than that, in my opinion. Nothing is that straightforward. You should be getting the idea that I’m not in control of the song, ever. Maybe the spelling … I’m in control of the spelling," says Fred Abong.

"Lyrically and imagistically, though, it suggests to me a spiritual crisis of some sort. The music, too, has a solemn, reverential quality, until it gets funky in the outro. Actually, now that I think about it, the whole song is both reverential and funky. It just gets funkier at the end. So, I guess that’s what the song is about – funky reverence."

Getting his musical start in 1980’s Rhode Island as a drummer, bassist and guitarist in an array of hardcore punk bands, Fred Abong spent the early 1990s playing bass for Throwing Muses and then Belly. He then put music as a profession on hold for academic pursuits, earning a PhD in Humanities and serving as a professor at various universities for eight years before returning to music.

Continuing to write songs as a solo artist, Abong's music has a raw and unpolished production aesthetic with an overall direct, though deceptively imaginative and oblique, presentation. Apart from his work as a solo artist, Fred Abong is also currently bassist in the Kristin Hersh Electric Trio and has also been a practicing Vedic astrologer for the past 20 plus years.

As of June 6, 'Father' will be released on fine music platforms, including Bandcamp, where his 'Yellowthroat' record is also available in all formats. The full 'Fear Pageant' album will be released (digitally and on vinyl) on July 20.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Fred Abong
All songs recorded, mixed and performed by Fred Abong
All instruments by Fred Abong
Mastered by Fred Thomas

The Veldt releases original Robin Guthrie-produced recording of ‘The Everlasting Gobstopper’ and 12" vinyl, previewing long-lost record

May 5, 2023

Pioneering shoegazers The Veldt present 'The Everlasting Gobstopper', the first taste of their 'Illuminated 1989' album, the release of which has been anticipated for decades. Produced by Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie in autumn 1989 (and remastered by him in 2023), this record was intended to be the band's first album. However, their label Capital Records shelved the recording (resulting in their debut 'Marigolds' album being produced by Lincoln Fong of Moose).

Ahead of the full album (due out in autumn of this year), The Veldt is releasing the single digitally and as a 12” vinyl single via Disc Drive and 5BC Records. The accompanying video was produced by Jammi York and the late Yuko Sueta. The B-side is 'Joshuu Lullaby', a previously unreleased vinyl exclusive, produced by Robin Guthrie in 2023.

One of the most notable first-wave shoegaze bands, formed in North Carolina in the 1980s, The Veldt surrounds identical twins Daniel Chavis (vocals, guitar) and Danny Chavis (guitar). Their unique sound was influenced by Cocteau Twins as readily as Marvin Gaye and free-jazz warriors Sun Ra and Pharaoh Sanders. Referencing European post-punk while embracing modern hip-hop, these trailblazers work with transient dreamscapes as fluidly as solid song structures.

Pitchfork included The Veldt's album 'Afrodisiac', produced by the legendary Ray Shulman (The Sundays, Bjork, The Sugarcubes) and released via Mercury Records, in the top 50 shoegaze albums ever released, while Stereogum included ‘Until You’re Forever’ in the top 31 shoegaze tracks. Their sound also inspired future generations of alternative artists, including TV On the Radio.

"As the benchmark of the new sound we had started to develop, 'The Everlasting Gobstopper' was a throwback to our younger days of our family getting together on holidays when Willy Wonka will be playing and the certain atmosphere would be filled with a sense of love and security. Upon reminiscing about this, my brother Danny came up with a riff and then called it the everlasting gobstopper as a lullaby to put his daughter (then maybe one year old) to go to sleep. Thus was born this sound that would develop into what we have right now, says Daniel Chavis.

"This is significant - the birth of the sound that we have come to develop until present, because back then we were quite a different band. Robin pretty much shaved off all the excess and led us toward the sound we have now, so 'The Everlasting Gobstopper' is the cornerstone that Robin helped us to lay for our own unique sound, which we still have to this day."

The Veldt's journey is fascinating. Performing since they were children, the Chavis brothers’ musical roots lead back to the church and southern juke-joints, and listening to music that included gospel, Motown and Pink Floyd. The Veldt formed in the late 80’s in Raleigh amongst the legendary North Carolina music scene of the time, initially signing with Mammoth Records - leading to a chain of major-label relationships that took the group across Europe and the U.S. playing shows with the likes of Throwing Muses, Pixies, Cocteau Twins and Jesus & Mary Chain.

After moving from Raleigh to New York and a brief period under the name Apollo Heights, the band returned to their original name The Veldt, but now joined by bassist-programmer Hayato Nakao, together forging music that is a heady and sensual blend of shoegaze and progressive soul, dreamy soundscapes and infectious grooves. Some of the band's recent notable releases include 'The Shocking Fuzz Of Your Electric Fur' EP (2017) and the album 'Entropy is the Mainline to God' (2022).

Over the years, The Veldt has collaborated with TV On The Radio, Mos Def, Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite), A.R.Kane and toured or played with Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Pixies, Throwing Muses, Echo & The Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, Manic Street Preachers, Phantogram, Modern English, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Oasis, Chuck D, Living Colour and Schooly D.

As of May 5, 'The Everlasting Gobstopper' single will be released everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. The full 'Illuminated 1989' album will be released on vinyl, CD, cassette and digitally. The Veldt is touring North America with Dead Leaf Echo in support of this release.

'THE EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER' CREDITS
‘Illuminated 1989’ released via 5BC Records and Disc Drive
Danny Chavis - guitar
Daniel Chavis - vocals, guitar, lyrics
Marvin Levi - drums
Joseph Hue Boyle - bass
Elizabeth Fraser - additional vocals
Robin Guthrie - programming, additional guitars
Lincoln Fong - programming
Written by Danny and Daniel Chavis
Recorded and produced at September Sound by Robin Guthrie
Catalogue number 5BC001 [5BC Records]
ISRC code QZK6Q2394304

'JOSHU LULLABY' CREDITS
Daniel Chavis - vocals, guitars, lyrics
Hayato Nakao - guitars
Danny Chavis - guitars
Robin Guthrie - programming, additional guitars
Written by Danny Chavis, Daniel Chavis & Hayato Nakao
Produced by Robin Guthrie in 2023

TOUR DATES WITH DEAD LEAF ECHO
May 3 DETROIT, MI @ Lager House
May 4 PITTSBURGH, PA @ the Government Center
May 5 CINCINNATI, OH @ Radio Artifact
May 6 COLUMBUS, OH @ Cafe Bourbon St.
May 8 CHICAGO, IL @ Montrose Saloon
May 9 NASHVILLE, TN @ The Eigth Room
May 10 INDIANAPOLIS, IN @ Healer
May 11 ST. LOUIS, MO @ Evangeline's Bistro & Music House
May 12 MEMPHIS, TN @ Hi Tone
May 13 FAYETTEVILLE, AR @ Nomads Trailside
May 14 ARLINGTON, TX @ GROWL
May 15 AUSTIN, TX @ Chess Club (with Bloody Knives)
May 16 NEW ORLEANS, LA @ Gasa Gasa
May 17 BIRMINGHAM, AL @ The Nick
May 18 ATHENS, GA @ Flicker Bar
May 19 WINSTON-SALEM, NC @ Monstercade
May 20 RALEIGH, NC @ The Pour House Music Hall
May 21 WASHINGTON, DC @ The Pocket
May 22 PHILADELPHIA, PA @ Ukie Club
May 24 NEW YORK, NY @ The Broadway

Keep up with The Veldt
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Fred Abong releases 'Yellowthroat' album featuring Rob Ahlers (50FOOTWAVE, Kristin Hersh Trio)

October 1, 2022

This is Abong's sixth album, having self-released five on his own, as well as two EPs. Abong’s music has been described as a cross between “ragged Replacements and lyric-driven Bob Dylan,” and as “Elliott Smith with balls”.

Shortly ahead of this, Abong presented the song 'Passenger Side' along with a self-produced video, following earlier singles 'Twister' and 'Aurora', released ahead of his recent UK and US tours, where he supported Kristin Hersh.

Fred Abong is a Filipino-American artist, whose music represents an endearing mix of indie-alternative rock and folk singer-songwriter. His work is characterized by existential and romantically focused poetic lyrics, a hypnotic, sometimes gravelly, baritone voice, off-kilter and down-tuned guitars and unconventional song structures. He has a raw and unpolished production aesthetic with an overall direct, though deceptively imaginative and oblique, presentation.

“When I wrote 'Yellowthroat', I was (and still am, honestly) in a very romantic way. Of course, love and romance are impossible to straightforwardly convey, but I chose the straightforwardly romantic classical guitar as the primary instrument for the record, nonetheless. I grew up hearing my older siblings playing it around the house, and at an early age fell in love with its inherent drama and melancholy. I also learned to play the classical guitar (in my own way) but never felt compelled to write or record with it until now. I guess I had to wait until I was truly in love to feel I could approach it properly," says Fred Abong.

"Aside from attempting to capture the subtleties of new love, I also knew that I wanted 'Yellowthroat' to be more than just a collection of songs in the tradition of Leonard Cohen et. al. This is why I asked my pal Rob Ahlers (50 Foot Wave, KH Trio), a master drummer and all-around musical savant, if he would lend both his song-oriented ear and his multi-talented musical touch to the record. After I wrote all the songs and recorded the guitar and vocals at home between Dec 2020 and March 2021, Rob got busy, adding his parts and shaping the general direction of the production in fits and starts over the next year. The result is my version of an old fashioned crooner record (‘In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning’ was on heavy rotation during the writing phase, hence the cover). It’s a tribute to heartache and romance, existentially framed, colored with punk rock edginess, and filtered through a difficult-to-place, vapor-wave production.”

Until returning to music full-time, Abong spent nearly a decade immersed in academia, completing a Ph.D. in Humanities and working as an adjunct professor in the Religious Studies, Philosophy, and English Departments at various universities. He has also been a practicing Vedic astrologer for the past 20 plus years.

'Yellowthroat' is out now, available on CD and 12-inch 160-gram black vinyl, as well as digitally via Bandcamp, where the record is available in all formats.

SELECT PRESS FEEDBACK
“There is a purity and honesty in his approach that gets more and more intense with each track. It feels like you’re riding a wave of energy” ~ Higher Plain Music

“Thoughtful, minimalist, sometimes even bleak, but all the better for it. The ghost of Syd Barrett watches over everything... ‘Yellowthroat’ takes another sonic leap forward” ~ Real Gone Rocks

“An almost painful intimacy to his words despite the oblique phrasing and imagery he conjures” ~ Isolation Records

“An ascent out of singer-songwriter folk territory into something bordering on punk and psychedelia” ~ Fatea Magazine

“Beautifully raw, uncluttered and quite cinematic, these songs could easily serve as the soundtrack to a Jim Jarmusch film. Melodically infectious and lyrically mysterious, they beckon the listener back to experience them over and over again” ~ Newport Naked

Keep up with Fred Abong
Website | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify | Fred Abong Astrology

Fred Abong releases 'Passenger Side' single ahead of new 'Yellowthroat' album

August 18, 2022

Singer-songwriter Fred Abong will be releasing his new 'Yellowthroat' LP on August 23 via Seattle-based startup Disc Disc, recorded together with Rob Ahlers, drummer in 50FOOTWAVE and the Kristin Hersh Trio, of which Abong is also a part.

This is Abong's sixth album, having self-released five on his own, as well as two EPs. Abong’s music has been described as a cross between “ragged Replacements and lyric-driven Bob Dylan,” and as “Elliott Smith with balls”.

Ahead of this, Abong presents the album's third single 'Passenger Side' along with a self-produced video. This follows 'Twister' and 'Aurora', which he released ahead of the UK and US legs of Abong's recent tour with Kristin Hersh.

Fred Abong is a Filipino-American artist, whose music represents an endearing mix of indie-alternative rock and folk singer-songwriter. His work is characterized by existential and romantically focused poetic lyrics, a hypnotic, sometimes gravelly, baritone voice, off-kilter and down-tuned guitars and unconventional song structures. He has a raw and unpolished production aesthetic with an overall direct, though deceptively imaginative and oblique, presentation.

"Early on, Rob (Ahlers) and I felt that 'Passenger Side' was a possible single because it seemed so ‘easy’. That’s not to say that it’s a ‘simple’ song in any way… just that it has a very accessible sound and vibe, says Fred Abong.

"In any case, like the rest of 'Yellowthroat', it treats of the romantic journey, in particular the sense of being ‘taken for a ride’ by the relationship, but not necessarily in the pejorative sense. It’s focus is the early stages, where the trip is dark and foreboding (maybe ‘mysterious’ is a better term). The lovers as ‘a pair of possums going through the crosswalk in the night’, suggests their desire to discover one another privately, away from the gaze of humanity, and the song culminates in a recognition of both brokenness and true intimacy as well as a fragile hope that for the full blossoming of love. Plus, there’s an awesome keyboard part by Rob!

Until returning to music full-time, Abong spent nearly a decade immersed in academia, completing a Ph.D. in Humanities and working as an adjunct professor in the Religious Studies, Philosophy, and English Departments at various universities. He has also been a practicing Vedic astrologer for the past 20 plus years.

As of August 13, 'Yellowthroat' will be available on CD and 12-inch 160-gram black vinyl, as well as digitally across the. It can be obtained in all formats via Bandcamp.

SELECT PRESS FEEDBACK
“There is a purity and honesty in his approach that gets more and more intense with each track. It feels like you’re riding a wave of energy” ~ Higher Plain Music

“Thoughtful, minimalist, sometimes even bleak, but all the better for it. The ghost of Syd Barrett watches over everything... ‘Yellowthroat’ takes another sonic leap forward” ~ Real Gone Rocks

“An almost painful intimacy to his words despite the oblique phrasing and imagery he conjures” ~ Isolation Records

“An ascent out of singer-songwriter folk territory into something bordering on punk and psychedelia” ~ Fatea Magazine

“Beautifully raw, uncluttered and quite cinematic, these songs could easily serve as the soundtrack to a Jim Jarmusch film. Melodically infectious and lyrically mysterious, they beckon the listener back to experience them over and over again” ~ Newport Naked

Keep up with Fred Abong
Website | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify | Fred Abong Astrology