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