The Test Drive: Fred Abong – Pulsing

Somewhere between the clarity of alt-folk and the grittiness of underground rock lies Fred Abong. Fred is somewhat of an enigma within the music world releasing music here and there. But that music is gold in the ears of any music connoisseur. The songs of his latest EP titled ‘Pulsing’ give a glimpse of his musical soul while showing the sheer diversity of his musicianship and creativity.

Fred Abong’s album will be released digitally via Bandcamp, with CDs to be available exclusively at shows during his UK tour. Show and ticket info for all shows can be found HERE.

About Fred Abong
Fred Abong has announced his new solo release – the ‘Pulsing’ EP. This six-track offering will release on March 8, the same day that his UK tour with Kristin Hersh kicks off. As a solo artist Abong will be supporting Hersh on this tour. But he will also be playing bass in Kristin Hersh’s live electric trio, together with Rob Ahlers, drummer in the Hersh-led power trio 50FOOTWAVE.

This follows Abong’s 2018 ‘Homeless’ EP, also released upon launching his previous UK tour supporting Kristin Hersh. Ahead of the EP release, he presents the lead track ‘Firefly’.

Best known as former bass player for the influential art-punk band Throwing Muses and Grammy-nominated alt-rock band Belly, Abong has been immersed in academia for the last eight years or so, completing a Ph.D. in Humanities and working as an adjunct professor in the Religious Studies, Philosophy, and English Departments at various universities.

“This EP was inspired by life and life events. You can fill in the blanks here to your satisfaction – relationships, loss, death, ecstasy, identity, longing, transformation, frustration, desire, love, hate, etc.,” says Fred Abong.

“Songs are only one possible manifestation of the inspiration that informs existence; and if that’s true, then maybe focusing less on the specifics of the inspiration behind someone’s songs and more on the pervasiveness of inspiration in each of our lives would be of more benefit and utility. Your own life, in other words, is just one song after another. You should listen to those first. If you want some company after that, then, by all means, give the songs on Pulsing a listen.”

@AbongFred [rotatingtweets screen_name=’AbongFred’]

Prior to being in Throwing Muses and Belly, Fred was active as a drummer and bass player in numerous bands centered on the Newport, RI hardcore punk scene, which gave rise to bands like Vicious Circle and Verbal Assault. Partly because of these DIY roots, Fred left the music ‘business’ after the release of Belly’s ‘Star’ in 1992, choosing instead to quietly and independently pursue his own music.

Abong’s music has been described as a cross between “ragged Replacements and lyric-driven Bob Dylan,” and as “Elliott Smith with balls”.

Most recently, Fred contributed bass on Kristin Hersh’s new ‘Possible Dust Clouds’ album, released in late 2018 via Fire Recordings, as well as working with Rhode Island-Boston collective The Pull of Autumn, for which he contributed ‘Vanishing Spell’.

Earlier, he worked with Tanya Donelly, a former bandmate in both Throwing Muses and Belly, on the song ‘Snow Goose and Me’ for her 2016 ‘Swan Song’ series, a track that ABC News dubbed “a moody, expressive bit of songwriting that will demand repeat listens”.

“A welcome addition to the collection amassed by lovers of everything related to Throwing Muses and offshoots such as Belly and The Breeders. Acoustic, clear and generally optimistic, Abong’s delivery is genuine and believable with a nice blend of hues in common with The Replacements, Buffalo Tom and Nirvana”
– Big Takeover Magazine

“Wonderfully ragged acoustica, infused with edge and emotion and sitting at the end of a line that runs through the likes of Buffalo Tom, Elliott Smith, Iron and Wine and understandably sharing both spiritual and sonic space with Kristin Hersh”
– The Swindonian

“Within this selection of two minute nuggets is the sound of a distinctive talent; someone unafraid to share imperfections and emotive scars. For long-time fans of Throwing Muses, ‘Homeless’ presents a brief but welcome look into the heart and mind of one of the band’s less championed talents”
– Real Gone

LINKS:
http://www.fredabong.com
https://fredabong.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/abongfred
https://twitter.com/AbongFred
https://www.facebook.com/fred.abong.1