Holy Hints by Fred Abong

American alternative crooner Fred Abong (Throwing Muses, Belly) is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He grew up in the US - Northeast, has lived in Southern California, and is currently calling New Orleans home.
Slightly off-kilter songs, existential, spiritual, romantic, and poetic in their focus, detuned guitars, unconventional song structures, and a raw and unpolished production aesthetic characterize Fred’s overall sound. A hypnotic, sometimes gravelly, voice adds to the effect.
As one reviewer of Fred’s work has put it:
“There are artists who we say have a particular sound and then there are artists who, upon listening to their music, are so unique that there is no possible way that their music could be mistaken as being performed by anyone other than them. In the case of singer-songwriter Fred Abong, the latter case is certainly true.” (Amplify Music)

Fred’s music has drawn comparisons to Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake, The Velvet Underground, Jeff Buckley, Nirvana, Joe Strummer, and Guided By Voices...

UNCUT 7/10
After abruptly quitting Belly following the recording of their debut album Star, Fred Abong left music to acquire a PhD and raise a family before returning in 2018, around the same time he got reacquainted with his old pal from Throwing Muses, Kristin Hersh. He’s been pretty prolific ever since, with more than half a dozen releases, and his latest sees his gentle croon accompany a dozen songs of quiet intensity. The yearning “Fences” and the beautifully delicate “Missing” showcase his vulnerability, while “Tango” and “The Valley” hint at a more passionate temperament hiding behind Abong’s serene façade.

FOR FANS OF: Elliot Smith, Leonard Cohen, Kristin Hersh, The Replacements, Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground, Nirvana, Joe Strummer, Guided By Voices
FOCUS TRACKS: FENCES, MISSING, TANGO

PREVIOUS REVIEWS...
“There are artists who we say have a particular sound and then there are artists who … are so unique that there is no possible way that their music could be mistaken as being performed by anyone other than them. In the case of singer-songwriter Fred Abong , the latter case is certainly true” ~ Amplify Magazine

"Fred Abong’s latest album, Fear Pageant … isn’t one of those albums with a couple of singles and a whole load of filler, this is one of those full bodied albums, a proper album of songs that works as one whole thing, an album that feels like one time and place in the life of an artist, a real old school album you might say” ~ The Organ

“Abong’s vocal delivery is a testament to his storytelling prowess. His voice carries the weight of experience, each phrase brimming with authenticity and emotion ... It’s a reminder that music is not just about entertainment, but about connecting on a profound level with the emotions that make us human” ~ Skylight Webzine

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

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

“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

New Orleans-based alternative folk-rock artist Fred Abong presents his latest 'Blindness' releasing 9 May 2023 via Moochin' About This is Abong's eighth long-player to date.

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.

Tracklist

1.	ROMANS	4:02

2.	MAGNIFY	4:04

3.	FENCES	3:56

4.	HOLY HINTS	3:47

5.	THE TABLE	3:49

6.	MISSING	3:10

7.	TANGO	4:47

8.	COLD CASE	4:30

9.	FROGS	3:16

10.	WHISTLING	3:30

11.	STATION	5:26

12.	THE VALLEY	4:04

Credits

released July 24, 2025

Holy Hints:

All songs, instruments, production, arrangements, mixing/mastering by Fred.
Thanks to KH, Jason L, and the city of Providence.

Track list:
1. Romans
2. Magnify
3. Fences
4. Holy Hints
5. The Table
6. Missing
7. Tango
8. Cold Case
9. Frogs
10. Whistling
11. The Station
12. The Valley

Mess Kit:

All songs, production, mixing/mastering by Fred.

Guitar, vocals: Fred
Bass: Mark Stone
Guitar: Jordan Miller
Drums: Rob Ahlers

Thanks to Mark, Jordan, Rob, KH, and Jason L.

Track List:

1. Ride
2. Bullets
3. Second Line
4. Juniper
5. Evil Eye
6. Before
7. Flowers
8. Bad Idea
9. Answer

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