TOM'S BLOG

January 10, 2019

Runaround Video Premier ‘n Secret Show

I had fun shooting this video in Joshua Tree, although it was cold! Yes it gets cold in California – in the high desert in January, exactly a year ago, when it was shot. I was asked to play music at a very cool Yoga Retreat/Recovery Program called Recovery 2.0 led by an old friend from NY Tommy Rosen. The song felt very apropos of the healing that was going on around me: people being honest and coming to terms with themselves and how they wanted to lead their lives from here on out. Runaround was written for that feeling of “Time to face the music, time to face the fear.” Take hold of your life, a song for self, truth and discovery. Here’s the Premier on Pop Matters

Here’s the video direct on YOUTUBE * special thanks to Kia Miller for being in the video so cosmically, DJ Pierce for shooting and direction and Chance Foreman and Colin Hickey for editing.

*Subscribe to Tom Freund’s Truly Mellow Channel for latest videos

Also a Semi – secret show in LA to hear the songs from the new record at the No Name in Hollywood. It is guest list only so anyone who wants to go please email me back straightaway and RSVP before it fills up: tom@tomfreund.com or FB EVENT
Saturday January 12th at 9pm at No Name
432 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
*Full Band Show with special guests

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November 18, 2018

Back from Japan! NY, CT & CA Shows Announced

Please View the New TF ONE SHEET with Press and Video Links!!
Kinichiwa from Japan my friends, it’s been amazing so far, beautiful people and great music appreciators, smart and kind, and very zen’d out #trulymellow scenery and folk. A few dates to share on my trip back East at the top of December, tri-state – hope you can make it out. And a few special CA shows later in the month. Also we have this new button that clicks to East Of Lincoln on all channels . . . see hear, Hugs, T

East of Lincoln Button/All Channels


New Shows East Coast:

Saturday December 1st
Rockwell Art Gallery  151 Old Ridgefield Road Wilton, Ct
*with Kevin Bents and Konrad Meissner Tix and Info

Monday December 3rd
Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 3) 7:30 – 9pm
* with Kevin Bents and Matt Johnson
** in this intimate venue we will be playing songs from “East Of Lincoln” and taking live requests from albums past. Get Your Tix! TICKET LINK

Shows Back in Cali:

Saturday December 8th
The Folk Music Center
220 Yale Ave. Claremont, CA,
tix at www.folkmusiccenter.com/

Tuesday December 18th @9pm
Bootleg Theater 
2220 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA,
Tix and Info

That’s all for now, kind folks, thanks for listening, Love and Light, Tom San

 

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August 15, 2018

New Video/Singles and Press for East Of Lincoln

Welcome to the Tom Freund blog . . The new album ‘East Of Lincoln” due out September 7th on Surf Road Records and distributed by AWAL, will be on all platforms soon, in the meantime, 3 singles have been premiered in the press below with 2 of them already released and streaming. Plus a video for “East Of Lincoln” shot in Dear Old Venice! More fun stuff on the way with a few key dates listed below, Thanks for listening . . and Seeing!! Hugs, Tom

East Of Lincoln Video Premier by PopMatters 

East Of Lincoln Video on YouTube

Pre order “East Of Lincoln” Full Album Now

More press on “East Of Lincoln” Single release:

LA Times

” Fans of roots-oriented artists such as Tom Petty, Townes Van Zandt and Lucinda Williams.” – LA Times

Hear it here:   iTunes   Apple Music   Spotify   Google Play   Pandora

2nd Single “Freezer Burn”

“Freezer Burn” – 2nd single premieres on American Songwriter

“Looks at the emotional toll of rollercoaster relationships.” – American Songwriter

Hear it here:   iTunes    Apple Music    Spotify    google play

Homer Simpson’s Clouds (Day Of The Locust) Premier on Popdust

“The production is rooted in hope but doesn’t abandon the dark presence over today’s world.” – PopDust

***Special Pre – Order “East Of Lincoln” Album on Itunes

Shows:

Sunday 09 September 2018
Kander Kultur Festival  (Exclusive record release show – Europe)
Frutigen, Switzerland
* with Michael Jerome and Ben Peeler

Friday 14 September 2018
Americana music Festival
Nashville, TN, US – 8pm at venue ONE
* with Michael Jerome and Ben Peeler

**Also Check Out The New Website design by my friends @T42

www.tomfreund.com

www.facebook.com/tomfreundmusic 

www.instagram.com/tomfreund

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July 12, 2018

Billboard Announces New Album and Single

Hi Fine Fellows of my Email List, I appreciate you staying with me, I am proud and excited for my “East Of Lincoln” album to finally start seeing the light of day! Extra special to have Billboard Magazine to announce the Album and premier the title track “East Of Lincoln”

Read about it and Hear it here: Billboard Premier

Now the Single is available for purchase on iTunes:

And STREAMING on these sites:

Apple Music

Spotify

Google Play

*make a plylist why don’t ya, call it “Westside Jubilee”, “Brooding male Singers”, or whatever! It really helps get the word out.The next Single coming on July 27th and videos to follow. Thanks you fine folks, Til Next Time, Cheers, Tom

Future Tour Dates, More TBA SOON!

Tuesday 31 July 2018
Del Monte Speakeasy (Townhouse Basement)
Venice, CA, US
* band TBA

Sunday 26 August 2018
Concert On Schenk Island
Wilton, CT, US
* with Kevin Bents and Konrad Meissner

Sunday 09 September 2018
Kander Kultur Festival
Frutigen, Switzerland
* with Michael Jerome and Ben Peeler

Friday 14 September 2018
Americana Fest
Nashville, TN, US
* with Michael Jerome and Ben Peeler

www.tomfreund.com

www.facebook.com/tomfreundmusic

www.instagram.com/tomfreund

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June 19, 2018

LA & East Coast Gigs + New Album Bio

Hey fine persons of the planet. As the album gets set for release at the end of the summer – I’ll be playing songs from “East Of Lincoln” at a venue near you. Just back from a couple sweet ones in NorCal, there’s one in LA tonight and then off to the East Coast – also below the shows listed is a bio for your reading interest to get a flavor of what’s to hit your ears in the coming months with some singles and videos as well. Thanks for your continued listening. Cheers, Tom

Tuesday 6/19/2018 4th Street Recording Night at Harvelle’s
Santa Monica at 10pm FB EVENT
with Adam Stockpole and The Dark Holidays opening
* Band w/ Matt Johnson, Ben Peeler and Ethan Philips

Friday June 22 Falcon Music & Arts Center
1348 Route 9W Marlboro, New York 12542
* Full band w/ Konrad Meissner, Kevin bents and John Young
Tickets website: https://www.liveatthefalcon.com

Saturday June 23 Lachat Farm
Weston, CT, US
http://www.lachattownfarm.org
Special “Hug Trees” Kidz show @3pm/ TF and Friends Evening show for adultz @7pm
* Full band w/ Konrad Meissner, Kevin bents and John Young

Sunday, June 24 STANLEY-WHITMAN HOUSE
MUSIC IN THE TAVERN SERIES
37 High Street, Farmington, CT 06032
Get Tix Info about venue: http://www.stanleywhitman.org
* Super intimate Solo Acoustic Show (5:30-8PM)

Wednesday, June 27 Rockwood Music Hall
Playing songs from the forthcoming “East Of Lincoln” in an intimate acoustic setting, “mostly solo” with a guest or 2 🙂 7pm Show
185 Orchard St , New York, NY,10002
TICKET LINK

Sunday, September 9 Kander Kultur Festival 2018 Switzerland
Tickets gibts in den Filialen der Spar- und Leihkasse Frutigen FB EVENT
* With Michael Jerome and Ben Peeler from the USA

* More Dates TBA soon
Tom Freund // East of Lincoln

Over the course of his career, singer/songwriter and Americana artist Tom Freund has released more than a dozen records, collaborated with legends such as Elvis Costello and Jackson Browne, pulled a half-decade stint on bass for alt-country pioneers The Silos, and has shared bills with everyone from Matthew Sweet to Guided by Voices. Freund’s intimate, heartfelt new solo album, East of Lincoln, chronicles a personal journey along the path from self doubt to enlightenment. “Time to take the wheel and turn this thing around / Time to make a deal and see what’s going down,” he affirms on “Runaround.” Freund takes his time and lets these new songs simmer, and that—along with memorable guest spots from longtime friend and collaborator Ben Harper and an all-star cast of session players—is a big part of the record’s charm.

Quietly reveling in its unhurried pace, East of Lincoln sticks in the mind long after listening. Within the record’s framework, Freund tackles progress, hope, and the corporatization of his beloved Venice Beach, which he captures as a bittersweet vortex of vanishing beauty and possibility. “I know I’m no saint, but I know when something is good and when it ain’t,” he sings on the title track, mourning Venice’s fading allure while basking in its once-electric atmosphere. The album dances on the edge of a stark duality: the sun-drenched SoCal beach town’s demise and Freund’s own eventual growth arc. “Better start swimming toward the shore,” he urges on “Abandoning the Ship.”

Much of the record—co-produced by Freund and Sejo Navajas (Smoke Season’s Gabrielle Wortman, Vintage Trouble)—is devastatingly raw. The primarily acoustic arrangements are livened up with some spectacular drumming from Matt Johnson (St. Vincent, Jeff Buckley) and Michael Jerome (Toadies, John Cale, Blind Boys of Alabama), pedal and lap steel from Ben Peeler (Dawes, Shelby Lynne, Father John Misty), keys from Rami Jaffe (Foo Fighters, Ryan Adams) and Chris Joyner (Sara Bareilles, Rickie Lee Jones) and violin from Jessy Greene (Wilco, The Jayhawks). But even with all these studio heavyweights on call, Freund is front and center on the record, singing and playing an eclectic mix of instruments including guitar, mandolin, ukulele, synth and his signature upright bass.

Ben Harper, who produced Freund’s 2008 record Collapsible Plans, lends his vocals to “Abandoning the Ship” and supplies steel guitar to ethereal closing track, “Dream On (Believe in Yourself).” Grammy-winning mixer Jim Scott, known for his work with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Wilco, Ron Sexmsith, Alejandro Escovedo, Lucinda Williams and many more, steps in for several sterling moments as well, leaving his sonic stamp on title song “East of Lincoln,” dreamy standout “Homer Simpson’s Clouds (Day of the Locust)” and dusky saloon romper “Poached Eggs.”

In many ways, Freund’s entire life and career have been leading up to this moment. He’s spent much of his time traversing genres, melding whatever sounds have happened to catch his whimsy with his unmistakable, earthbound songwriting. Back in high school, Freund played bass in the jazz ensemble and performed in productions such as Swing. A few years later, he enjoyed a brief stint in the off-Broadway scene and took classes at Columbia University in New York, later transferring to Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif., but when music came knocking again, Freund answered.

His very first album was 1992’s Pleasure and Pain, a duo set with Ben Harper. For the next five years, he also toured and recorded with The Silos before releasing North American Long Weekend, his 1998 solo debut on Mercury Records. Moving ahead into the new millenium, Freund churned out several additional records while also assisting with projects from Mandy Moore, Rachael Yamagata, Graham Parker and other notable artists. From a handful of EPs to his 2007 kids record Hug Trees and 2011’s The Edge of Venice to his appearance playing alongside Parker in 2012 Judd Apatow comedy This is 40, Freund’s career has been a dynamic affair, and that includes plenty of work in film and TV.

His songs have been featured on series such as Better Things, Parenthood and One Tree Hill, and for his latest television project, forthcoming Amazon show Pete The Cat, Freund has co-written, sung and played songs with Elvis Costello, KT Tunstall, Dave Matthews and Diana Krall, and has also co-written the show’s theme song with creator Swampy Marsh (Phineas and Pherb). Costello takes lead vocals on each episode’s opening theme with Freund handling backing vocals and most of the instruments. Freund also co-wrote and sings the show’s end-credits song, “Go Pete Go.” All 14 episodes of the animated series are scheduled for release this September.

East of Lincoln builds on Freund’s legacy while pushing beyond his comfort zone. “Angelus” is a groovy, organ-doused opener, and “Freezer Burn” a vulnerable mid-tempo affair reflecting on personal flaws in the wake of a breakup. “I was running on hope and fumes,” he sings. And where “London Bound Lady” is feathery and sweet, “Broke Down Jubilee” is gutting and mournful, glimmering with tears and silver-lined strings.

Freund’s new record is a potent reminder that life is measured not just by our successes, but by how we choose to grow from our failures.

East of Lincoln is out Sept. 7 on Surf Road Records.

Publicity: Baby Robot Media

www.tomfreund.com
www.facebook.com/tomfreundmusic
www.instagram.com/tomfreund

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