Here’s latest video from Los Angeles-based songwriter Tom Freund, premiering today exclusively on Acoustic Nation.
Led by his ukulele, “Next Time Around” instantly takes you away to a beachy paradise, or in this case, Freund's virtual backyard of Venice, California.
The touch of strings and mermaid-evoking background vocals only add to the island vibe of the track.
A multi-instrumentalist in his own right, Freund also performs the upright bass, guitar and keyboards in addition to the ukulele.
“Next Time Around” appears on his latest album, 2 Moons, which you can pick up now at http://tomfreund.com.
Watch the video below and enjoy!
Over the course of his career, Tom Freund has created a wide variety of albums. His first was a collaboration with Ben Harper and his last was a double disc live album. In between, he’s made full-lengths, EPs, a children’s CD and a Christmas album — but he’s never made an album like 2 Moons.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
This self-produced disc finds the Freund in a contemplative yet confident mood, where swirls of nostalgia blend with sharp-eyed views of life today. He delivers this CD’s main message in the standout track “Lemme Be Who I Wanna Be,” in which he declares: “I’m basically hooked on this life/it’s got a lot of problems/but it treats me real right/and you don’t have to agree with me/but let me fly my freak flag.”
Freund funded 2 Moons through a successful Pledge Music campaign. Although admitting to having some trepedations about going the crowd-sourcing route, Freund wound up a believer. “I’m very endeared by the Pledge experience,” he confesses. “It showed me that people wanted to engage in it. That was moving for me and got me excited.” Besides doing his traditional touring, including summer European festival appearances and shows in the States, he will be doing some special house concerts as part of this Pledge Music campaign.
Fans’ reactions resonate strongly with Freund: he feels that a job of a songwriter to help others access what they are feeling. “A real joy is when people come and tell me that a song or an album got them through something,” he says. If 2 Moons, with its underlying message of hope in this messy world of ours, serves as an inspiring, encouraging soundtrack for listeners, “then I can say to myself: ‘okay, you’re doing something right for some people out there.’”
Acoustic Nation is written by Laura B. Whitmore, a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, who has contributed to Parade.com, Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
