Folk pop duo Frente is set to bring its distinctive style to the Avoca Beach Picture Theatre at 8pm on Friday, November 10.
The popular duo, which blends alternative music with its signature folk pop, celebrated the 30th anniversary of the release of their era-defining record Marvin the Album last year with a very special vinyl and digital re-release.
From the beer-soaked carpet of the Punters Club in Fitzroy to massive stages the world over, vocalist Angie Hart and guitarist Simon Austin have won hearts with singles such as Ordinary Angels, Labour of Love and an acoustic take on New Order’s Bizarre Love Triangle.
While the world was celebrating all things grunge, Frente’s blend of alternative and folk pop set them apart to listeners the world over.
The honesty of the performances and recordings, plus the thoughtful quirky riffs and structures of the songs, drew logical comparisons of Austin’s guitar work to some of Jonny Marr’s work for the Smiths and Dave Gavurin for the Sundays.
Vocally, Hart’s presence was at the time truly unique; an Australian female singer singing in her native accent, rather than adopting the American vernacular of the day.
In the footsteps of seminal indie-pop bands such as The Triffids and The Go-Betweens, Frente left the country to find the recognition which had eluded the duo at home and was invited to tour extensively with some of the biggest alternative artists of the day, including Everything But The Girl, Ween, The Beautiful South, Crowded House and Alanis Morissette.
As new generations discover them for the first time and their peers take another nostalgic listen to the songs that they fell in love, broke up, and started over with, Frente continues to mean something to many.
CCN