Written and Produced by Susanne Abbott
Engineered and Mixed by Craig Brock and Susanne Abbott
Mastered by Mark Hallman at The Congress House Studio, Austin, TX
Featuring: S. Abbott - vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion; Andrew Davis - cello; Nathan DeLacretaz - pedal steel, electric guitar; David Hamburger - National slide guitar, baritone electric guitar, electric and acoustic guitars; Lannie Hilboldt - bass; George Quiroga - electric guitar; Allen Robertson - piano, keyboard, banjo, mandolin, electric guitar; Arnie Yaňez - drums, cajón, percussion
NO HISTORY OF PREVENTION is the stunning new release from Austin singer-songwriter Susanne Abbott. Synthesizing elements of contemporary folk, pop, and Americana, this original, full length debut is an exquisite showcase of remarkable song craft delivered with an impeccable phrasing and vocal power that fans of Susanne Abbott have come to know and expect. From the hypnotic opener, "On My Head", to the gorgeously plaintive “Jacqueline”, to the ambient, lingering beauty of "Johnson City", to the infectious pop choruses of “Spring”, this record bursts with color and imagery and is a staggering portrait of souls lost and found. Written and produced by Abbott, this record is a defining moment in the development and evolution of one of Austin’s most dynamic artists.
A Houston native, Abbott took up residency in Austin in 1999 immediately capturing the attention of audiences, critics and musicians through her knock out live performances in the music and professional theatre scene. Her tight grip of rock, pop, blues and gospel performance ignited critics to praise her live shows and powerhouse vocals, while music giants such as legendary Texas blues artist Doyle Bramhall recruited her vocals for recording. Since her arrival in Austin she has performed and/or recorded with numerous bands and solo artists including Bramhall, Darden Smith, Roscoe Beck, David Hamburger, Michael Ramos, Jesse Sublett, Bill Anderson, David Murray and Marcia Ball.
In addition to her success in Austin’s music scene, Abbott has enjoyed the last ten years as an award-winning regional theatre actor, garnering audience and wide-spread critical acclaim for her work at Zachary Scott Theatre Center – most notable for her break out featured performances in the productions, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” and “Speeding Motorcycle”, a rock-opera based on the life and music of Daniel Johnston; whereby, Abbott was featured with members of Johnston’s original band including Bill Anderson, Kathy McCarty and Sherri Lane. She is a five-time Austin Critics’ Table Award winner with other hit regional productions including “Jelly’s Last Jam”, “Ain’t Nuthin But the Blues”, and “Cabaret”.
In 2008-2009 she joined up with Darden Smith and UTPAC in the development of Smith’s theatre song-cycle piece entitled, “Marathon”, whereby she performed live along side Smith and music all-stars bassist Roscoe Beck (current music director for Leonard Cohen), keyboardist/trumpeter Michael Ramos (Patty Griffin, Charanga Cakewalk) , and guitarist David Murray.
In the fall of 2009, Abbott was recruited by 505 Games (London), Paramount Pictures and Austin’s Murray Music to lend her vocals to be the singing character voice of Rizzo in the new Nintendo Wii video game, “Grease” to be released August 2010.
With NO HISTORY OF PREVENTION, Abbott has assembled a highly evocative, remarkably literate collection of original compositions building textured aural and songwriting landscapes spanning pop, rock and folk - echoing many of Abbott’s musical influences – Terry Allen, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder and even Stephen Sondheim. It captures the energy and raw power of her live shows and is a highlight in the career of an incredibly diverse artist, promising to be one of the most interesting and surprising releases of 2009.