tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post8349420578522514711..comments2024-02-06T22:24:32.621-08:00Comments on BLOGSTITUDE: Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-51794001116525989172008-08-12T19:01:00.000-07:002008-08-12T19:01:00.000-07:00on dereks kick, souled american is a totally class...on dereks kick, souled american is a totally classic/(not lost but under evaluated band). so excited you are bringing them into conversation.<BR/>-brock<BR/>trashcanobsessional.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-70233612999198574872008-08-06T10:23:00.000-07:002008-08-06T10:23:00.000-07:00Larry- To my eternal regret, I never got to see th...Larry- To my eternal regret, I never got to see the original <BR/>4-piece Souled American play live. I have no doubt that they absolutely killed, though.<BR/><BR/>After their 4th album ("Sonny", an incredible almost-all-covers album, maybe their best, contains maybe the best "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" ever which is saying a whole lot), their drummer left. They didn't replace him. Then after one more record, gtrist Scott Tuma (who now makes beautiful minimal music in Chicago under his own name) quit. They didn't replace him either. It was just Grigoroff and Adducci left. The two of them moved to somewhere in central Illinois and holed up. Anyway those were the shows I saw, duo shows.<BR/><BR/>I have a friend whose band toured with the duo Souled American in Germany and he said they were a)hilarious, like Laurel-and-Hardy team style hilarious, and b)both completely addicted to marijuana. Both of these elements were made obvious to me when seeing them live. <BR/><BR/>They both wore shades, had the stage in near-total darkness, made really funny off-the-cuff asides and small talk, and played one after another of the incredibly slow-paced, brutal, beautiful, devastating songs mainly from "Frozen" and "Notes Campfire."<BR/><BR/>Each time, several people in the audience left well before the show was over. Once that started happening, the show got really relaxed and they starting taking requests (I asked for "Rise Above It" at one show and they did it, so great).<BR/><BR/>Chris Grigoroff is easily one of my 5 favorite living singers. Hearing him sing even better than he does on record was the real treat, along with hearing/seeing Adducci do that mind-blowing bass playing.<BR/><BR/>I've listened to "Notes Campfire" that past 2 nights. It's a nearly impenetrable album. It seems to emanate from some dismal point in space. It's not easy but it may end up speaking to you. <BR/><BR/>I would like to close by saying that Souled American is a profound band. <BR/><BR/>The End.<BR/><BR/>-DerekAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-40106495007830063232008-08-06T06:01:00.000-07:002008-08-06T06:01:00.000-07:00Derek - I wouldn't have it in me write an epic on ...Derek - I wouldn't have it in me write an epic on these guys either - but how were those two shows? Right now <I>Notes Campfire</I> is on the same off-putting impenetrable level that <I>Fe</I> and <I>Around the Horn</I> were initally at. That will change, but this album is brutal! You might be right about "Born(free)"... it's either that or the Swamp Dogg version of "Sam Stone"...Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00429116467888308789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-10812107404427383082008-08-06T05:55:00.000-07:002008-08-06T05:55:00.000-07:00Minimalism Top 10: 1. Velvet Underground "Run Run ...Minimalism Top 10: <BR/>1. Velvet Underground "Run Run Run" (or several other examples)<BR/>2. Black Sabbath "Black Sabbath" <BR/>3. King Tubby<BR/>4. J.J. Cale <I>Naturally</I> <BR/>5. ZZ Top "Waitin' on the Bus"<BR/>6. Fleetwood Mac "Dreams" <BR/>7. Souled American <I>Around the Horn</I> (went with this one instead) <BR/>8. Melvins <I>Lysol</I> <BR/>9. Basic Channel label and offshoots <BR/>10. Eddy Current Suppression RingLarryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00429116467888308789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-70581805373353178352008-08-05T13:13:00.000-07:002008-08-05T13:13:00.000-07:00Oh hell yeah, J.J. Cale is great and I think that'...Oh hell yeah, J.J. Cale is great and I think that's his best album. I love the drum machine and mumbled vibe. I think I'm gonna put it on my Minimalist Top 10.... Souled American <I>Notes Campfire</I> too...Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00429116467888308789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-13436411242187162762008-08-05T11:16:00.000-07:002008-08-05T11:16:00.000-07:00Say Larry- have you ever heard J.J. Cale's 1st alb...Say Larry- have you ever heard J.J. Cale's 1st album, <BR/>"Naturally?" It's amazing. <BR/><BR/>It's so fuckin' 'casual' and 'laid-back' that it comes out the other side and is totally intense. I think it must have been a big influence on Souled American.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-52179582402337973662008-08-04T16:12:00.000-07:002008-08-04T16:12:00.000-07:00If I thought I had it in me I'd volunteer to write...If I thought I had it in me I'd volunteer to write a huge epic Souled American piece for Blastitude. I'm not sure I have it in me. <BR/><BR/>I have everything they've ever recorded and have had several periods in my life of full 100% immersion in their music. I've been lucky enough to see them play live in S.F. twice. I even have a copy of this little book:<BR/>http://www.ragandboneshop.com/fiftyposters/pos99.html <BR/><BR/>Now I'm kind of afraid to even put one of their records on- I'd probably get sucked in again.<BR/><BR/>-DerekAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-3012700319013181282008-08-04T15:56:00.000-07:002008-08-04T15:56:00.000-07:00"Born (free)" on "Notes" is the world's saddest so..."Born (free)" on "Notes" is the world's saddest song.<BR/><BR/>-DerekAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-74864399069072136492008-08-04T13:43:00.000-07:002008-08-04T13:43:00.000-07:00"Once you get into it, you may not want to leave t..."Once you get into it, you may not want to leave their world for a long time."<BR/><BR/>That's exactly where I'm at right now. And I have gotten hold of Notes Campfire... damn. They just played Chicago in June and I wasn't even interested, I had no idea. Hope it's not another 2 years before their next gig...Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00429116467888308789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31982424.post-44106453023313858102008-08-04T09:34:00.000-07:002008-08-04T09:34:00.000-07:00It's great that somebody is discovering Souled Ame...It's great that somebody is discovering Souled American. Once you get into it, you may not want to leave their world for a long time. Wait 'til you hear the last couple of records they did.<BR/><BR/>-DerekAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com