Around the Horn (album) explained

Around the Horn is the third album by the Chicago-based band Souled American.^{[1] [2]} It was released in 1990 by Rough Trade Records.^[3] The band supported the album by touring with Camper Van Beethoven.^[4]

The album was re-released, as part of the Framed box set, by tUMULt Records in 1999.^[5]

Production

The band recorded the album quickly, as they thought that Rough Trade may close.^[6] The album title refers to the band's desire to use guitars to reproduce the feel of marching band horn lines.^[7] "I Keep Holding Back the Tears" was written by bassist Joe Adducci's mother.^[8] "Durante's Hornpipe" is a version of the traditional instrumental.^[9]

Critical reception

The Chicago Tribune wrote that "Souled American's music seems to spring from familiar folk, country and old-time acoustic blues roots, but the forms are odd and warped, slow and quavery."^[10] The Washington Post advised: "Imagine hearing a recording of Neil Young's whiny tenor playing at the wrong speed, revolving at the dreariest pace, accompanied by amateurish guitars, an occasional trombone and muted bass and drums."^[11] Entertainment Weekly stated that Souled American's music "is irresistibly deadpan, sounding not at all inept, but simply homemade... Maybe they're telling us that traditional country life has now declined into something threadbare and dim."

According to AllMusic: "Around the Horn shows the band now fully master of a unique kind of Americana, here much more melancholy and gently downbeat than ever before, guitars more apt to ring softly or solitarily than anything else. The dub and r'n'b touches prevalent on the first two albums aren't as apparent here, but what the band loses in relative breadth it more than makes up for in atmosphere."

Track listing

1. "Around the Horn" – 3:43
2. "Second of All" – 4:01
3. "Old, Old House" – 3:31
4. "Durante's Hornpipe" – 2:02
5. "Rise Above It" – 6:10
6. "Six Feet of Snow" – 4:18
7. "Willdawg" – 3:23
8. "I Keep Holding Back the Tears" – 4:26
9. "You" – 4:11
10. "Luggy Di" – 2:39
11. "In the Mud" – 2:19

All songs by Souled American except "Old, Old House" by George Jones, "Six Feet of Snow" by Little Feat, "Durante's Hornpipe" (traditional), and "I Keep Holding Back the Tears" by bassist Joe Adducci's mother.

Personnel

• Joe Adducci – bass, vocals
• Jamey Barnard – drums
• Chris Grigoroff – guitar, vocals
• Scott Tuma – guitar
• Jaimo (Jaimo Ferrone) - trombone on "Second of All"

References

• The Nation

Album review by Gene Santoro, May 1990.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Margasak . Peter . Life in the Slow Lane . Chicago Reader . 18 February 2023.
2. News: Popson . Tom . I want my MTV jacket, cap and beach chair . Chicago Tribune . 8 Dec 1989 . Friday . 26.
3. Smith . Andrew . Souled American . Melody Maker . Mar 3, 1990 . 66 . 9 . 33.
4. News: Kot . Greg . Listen up, folks Chicago band's quietly intense music challenges the audience . Chicago Tribune . 23 Feb 1990 . Tempo . 3.
5. Morris . Chris . Souled Out . Billboard . Jun 26, 1999 . 111 . 26 . 77.
6. News: Guarino . Mark . Unknown legends Souled American rises again . Daily Herald . 16 July 1999 . Arlington Heights . Time Out . 4.
7. News: Gehr . Richard . That's Souled American . Newsday . 5 Feb 1990 . Part II.
8. Web site: Souled American . Trouser Press . 18 February 2023.
9. News: Hoekstra . Dave . Souled American just has fun on 'Around the Horn' . Chicago Sun-Times . February 18, 1990 . Show . 5.
10. News: Heim . Chris . Souled American plumbs the depths of swamp rock . Chicago Tribune . 23 Feb 1990 . Friday . S.
11. News: Joyce . Mike . Souled American Asleep at the Reel . The Washington Post . 25 May 1990 . N20.