Asked in 2019 to select a song he wished he’d written, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy named “Before Tonight” by Souled American, a lost song, a forgotten band. We always think we know the history of music that matters until we hear some unearthed treasure like the unearthly Souled American and must account for how greatness this great gets forgot. Souled American formed in 1987 with four musicians from Illinois—vocalist/rhythm guitarist Chris Grigoroff, vocalist/bassist Joe Adducci, electric guitarist Scott Tuma, and drummer Jamey Barnard. They were scouted and signed by popular independent label Rough Trade Records. Their 1988 debut Fe and Lucinda Williams’s Lucinda Williams became the label’s initial US releases. The band made a total of four records for Rough Trade before the label went bankrupt and the music vanished. They then made two records for Germany’s small Moll Töntrager which, scarcely distributed and poorly promoted, were (as Abraham Lincoln would say) little noted nor long remembered. The Internet arrived but none of Souled American’s six records ever found it. Engineer Jim Rondinelli (Wilco, The Jayhawks, Matthew Sweet, Urge Overkill) co-produced Fe and calls Souled American, “far and away the most unique and fresh and talented band I ever worked with.” Engineer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron and Wine, Counting Crows, Califone) co-produced their next three records. “I was flabbergasted that they existed. I couldn’t believe there were people singing together like that in my generation. I was utterly in love.” Rise Above It: A Souled American Anthology collects 20 tracks—a third of the band’s recorded output between 1988-1996—newly remastered from their first six releases to tell the Souled American story (up to this point). The accompanying booklet features song lyrics from the band and liner notes from Camden Joy detailing the band’s history, as well as their influence on and importance to the Americana/Alt-Country/Rock scene. Tweedy devoted a chapter to “Before Tonight” in his 2023 bestseller World Within A Song. He began his praiseful paean wit an admonition. “This song,” wrote Tweedy, “is likely the hardest track to find of any I’ve included here…” Until now! Hopefully Rise Above It: A Souled American Anthology addresses that. And much more.
