quick audio picks: 12
The latest in Truth & Soul's highly anticipated (and muchly appreciated) Black Top reissue series brings us a pair of super-obscure cuts from Black Velvet, a teenage female vocal trio from New Jersey. The original 45 is rare beyond rare, but considering...
expand review the quality of these tracks, it's kinda shocking that this hasn't been reissued before. On the A-side, "Is It Me You Really Love?(1)" comes with the sweltering horns and slow-burner feel of some classic Southern soul shit, the girls' vocals just wrapping around you and putting the suicide squeeze on yr heart. On the flip, a newly remixed and remastered version of "An Earthquake Coming(2)" is some real upbeat hot time summer in the city type shit. A very cool reissue from T&S. Both tracks include instrumentals, plus interesting little "bonus beat" type tracks at the end of each side. -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 12
Previously reissued on 12" by Truth & Soul's Black Top imprint, New Jersey teenage female vocal trio Black Velvet's "Is It Me You Really Love(1)" now gets the 45 treatment (the way it was meant to be heard). "Is It Me" comes...
expand review with the sweltering horns and slow-burner feel of some classic Southern soul shit, the girls' vocals just wrapping around you and putting the suicide squeeze on yer heart. On the flip, a newly remixed and remastered version of "An Earthquake Coming(2)" is some real upbeat hot time summer in the city type shit. -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 12
Can't ever hate on these 45's from Truth & Soul, man. You can tell their obsession for keeping it classic from the very first spin. Sounds to me like some classic old latin funk, but it's not. Instead it's from...
expand review BRP's trip to Puerto Rico in 2006, where they collaborated with musicians that graced the stage with legends like the Fania All-Stars and Paul Rodriguez. As you would expect from mixing the pros with the legends, the results are nothing but purely soulful. You got Zoe Velez laying down the dimly lit vocals(in Spanish) on "Me Toca(1)" and the killer conga and Timbale solos on the "Agua Con Sal(2)" all for less than what I paid for lunch. Plus, a little bit of soul is good for ya'. Even I can't listen to hype shit all the time. -C'mish
quick audio picks: 12
The first Bronx River Parkway 7" has always been one of my favorite aberrations in the deep Truth & Soul catalogue, three tracks of latin soul funk boogie that helped break the mold of all the cookie cutter gutbucket stuff that was...
expand review being produced at that time. So it's great to see them resurrect the outfit and give us another couple tracks of sticky rhythm for summer. A-side "La Valla(1)" is the one with the party vibe, opening drum break, and chatter from the band, but I always find myself more drawn to the T&S b-sides. "Nora Se Va(2)" is the kind of shit that gets me where I want to go (a scorching hot screened-in porch on the beach with all the accoutrements). Outstanding vocal harmonies and somebody playing the hell out of that cheese grater thing. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
We haven't seen a release from these guys since their Soul Fire 12" release a couple years ago, which was one of our favorite SF releases and the breaking point for moving these in-house musicians beyond dirty garage funk tyranny. "Behind The...
expand review Blue Curtain(1)" is the joint to check for here. They drop a lovely slowed down vibes & drums break in the front, and then 7pm summer slide through 3 and half minutes. Feels so right. Flipside is the more uptempo "Creation(2)." -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
El Michels Affair with two more Wu Tang covers equals add to cart immediately. If you didn't pick up the first one, you probably don't shop with us much since we sold like 8 million of them (it's been on or near...
expand review the top of our bestseller list ever since it came out). So the backstory is that El Michels have embarked on a whole Wu Tang covers project with the blessing of the Wu, this being the second installment. Note that these are instrumental covers of the rap songs, not covers of the original sample sources, which makes it double interesting in the hands of a band like El Michels. This one features "Bring Da Ruckus(1)" and "Duel Of The Iron Mic(2)," both surprise picks, but they work exceedingly well in the live band format. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 1
Truth and Soul presents this previously unreleased 1970 cut from New Brunswick NJ's Funky Music Machine. Apparently they got the master tapes from Sammy Campbell aka Tyrone Ashley, who produced and wrote all the music. The full title here is "Gotta Clean...
expand review Up The World (Before The World Cleans You Up)," obviously a timely tune in any era but a great one to dig up right now. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 123456
Sammy Campbell (aka Tyrone Ashley) and Funky Music Machine never managed to release more than a debut single during their heyday, but Truth & Soul has been quietly remedying that over the last few years. First there were a couple well-received 45s...
expand review ("Gotta Clean Up The World," Parts 1(1) and 2(2)), and now we get this - a full-length collection of tracks unearthed from Campbell's Record Hut studio. It's perfect that this should finally come out on Truth & Soul, since it has so many of the vintage sonic hallmarks that they seem to emulate - this is true soul, at times both warm and gritty, and always very funky. Check the elastic bass and driving horns of "Sing A Song Sister(3)," or the 8-minute slow-burner "Does Frankie Ever Call My Name(4)." Even the silly stuff (like the warbly cover of "I Can't Help Myself(5)") is so soulful and genuine that you can't help but love it. Campbell was a Plainfield, NJ, contemporary of one George Clinton, and though you can't hear many similarities to P-Funk in the music, you can catch Clinton's axeman Eddie Hazel and Billy Nelson on "Come On Home(6)." Plenty of pics and detailed liner notes in the booklet. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 12
Truth and Soul have released another lost single from this New Brunswick, NJ group, cut directly off the master tapes of Black Top label chief Tyrone Ashley. The first one they released was decent, but this new double-sider is serious. "Love Me...
expand review A Little While Longer(1)" features a sweet opening break and reverbed laughing evil man (love it), before popping into a groove and chorus that's some straight psychedelic soul shit. Wandering guitar, weirdly miked female ghosts on backup singing duties, tambourine, and lots of s p a c e. B-side is a cover of "I Can't Help Myself(2)" (aka "sugar-pie honey-bunch"), and while it's a lot more straightforward than the a-side, it's just as enjoyable. The lead singer was a great Otis Redding / Sam & Dave type of voice and the band sneaks in a bunch of "out" moments. I like this one. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
Sounding like an extraterrestrial Afrika '70 covering JB's "Cold Sweat" in some parallel universe, "Watou(1)" is the winner here, although it takes a couple spins to really sink in. When it does, it's the bomb- although dancefloor patrons might not really get...
expand review it, at least the first time you drop it. They definitely won't get the flipside "Broken Ribs(2)," which is way too off-center, although it's perfect for home listening and provides lots of chop-up possibilities. Soul Fire strikes again! -gregcaz
quick audio picks: 12
'I don't want your life' 'Varsity Blues. Texan funk in your area code. With less than 500 original copies pressed, this 45 goes for $1000 among those crazed collectors. What are they thinking? The a-side(1) is a tightly arranged soul vocal with...
expand review a majestic horn section. We think the b-side 'Sagittarius Black(2)' is the stronger cut, a laid-back groover with hard drums, dreamy guitars, and soul flute. This is some summertime shit. Original label reproduction. -the mgmnt
Special-edition signed Rostarr shirts. The front depicts Ro's Black Flag homage, look closely for the pattern flip within the bars. If you want to see the design up close, head to our LA store for the full-sized artwork (over 10 feet tall)....
expand review Back features "Condition Black" in black drip along with a signature line with Ro's actual marker tag. Limited to 100 pieces with sewn numbering on the tag. This is the first of designs to be produced by Truth and Soul. Standard fit. -the mgmnt
New shirt from Rostarr in collaboration with Truth & Soul. Each one comes with an embroidered Truth & Soul label numbered out of a 100. Rostarr's work always invoke's a sense of mystery around it and more importantly, a story. I love...
expand review the colors and shapes here and the clue printed on a small label on the back. It's of a topographical shape with streets that seems to be the inspiration for the main graphic. 100% cotton. Standard fit. -C'mish
Truth & Soul logo shirts! One of today's solid funk, soul, and latin strongholds. Support what you love.
fit: standard beefy-t/anvil
fabric: soft, 100% cotton -C'mish
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It's about damn time! The Truth & Soul label has been jamming out impressive (and limited) 45s for a minute now, and this CD-only collection rounds 'em up for those of y'all who slept the first time around. The brand new debut...
expand review release in T&S' Shaolin Series - El Michels Affair's cover of the Wu classic "C.R.E.A.M.(1)" - is included here, along with its flip, "Glaciers of Ice(2)." But savvy Lab customers will remember the Lee Fields' extra-dope "Do You Love Me(3)" single with the Expressions backing him, or the Expressions' own "These Moments(4)." You could pretty much name all of these tracks off - the office fave seems to be El Michels' "Behind the Blue Curtain(5)," FYI - because they're all worth mentioning and equally good reasons to cop this. Fact is, you already know! 19 tracks total. -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 1234567
Much anticipated 2nd singles comp from Truth & Soul, collecting up 16 previously vinyl-only sides (the original 45s for which are mostly OOP now) plus unreleased tracks from Quincy Bright and The Fabulous Three. All the T&S faves are here, from vintage...
expand review reissues like Funky Music Machine ("Just A Little While Longer(1)") and Black Velvet ("Is It Me You Really Love(2)") to current champs like El Michels Affair ("PJ's(3)" with Raekwon), Bronx River Pkwy ("La Valla(4)") and Lee Fields ("My World(5)"). Also includes Timothy McNealy's killer dual Marvin / Al covers, "What's Going On(6)" and "I'm Glad You're Mine(7)." This label is pumping out some of the funkiest, most soulful music around today - pay attention! Comes in an embossed digipak with artwork by Rostarr. 18 tracks, 52 minutes. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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