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: 123456
What do you get when you mix a gang of Truth & Soul All-Stars (like El Michels Affair's Leon Michels, Quincy Bright, Jeff Silverman) with a group of Candela All-Stars and put them to work in San Juan, PR, for eight days?...
expand review The result is on this album, which has mercifully hit vinyl after about a year of clamoring from the people. With the musicians involved, you probably don't even need to be told that this is one amazing slab of Latin funk glory, essential for fans of old skool Candela and new fandangled Truth & Soul alike. Alongside the previously released known heaters "Agua Con Sal(1)" and "La Valla(2)," I recommend scoping the title track(3), "Nora Se Va(4)," "Mi Corazon(5)" y "Donde(6)." Recomendado. 10 tracks. -Van Hammersly
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: 12
Truth & Soul brings us a fresh El Michels 45 to tide us over until the Affair's long-awaited Wu covers full-length drops. The original version of "Musings To Myself" appeared on the Sounding Out The City LP, but this is the previously...
expand review unreleased alternate mix(1) and boy does it sound fresh, a simple and straightfoward slow grooving instrumental with horns that leave you whistling for days. On the flip, it's the totally unreleased dubbed-out smoker "Spread Your Soul(2)." Sweltering! -Chris Lemon-Red
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: 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. 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
Truth & Soul keeps the funk rollin' with these limited edition re-presses from Timothy McNealy's Shawn Label (home to his "Funky Movement No.2" and "Sagittarius Black"). Originally produced in 1972, Side A's cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On(1)" gives it to...
expand review you in that retro-style that almost seems to outdate the original! A female choir gets called to backup Timmy's soulful bursts as the sly guitar licks and rolling piano lace the funk. Although it's a notable cover, it is from the original Shawn label and the sound is a little rough. I guess it adds to the authentic appeal. On the flip is Timmy's cover of Al Green's "I'm Glad That You're Mine(2)." The female choir backs Timmy up once again and actually gives the song more of a soul, than a soul "pop" feel. If you like these two singles, the whole "Funky Movement" compilation from Truth & Soul is coming soon, so hold tight. -C'mish
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