Truth And Soul

The black ska band from the 80s that all the white ska bands from the 90s copied. Are we surprised? One of my favorite things about this whole 1001 albums thing is finding all the predecessors and progenitors. I like how *FUN* this album is. It's sassy, it's naughty, it's just some boys playing around on their trombones. It probably gets a 4.5 from me. 4 seems too low (I've really been tossing out 4s a little too easily), but 5 seems a bit too high. It's not as polished as it could be.

Excuse me, I am too busy to write any notes about this album because I'm building a time machine so I can go kick my college-age self in the hiney and tell her to pick up a Fishbone cassette or two. She would have really loved this album. Listening to this was a wild ride! Such a range of styles. No two songs are alike: there were spoodly metal guitar solos, some funky ass bass, soulful keys and horns, ska rhythms and danceable beats, and some swoon-inducing twelve-string guitar. Fun tunes with lyrics to match but also upbeat songs that belie their serious social justice lyrical content. I had a great time listening to this and will listen again and again to make up for lost time.

Fuck me, what an assault on every one of my senses this is. I guess you aren't supposed to take it seriously, so I won't. A helter-skelter of magic, colour and bonin' in the boneyard. One of those 80s albums where they just threw everything at it and hoped for the best. Freddie's dead. Wild. Truth and Soul.

Fishbone does something new and unexpected on TRUTH AND SOUL (…he notes about this 33 year old album…) mixing metal, ska, soul, funk and punk with reckless abandon creating something fresh, surprising and really fun! I already knew the opening song “Freddie’s Dead,” but definitely not this funk/metal version. A great cover that retains the spirit of the original but is definitely their own. “Ma and Pa” is one of the best songs about divorce I’ve ever heard. I loved the little calliope-like descending note thing suggestive of a carnival. This interesting little embellishment reappears in later songs. The horn-forward, jaunty “Question of Life” is a ska/funk song exploring the relationship between God and man with some great saxophone. A funky fun look at a heavy subject! “Pouring Rain” is one of the albums slower songs that took a couple of listens for me to fully appreciate. “Deep Inside” goes full punk-metal-ska rebellion complete with screams challenging the squares (“plus you’ve got a blender by General Motors and a Tonka toy up your ass”). “Mighty Long Way” could almost be a great 80s TV theme in a good way (some of my favorite songs are 80s TV themes!). Great lead guitar and an upbeat, positive message about friendship. “Bonin’ in the “Boneyard” opens with fantastic funk bass and horns and comes complete with dog bark breaks. This song really smokes - made me really want to see Fishbone perform live! Funk and metal come together in the service of societal inequality in “One Day.” Great little sonic embellishments pepper this song — tick-tock sounds, a pinball-type effect, traffic noises — along with a surprising but really cool metal guitar solo. Looking for a ska/metal/punk/funk/out-of-control-carousel song warning quite directly of what is currently happening in the US? Then have a look at the sublime “Subliminal Fascism.” Incredible! “Slow Bus Movin’” addresses racism in America with a great chorus and some B-52s-esque backups. ‘Round and around and around they go, bus been going mighty slow, Brothers in the back seat come to the front, People gettin' hostile wanna kill someone.” It’s been 33 years. This bus been going mighty slow indeed. Another highly-topical fantastic-sounding song “Ghetto Soundwave” tackles police shootings and poverty in Fishbone’s funk/ska style. Fantastic song. TRUTH AND SOUL sticks the landing on a message of hope with ”Change.” A sharp sonic departure from the rest of the album, this mostly acoustic guitar song would make a perfect campaign theme. Fishbone is inarguably an incredibly talented group effortlessly able to blend a wide range of styles with great hooks and interesting, highly topical lyrics. It is filled with musical surprises that make the album even better. TRUTH AND SOUL is a great time and I will be back for more!

WHERE HAS THIS ALBUM BEEN ALL MY LIFE??? Funk, prog rock, ska, punk, metal...my word this band was created in a lab for me. Favorite tracks: Ma and Pa, Bonin' in the Boneyard

Fishbone are one of the best live bands I have ever seen; they play a wide ranging and eclectic range of styles (metal, punk, funk, ska, etc) with versatility and high energy. With a solid rock core, augmented with multiple singers, keys and brass, they blew the audience away in the early 90s. This album is where they first starting bringing the metal elements into their sound, and really becoming what Fishbone are. They are also starting to turn their minds to more political material, with more lyrical concern particularly on race issues (although there are still plenty of party tunes on here). That said, the common wisdom on Fishbone is that their records never really captured the incredible live band they were, and this album (which I really enjoy) shows that partially to be true. They are a bit stilted in the studio, and the recording is not all it could be. Interestingly, I had just been listening to Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Babies immediately before switching to playing this, and this sounds tinny and thin by way of comparison with Bob Ezrin's 70s production. It could be an artifact of the period in which it was recorded, and/or modest recording budget. Their next record, Reality of my Surroundings, has a much fuller sound, and they are the better for it. But this belongs on the list as an example f a truly eclectic band that could bring the goods in any style they brought their mind to.

No. 53/1001 Freddie's Dead 3/5 Ma and Pa 4/5 Question of Life 4/5 Pouring Rain 4/5 Deep Inside 3/5 Mighty Long Way 4/5 Bonin' in the Boneyard 4/5 One Day 4/5 Subliminal Facism 2/5 Slow Bus Movin' 2/5 Ghetto Soundwave 3/5 Change 4/5 Average: 3,42 Just a fun album to listen to.

This is an weird mix of rock and ska/reggae, but once you get used to it it's actually rather pleasant. It was unexpected, fun to listen to, and I ended up liking more than I expected.

confusingly funny

What a roller coaster!!! Punk, ska, soul, rock.... Not a poor song on there. A great listen...

happily enjoyable

Of the four albums I would imagine being on the list, this is probably the least likely. It is a really good album, with some great stuff (the cover of "Freddie's Dead" is a great opener, and "Bonin' In The Boneyard" is just WOW that bass solo!). It's just that the albums that represent Fishbone more I would pick their title EP or "The Reality of My Surroundings." There are a couple of songs that are a bit... okay. "Ma and Pa" and "Pouring Rain" are okay, they'd be the weak spots. But the stronger songs are really good: "Questions of Life" (will I not pass the test?) or "Slow Bus Movin' (Howard Beach Party)" (the vocals are a little cheesy-sounding, but it's still effective.) "Reality" is the album that really got me into Fishbone, so it's hard for me not to recommend that one. "Give A Monkey A Brain..." has some of their hardest stuff ("Servitude" is such a different song from ALL of "Truth and Soul"). But I guess "Truth and Soul" is a good place to start. I do like the album a lot, I just don't know if THAT is the one I'd pick to put in the 1001.

bruh

Awesome, eclectic, fun.

I’m pretty sure this album sucks to most people, and my memories listening to it were fantastic. Love this one!

Very 80s movies soundtrack to begin with but each song seemed to change genre, really interesting and fun

This album is a roller coaster ride. You would never guess that it was all the same album. My favorites are the ska song Ma and Pa and the funk tune Bonin in The Boneyard - btw, what a song name! The guitarist sounds like he is simultaneously trying to sound like Earl Slick and Eddie Van Halen. This of course isn’t possible but he sounds good trying. Some of the stuff, like Subliminal Fascism, doesn’t work for me but that comes with the territory with so much genre hoping. The next tune Slow Bus Movin' brings me back. The one bizarre thing is that the bass seems to be mixed way too far in the background. Many of these genres need the bass more up front. I tried to bring it forward as best I could with my amp but that doesn’t negate the production. Perhaps it’s due for remastering.

Fun lyrics. Political. Mix of Rock/Funk/Ska/and more. Enjoyed!

I have loved this band for a long time now, and the fact that they were around for the punk scene in the late 80's early 90's here in los angeles is amazing. great music, amazing band

bonin'... good time boys...

Yeah, it's funky. Seem like the kinda band that would kill it on Saturday night at Womad.

Pleasent surprise. Sounds like King X and Faith No More. I had no idea that band existed.

Pretty horrible, hated most of this. Constipated metal funk, evidently the inspiration for many dreadful bands that followed. Obviously good musicians so just scrapes a 2. Boo

Time has not been good to Fishbone. We didn't enjoy this much. 15 year old me in a mosh pit enjoyed it

Not a band I’m familiar with and after listening to this I feel I’ve not been missing out much. A poor man’s Meatloaf, if there is such a thing it’s Fishbone. I realize I may have offended 2 sets of fans with that and for that I’m sorry.

I actually first heard this album in 1988 and it has followed me around since then. An album like this gives this 1001 list credibility, it is an album not everyone has heard but really should. To fully appreciate it, put yourself in the musical landscape of 1988 and consider what a tour de force this was. This is a band in the zone and doing something unique. Other 5 star reviews can describe the musical accomplishment better than I can, so at this point I turn it over to them….

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 41 Truth and Soul that 90’s alt-ska acts Sublime, Mighty Mighty Bosstones & No Doubt would soften the ‘bone edges of to push into the mainstream. Quite frankly after hearing this pioneering heavier raw punk blend, it’s a shame FISHBONE never got their just due. 🐟🦴 I’m not sure how this band has escaped me, perhaps overshadowed by the other similar sounding band ‘Phish’, who I never quite had time for. In any event there is a whole ‘lota fun to enjoy here right from the opening track. Combining elements of punk-ska-blues-funk-metal….wow! 🎧 Classic Track: Ma and Pa 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Ghetto Soundwave 🎧 Personal Favorite: One Day Some may argue that the album is directionless in its mashup of sounds, however to my ears the varied and unpredictable musical styles across the tracklist kept me actively entertained by how well it all worked together. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Love a classic band logo cover image! You’re in for an intriguing ride with this one, which many bands that followed seemed to take note of with nods to. Hit the Thumbs Up icon below if you enjoyed my take on the album :)

One remembers wanting to be as funky as "Ma and Pa" and "Bonin' in the Boneyard" and "Ghetto Soundwave." Alas, one was not, not really, in one's heart of heart. The horns are a major plus here. While the overly thumpifying bass and fly, bouncy ska-punk mash-ups worked only briefly, and only on a few cuts and gave rise to much that was meh and much that was outright annoying. If there was room for only one superstar band from this genre and time, one wishes it were Fishbone and not the RHCPs who became increasingly insufferable over the years and ultimately, absolutely execrable.

I bet I would've been way more into this when I was in high school and was discovering the Red Hot Chili Peppers. For now, it's a little bit exhausting and forgettable.

Truth and Soul Never heard of Fishbone before and on the basis of this I am unlikely to want to hear of them again. It’s not entirely terrible, although it definitely has more than enough very low points, like the cover of Freddie’s Dead, the irritating Ma and Pa and the dreadfully unsexy Bonin’ in the Backyard, but it doesn’t really have much to raise it above a middling sense of pointlessness. Pouring Rain is a fine enough lower tempo song, Slow Bus Movin’ is relatively interesting and atmospheric, and Ghetto Soundwave’s use of the Low Rider horn riff isn’t awful, even if the song itself is pretty Level-42. Skilled musicians making a funked up hybrid of Hair Metal, RHCP and Ska isn’t, I’ve found out, a sound I’m particularly fond of, and the whole thing has a pervasive sense of forced exuberance that makes me feel a little sad. I’m not going to go 1, as that feels too harsh on something that clearly isn’t actually objectionable, so a 2 it is. It exists, I listened to it, and I don’t have to again 🐟🐟 Playlist submission: Slow Bus Movin’

As advertised - funk/metal fusion, which I assume was unique for the late 80s. It's executed well and fun enough that I was intrigued for most of it. Still, it's difficult to get over the 80s "cheese" dripping all over it.

Mom can we go to Oingo Boingo? Mom: we have Oingo Boingo at home. This album’s inclusion feels like recency bias at the time of publication. People used to think that mashing as many genres together as possible was the future of all music, but really it was a fad that really calmed down in the late 90s. It feels like they were trying to show off how many textures and sounds they could include, and they forgot to write good songs. I’m gonna guess that this is big with the Ween/Mr. Bungle/Primus crowd. I just don’t enjoy it.

I can’t do skaw

An interesting mix of Reggae and rock influences that tries but misses the mark. Marred by overlong arrangements, dated synths, and questionable vocals.

First song sounds like something that would be on guitar hero. Then we go into ska. Album has a bit of an identity crisis. Not bad but not really my cup of tea.

This fusion of rock, metal, punk, ska and jazz produces the worst of all worlds. Cringe-worthy

Very catchy! This is the first ska sound I have heard, but the album has a ton of different sounds. I love the combination. Bonin' in the Boneyard was especially enjoyable. Slow Bus Movin' was very fun and unique- a completely different sound than the other songs.

Oh yeah, this is great! I wasn't expecting it to be so funky. One Day and Change are my favorites.

I loved the mixture of funk, soul, punk, rock. This was an interesting album. I liked the musicianship that was involved. Why some people hated it, I don't know. I don't know why they scored it so low either. It's a 5 for me!

"Bonin In the Boneyard" is still the best song on here, but also found I enjoyed "Ma and Pa" "Freddie's Dead" "Slow Bus Movin' (Howard Beach Party)" and "Subliminal Fascism" generally this was more metal-y than I was expecting.

Hey! I discovered another band I never knew about before. This album is great fun to listen to, and very eclectic. That's not always a plus for me, but in this case, it definitely is. I look forward to listening to more of Fishbone's material.

That bassline sent me to Jupiter.

Phenomenal.....how did I miss the boat on these guys?!

Truth And Soul is one of the strangest and quirkiest albums on this list and that's why i love it so much. The funk-metal scene back in the late 80s and early 90s is easily one of the most underrated scenes in music history as there were so many good acts around that time with this one easily being one of them. Each and every instrument in all these songs manages to bring something different to the table while still making the songs catchy and interesting to listen to. The lyrics are also enjoyably dumb and really did add to the weirdness. This album also manages to do the rare feat of being a weird album with 0 bad songs. This is easily one of the best albums i have done on this project. Best Song: One Day Worst Song: Bonin' In The Boneyard

Truth and soul

I’m amazed I have never heard Fishbone before. Listening to this album was like finding the missing link between 80s Hair Metal and the 90s third wave ska revival. This kind of music is a style I really like, and I had a great time listening. I will probably go back and give this full album a re-listen at some point. Or multiple points. Or explore the discography. It was just a really good time.

Halfway through and I really like it. Definitely going into my personal music collection.

I mean starting with a rock and roll cover of Curtis Mayfield is just cheating. This album was funky as hell and tons of fun.

Ironically I've seen this band at a Lollapalooza in '93, but this is the first time I've listened to an album from them. They were solid live with lots of frenetic energy. I can't help but feel like they were one Give it Away or Don't Speak type of hit that would've made them household names. They were certainly as good or better than their rock, funk, punk, ska contemporaries. But anyway, a few listens in and this album gets better and better. It jumps around musical styles a lot but I'm good with that. Solid.

Awesome album by the greatest!

This is awesome.

Bedste opdagelse jeg har haft indtil videre. Virkelig sjovt og eklektisk at lytte til. Lidt Primus agtigt men mest sit eget

Never listened to Fishbone before and really enjoyed it. Fun mix of reggae, ska, R&B, rock, punk and activism.

The Chili Peppers wish.

i like. good as chill background music

Love ska

It's about damn time! Saw these guys in college at a local bar and it was amazing. Still remember it from mid 80's... There are so many more bands like this that should replace a lot of the crap that has been listed. I'll take Fishbone any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

I love everything about this. Norwood Fisher is in my list of the top five bass players.

Fantastic album by the baddest band in all the land. This isn't even my favorite Fishbone album, but I love it. Great variety, subject matter, musicianship, attitude, flavor, just everything works.

ok pretty fire! i feel like i dont listen to much rock made by non white people and this is like a very very excellent album like lowkey i wanna give it a five bc all the sounds are very… creative? and all the songs are just good! idk idk idk i’ll give it 5 bc why not!!! i genuinely rly loved it

good shit, good mixture of genres, interesting and fun

Banger! Something for everyone who wants to move to the music.

Wild album, an absolute hodgepodge of genres slammed together that result in a pretty diverse album where none of the songs are repetative or derivative. It's really funky, at times heavy, and there are plenty of rockin solos and horns. I really enjoyed this throughout, some some of my favorites being Ma and Pa, Mighty Long Way, and Slow Movin' Bus. The ska sounds are very faniliar, and this is clearly influential to the next 15 years of ska wannabes.

A sonic palette cleanser following the excess of black leather jacket clad, white, heterosexual, male angst of Guns N' Roses "Appetite for Destruction," Fishbone's "Truth and Soul" is a funky, politically astute merger of ska and metal that sounds as fresh and relevant today as when it was released in 1988. The album begins with a hardcore cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead" proving that urban African-American communities were still suffering from the same system of exploitation, poverty, addiction and racially motivated political indifference and hostility; although Reaganomics and the CIA introducing crack cocaine to the inner city reflects a level of white supremacist corruption that even Youngblood Priest would find shocking. "Ma and Pa" sounds like an update of "Shame and Scandal (In The Family)" except it comments on a bitter divorce that destroys the child used as a pawn during a custody battle. "Subliminal Fascism," "Slow Bus Movin' (Howard Beach Party)" and "Ghetto Soundwave" all still sound fresh and, sadly, relevant. Although these days in America Fascism has become less subliminal and more mainstream, it just got re-branded as MAGA. The fight for racial equality is still a very slow mode of public transportation driving on deteriorating infrastructure while the billionaires find ways to eschew pay taxes. Ghetto Soundwave could have been describing Amadou Diallo in 2000 or George Floyd. "Change" ends the album with a spiritual and political optimism.

A little dated in production but this album hits so hard. Ska, rock and funk. This album was years ahead of the scene.

Day 73 - Dec 2nd, 2024 Live laugh love ska <3 5/5

Funk Rock! Wow. I am impressed. Standouts (5/5): Freddy's Dead, Change, Ma & Pa, Pouring Rain, One Day, I Like to Hide Behind My Glasses Others (4/5): Question of Life, Subliminal Fascism, Mighty Long Way, Deep Inside Rating: 4.5

Love it - total crossover done right :) brilliant

There a very vague recognition in the back of my head somewhere for the band name Fishbone. After listening, this makes sense as most of my teen years were spent listening to the various waves of ska music. It was very surprising to see that this was released in the 80s. It reminded me quite a lot of Sublime, which is as high a compliment you can really get within this genre. Truth and Soul truly feels ahead of its time, albeit within the niche that is ska.

Fantastic

What I love about Fishbone is the special kind of intensity of their performances and choice of melodic lines, whether they're used for vocals, the brass section, the baselines... And this typical intensity is what unites the mind-bogglingly vast array of styles used here - hard rock, funk, soul, metal, ska, reggae, bluegrass, pop, folk - in other words that nascent crossover thing which confused so many professional "critics" at the time. Those narrow-minded guys only saw the stylistic switch's and not the talent that made it work on all cylinders, as it would on *The Reality Of My Surroundings* To me, there's only one dud in the record, "Mighty Long Way", where an extra amount of hard FM cheese makes it impossible to listen to today. But the rest still sounds damn good today. "Bonin' In The Boneyard" has an incredible energy (and funk bassline). And Side 2 is even better than side 1, thanks to a few stellar cuts that allow the LP to build up like a motherf*cker from the first, harmonically rich yet also understated guitar tones of "One Day", calling for revolution in a fun and tongue-in-cheek manner, the organ-laden, Bad Brains indebted "Subliminal Fascism" (sadly prophetic), up to the wonderful and even gracious "Change". Needless to say, the topical lyrics are the cream of the cake. In 1988, Fishbone were bright, talented creative, young men, thoughtful but also FUN. So they got to be on this list somehow. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5 9.5/10 grade for more general purposes (5 + 4.5). Number of albums left to review: 40 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 414 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 242 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 306

A wonderful surprise.

Funky funky funky! Good fun, great playing, solid lyrics. Enjoyed it a bunch.

HOW HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF THIS BAND BEFORE??!! What happened to society to let Fishbone go unnoticed? This is amazing! I love this album! The sound is so unique and wildly varied and insane and I love it! The blend of ska, funk, and even metal influences is just awesome. The singing is nice too. The writing on here is just as varied as the sound. You'll have a song like "Subliminal Fascism" with a Dead Kennedys level of obvious political messaging that come two songs after "Bonin' in the Boneyard" which is exactly what it sounds like. The cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead" at the beginning might be one of the best song covers I've ever heard. But why is this band on the list? As I said, Fishbone is far from the most well-known band ever, and my feelings on how good this album is are entirely subjective. Well, as it turns out, Fishbone is actually pretty influential in the underground, and has garnered a pretty strong cult following over the years. They've even influenced a number of very well-known artists and bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, No Doubt, Ice-T, and Primus. There's an argument to be made that if there's a thing that can be considered the "most important" of something, then the thing that influenced that first thing is actually more important. Many people consider Sgt. Pepper's to be the most important album of all time, but since Sgt. Pepper's was strongly influenced by Pet Sounds, does that make Pet Sounds the real most important album? I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes the greatest things in life are also the most underappreciated. I'm also trying to say that Fishbone is really good and should've been way more popular than they were. Light 5/5.

SKA. I LOVE SKA. Seriously, at the moment I'm writing this, I can't think of another genre that makes me as happy as ska does. I'm such an unironic fan of the stuff—so why have I never heard Fishbone before today? I'unno. I suppose it's just a case where I already have albums lodged away as "my ska albums" (LET'S FACE IT by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and TURN THE RADIO OFF by Reel Big Fish), and given how much else I listen to as it is, I just don't have the want or time to find more. But dammit, I'm a fool. This Fishbone album, sonically, is everything I want from ska. It's damn near perfect—or maybe it just is, flat out. And, frankly, I should be giving Fishbone the respect they deserve, given how hard those previous bands I mentioned knocked their style. So, here I present it now: thank you, Fishbone. Not just for paving the way for stuff like "Sell Out", but for being the first among those mentioned here to make kickass music. (Seriously, though. You shoulda seen the smile on my face and felt the happiness in my heart. Gawd**DAMN**, I love ska!)

Just an absolutely great selection of funk, ska, and rock tracks with a message in a couple of them. Easy 5 in my book.

It’s a highly recommended 4.5 that I'll bump up to a 5. I’ve always had a slightly softer spot for ska, for whatever reason. I think something about the instrumentation just clicks really well with me, even if the songs are usually kinda hokey and goofy and never that serious. This, however, is… kind of a serious ska album. There’s some real depth to some of the songs here in terms of their lyricism, and I really respect the attempt to try and make a socially conscious album with this soundscape, especially for 1988, well before ska hit the mainstream like a truck in the mid-90s. When it works, it works REALLY well, and when it doesn’t work… it just kind of exists in a way where you can tell they needed a LITTLE more time to refine it. There’s really not a bad track here – I enjoyed all 41 minutes of this, but for as much as I respect their vision, it’s just not executed as well as I’d like all the way through. With that said, it’s executed really damn well for its time, and definitely set the tone for other bands to come in and really refine it based on their efforts here. I need to take a deeper dive to see if anyone stepped up to that plate. Regardless of any of that, I thought this was still really, really good. There’s a lot of energy throughout this, and it’s just a damn fun listen for the most part. I think it’s just good enough to give it a 5 – again, a few tracks just don’t work as well, but sometimes it’s really apparent when they were padding for time, or if they sort of couldn’t figure out a proper ending for a song or two. However, I don't really care. It might be a 2 if you really hate trumpets, but it’s almost certainly no less than a 4 in my eyes. I’m definitely pleased with a 5 – I just enjoyed the hell out of it, and I’m very glad to discover this.

This right here is why this project is worth it. Just when I was starting to get very fatigued by album after album that doesn’t interest me, this comes along. Right up my alley, and not only had I never listened to it, I had never even heard of it. The variety is astounding. How do they meld so many genres into one and stick the landing? Instant favorite.

Legendary album with a legendary cover of Freddie's Dead. The musicianship is excellent. John Norwood Fisher's bass playing is inspirational. "FUNKY BASS!" One of my all-time favourites. Liked songs added: - Freddie's Dead - Ma And Pa - Question Of Life - Mighty Long Way - Bonin' In The Boneyard - One Day - Subliminal Fascism - Slow Bus Moving (Howard Beach Party) - Ghetto Soundwave - Change

One of the best albums ever!!

Hell yeah. It should be a surprise to nobody that black ska is way better

The sun will shine on brighter And the wind will always blow Some think life's a breeze Others feel love is sin I've found beauty in dancing stars To you, your dreams may be a farce And you think that you can't feel pain And you think we can't feel at all Can you sing out in the pouring rain Yeah, this is a pretty great album. 5/5

Joyful energy, strong vocals, tight band, slapping beats, killer range. So rare. This is a real gem. So glad to see it included here. Saving every song so far. Forgot how much I loved this guy’s voice. Halfway through, I’m calling this a solid 5.

For whatever reason this reminded me of faith no more-lite. Fantastic, original, never heard it before. Loved the melding of genres. This is why I went through this project.

Ska Funk Punk Metal Rock etc. band.

I had heard of Fishbone, but couldn't recall every listening to them. I had a vague recollection of them being some kind of mellow punk band of the 80s and 90s and wasn't sure what to expect. This album was really unexpected and I enjoyed it very much. The music had a great variety and still maintained an idea of the band. There is one guy with a really amazing voice. The album finished strong too.

I listened to this album so many times when it first came out, and loved it every time. I can't really tell if it's aged well or not, but it's very fun to listen to it again. It's probably easier to list the songs that weren't my favorites--"Freddie's Dead", "Deep Inside", and "Change"--as the rest all competed for favorite song (although the political/racial aspect of "Slow Bus Movin'" and "One Day" might rank them just a bit higher than the others). It's kind of a bummer that their subsequent albums, at least the ones I bought, weren't as compelling (with the exception of "The Reality of My Surroundings"), but that's maybe to be expected, since I probably wanted them to just churn out more albums just like "Truth and Soul", and to their credit they clearly wanted to experiment with other styles and sounds. And the show I saw them at in LA--Primus and Fishbone--was a lot of fun, even with their newer material. I don't think I've ever seen so much energy from a surprisingly large band. (And what a bizarre combination of bands, although I loved them both. And I think it was at the Hollywood Palladium, an odd venue too.)

In high school, I had the maddest crush on a guy who had the Fishbone logo painted on the back of his jacket. He was the only mildly punk boy in the area and he had excellent taste. *swoon* Freddie’s Dead sounds brand new. I love what another reviewer said about this band: they are a black ska punk band from the 80s that white bands would try to imitate all through the 90s. Dead accurate. Not a damn one of those white boys ever came close to this. Joyful energy, strong vocals, tight band, slapping beats, killer range. So rare. This is a real gem. So glad to see it included here. Saving every song so far. Forgot how much I loved this guy’s voice. Halfway through, I’m calling this a solid 5.

This kinda sounds like a bunch of guys from the US got on the English train of making anti racism reggae music

I had never heard of this band and was very pleasantly surprised.

shits gas there’s no denying it some serious tracks throughout it was gonna give it a 5 but there’s something about it that felt kinda slow actually it’s better than a 4 but not quite a 5 so gonna give it a 5

streets got freddie rest in peace man :( if you look past how freddie brutally died for this album, im fucking with this heavy rn shit got me like 🕺🕺🕺🕺 just a fun album really you can see me bonin' in the backyard... i think if you dont like this ur probably just racist i cant lie 4.6/5

What a fun album! I haven't listened to these guys in too long, but it was and is such a fun assault to the senses. You hear the first notes and smile. Within seconds, you're tapping your feet. Eventually you just have to get up and move around! There is stored energy in these tracks which must be released. Bonin In The Boneyard explodes. Gotta love funky ass bass.

Ska, punk...diversión total!!!

Fishbone - Truth and Soul What a fabulous album! Punk, ska, heavy metal, it's all here. I first heard of Fishbone from the movie and soundtrack to Say Anything. Even though I didn't know much about them at the beginning of their career, I got there in the end! 5/5

Freddie's Dead - Weird intro, weird voice, weird riff, perfect. Ma and Pa - Sounds like a funny circus, not a scary one. Question Of Life - This song didn't have to go this hard. Pouring Rain - Trumpets with weird rock, a genius yet unexpected combination. Deep Inside - The name is clickbait, it wasn't deep enough. Mighty Long Way - BEAUTIFUL RIFF AND KEYS. Bonin' In the Boneyard - The bass, drums, keys and brass are just amazing. One Day - As always, the bass is the best thing here. The guitar solo must be the best part of the album. Subliminal Fascism - Punk ish and and powerful keys. Slow Bus Movin' - Now this sounds like a combination of pirates and rednecks, jus' like PRIMUS. Ghetto Soundwave - Idk, somethin' about the trumpets feels off, the rest is fine. Change - A really good ending for the album. Top 3 One Day Question Of Life Mighty Long Way I would rate this with 4.5, well, a 5

Mega banger!! An insane mix of so many genres. Punk, ska, reggae, soul, funk, blues, you got it all. Some of the bass line so flea like. It's so creative and so diverse. Hats off. 9/10

This was a mix of Rock, Skah, Funk. Very eclectic, much like my musical taste. I listened to it twice.

Funk Yeah! 5 stars.

Iunno what this was but I loved it