Reviews (page 2 of 7)
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
What a surprise. This album is so good. I wish I had known about Fishbone earlier because this album is such a fantastic combo of funk and rock.
So much fun!
I already love this album.
Great album, loved it.
Oh my god this rules. Runs the gamut of rock, ska, funk, gets real close to like sega genesis-sounding music sometimes, just all over the place, having fun every step of the way
What a wild ride! Fusion of ska/soul/funk/rock/punk. Hadn't heard before, loved every minute. Aomeone buy the bass player a drink! 10/10
Baita som, curto o estilo meio ska funkzao
goddamn this goes so hard. it’s an education in itself of the relationships between funk, ska, punk, and metal, and it also bangs. really really fun listen, everyone on their a game hitting the perfect notes. slow bus movin is a highlight in an album full of highlights.
fucking incredible album. one of the best funk rock albums i’ve ever heard. great lyrics, strong vocals, and great variation in the instrumentals. no track sounded the same. amazing.
Great
C'mon.
I expected this to be bad because of the average global rating of 3.BUT NO.THIS SHIT IS AMAZING.Its funky its rock its got great hooks.Great guitar solos.Trumpets.Energy everything I like.Its great.And all the songs are under 6 minutes so it never feels like a drag.
10/10 quirky as fuck, but an extremely well done, incredibly fun album that flies right by
Totally T-boned by Fishbone! Bonin' in the Boneyard is boney.
This felt like proto-ska! I loved the whole thing. Anything rock adjacent with brass is wonderful to me.
Amazing. Wonderful energy, great composition. Well constructed and with a powerful message.
Zeer gevarieerd plaatje. Had er nog nooit van gehoord maar vind het fantastisch
Despite my sordid past in the scene, I had fears of hearing “ska” again after all these years, but of course this was different. It was more punk than ska, and everything I loved about the scene back then.
Wow there’s loads going on here and I really like most of it. I’m already recommending it to people, I can’t understand why this has less than 3 stars?
Such a fun album! Fishbone is fantastic, a mix of so many genres making a unique sound.
Loving the funky ska vibes and the frantic bass.
One of the first all-black crossover bands, and one of the most influential for the generations to come. A blast. Lovely.
Me encanta el disco, tiene una mezcla de estilos perfectamente combinada, y teniendo tanto Ska es un logro mayúsculo.
Nice reggae/ska influenced rock
Wow! That was quite a ride. Not sure what I expected but it wasn’t that. There’s something for everyone on here with rock, funk, soul, reggae and a bit of disco. Schizophrenic but very entertaining. 4
Pretty fun 3.5 goin up
Love the style and sounds like it would be super fun in concert
Rate: 8.5/10.
this is so funnnnn!!!!!
Great album. 4.4.
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Na, viel Soul habe ich da ja nicht gehört! Aber trotzdem ganz gut.
Fun mix of ska, funk and punk
4/5
I've got a soft spot for ska. Ska, rock, punk etc. band was a very enjoyable ride. Funky beats. Everyone's having fun with some serious topics discussed amongst the fun. Great beats. Can see some of the bands I listened to 10+ years later having been influenced by these guys. I looked it up and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones who definitely have a somewhat similar vibe only formed 4 years later than Fishbone (1983 v 1979) but the Bosstones ended up having their biggest most commercial hit in 1997. Not sure if they are on the list
Funky Faith no More
This entire record is such a wild, ahead-of-its-time blend of metal, funk, and ska that feels like it laid the groundwork for the 90s alt rock scene. "Freddie's Dead" is a pretty cool cover to kick things off. "Ma and Pa" is just an incredibly catchy ska tune that gets stuck in your head instantly. The bass line on "Bonin' in the Boneyard" is absolutely sick. John Norwood Fisher is a monster on the bass, and he really drives that whole track. "One Day" actually reminded me of Primus at times, with that slap-heavy bass, and that guitar solo was great.The insane speed in parts of "Subliminal Fascism" totally gave off Megadeth vibes. It is just a fantastic, high-energy punk track. This was a fun one! Favorite track: “Bonin’ in the Boneyard”
es la banda y es el album que podemos ver el cambio de los que seria la segunda ola del ska que fusionó el ska con el punk británico a la tercera ola donde el sonido se volvería popular en estados unidos y se mezclaría con el hardcore, el metal y otros géneros que sonaran a principios de los 90s
Don't normally like ska but this was a fun one
a mix i wasnt expecting but sure as hell liked it
Surprisingly good - great energy
This album is known for its eclectic mix of genres in the reviews. Perhaps more than anything, this intrigues me as I want an interesting album to listen to. It sounds like your standard ska-rock album, but it preceded the most popular entries in that genre. Some songs are more metallic in nature, like the "Freddie's Dead" cover. Others, such as "Dead Inside" are more punkish. Either way, this album covers a very wide variety of styles through a sound that is unmistakably one band. Lyrics aren't the best, but that's forgivable when the underlying songs keep you hooked and guessing like this does. This album is ultimately a hidden gem of the 1980s that would prove hugely influential on the 1990s ska-rock movement.
Fishbone made it onto a lot of my mix tapes in around ‘90-‘94. Almost represented in some way shape or form on every mixtape I produced! Then they dropped to an approximately zero-recurrence since then. So listening to this album was very nice and sentimental. And these songs still bop hard.
I don't understand what this is or why I like it
Fishbone? En esta lista? Sorprendido me hallo
Perfect? No. But a lot of fun with an impressive diversity of style. Glad I listened to it, although I probably wouldn't listen again.
As someone much more familiar with 3rd wave white boy ska, it was really interesting to hear some of the roots of that sound. Bonin' in the Boneyard!
I am a big Fishbone and this is one of my favorite albums from them!
Just joyful listening. Not overly polished or life changing, but incredibly fun. A variety of styles mean it isn't the greatest album but that didn't detract too much from my listening, just don't take it too seriously.
Good ska punk album Rating:3.5/5GEMV (06.05.2026)
I needed two listens through to get this one, but I got there.
this is a strange band. i like it.
Album has held up remarkably well.
Never heard of them, pretty good
7/10 Third wave ska emerged around the late 80’s and Fishbone are credited as being at the vanguard of that movement. While this album is not entirely ska focused, you can definitely hear that 90s ska-punk sound in various places across the album, which is an interesting piece of musical history, if nothing else. The album as a whole is kind of hard to sum up, because it is incredibly scattergun in its approach, dipping into ska, punk, soul, funk, rock and metal styles in various blends all across the album. It’s pretty clear that these guys are having a massive amount of fun making this record, and that infectious ‘try-anything’ vibe really comes across well in the recording. They’re also great players, with some excellent musicianship scattered throughout, and a consistently tight and groovy approach to rhythm. While the approach to smash together as many different influences as possible is a cool one, it does mean that the album suffers a little in terms of coherence, with some of the stylistic jumps feeling a little jarring and making the thread of it a little hard to hold on to in places. Because of that, this is not the most consistent of albums and it doesn’t help the production either, with jumps between clean, sharp tracks and heavy, dirty ones making this feel a bit like a playlist covering a band’s evolution over a decade, rather than at one specific point in time. All that being said, when this hits, boy does it hit. From the 90s ska-punk special of Ma and Pa, via the slow soul groove of Pouring Rain to the incredible slap bass of Monin’ In The Boneyard, there is an awful lot to love and admire about this record and, despite that slightly strange stylistic inconsistency, this is definitely one that’s worth revisiting. Freddie's Dead - A Curtis Mayfield cover to kick us off. It’s got an early Chili Peppers/Faith No More sound to it. The riffs sound great and it’s got a cool swagger to it, with an engaging groove. Some of the synth sounds are a little dated, but work quite well with the vibe. Pretty decent. Ma And Pa - Wow, straight into some proper ska-punk stuff now, which is quite the switch up. This is really cool and definitely sounds like it massively influenced the ska-punk wave of the 90s. There are some great hooks and riffs in there and it’s got solid pace and feel. The key sounds are a tad weak, but the vibe is excellent and the vocal delivery is brilliant. So much attitude, while maintaining great tonal control. Lovely stuff. Question Of Life - This runs more coherently on with a slightly slower ska groove. The layering of parts is cool and the rhythm gets passed around nicely. It’s not quite as hooky and engaging as the last track, but there are still some great performances across the board and the shifting rhythms give it good depth. Pouring Rain - More of a slow soul/funk groove now. This is cool actually and the vocalist is very good. The feel of the rhythm is top quality and the blend of sharp horns and guitar against the lazy roll of the bass and smooth vocals is a nice effect. The different sections allow this to stay pretty fresh throughout and the bass in particular is really tasty. Deep Inside - This leans back towards the heavier side of things now and sounds like the kind of thing Mike Patton might have worked on on one of his various projects. It’s pacy, dirty and has some great riffs. Nice little track. Mighty Long Way - This album really sounds like they’re having a great deal of fun. This has more solid grooves and is an enjoyable vibe. It leans a little more towards a hard rock sound, and there’s some top notch, if a tiny bit clichéd, guitar work in there. This is all about that fun, party vibe though, and they bring that across really well, even if it’s not the hookiest of numbers. Bonin' In The Boneyard - Woah, that bass! It takes a little bit to get going, but this is another great party tune, with more of a funk focus than the rock one of the last track. The lead to backing vocal interplay is engaging, there are some cool hooks and riffs, as well as plenty of breakdown sections for the players to have fun, particularly the bassist. Take a bow, John Norwood Fisher. Great fun. One Day - Another cool bass line and a solid funk rock groove. This has more than a touch of stuff like Mr Bungle or Primus about it and is a tasty blend of a pop-funk vocal in the chorus and something a lot more grotty and groovy through the verses. There are some great riffs in here too and the general tone of the production is excellent, feeling meaty and groovy in equal measure. Great guitar solo too. Fantastic song. Subliminal Fascism - Again, this could easily be a Mr Bungle track. It’s heavy, pacy and tonally quite weird, but still completely coherent, which to me is a pretty perfect mix. Great playing, great vibe, great energy. Slow Bus Movin' (Howard Beach Party) - The persistent, driving groove to this is great. It’s again quite stylistically different from what’s come before, but by this point, that’s par for the course. It’s definitely got a silly, Primus side to it, but there’s something quite heavy to the vibe too that I can’t quite put my finger on. Good though. Ghetto Soundwave - This feels like it could be a tiny bit quicker, but the groove is still good. Great bass playing again. This leans back towards a poppy, ska vibe but with a heavier tone. It’s a slightly odd blend that I’m enjoying but feels a tiny bit lacking in complete coherence. It just feels a tad messy and disorganised, despite the solid playing and rhythmic focus. Change - This album has been a bit stylistically all over the places, but this is a very odd ending even by that standard. A reverb soaked pop-rock ballad that lacks the rhythmic front-footedness of the rest of the album. Some shit synth strings round off the weirdness and while the guitar and vocal performances are decent, this is a very, very strange inclusion.
This album from the first note sounds like 5 different songs. I am immediately into it. I really liked this album. Lot of interesting styles and lyrics about serious topics.
Wow! Didn't knew that funk could be that varied, catchy and fun. I enjoyed the most record.
Good.
I like the groovin’, and can somebody tell me why the average is lower than 3?
Totally unexpected sounds on this album - I thought the Freddy's Dead cover was totally bonkers on first listen but I've fallen in love with it. Lot of tonal & musical variety on this. Need to listen to this a lot more.
Heard of these guys but had not had the chance to listen. They sound like they probably started third wave ska, of which I’m a huge fan
Some good old funky shit. Loved that there was some sprinklage of rock thrown in too, really made it more enjoyable for me in the end. Favourite tracks: Freddie's Dead, Ma and Pa, Pouring Rain, Subliminal Fascism 4/5
3.75!
Solid, pretty cool 4/5
Combining metal with Chicago style horns worked out really well. This was a fun listen
i like dem
7 / 10 - Ska / Punk / Funk - funky ska, gute Laune, politische Texte - Extrem divers, jedoch dadurch etwas "all over the place" und nicht so kohärent Favs: - Ma And Pa - Bonin' In The Boneyard
Len Houmous has boned in a boneyard. He’s boned everywhere 3.9 7/12 Bonin In The Boneyard
Another band I have heard of but not heard. They have a lot of range.
Jesus Christ. This was the most surprised I had been with an opening track. I expected this to be some kind of smooth, soul thing. I got hit with glam/metal guitar noise. It was great. We sort of got to the smooth soul later. With the ska. The punk. And the country/western? And lots of GnR stylings. Subliminal Fascism sounded like some kind of theme tune. This couldn't sound anymore American but for once that works. By no means did all of this work and did I enjoy it all. But the sheer range and ambition in styles and my surprise gives this an easy 4. Would love to give it a 5 but not all of it worked.
Right away this album leaps out at you as one on the most impactful mashups of strong rock and roll, funk, reggae, etc. Most of the time these mashups dabble, but Fishbone really blends styles and genre well without sacrificing too much of one for the other. All while writing honest, confrontational, and socially conscious lyrics. I don't know much about the band beyond this album, but they have delivered a solid and demanding album that jams and rings out in your head after listening.
one of my fave oldies
Super solid. Listen again.
i didn't know what to expect listening to this because i'm not a big ska fan, but this was so fun! so different and genre-spanning and a great addition to the list.
oooh I could get behind this based on the wiki description. Don't know if I'm familiar with this group at all. LOL that Super Fly movie looks awesome. dammmmn some funky bass in Bonin' In the Boneyard song. That one is cool.
I like their sound and blending of styles. But for my money, I prefer the vocals and horn section of the Rustic Overtones when it comes to funk/punk/ska rock. Just the same, will round up from 3.5*.
glad to see this on the list; we could all use a bit more ska in our lives, even if it’s not the most amazing album
Favorite Track: Ma and Pa
Cool Ska/Metal/Funk!
groovy
Very cool music with wide array of differing styles. Upbeat, funky, mellow, hard rock. Something for everyone! Never heard of this band-but will listen again!
Love the mixture of genres included in the album: punk, ska, reggae, soul, funk, blues, hard rock, and heavy metal. A lot of fun songs in this album. Ma and Pa, Deep Inside, and Slow Bus Movin' were my favourites.
Surprisingly good mix of funk rock
A little bit of everything here but funk and energy prevail. Infectious to a fault. Only real complaint is that it never really gels and just goes from one style to the next with little worry about what came before or what comes next. Original and obviously influential.
This was a lot of fun. This seems like a bad that would have been amazing to see perform live. Apparently one of the main people was in a cult or something? Raise your hand if you haven’t been in a cult. BE HONEST.
Fun and talented group
Esmamuljed võivad väga petlikud olla, eriti seda albumit kuulates. Plaat algab metal looga, aga käib läbi hoopis punki, funki, ska, rock ja soul muusika. Päris vägev kuulamine ja see kuidagi mõjub värske hingetõmbena. Mulle täitsa meeldis, 3.9/5.
Not something I'd normally dig, but this was super chaotic (in a good way) and fun to listen to.
Funk Rock Ska Metal, very good
I got to listen to these guys for the first time at warped tour last year. Lots of fun. Fun (black!) ska and ahead of its time. 4*
With a strong and striking opener, this album manages to fit a lot of musical variety into its tracks. The elements of playfulness and seriousness are well balanced to make the variety interesting without being distracting.
Is such a weird record, but so interesting listening all together. Is a band who said fuck it we will mix genre but we will make it make sense. Very interesting and 80’s but the good aspects of the 80s
Hard metal? Ska? Who knows what it is. But I'm vibin'. I loved the first track and was expecting a more grungy metal album. But then it went ska and all over the place. Fun album. 3.5 stars. rounded up to 4.
Such a weird album! It goes all over the place, and they were obviously having a ton of fun. I enjoyed it. 7/10 Quite Likable
I’ve come to learn this about myself and also hate this about myself, but I think I actually really like ska music.
I absolutely loved this album. My one friend introduced me to the song "Bonin' in the Boneyard" about two years ago and it became my favorite non-Funkadelic funk song. This whole album was great though. Great vocals (multiple lead singers I think?!). Great bass. The production was straight late 80s. This is exactly what Rush sounded like during that era too. Fun listen.
Finally a fun one , seems like a really cool group of people
Plein de styles qui se mélangent c’est intéressant ! Pas mal de funk, mais aussi hard rock et rock tout classique
When I saw this album this morning I was transported to February 1987 to Fair Park Theater in Dallas where I saw the Beastie Boys play on the License to Ill tour. I was 12 years old. I was on the 2nd row from the stage and Murphy’s Law plays. They were a hardcore band from NYC that’s still around but then the next group gets on stage. A group of black dudes some with Mohawks and they were playing and it was the most mind blowing experience a 12 year old kid could have. They had a few songs at the time. They played their very first single “Party at Ground Zero”. It was amazing. I became a fan that day. I waited and waited and finally this album was released. It opens with Freddie’s Dead and I’m in love with this album. It’s perfect. At the time I didn’t know it was a cover but I think they did Curtis Mayfield justice. Ma and Pa a song about works. All these songs work on this album. It was had social commentary with Slow Bus Movin’. Fishbone is a band that can’t be pigeonholed into one category and that’s what made this album perfect.
Fun ska/punk album, another first for me by a new band
- emotional rollercoaster - meme si y’a un gros mix de plusieurs styles, ça reste fluide et je vais définitivement réécouter plusieurs chansons - avec l’originalité de leur son et l’influence certaine de celle-ci j’ai pas le choix de donner un 4/5
This is the first I’ve ever heard of Fishbone! Truth and Soul is a protest record of everything - ska, hard rock, reggae, punk, funk, 80’s-insert-wave-here. This is important social commentary. This is an uprising playing on the sun deck of a Carnival cruise ship. Maybe that’s the intent; the band swings to the tune of fighting fascism in a way that you could passively sip a frozen daiquiri to. Each member is incredibly talented and their ability to switch between styles is done with impressive fluency. My one criticism is that Bonin’ in the Boneyard, albeit a wild funky ride, feels out of place with the rest of these powerful tracks. The album closes with a full 180 with the thoughtful, hopeful acoustic guitar ballad, Change. Fishbone has made rebellion accessible
Lots of good funk, with LOTS of different flavors mixed in - ska, reggae, late-'80s guitar rock, classic soul, punk, and I even feel like I hear some Frank Zappa influence here and there. There's something for everyone here, and I dig it. I don't know if this broke any new ground, but these guys sound like they'd be a helluva lot of fun at a party.
I was listening to this as I arrived in Southern California from the cold, gloomy northeast and it fit perfectly. It’s strongest when the horns are prominent, and the tracks that aren’t as ska-ey are weaker as a result, but the strong parts are what you come away with.
Fantastic! A great mix of rock, ska and funk. Will definitely revisit.
I really enjoyed this one, funky and punky, only one song I didn't really enjoy but it flowed with the rest so I'll take it.
A mix of rock reggae and ska, all of these songs are individually good. The album may not be cohesive, but it sure is a fun listen
Pārāk regejīgi, but i can see the appeal
Punchy and slappin', technically interesting ska and reggae music. Very unique and enjoyable, especially when it leans towards rock. Mighty Long Way was a great song with some excellent guitar work. All songs have incredible bass.
Great time I had with this album, I was dancing and at the same time, gone in the soundscapes
This really grew on me. Eclectic mix of different styles and genres all jammed into one album with some surprisingly good songs within. Although they weren't all hits
Creative album, feels playful and easy to listen to. Will have to give it a second listen.
i think i get ska now. i like it, smooth and frantic at the same time, i like it
Definitely a fun album. More dynamic than any other ska album I’ve ever listened to. A good job mixing in other styles like hardcore. Catchy, upbeat, enjoyable.
This one was a lot of fun. Great bass lines. Every somg was different. I really enjoyed this one
Pretty fun. Pretty dated.
Great record.
Here's a blast from the past. Saw these guys at some dive in the early 90s and haven't heard them since. It's a good record, not mind blowing, but it's a fun listen and music is supposed to be fun, right? In a more just (not racist) world, Fishbone would have been massive stars and the RHCP would have been a niche cult band
I love me some Fishbone. Pure fun!
Very fun!
Yeah this was fun. Only knew Ma & Pa
Mama Mia vilken resa ... Puh! Från metall till soul via ska. Vansinnes tempo men ändå tajt och välspelat. Som en afroamerikansk version av Thin Lizzy. Fast med sämre sånginsatser. Konstig produktion också. Soul bygger på rytmsektionen då kan man inte gömma den. Men en fyra är det värt.
Wow that was really great, such a good mix of genres. PUNK?!!! It literally comes out of nowhere but it’s done so well. Of course the other songs are done so well as well but less punky obviously. I feel like this could easily be a mess of genres in each song or just having one song dedicated to a specific one like 10Cc or something (no shade to them, they do that quite well) but it blends together seamlessly with the funk, reggae, soul, blues and even ska working together in a really fun and energetic way (eclectic even). I guess the punk doesn’t blend so well as it kind of jumps out at you from nowhere but it only makes those two occasions more crazy. There’s also the more heavy rock ones like the first song, these ones don’t fit the overall sound as much but they were still great and carry over a bit to the other songs in guitar riff form. I love albums that change it up every song like this and do it so good. My only criticisms are that sometimes the production sounds a little flat to what it should sound like ( the guitar tone sometimes and some of the drums for example) but that’s probably more to do with the time it was released. I also wasn’t a massive fan of the last song but it was a good message to end it on and changed it up again. Favourites: all but the last. Overall, 8/10 (very close to a 9 but not quite polished enough).
Fun and some early sounds of what came much later 4/5
Honestly there were some great jams in there. Mighty Long Way was probably my favorite and one that I'll be adding to regular rotation. There was one song that was little too reggae for me, and a few other weird ones, but otherwise I liked it.
Surprisingly good. Ska records fail more than they succeed but this one was highly energetic, had good lyrics and was very diverse.
They're really good. I had a great time listening to this. 4 stars.
Starting off the album with my favorite song off of Superfly was brilliant and set a great tone for the album, and “Change” was such an interesting way to end the album. There’s not much ska on this list, so this was much appreciated. It was socially conscious while also maintaining fun (and funk). The instrumentals were fantastic and honestly it was so nice and refreshing to hear something there’s very little of on the list. Desperately glad to hear something different, though there should definitely be more like this on the list. Definitely recommend.
Man this album has so many different sounds on it which I quite enjoy. It made listening to the album for the first time really entertaining because I had no idea what to expect ever. This was cool. Not every song hit for me but most of them did. There were some cheesy moments which is fine. I'm okay with some cheese but they did stand out. There were some really cool basslines in there. Bonin' in the Boneyard was so sick.
I was super into ska and ska punk as a teenager. Its really formative music for me, so I obviously had a blast with this record. Fishbone was always on the periphery of the ska punk that I was really into, but I always felt like they were better musicians and had more depth than most of the contemporaries. I think the fusion of the genres is what they excel at. This is really such a "LA band." It feels like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Descendents but with really ramped up to be a true ska act. I also think that the Bad Brains influence is undeniable. They were really pulling from HR and Dr. Know with their sound. What I like most of this record is kind of how maximalist it is. Some songs are super heavy, where others are kind of "cheesy" classic ska. They don't hold back either way. They also really lean heavy into funk, pop and metal in a way that really on RHCPs have ever been able to pull off. This record was fun!
I expected all ska for some reason.. better than I thought it would be!
Late 80s funk rock and ska. Plus metal. Fun mash-up of genres. Actually black ska, copied a lot.
Damn good album. Fishbone is criminally underrated.
Well, that's a lot. A lot of genre, a lot of power, and some acustic rock. I'd say that I love a lot of the parts of this album but it doesn't really hold together that well. Should be divided into playlists. 4/5
I couldn’t help drawing parallels while listening to Truth and Soul. Fishbone’s intensity and unpredictability stirred the same feeling I get from Frank Zappa’s best work, that sense of organized chaos where every note has purpose even when it sounds like it shouldn’t. The difference lies in the roots. Fishbone builds from ska and funk, where rhythm is rebellion and joy is the weapon. Zappa’s world grows out of jazz and blues, translating rebellion into composition and satire into precision. As a record, Truth and Soul carries moments of brilliance, with complex horn layers, grooves that twist without breaking, and lyrics that turn political and playful at once. Yet, when placed next to Zappa, the scale of vision shifts. Fishbone took rebellion and made it danceable. Zappa took rebellion and made it symphonic. And while Fishbone’s approach hits the body, Zappa’s reaches deeper into the structure of the music itself. Still, the comparison isn’t about hierarchy but curiosity, tracing how two different languages can express the same restless and creative defiance.
This was mental. Crazy bass, crazy horns, crazy double kick pedal, crazy genre flips, crazy '70s musical energy and I am here for all of it. Jampacked with mental content but very tight. Just needs better production, particularly on the drums and guitar. 7.5 / 10 Best track/s: Bonin' In The Boneyard, One Day, Ghetto Soundwave
Overall: 8/10 This is a great ska album with heavy metal influence. I love how many genres they're able to mash up here, and the funkiest basslines known to man can be found on this album. So much fun. Fav Song: Bonin' in the Boneyard
A large segment of my teenage life has this album as it's soundtrack. It still holds up. It still works. It still rocks.
Album #950 I was not previously aware of Fishbone. I figured they were another obscure British band. The album starts out with Freddie's Dead, a song that sounded somewhat familiar, but I didn't know why until I looked it up later. Pretty good, sounded kinda glam rock. Then they get into ska and funk territory. What kind of band is this? I was digging the music, but the political messaging, I couldn't care less about. It was surprisingly good overall. I liked the mixing of genres, which kept the music fresh. I'll give it another listen in the future.
They definitely bring the funk. Cool album with infectious bass lines.
Great album!
A ska band playing whatever the hell they feel like. They throw everything at the wall and even if it doesn't all stick, it's still fun
own
"Truth and Soul" is the second studio album by American rock band Fishbone. The album has a wide array of styles including funk, rock, ska, punk, blues, soul and heavy metal. The themes tend towards making asocial conscious statement. The bandmembers on the album are Chris Dowd (vocals, keyboards, trombone), John Norwood Fisher (vocals, bass), Philip "Fish" Fisher (drums, percussion, vocals), Kendall Jones (vocals, guitars), Walter A. Kirby II (vocals, trumpet) and Angie Moore (vocals, saxophone). Critically, the album had generally positive to mixed reviews and, commercially, it reached #153 on the US Billboard Chart. The album opens with the first single released and a cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead" from "Super Fly." Hard guitar and drums. Funky with the bass and soulful with the keyboards. Drug addict Freddie's dead and progress is meaningless, lost to drug. They change it up in the next song, the fast, ska "Ma and Pa." Horns added with keyboards. It's more upbeat but describes the effects of parental conflict on kids. A guy screaming and a very fast drum beat starts "Bonin' in the Backyard." Horns, keys but the bass is the star here. It's funky, bouncy and all over the place. This song might have s deeper meaning but I could only interpret the obvious. The guitar takes centerstage in "One Day." It's melodic, jamming and with Eddie Van Halen-esque solos. I was exhausted just listening to it. A backdrop of funky beats and bass in a song where he's waiting for something...pretty esoteric. The album finishes with the softer "Change." Acoustic and more ballad-like. Nice tenor vocals with strings and horns accents. A cry for change. I had a lot of fun with this album. I know i criticized the Youngblood album for being too hodgepodge. Well, I was sucked into this hodgepodge and quite enjoyed it. Musical styles and pace changes between songs. There's ska, heavy rock, funk, reggae, a ballad, punk and soul. Even the songs vary with seriousness including some just being pointless. Most of the songs are upbeat. Lots going on instrumentally within each song with the guitars, bass, horns, drums, keyboards and vocals. Very good production by David Kahne. This album is recommended for anyone wanting a musical ride.
Really interesting blend of styles, with ska, 80s glam rock and a dash of early 90s Manchester bands
This album had sort of a weird balance to me. Have of it felt like pretty cool rock songs, and the other half sounded like the Seinfeld intro.
71/100. A good rock record with some funky tones. While it might not stand out in a crowded field, it holds its own and delivers an enjoyable listen.
I think I'd like Ska more if it sounded like this more often. Its weird, a lot of these songs sound like something you'd hear in a 90's sports highlights VHS. its funky and fun! also thise basslines and horns are something else.
So thrilled that this was a ska album! The first song put me off but I enjoyed the rest of it. Probably going to listen to more from these guys
3.5/5
This album is a mix of Sublime, Reggae, Rock, Funk, and Pop. Somehow, this combination created a great album. Favorite Track: "Freddie's Dead".
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It was definitely all over the place, but in a pleasant and high-energy way. It's like butt rock and ska at the same time. I'm here for stuff like that.
I wasn't expecting a ska funk band. That was a surprise. That said this is a fun album, sure sometimes it's chaotic and really goes for it but damn it makes you want to get up and move. Since I'm not sure how to classify them I'm going to just call this a boogie album. I will be listening to more of them...
The vocals on this are excellent and used in a smart, different way. Love a bit of ska!
This may be the best Ska album I've ever heard but I'm no aSKAcianado (I butchered that spelling) Every song is a different journey. Soul, metal, hip hop, reggae, funk & dash of doo wop. Songs about struggle, politics, sex & funk. Just a fantastic album. I wanna give it a five but for now 4.5
This is an incredibly modern sounding album for something released in 1988. I can see how the genre switches from track to track could be jarring for some listeners. For me this album combines a lot of my favorite genres and was just an overall fun album to listen to.
Some solid funk metal. Prefer this over Chili Peppers. The horns are a drawback but I’ll listen again.
I can totally get down with some funk, rock, and ska. Immediately starting with an admirable and rockier cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead", the tone is set for the rest of the album. It's fun, as well as a good showcase of the talent of Fishbone and the energy that they bring. It's easy to tell that these guys were among the pioneers of the third wave ska movement that exploded in the 80s/90s. As a fan of this genre, I wish I had started listening to Fishbone sooner!
Oh yeah, excellent. Only let down by what sounded like a George Michael cast off right at the end.
Always liked Fishbone. Reminds me of my early teens.
It’s like these guys wanted to make every style of music before the 90s bands could get to it. Still feels like a tight, efficient album. Rounding up my rating because this does something difficult and it does it well.
This was a fun listen. Thought I wouldn't like it at first but the sound definitely grew on me
This is a gem i'd not discovered, so many bangers. Verging on a 5 but given 4 because there's some definite filler here
Interesting
This was a great discovery, very fun music and sounds really fresh today. I love the politics and the energy, it's a great time. Will be giving this another spin
Sounds like a fun time. Was under the misconception that soul was just like yonked out ganga music but this album manages to give that vibe while mixing it with the mainstream vibes of the time. Sounds like a fun time
Surprisingly heavy and driving for a ska album. Very creative album with plenty of interesting genre-bending moments. Certainly some songs better than others, but a very enjoyable experience. Top tracks: Freddie's Dead, Question of Life, Bonin' In the Boneyard
This was pretty rad.
A very interesting style—eclectic, and with a very entertaining twist to it as a cross-ska, souls-y item.
Had no idea what to expect, was super funky and fun. Really enjoyed Change, Bonin’ in the Boneyard, One Day, and …Freddie’s Dead. 8/10, 4 stars.
24/08/2025 Oddly enough, this grew on me. It's different. Spotify listeners: 118k
7/10 album, Ghetto Soundwave and Pouring Rain are great songs
This was really fun to listen to. I actually enjoyed it a lot. Very unique.
It's a fun album
This album slaps! The bass solos were funky and the horns were snappy. This is the kind of hidden gem that I did this challenge for! Fave song: Bonin' in the boneyard
So varied! Good flow too. 3.5 for me but the sheer balls of this means I’ll round up.
How have I not heard of this band before? The music slaps, great album, big fan of Subliminal Fascism and One Day. I don't think I can quite give it a 5, but it's definitely on the high end of my 4 stars.
Enjoyed this one quite a bit, but the novelty wore off a bit on the 2nd playthrough. Nice mix of styles, solid 4/5
- So many good songs tarnished by that 80's production; the glossy veneer that serves only to take away from the sounds these musicians actually make with their instruments. 4 stars anyway for the quality and creativity. -
This is a fun album, packed with a variety of sounds, funk, rock, ska, etc. Some of which hit better than others. I imagine they put on a 5 star live performance, and is one of those bands you end up appreciating even more after you've seen them live. I'll round up from a 3.5.
Fishbone has a remarkable mix of styles. Forget how much fun they are live, this is a solid, energetic album.
Fishbone is doing a really cool Ska/Punk/Funk/Metal/Hard Rock thing here, and it's honestly a really unique, eclectic sound. We kick off with a really fun, inspired Curtis Mayfield cover and keep the momentum up from there. Ma and Pa is a really fantastic punk-y ska song, and it is an early highlight. Honestly, it is hard to go wrong here, the only caveat is that the production sounds a little odd, maybe kind of dated, but I think it largely serves the sound. I also like the lyrics a lot here. Don't let songs like Bonin' In The Boneyard trick you, there is some really astute social commentary across here. Some other highlights are Pouring Rain, Deep Inside, One Day, and Slow Bus Movin'. I am really glad I heard this, it's really cool.
Really cool reminds me of Mr bungle
Very nice. Reggae happiness pop. Truth and soul is a perfect label.
I had no idea what genre was playing and that was actually pretty fun
yippee
Truth and Soul de Fishbone me sorprendió bastante. Arranca con temas explosivos que te enganchan al toque, con mucha energía y ese ritmo que te hace mover la cabeza sin darte cuenta. Hay varias canciones que siguen esa línea, y otras que bajan un poquito el pulso hacia una onda más balada-romanticona, pero sin volverse lentas ni aburridas. Me encanta cómo mezclan elementos de jazz con rock, el de “Mighty Long Way” es un show total. En general, es un disco alegre, con muy buena vibra y mucho juego de guitarras, que combina intensidad y momentos más suaves de forma increíble. Para mí es un 9.85/10; me encanta el mensaje social que meten en algunas de las canciones, como en “Ma and Pa”.
Fishbone gets going w/ a hard-rocked Curtis Mayfield. After that, the band seems to makes it way thru every damn genre known to man, but w/ an ear for what makes you get up and dance: the only common theme that holds this record together is a belief that stimulation has far more truth and soul than any downer could possess. They're also lyrical when they want to be, w/ funky queries and the like: 'Hey, Ma and Pa / What the hell is wrong w/ ya'll'; 'You choose to close your eyes / And the rest of the world will bleed'; 'We are waitin' in restaurants over there / We are waitin' in cars somewhere over there.' Most revelatory, they do what the Chili Peppers never could - they goof off effectively, coherently, funkily, politically.
Det va bråkate, og ikke for mæ, men ikke avskrekkanes. Om æ va i et morsommere humør tror æ æ kunne likt det.
I had the good fortune to see these guys live, and it was a hoot. An interesting mix of musical styles, delivered with great energy.
I once had an idea for a band called Scan The Radio where each song would be a different sub-genre of music. A fun idea for a musician but maybe not for the listener. This album feels like that. It’s all over the place and exciting feeling but I could see where if you wanted consistency, you wouldn’t get it. It’s a groove for sure.
Boning my ish with that F
Cool album that I otherwise would have never listened to. Not very cohesive, but you can tell that the boys are having fun here just playing whatever they feel like. Very enjoyable mix.
Fishbone; the band always in the proximity of acts that went on to be huge but never really got huge themselves. This album is pretty great; I love how many different styles they tear through. It was super fun and put me in a good mood, so I definitely need to listen to it more. 4/5
I love the fun and almost hip hop influence of this. I can't believe this came out in the late 80s, it sounds so much more modern than that. Really hard to not bop my head along to these songs. I'm enjoying this one a lot, the bass lines are just scrumptious. It's SKA! Like.... actually. That was not apparent by the first song but WOW it really hits you in the face by the second one. I always like to read a little bit about the artists if I've never heard of them and I was shocked when I saw that they don't have a ton of monthly listeners, but it makes sense for the genre. I'm so curious to see what the vibe continues to be as this album progresses. Okay for sure Ska. It's got so much fun and I loveee a great horn section. Wait no, now it's like traditional funk? So cool, it's truly an album where I can see how Ska developed and this feels like a perfect transition between funk and ska. So so cool. All the songs are very different but still feel cohesive, definitely not boring at all. Reggae, funk, soul, ska. This is all of those and yet it's own. Bonin' in the boneyard is crazy omg I love it so much. This was a surprising win for me, I really think I'll share this with people I know.
This album was fun. I love Ma and Pa and will be adding it to regular listening!
Took me back to playing Tony Hawks pro skater, in my parents basement. This one is totally the feel of the 80s and 90s and into the early 2000s for me, black sky bands, crushed it and paved the way for the rest of the genre. Why does there always have to be a creepy song about sisters?
I think Fishbone is one of those groups that evolved into something way different than what they had intended to be in the first place. Their first EP is legendary. Ska/Punk/Funk Metal and good social commentary. That prevails throughout all of their work. Truth and Soul is pretty much their pinnacle in terms of solid music while maintaining their roots in ska/funk/reggae/punk, while pretty much every song is a commentary on life in the late 80's. I myself am a huge Fishbone fan and while I like this choice of album for this list, I do think their first EP should have gotten the nod over this just because it was really the pioneer album in the ska world. 3.5/5 stars = 4 on this scale. Must listen: Bonin' In The Boneyard (some of the best bass work you'll ever hear) Question of Life Pouring Rain Ghetto Soundwave
God help me. I started the first song and laughed but by the end of it I wanted a relisten. This is fun and funky and goes all over and it's a great example of music and it gets a way higher rating than I expected. I'd love to see this live. There's smarter music but this is a blast.
Now here's a band that gets nowhere near the amount of credit they are due. Alongside **Living Colour**, who released *Vivid* in the same year (1988), **Fishbone** played a pivotal role in bringing Black rock artists into the mainstream rock and metal scenes, helping to pave the way for and influence acts like **Faith No More**, **Red Hot Chili Peppers**, **Sublime**, and **Rage Against the Machine**. A groundbreaking fusion of funk, punk, hard rock/metal, ska, and soul (sometimes within a single song). It's complex, intense, and humourous, while the musicianship is tight and virtuosic. Despite critical acclaim it struggled commercially. It was too punk for funk audiences, too funky for punk crowds, and generally too political for most audiences. But it created a legacy that contains to be appreciated today. The album was undoubtedly ahead of its time. A crucial link in the chain leading to the '90s alternative explosion and an undeniable influence on those experimenting with funk, punk, and metal. For fans of FNM it’s fair to say that *The Real Thing* (1989) might not have sounded the way it did without the influence of *Truth and Soul*.
I love an album that varies itself in genre. This record takes from all sides of the neighborhood if you will; metal and rock, ska and punk, a little bit of synth and jazz. Despite playing musical hopscotch, none of the tracks feel out of place or misused. The raw lyrical style more akin to punk mixed with the harder riffs on some songs and a more new wave feel on others makes this an album I’ll definitely revisit again soon.
Un album lleno de identidad que me ha cautivado en la primera escucha. Me ha encantado la mezcla de generos.
I vaguely remembered hearing one of their songs on the radio in the early 90's but didn't remember them and had never heard an album. Was expecting something funky but not something so heavy. It was a pleasing surprise.
Fishbone is one of those groups I've heard before. They're a melting pot of various styles, including ska, reggae, punk, hard rock, and funk. That wild mixing of genres is self-evident on the opening two singles, "Ma and Pa" and their cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead", where there's a bounce to the rhythm section amidst Kendall Jones's distorted guitar riffs and Angelo Moore's smooth yet belting vocals. This album is a fun time, as these songs have such kinetic energy and technical proficiency in the instrumentation. Honestly, my only complaint is with some dated production choices, such as the keyboard tones and the occasional abrasiveness of the horns, such as on "Pourin' Rain". Other than that, Truth and Soul is a pretty good record, well worth checking out.
No clue what genre this is but it’s fun
4 you could tell they have fun with this one
Pre-listening thoughts: Fishbone aka one of the newest playable characters in Mario Kart World (currently upset we cannot add pictures to these reviews although that's probably for the best) Post/during listening thoughts: This is sort of new jack swing ish meets Jamiroquai meets punk? I'm not 100% sure where I'd place this. It is maybe the most bizarre genre fusion album we've had so far, on par with that Elephant Mountain album. It's really interesting to see ska's blueprints here. Slow Bus Movin is kind of giving Tusk by Fleetwood Mac in a weird way. God this is all over the place and sometimes downright terrible but what if... I liked it... and I thought it was fun... and I would defend its inclusion on the list intensely... 7.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: maybe... Fav tracks: Ma and Pa, Mighty Long Way, Bonin' In the Boneyard, Ghetto Soundwave Least fav tracks: Subliminal Fascism
I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. As the kids say, this slaps. These guys are great musicians. Would totally recommend it to anyone.
Pretty fucking good,dont paid much attention to some of the lyrics,but the ones i paid for were very good,catchy songs and rythm too,not perfect but very close
Jolly good fun with a silly name too.
I had been familiar with Fishbone and the things that made them stand out from other rock based bands at the time, particularly their horn section. I had always associated them with a bit of heaviness, but as it turns out that didn't really fully kick in until the album after this one. Although there is some heaviness here and there, there is also a lot more ska and other influence here than I had realized there would be. I had never consciously sought to listen to them before, I definitely enjoyed this album. I also listened to their debut, and the heavier album released after this one, The Reality of My Surroundings. Tight grooves, tighter horn section, and just some refreshingly different vibes than I'm generally used to from bands of the era. Although I think I prefer when the band has a heavier approach, i'll definitely still be revisiting and digging deeper.
Really enjoyed my listen of this album. 7/10
Je fus quel que peu surpris en voyant l’incongru mix de genre: Metal, Funk et Reggae? Ça doit être incroyable, me dis-je, puis, moins incroyable ce fus, mais tout de même cool. Ça m’a fait penser à Picture of Nectar de Phish, sans le côté weird escompté. Léger 4, à revisiter
Didn’t know if I’d like this. Some tracks were wonderful! The more ska heavy ones I didn’t like as much.
Buena música movida, pero son ensalada demasiado variada.
Really enjoyable. Old ska rock vibe
How to classify this one? Punk, metal, ska, reggae... all are kind of correct. While their contemporaries The Red Hot Chilli Peppers took those same influences to reinvent rock and roll, Fishbone feel more firmly rooted in ska. Though they never made it nearly as big, they still made a damn fun album. I could listen to "Ma and Pa" on repeat for ages. It's a clear stand out for me.
Wow that was fun. Just pure unadulterated fun. I'm sure some lyrics are a down but I didn't hear it. All I heard was a bunch of people throwing out ideas and running with every one. It feels like everyone in the band was on EQUAL ground and if u had a suggestion everyone else would take that idea ad far as it would go. It's just nice to hear when u think about the Beatles who all hated each other. I could be totally wrong but that's how this record felt. Not every idea is worth as much time as they spend but they tried and I admire that alot. Just cool
I don't like SKA but this is fine I guess.
brety good
Love
so funky
hmm.. onbekend plaatje.. beetje Specials, Reel Big Fish en snuifje Peppers (van toen ze nog goed waren)... mooi gedaan!
Lots going on here; I'm sure they're great live. I'm rounding my rating up from 3.5 despite the fact that they are at least partly responsible for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Just a little bit of everything here. Hard rock, ska, soul, blues. All well executed. A true jack of all trades. Add into that the amount of fun these dudes appear to be having and we have ourselves a real unicorn. Deserves more visits in the future!
Fun as heck
This was pretty solid!
A lot of fun to listen to. I liked it more than I expected to!
good hype
Probably more of a 4.5 but no half star ratings :(
Black ska/punk/rock. Wild! Fun!
This album was all over the place for me, some great tracks and some questionable ones. I always give some extra love for bands that aren't afraid to experiment with different sounds, and they really did that, but it didn't hit on all the songs for me. Great effort, another album close to full marks, but not quite there.
Never heard of these guys before, but that was some serious fun. It just sounds like they are having a great time and it is infectious.
How have I never heard this before? This is like finding the missing link between the 80's and 90's. There are throwback sounds to the earlier 80's but just as often there are sounds that wouldn't come to prominence until the 90's. An album that was simultaneously behind and ahead of its time. As someone that hates ska I enjoyed this a lot more than anticipated.
REALLY like this album. Something different, perhaps? Reminds me of sublime, ska y'know. Don't listen too much to what is being said but like how it sounds.
Got off to a bit of a rocky start with this one - just heard the original "Freddie's Dead" through this project a week ago, and it's smoooove as hell. Fishbone's version is..... not smoove. 😆 Sounds pretty chaotic, in fact! And then we move into some ska numbers. 😟 Once we get a few more tracks in, though, it becomes clear they're experimenting with a whole bunch of genres, glam, punk, cabaret, funk metal, throw it all at the wall! I started to click with the overall vibe. Positively enjoying myself by the time the album closes! Fave tracks - "I Like To Hide Behind My Glasses" - singer was channeling Bobcat Goldthwait on that one! 😆 "Bonin' in the Boneyard" is great fun. "Subliminal Fascism" is probably my top pick. Makes me pine for the days when the fascism was below the surface...
An eclectic mix: ska, metal, rock, funk - it's all here, and pretty good too. Played it through fully half a dozen times and enjoyed it thoroughly. The final track 'Change' is the best and is very much in the style of George Michael.
Funky rock with some really nice production. I enjoyed the social commentary of it as well.
From the creators of Shakey Ground, one of my favourite pieces for a big band. These guys are funky as heck, approaching the likes of Blood Sweat & Tears and Tower of Power. I like how the music isn't taken seriously at all (in terms of mood), yet is loyal to song structure and the various hooks introduced in each song. The singing is great: emotive, soulful, goofy, laid-back, and everything in between. The bass and drums are fairly strong, and the horns are some of the tightest I've heard from this era. And that brass has some pretty steep competition. Looking at the number of Spotify listens, I'm surprised this band doesn't have orders of magnitude more listens. Their sound is pretty darn commercial. (See Bonin' In the Boneyard, Ma and Pa, and (frankly) most of the album's tracks as examples.) I will admit though, there's a lot going on. It's difficult to keep up if you're actively yet tiredly listening in, hoping to catch everything. And some of the musical elements and genres don't mesh together. The hard-rock feel in Freddie's Dead and Deep Inside (among others), particularly with the almost thrash metal-esque guitars, doesn't work well for the band. It's a shame, because the vocal hook in Mighty Long Way creates the blueprint for an otherwise excellent track – but it's marred by some very insistent electric guitars and organs that confuse rather than excite the listener. 4/5 Key tracks: Ma and Pa, Bonin' in the Boneyard, Ghetto Soundwave
It's something to look back at Fishbone and see how they influenced the third wave ska movement in the 90s. Their second record "Truth And Soul" is a solid entry in their catalog for a band that did well in being socially conscious.
Quite amazing. They got their unique style, it’s funky and alive! 4.3
Good alternative/rock. Great instrument sounds.
Ska began in Jamaica. There is absolutely no denying that. But I think the perception of the genre has been altered quite a bit over time. And now it’s more associated in popular media with bands like Sublime. I won’t claim to be some self-proclaimed fan of ska. In fact, I wouldn’t even call myself an active enjoyer of the music. I don’t think I’ve rated any ska-adjacent record particularly high. But that seemingly ends today. Fishbone isn’t exactly the most popular band. But it makes sense that a group of musicians who probably fall in line closer with what ska originally was than more popular groups would sound better in most ways. Ska has managed to evolve and persist in almost every decade since its inception in the 50s. And it seems that as it got further into the 80s and 90s, it became more influenced by punk. There is just something incredibly fun about these songs and the way they play them. Plus I like how they infuse so much funk and even bits of metal into their sound. It kinda reminds me of Mr. Bungle. And even they were influenced by third wave and ska punk music, especially on their debut. Or even the skank beat, which was a popular rhythmic trope in this genre. Now, most people are familiar with it because of its connection to crossover thrash and being the “Slayer beat”. The connections that can be made between ska, punk, and metal are actually surprisingly numerous. It helps that such a fun album has really great performances all over it. Plus ska has much of its identity rooted in politics and counter-culture, which this album seemingly doesn’t abandon. This wasn’t the absolute greatest thing I’ve ever heard, but it was far more enjoyable than I ever expected it to be.
I wanna seek out more like this
Really interesting. Such a wide range of genres: funk, rock, ska, blues, you name it. Musicianship was top notch, from the groovy bass lines to the syncopated beats to the blistering guitar solos. And the lyrics tackle some pretty deep issues despite the music sounding so upbeat and lively.
I enjoy this. I’ve been getting a lot of albums that I enjoy but don’t necessarily love lately. But yeah I don’t have much to say on this clearly
This album was probably my favorite listen so far. I might be A LITTLE biased because Fishbone was friends with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and I freakin’ LOVE them, but honestly, this band stands on their own. Truth and Soul cycles through funk, ska, and hard rock before finally ending on the acoustic guitar-driven track “Change,” the only real ballad on the album. Some of my favorite musical moments include the “funky ass bass” on “Bonin’ in the Boneyard” and the moody chord progression on “One Day.” Lyrically, the songs cover topics like fascism, racism, and poverty, which still feels VERY RELEVANT nearly 40 years later. I felt that Fishbone tackled these rather dark subjects tactfully and thoughtfully. All in all, this was a delight to listen to! My standout track is probably “Mighty Long Way,” but truthfully, this album is solid start to finish.
yea pretty good man
4 out of 5. I might have been sleeping on this band for all these years.
I quite enjoyed this. However I don't see how this is labelled as metal, at most I would say there are forays into hard rock. So many artists in the 90s emulated this sound, really groundbreaking
Pretty good - funk/ska/rock 4/5
Every ProtoPunk/SkaPop/Fusion band of the 90s wished that they could be Fishbone. They effortlessly weave together Jazz, Funk, Rock, Blues, and Pop. Their influence, and especially this album, on the scene is undeniable.
I knew the band but had never listened to this album. I really liked it. I considered five stars but I think it’s more like a four. A few songs I really loved, like “mighty long way,” “bonin in the backyard,” and “change.”
Yea, this was dope
Listen, I've been playing a lot of Pro Skater and reminiscing about 3rd wave ska and the '90s this week (we had an accidental Reel Big Fish Thanksgiving last year when we lost the phone that was connected to the Bluetooth speaker) - Anyway this album was great and it hit me at exactly the right moment this December.
Honestly a delightful discovery. Absolutely bonin’.
Hell yeah??
Truly so versatile and in a way that every type of song they do is still very much a Fishbone song first and foremost, whether it be ska, soul cover, hard funk or circus freakout. Only reason it’s not a perfect rating is because I was not into a couple of the genre excursions personally but still respect them like mad for attempting.
Very good indeed on first ever listen. Did this band ever cross the pond?
I don’t know what that was - but I had fun with it
I'm a huge Fishbone fan. This album is probably their best as an overall work although their other albums have great tunes on it. This one covers the entire range of music that Fishbone embodies. Funk, Ska, Punk, Rock. They are extremely talented musicians and it shows in all of the songs on here. Top listens: Bonin' In The Boneyard Question of Life One Day Ma and Pa Freddie's Dead (great cover)
Trying to figure out why people don't like Fishbone as much as they SHOULD. Maybe black guys doing heavy rock makes people uncomfortable. (Maybe not, just wondering aloud). Stay in your rap, your R&B, but that's it. But man these guys can do some cool cool shit. Maybe a little unfocused for some, but not for me. Appeals in the same sort of way as the Beastie Boys, music for the short attention span generation! Fishbone is a "taste" issue for most people I think. It's hard to put my finger on why I like it. I generally go for high-energy stuff that's well executed and has something to say. For that reason I gravitate toward the more energetic genres like punk, hard rock, funk, and metal. (wanted to use a different word here, but gravitate is correct by this definition: 'To be attracted by or as if by an irresistible force.') Fishbone comfortably made their home in all of these. And I'm the one guy who also likes ska, not gonna apologize. (Why does ska take so much shit? Maybe the genre was irreparably tainted by the 27,863 (give or take) bad 90's SoCal SkaPunk bands that thought music is mainly a comedy routine they could do to pass the time in college before going on to work in their Father's Law Firm? The mostly stupid hats? Motherfuckers made it so we can't wear a fedora seriously anymore. The cultural (in)appropriation? Now that I break it down there is KIND OF A LOT of problems aren't there? Of course very few of them involve the music directly, but whatever. I love all the Reggae branches - ska, dub, dancehall... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggae_genres). Fishbone lives in exactly that high energy place where the genre matters less than the content. But some people get inappropriately angry when a band starts with a soul song then does a punk song, then a funk song. And I understand, you want don't want to make trouble with your brain. I have a friend who refuse to listen to anything except "hard rock," his idea of variety is mixing in some U2 (FIRST 3 ALBUMS ONLY) with his Chevelle. I'm not criticizing his taste, I'm thinking of this as an example of the Fishbone hater who just can't break out of their own self-inflicted handcuffing to explore something (dare I say it?) different. Same person that HATES country music - I used to be that person, so I know from where I speak. On the other hand, who cares? I love it, my wife doesn't have to, and we can all still hang out together.
Genre fusions done right. Truly a bit of everything mixed in here. Each track was so different. Sometimes funky, sometimes heavy. I really enjoyed that. Glad I've discovered yet another new band. Highlights: Freddie's Dead Ma and Pa Mighty Long Way Slow Bus Movin'
This grew on me! A lot of it was not my thing but I appreciated the variety in songs. It seems like they did a lot of different things well, like I could never tell which genre they were "supposed" to be.