Truth

<a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> had an exceptionally complicated history for a 1960s group, and although there were more than a dozen lineup changes while <a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Van Morrison</a> was in the band, the story remained just as complex after he left. There were several <a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Morrison</a>-less <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> albums, and two spinoff bands with direct connections to the <a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Morrison</a>-era <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a>. One was <a href="spotify:artist:7ISEgPbN8s0h159gWOGuDi">the Belfast Gypsies</a>, who'd actually started in 1965, though their LP didn't come out until 1967. The other, Truth, was even more obscure than <a href="spotify:artist:7ISEgPbN8s0h159gWOGuDi">the Belfast Gypsies</a>, not even getting to release an album while they were together. But Truth did feature one musician who'd played for a while in <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> while <a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Van Morrison</a> was still around, guitarist Jim Armstrong, and a singer, Kenny McDowell, who'd been on the first two post-<a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Morrison</a> <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> LPs (as Armstrong had as well). Like the late-'60s version of <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a>, Truth didn't sound much like the <a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Van Morrison</a>-era <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a>, but did make some worthwhile music more influenced by American psychedelia than the British Invasion. The Truth story started in mid-969, when Armstrong and McDowell had returned to Belfast after leaving <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a>. They were enticed to come back to the United States by a Chicagoan who paid for their tickets, as well as supplying rent and a rehearsal space. Just as the post-<a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Morrison</a> <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> had taken root in the States back in 1967, this new band based themselves in Chicago; the group filled out by bassist Curtis Bachman (who'd played in various Chicago rock bands, including <a href="spotify:artist:4zmxet3ZPdSmL3Xyv1Wegb">the Buckhinghams</a> at a couple of points), and drummer Reno Smith (who'd played with soul singer <a href="spotify:artist:3YFP5QHEKv8RZZsPminjdv">Baby Huey</a>). The foursome got a good reception on the Chicago circuit, devising original material combining psychedelia, raga-rock, soul, and pop. Truth did some recording in 1969-70, for the soundtrack of the obscure film College for Fun and Profit, and were briefly joined by another ex-<a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> member, Ray Elliott, who played on three tracks that weren't released until the mid-1990s. By this time, they were managed by Aaron Russo (who later managed <a href="spotify:artist:13y0kncDD4J9wxCyfKr10W">Bette Midler</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2dogRElUKV20C2khRHqjRc">the Manhattan Transfer</a>), who got them a deal with Epic. The band went to Belfast in early 1971, but somehow, the Epic deal fell apart; they weren't summoned to record until September 1971, by which time the group had scattered to several different countries. Fortunately, more than an hour of Truth recordings from '69-70 were preserved and issued on the 1995 CD Of Them and Other Tales. Featuring almost exclusively group-written material, it shows them to be an interesting, versatile late-psychedelic era act with a light touch, including some outstanding guitar work (occasionally in a heavily raga-influenced style) from Jim Armstrong. ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi