Face to Face With the Truth [Import, Original recording remastered]

Undisputed Truth | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 6, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Universal Import
• ASIN: B0000942QS
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #783,471 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth

2. What It Is?

3. Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World) Friendship Train

4. Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)

5. Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me

6. Don't Let Him Take Your Love from Me

7. What's Going On

Editorial Reviews

24-bit remastered reissue of 1971 funk classic, that'sunavailable domestically, packaged in a digipak with original artwork, rare photos, & new sleevenotes. 2003.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "...Harmony Is The Key...My Sisters And Brothers...", August 6, 2009

By 

Mark Barry, Reckless Records, London (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Face to Face With the Truth (Audio CD)

"Face To Face With The Truth" was the second album for NORMAN WHITFIELD'S band THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH and this 2003 European remaster is a straightforward copy of that soul-funk peach.

The LP was originally issued February 1972 on Gordy G959L in the USA (July 1972 on Tamla Motown STMA 8004 in the UK) and this "ORIGINAL FUNK LP SERIES" CD reissue fully reproduces the original gatefold sleeve artwork in its card digipak and 8-page booklet. There's also a very knowledgeable and concise essay on the album by DAVID COLE, Editor of the specialist soul magazine "In The Basement".

The band depicted on the front sleeve is JOE HARRIS (lead vocals), BRENDA JOYCE EVANS and BILLIE RAE CALVIN (duet and backing vocals). Whitfield produced the album and co-wrote 5 of its 7 songs with another Motown genius BARRETT STRONG. "Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me" was first outed by Gladys Knight & The Pips while the album's closer is a 9-minute cover of Marvin Gaye's 1971 Tamla masterpiece "What's Going On".

Other notable musicians are DENNIS COFFEY on Lead Guitar, EARL VAN DYKE on Piano with EDDIE BROWN on Bongo and Congo Drums.

Musically the album is typical of so many Whitfield productions - the filler tracks are fairly obvious and ok - but the killer long funky workouts are stunning. Bass starter, slinky wah-wah guitar fills, strings backed up with conga rhythms - all of it peppered with social consciousness lyrics that to this day don't sound dated. The groove takes its time to get its hooks into you and even after nine or ten minutes, it never feels like it overstayed its welcome. Joe Harris was a wonderful vocalist too - a little like Pops Staples let loose. For me the big highlight is the near nine-minute "Ungena Za Ulimwengu..." - fabulous stuff - very Isaac Hayes in its hypnotic lingering pace and build - it always has customers coming to the counter asking after it (lyrics above).

It doesn't say who remastered the tapes or where it was done, but the sound is wonderfully clear and defined.

It's not all great for sure, but the ones that are worth it - especially in this great sound quality - make this forgotten goody well worth your checking out.

Recommended.

PS: Here's a full list of the 2003 "Original Funk LP Series" CD reissues:

1. A Tear To A Smile - ROY AYERS UBIQUITY
(1975 US LP on Polydor, CD reissue is 065 620-2)
2. Propositions - BAR-KAYS
(1982 USA LP on Mercury, CD reissue is 822 885-2)
3. Summertime Groove - BOHANNON
(1978 USA LP on Mercury, CD reissue is 077 014-2)
4. Ugly Ego - CAMEO
(1978 USA LP On Chocolate City, CD reissue is 077 251-2)
5. Con Funk Shun 7 - CON FUNK SHUN
(1981 USA LP on Mercury, CD reissue is 063 699-2)
6. Nice And Soulful - CAROLINE CRAWFORD
(1979 USA LP on Mercury, CD reissue is 067 517-2)
7. The Gap Band - THE GAP BAND
(1979 USA LP on Mercury, CD reissue is 063 698-2)
8. Something Special - KOOL and THE GANG
(1981 LP on De-Lite, CD reissue is 063 695-2)
9. In Heat - LOVE UNLIMITED
(1974 LP on 20th Century, CD reissue is 063 625-2)
10. Just Outside Of Town - MANDRILL
(1973 LP on Polydor, CD reissue is 065 619-2)
11. Them Changes - BUDDY MILES [Drummer with The Electric Flag]
(1970 LP on Mercury, CD reissue is 063 693-2)
12. One Way featuring Al Hudson - ONE WAY featuring AL HUDSON
(1979 LP on MCA, CD reissue is 113 201-2)
13. What Am I Gonna Do - GLORIA SCOTT [Barry White production]
(1974 USA LP on Casablanca, CD reissue is 063 694-2)
14. Moving South - SOUTHSIDE MOVEMENT
(1975 USA LP on 20th Century, CD reissue is 063 691-2)
15. Face To Face With The Truth - THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH
(1972 LP on Gordy & Tamla Motown, CD reissue is 067 100-2)

PPS: For those wishing to explore this Motown band's output more, I've posted an Undisputed Truth LP discography in the 'comment' section attached to this review...

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Bit long on the Truth, January 13, 2004

By 

cwartis "Charles W. Artis" (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Face to Face With the Truth (Audio CD)

If you love the Temptations,you'll like The Undisputed Truth.
Norman Whitfield,was Songwriter and producer for both groups
at the same time. The led to a lot of crossover meterial from
the Tempts to the Truth. Hence you have "What it is" that gave
words to "Hum along and Dance" a Temps instrumental.
Norman Whitfield described "The Undisputed truth as a cross
between Sly Stone and The 5TH Demension on my copy of the original LP(on which I base the review) They weren't as funky

as Sly nor as pleasent to the ears as the 5th.
But the carved their own niche on EVERY song they did,
whether you liked it or not you never forgot their version.
So hear The Undisputed TRUTH for yourself and decide
If you can handle the Truth.

3.0 out of 5 stars review, November 26, 2010

By 

Scott Blackerby (Reston, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: face to face with the truth LP (Vinyl)

Sure The Undisputed Truth were a performing group with real talent in the form of vocalists Billie Rae Calvin, Brenda Joyce Evans, and Joe Harris, but behind the scenes the true brains behind this outfit was producer/writer Norman Whitefield. That said, 1972's "Face To Face with the Truth" captured Whitfield at the peak of his psychedelic soul phase. Backed by the cream of Motown's studio players (Richard Allen, Dennis Coffey, James Jameson, Earl Van Dyke, etc.), these seven tracks served as a playground for Whitfield's increasingly wild studio experiments. Exemplified by tracks like 'You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here On Earth', 'Ungena Za Ulimwendu (Unite the World) Friendship Train' and 'What's Going On' the album was full of Whitfield social commentary, which was frequently admirable, if much of it hasn't aged all that well. The results weren't always successful (side two saw a major decline in quality, including a seemingly endless cover of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'), but the results were never less than of passing interesting.

- Yeah, The Temptations originally recorded 'You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here On Earth' for Whitefield. The good news is that Undisputed Truth version was every bit as good. Slowed down and stretched out the track served to showcase Harris' gritty soul voice, Calvin and Evans nice harmony vocals, and guitarist Coffey's instantly recognizable fuzz guitar. easy to see why Gordy tapped it as the lead single. rating: **** stars
- 'What It Is?' found Whitfield turning up the funk factor and reducing the lyric content. Another change, this time out the focus was on Calvin and Evans as lead singers. It wasn't nearly as impressive as some of the other numbers, but that didn't stop Gordy from tapping it as a follow-up single. rating: *** stars
- Also recorded by The Temptations, Ungena Za Ulimwendu (Unite the World) Friendship Train' was interesting for a number of reasons including Jameson's fantastic bass line and some of the heaviest vocal effects you've ever heard - Harris and company literally sounded like they were singing from the bottom of a swimming pool. rating: *** stars
- The group's hyper-speed version of 'Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)' has to be heard. They literally sound like they've been saturated in some sort of upper. I also smile every time I head Earl Van Dyke's roller rink opening keyboards ... rating: *** stars
- The first time I heard their reworked version of 'Take Me In Your Arms and Love Me' I didn't even recognize this Motown chestnut ... With one of the ladies handling lead vocals (and another great bass line), this arrangement recast the song as a pseudo-jazzy romp. Amazingly weird and also quite fascinating. rating: **** stars
- If there was a surprise on the album, it came in the form of 'Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me'. Avoiding the usual psychedelic soul moves, this one found Harris and company diving head long into an old school soul ballad. It was a perfect vehicle for Harris' gritty voice and stands as a personal favorite. rating: **** stars
- The group's nine minute cover of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' was clearly filler. Not that they did a bad job (the extended guitar solo section (Joe Messina?), was actually quite beguiling), but why would you waste your time trying to improve on a classic like that ? rating: ** stars

Elsewhere a heavily edited version of 'You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here On Earth' was released as a single. There was also a follow-on singles


- 1971's 'You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here On Earth' b/w 'Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)' (Gordy catalog number G 7112F) # 72 pop; # 24 R&B
- 1972's 'What It Is?' b/w 'California Soul' (Gordy catalog number G 7114F ) #71 pop; # 25 R&B

"Face To Face with the Truth" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here On Earth (Norman Whitfield - Barrett Strong) - 6:50
2.) What It Is? (Norman Whitfield - Barrett Strong) - 4:57
3.) Ungena Za Ulimwendu (Unite the World) Friendship Train (Norman Whitfield - Barrett Strong) - 8:50

(side 2)
1.) Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) (Norman Whitfield - Barrett Strong) - 2:56
2.) Take Me In Your Arms and Love Me (Barrett Strong - R. Penzabene - C. Grant) - 3:52
3.) Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me (Norman Whitfield - Barrett Strong) - 5:25
4.) What's Going On (A. Cleveland - Marvin Gaye - R. Benson) - 9:21