TSU Toronados - And Now...The TSU Toronados

All Music Guide

Known primarily as the band behind Archie Bell the Drells' "Tighten Up," the T.S.U. Toronados were Houston's "Number One Soul Band" (it says so right in the liner notes of the Tighten Up album). And Now...the T.S.U. Toronados collects some of their recordings for the local Ovide label, including those that were licensed to Stax and Atlantic. This compilation will go a long way in re-establishing the T.S.U. Toronados' reputation as a band with "a thing going that is just too much" (also from Tighten Up). Equally adept at instrumental and vocal numbers, the band had an unique sound, somewhat smoother and lighter than comparable acts, with the occasional jazz-leaning horn part peeking through. This in no way is to suggest that the drum breaks aren't tough, or that they couldn't get to real nitty gritty. Like many soul artists, much of the T.S.U. Toronados' material was inspired by or an answer to what was happening at the time. "Getting the Corners" is one of the top variations of the th...en-popular dance step, the Funky Four Corners, featuring both beautiful soul clapping and an uplifting horn part. "My Thing Is a Moving Thing" gets its muse from Sly Stone and the Isley Brothers, combining those influences with their own to create a new thing. Only the super-sexy (and also licensed to Stax) "Play the Music Toronados" is missing. - Kurt Edwards, All Music Guide Read more Less