Hot Buttered Soul

😉 salted, whipped motherfucker

Very apt album title. Smooth and sexy. That butter was scalding hot, pissing out of my pikelets and dribbling all down my chin! Last song maybe let it down, even though it had Andre3000 SpottieOttie vibes.

Kendrick got nothing on the smooth buttery soul of Isaac Who else is banging out 19 minute soul classics Who knew chef from south park was this good!

Give a brother a shot! Hes succulent and outta sight man!

Right up my fucking street, this. Blew Gabrielle's Walk On By out the water. Feels luke he joins in when he feels like it. On his terms. You wanna leave it 2 minutes before you say a word, thats alllllriiiight. This album itself cant get a 5, but might have to seek out more isaac. Dippy egg and soldiers. The egg's so dippy its outrageous.

Nb nb. Prefer the Dionne Warwick walk on by but maybe that’s just me

A classic. Always preferred the first half mind, just too damn good.

This is a great album with a timeless sound. Never heard of Isaac Hayes and now I feel bad that I do.

The singing part of the album was good but not something i will came back for

2.5 - no stand out songs, was also pretty hungover so could have been a better frame of mind to listen. Gave it another listen on Sunday but no joy.

Long songs

Only 4 tracks but strangely seems a bit long, probably due to the closing track. It’s a decent soul/R&B album, but I found Isaac’s vocal delivery a bit rambling at times. 2.6/5.0

Groovy.

What a band. What a singer. What a record.

ass

Fantastic! What a great soul album. The spoken word part of the last track dragged on a little too long but an otherwise stellar album!

I had no expectations going into this - I loved this album. Such a strong, powerful voice. Great instrumentals. The energy from this was immaculate.

I went into this album thinking it was going to be boring. 4 songs at 45 minutes? Yeah, no thanks. Man, was I wrong. Every second was enjoyable! Good vibes, great singing from Isaac Hayes, and that rendition of 'By The Time I Get to Phoenix' was amazing! Definitely a new favorite of mine!

Aivan hirveää kuraa. Loputtoman pituisia jamitteluja, siinä kaikki, mitä levystö jää mieleen. Parin ekan minuutin toivoo, että loppuisi jo. Tähän mennessä listan raskain kuuntelukokemus mutta sinnittelin loppuun. Yksiselitteisesti huono levy ja tarpeettoman pitkiä ja tylsiä biisejä. En tiedä kuka tästä pitää. 1/5

3.5

this was absolutely fucking mint. not a single song that can be put in a playlist due to them being 20 minutes long but all the better for it as this SHOULD be listened to as an album, some journey it takes you on! the intro to walk on by is maybe one of the strongest ways of opening an album of all time - and the outro of by the time i get to phoenix also one of the strongest album closers. woweeeeee

Für mich ist das Genre Jazz und manches finde ich eh super, aber sonst stresst mich die nicht vorhandene Struktur schon sehr deutlich. Big Uffz.

A great but uneven album, with a stellar A-side and a less satisfying B-side. First couple of tracks are absolute monsters - funky, juicy psychedelic soul oozing with smoothness, aided and abbeted by insane beats, gorgeous piano solos and guitars that moan so sensually they could be arrested for public indecency. At a time when soul tracks were usually 4-5 minutes long to allow radio use, Isaac Hayes just went his own way and pounded us with songs so long and so sexy they were probably responsible for a significant number of unplanned pregnancies. Halfway through the album, I was sure I was going to give this a 5*... But the 9-minutes monologue on B-side really killed the mood, especially since the remainder of the song was a bit too slow and dragged-out even by Isaac Hayes standards. Kind of an anticlimactic ending in my opinion. Too bad, it was almost perfect. But three amazing songs out of four is still a very good ratio, and no one can deny the gigantic influence this album had on soul, funk and hip-hop. Hard choice between a 4 and a 5*, I'll have to give it another try in a few days. 8/10

35 years before trip-hop, this is pure soul in the noblest sense — a foundational record that’s been mined to the bone. This is a pillar. Period. And for once, the album really benefits from that raw, visceral 60s sound, far from the disco gloss that would later dilute the genre’s depth. It just sounds right.

Meh

Очень непривычно для меня, но для томного богатого вечера очень подходит

Intense and long. I would like to listen to this in a concert setting vs in my car

This is exactly the type of album I think should be on this list. I don't think I would ever have searched it out, but I had a great time listening. For a first listen I really liked 'By the Time I Get To Phoenix'. However, I do think I'd get sick of the eight minute intro on subsequent listens. And while I really enjoyed this album, I think all together it's a bit disorganized and lost. Three stars. (Favorite track: One Woman.)

I love going thru this list of albums, every other album is a 70's soul/funk album thats has birthed a gazillion hip-hop samples

I might never have discovered this album, and honestly, that would’ve been such a loss. I’m so glad I gave it a chance. The vocals, the lyrics, the seamless blend of percussion and strings – each track felt like its own journey, and by the end, I felt completely transformed. This is what music should do: it should move something deep within you. The album beautifully weaves together themes of love, longing, and the full spectrum of human emotion. Walk On By was the perfect opening – easily my favourite. I could really feel the heartbreak, and the vivid imagery brought those emotions to life in such a powerful way. Then the second track caught me off guard – in the best way. The way love is described almost like a drug, and its physical and emotional intensity… oof. When I first heard One Woman, it was a beautiful composition. But reading more into the lyrics I didn’t realise it was about cheating – oh my god how did he make that sound so soulful and beautiful. And By the Time I Get to Phoenix has a long, almost sermon-like intro, but it ends up adding a lot of weight and intention. It might feel a bit drawn out at first, but it ultimately works in setting the tone.

I loved this and will be listening to it at least 2 more times

Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Soul (1969) On Day 86, I’m settling on a 4/5 for Hot Buttered Soul. The technical ability is great, and the overall production is a landmark in soul music, but it struggles with immersion due to its pacing. "One Woman" was the standout for me, it’s a great example of the soulful musicianship I’m looking for without the bloat. On the other hand, "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is visibly longer than it needs to be. While the baritone rap and orchestral swells are technically impressive, the sheer length of the tracks sometimes pulls you out of the experience. It’s a strong project, but the lack of focus on certain tracks keeps it from a perfect score.

Incredible album, I'm glad I listened to it once in my life, will probably listen to again

Sensual, smooth-loving soul

I like a build up to a song, but 10 minutes is a bit much. Nevertheless, lots of class.

Isaac mate. Sit down, grab a cuppa and let's chat. Those first 3 tracks. Stone cold classics. But even so, you can't just bang on about Jimmy Webb for 9 minutes before you bother singing a note. People will dock you a star. 4*

I've heard the intro to Walk on By dozens of times, but don't think I ever heard the entire, lenghty track

Consistent style and groove. The baseline and instrumentals are absolutely hot butter. Vocals are pure talent and the toasty contrast needed for an excellent soul album.

4 tracks, 40-odd minutes in total. 2 tracks a side. Thick treacly loving and grinding in vocal form, kept in time by a tight rythm section and spiced up by just enough dirty filthy guitar. The whole effect produces songs that are whispering sexy ASMR into your ear, getting you into the mood and groove while a guitar is ramming you from behind and asking for water sport and scat play. Feels so good but so dirty at the same time. That’s side 1. Side 2 is the post coital just want to fall asleep, can we stop talking for a bit i just wamt a nap, oh ho, what’s this we’ve talked long enough we’re back at it again! This is kept away from a 5 star rating by an inconsistent mix with some bits where his voice or the piano or some strings overpower some great guitar work or diminish some fine funky bass which sounds flat in the mix. Could be my shit earphones. Would like to get the vinyl.

This feels very far ahead of its time; a really fresh and modern mix of big orchestral sounds, synthesizers, soul, jazz and funk. A very enjoyable listen!

Smooth, moody, & soulful.

This was good, but very jammy. I wish they would consolidate the things a little and maybe have a couple other tracks. Otheriwse though, great vibes and great jams.

This was transcendental, yet rocking. A lot of fun throughout the whole record. My only complaint is that his lyrics in his Chef's character were even better.

I'll take a catfish sandwich, collard greens, some mashed potatoes and, most importantly, a side of Hot Buttered Soul.

I loved all of it except the spoken word part

I get why these sorts of albums, are on the list. And when I say sorts I mean iconic, maybe part of a movement, maybe just very popular at the time. But aren’t they disappointing from an ignorant, path well trodden kind of way. But as I listen to this I feel a sense of openness, an aliveness, that I’m discovering new music. In hyperbolic there is a richness to the piano, a determination from the musician to stay in the moment. The soul fights to stay alive. One woman is a song of celebration and joy. As multiple women sing in the choir, they echo the sentiments of approval of the man’s love for her.

As soon as I saw on Spotify that today I was to listen to 4 tracks, one of which was nearly 20 minutes long, I said, "Damn, this one might be a drag". And yet here I am, entirely wrong. Isaac Hayes's instrumentation on this album is godlike. Some of the funkiest, most groovy music I have heard on my 1001 album journey. Never once was bored listening to this. And Hayes' lyrics are so soulful too; I was tearing up on the track 'One Woman' right up until it was revealed the song was about cheating. Happened when I listened to CHIC last month too, got to a great love song only for it to turn out to be about "forbidden love". Ugh. Anyways, this album here was great. Absolutely loved it. Favourite tracks: Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic 3.5/5

I am glad I listened to it. Some of it is excellent. But I am absolutely never listening to a an 18-minute long track that is 50% monologue ever again.

5 hot butter out of 5 hot butter

almost 4 stars

I am a soul girl! Yes to every track.

Groovy, cinematic, epic.

Aw yeah, this is my shit. These grooves have pockets so deep you could lose your whole damn mind. This album was short but loooong, you know? You can feel the band really stretching out on some of these tracks, and it turns from regular music into more of an atmosphere, and I love it. I'm gonna go 4, I could have used 2 or 3 more tracks that give me that feeling.

I get a laugh out of wondering if Issac Hayes eventually disavowed the term “soul music” and instead insisted that he played Thetan Music. The first three tracks are a perfect album, at times it makes you feel like you’re fucking ascending. Last song is kinda boring I’m sorry.

2026.03.11

When you listening this album feel very rich

Well we’ve got the studio time, might as well use it…

Not my thing, hard to rate. Hard to believe it was any kind of hit with only 4 songs, one of which is spoken word.

Makuuhuonemusaa ja tällä ei ihan lähtenyt ainakaan aamuvuoro käyntiin. Johonkin tilanteeseen varmasti sopivampi mutta tuskin tulee palattua tähän levyyn tulevaisuudessa

Erikoinen setti. Pari hyvää biisiä, mutta kokonaisuuden puolesta ansaitsisi kolmosen. Oman haastattelun julkaisu levyllä on niin härski muuvi että nostaa neloseen

Suht puuduttavaa menoa taas. Sopisi taustamusiikiksi jos pitää Sahara ylittää jalan.

Varmaan kutemiseen taas tarkotettu, mutta vähän liian vapaata tulkintaa taas.

Chef tuuttaa menemään aika erikoismenoa. Tääkin on semmosta kamaa että ehkä pitäis vähän enempi syventyä, niin irtoaisi paremmin. Taustamusana toisaalta menee eteenpäin ihan kivasti. Paikkapaikoin tykkäsin tosi paljon, mutta välillä oli melkoista puuroa. En kyllä noita Spotifyn extroja lähtenyt kuuntelemaan. Nyt on pari kakkosta tullut putkeen, niin Chefin kunniaksi yksi tähti siihen vielä päälle.

Smooth listen, not jumping out at me.

Good voice. Music doesn't appeal to me, however.

You’ve been transported back in time with this one to a period of before tech and edit upon edit of songs. Love Issac Hayes riting feels on this 4 soundtrack album.

First Isaac Hayes album and had a good time. Nice smooth voice and good beats.

So my first impression of getting this album was: "woah, this album is 45 minutes and the track listing is only 4 songs!". I think this is the short track listing I've experienced so far. The lack of tracks does not mean there's a lack of content. This album reminded me a bit of Bat Out of Hell by Meatloaf. I know that sounds like a weird comparison and of course the two albums stylistically are completely different. But the songs on both albums take you on a journey, complete with twists and turns. Although the songs on Hot Buttered Soul were long, I was invested in the music the whole time. Great funky grooves.

Hot buttered biscuits sound better.

Managed to get thru first 2 songs (22 mins long combined) and got bored

Good but not perfect

Liked the sound of the music even though the songs were long. The Glen Cambel song was a Suprise.

Decent album. Would maybe listen to some of his other stuff. 2.5/5 if I could.

Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? I am unfamiliar with this album How do I feel about this artist? Chef! Favorite song(s)? Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic Overall Thoughts: Still not a fan of soul, and I thought it was weird that it was just a few really long songs that had drawn out speaking parts in them.

You sexy dirty bastard.

Soundtrack

I just threw this one without noticing it was just four songs and was just rocking with it the whole time.

A must psychedelic soul

Fantastic listening, so smooth, genuinely perfect album. Walk On By was my fav song and first listen of the album with Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic and One Woman as my other highlights

*Chef's kiss*

Great throughout but I want to simmer in those first 2 tracks forever

I have "never heard this before". In quotes because within the first two minutes my ears perked up hearing the sample from Six Inch by Beyoncé. Hayes's perfection is the kind of stuff you hear and immediately can feel the universe that unfolds out from these ideas. Clearly something important and magnificent, sounds phenomenal. Had a great time.

Last song a bit of a slog but otherwise banger album

Fløde.

Amei, achei tão contemporânea... Nem parece que é de 68....

this was completely unnecessary and a waste of time

Iconic an influential sound. Funk, with orchestral arrangements that make everything sound like a movie soundtrack. But unless you are the one being seduced, Hayes’s voice is not all that — too much talking and not enough actual singing, for me. Still, the sound and vibe are fantastic. Could be a 3, but I would listen to this again (probably not “again and again,” though). A 4.

Couldn't take it seriously.

Walk on By By the Time I Get to Phoenix

would’ve been a 5 if not for the 9 minute spoken word intro to ‘by the time i get to phoenix’

Mmmm absolutely scrumptious

ok smooth sensual buttered up goodness

Not a hip hop fan but I can see the landmark quality

Not sure if this counts as progressive soul as the tracks are so long. Great vocal and some nice soulful moments but seems more like a jam than an album of songs

Last track is really a bummer for me, takes up like a third of the run time, detracts from the rest.

First, hurray to Demery for recognizing a black American artist. Incredibly, it's a rarity on this list. That said, this album has always frustrated me to no end. The sound is amazing. The songs are interesting. But one has to sit through SO MUCH self-indulgent nonsense that it's almost more trouble than it's worth. By the Time I Get to Phoenix is the perfect example. It IS one of the most beautiful songs of the 20th Century. But dragging it out to 9 plus minutes obscures its poignancy. And taking the liberty to provide another 9 minutes of spoken word introduction consisting of an invented back story is just loopy nonsense.

Love love love. This album was completely new to me and has been the best one yet. One woman especially is an amazing track.

More of a compilation with some good tracks than a full album

progressive soul. det er sgu meget sexet specielt det første nummer. Åbenbart nogle lange cover versioner af tidligere kunstneres numre. Det har også sådan lidt strygere osv så det lyder lidt chamber/baroque filmisk agtig. Det at numrene er rigtig lange springer åbenbart genren, det ved jeg ikke hvorfor præcist.

So smooth and resonant, Isaac Hayes defined cool. These songs are long, but you kind of get lost in them and don't mind. Even the long storytelling of By the Time I Get to Phoenix is cool.

I think thsi raises the question about why there are not more albums that just have 4 10min plus songs with a very close up of a bald head for the album cover it seems like to me this must be a successful format?

Didn't listen lol. Actually okay funky

Boring

If you still don't know about this one then I don't know what to tell you. It's exactly what the record is titled.

“I'm talkin' about the power of love now I'm gonna tell you what love can do You know when they say love makes the world go 'round That's the truth” This was very much what I had expected from Isaac Hayes. I will confess I am one of many who will have heard of him largely through his role as Chef in South Park, but I was aware he was a very well thought of musician. As the title implies the album is incredibly smooth but it is also well performed with a lot of room for creativity especially due to the extended nature of many of the tracks. It was a really relaxing and enjoyable listening experience and I will almost certainly revisit it.

Excellent soul record. #johnsvinyl

Unexpectedly goo

Sehr Intressaante Musik, eine Mischung aus Backsänerinen und Lead. Grovig und ässt mitsummen

Album #28, Isaac Hayes, Hot Buttered Soul ⭐⭐⭐ Right, where to start with this? This could be a two star on another day, but I’m giving it three because I’m in a good mood and it did kind of work for me in places. I actually knew this album already. I listened to it years ago, so I wasn’t going in blind. Let’s start with the bad stuff. There are basically only four songs. It’s a 45 minute album and that’s not a lot of material. Maybe that’s common enough for a soul or jazz leaning record from that era, but I don’t think it really works here. If you break it down, there are only a handful of musical ideas stretched across the whole thing, and I’m not sure that’s enough to hold my attention for that long. “Walk On By” is a good song, but it’s too long. It actually reminds me of “Suspicious Minds” where the best bit is the chorus, but a huge chunk of the track is taken up with a drawn out ending that doesn’t really build to anything. Same kind of issue here. “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is basically the centrepiece of the album, but I don’t think the payoff justifies the long spoken intro. It’s a cool idea, and I respect it, but in the modern day of destroyed attention spans I found it hard going. Sometimes that kind of slow burn works. For me, this time, it didn’t. The positives, his band are amazing. “Hyperbolic” is an absolute belter. Proper jam. “One Woman” is decent too. Not one of the best soul songs I’ve ever heard, but solid. The musicianship across the album is the highlight for me. Isaac himself has a great voice, but I’m not sure I’d put him up there with the absolute soul greats as a singer. Maybe that’s not the point, but when you’re on a list with so many legends it’s hard not to compare. This came out in 1969, and I don’t know enough about the context to say how influential it was. Maybe it was groundbreaking and I’m just not appreciating that side of it. As I said at the start, this is probably a two for me on another day. But “Hyperbolic” is such a tune, and “Walk On By” has some genuinely beautiful moments, so it gets a three.

Sounds good but just not my favorite 3 stars

Damn, that beginning sounds really like hot butter! Fucking excellent, love it, daaamn

As someone who grew up listening to 80’s and 90’s hip hop I’m most familiar with the songs from this album, like “Walk son By” and “Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic” from them being sampled by my favorite artists. And I’m probably most aware of Isaac Hayes as playing Chef of South Park.

šef iz saut parka izbacio skroz neloš album

Cool vibe songs too long though😕

Of my. I love this album. I know Hayes from Shaft and shorter cuts of Walk on By and Phoenix but I’ve been missing out. The long cuts are phenomenal! Four songs for an entire album! Crazy but it works. That voice and that band! One of my new favorites

Beautiful and charismatic delivery from Isaac Hayes that I’ve never heard the likes of before. This was fantastic and drew me in immediately. Such a simple groove in each song and for how long the songs are, they don’t feel terribly repetitive or uninteresting. Really fun stuff and sincere delivery all around. Beautiful vocals and orchestration of these wonderful tunes. Truly soulful music and with a lot of amazing passion that’s such a gift to listen to.

Good voice, but incredibly boring music.

I like soul, and it’s fun to listen to Chef say “uhh” a lot, but ultimately not my favourite album. Bonus points for fitting “medulla oblongata” into lyrics, though!

Did not spark joy

el ultimo tema no me gusto la verdad. osea real 20 minutos hablando con ni un fondo entretenido

Long songs for me but pretty nice

it was good

aprendí a decir hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic

Longest longs

Jesus Christ, Chef, save some strings for the rest of us. This could damn-well be one of the most timeless albums ever. I listen to this and think late 70s, not late 60s. This album came out the same year as Abbey Road. Anyways, I don't know what it is with soul singers and making the most creative covers out there, but that man put more than his soul into Walk On By and By the Time I Get to Phoenix. That second one nearly takes up a whole side all by itself and most of it is a pretty neat story he made up. The best part is that he got a whole orchestra's worth of instruments to back him up.

I never imagined Soul Music would had such long songs as on this album. But then I discovered there's this thing, I mean, subgenre called Progressive Soul and I might dig a bit deeper to find out more about it. The song ”Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" is my favourite, maybe because it has a The Doors vibe.

I have a copy of this album and have listened to it a lot down the years. It was one of the first albums that pulled me into Stax/Volt. It's an absolute classic. It sounds so pure, even now, not over-produced or too many layers. Put this album on, sit down, close your eyes and be at peace with everything - you can't fight it.

Psicodélico pero encantador.

No me gusta el estilo

easy listening

I liked it but don't know that I would listen again.

kinda fun

Not my favourite, was getting very repetitive and it was kind putting me in fight or flight mode

Det är knappast Lätt&lagom vi snackar här, snarare dansk majornäs (hittade en en gång som hade fetthalt 97%). Jag är oerhört svag för Isaac Hayes maratonsoul, när den liksom bara får pågå i en mindre evighet. Jag spelar ofta Isaac när jag lagar mat av nån outgrundlig anledning, kanske är det fetthalten jag vill åt, allt blir ju godare med smör. Skit i all sex, guldkedjor, märkliga utstyrslar och Black Moses snack för en stund. Lyssna istället verkligen för en gångs skull på det perfekta sofistikerade hantverket i "Walk on by". Precis allt är fulländat med den låten, den känns för kort trots sina 12 minuter. Stabila 4 till South Park kocken

Tre av fyra spår klockar in på 9 till 17 minuter, ändå vill man aldrig att de ska ta slut. Det är kraftfullt och vackert. Nära gränsen till femma. Det är nog One woman som drar ner det lite. Det är en bra soulballad, men inte lika enastående som resten.

Hayes vet sannerligen hur man marinerar sin själ i drypande smör. Svulstigt, storslaget och ack så ljuvligt. Groovet, det tålmodiga byggandet mot ett klimax (inte minst i avslutande Phoenix). Sen kan det förstås vara så, precis som med en bra semla, man orkar inte med hur många som helst. Bra där att den gode Hayes nöjer sig med fyra spår. Ett album att spela max en eller två gånger åt gången, annars går det som för Adolf Fredrik å semlorna.

Walk on by i Hayes version är mästerlig. Introt får håren på armarna att resa sig. Hayes kanske inte är den största soulrösten men för walk on by är den perfekt. Övriga låtar är når inte upp till samma klass. Jag gillar de långa låtarna som får tid på sig att byggas upp, men det blir några minuter för många av släpig dialog i …Phoenix. Som helhet är ändå Hot Buttered Soul riktigt bra. Det går så klart att argumentera för att det är en lång EP snarare än ett album.

Interesting listen I guess. I don't think I'll come back to this one.

Groovy. That's about all I took away from this album.

really didnt love it at first, then I started getting more into it

Intoxicating, and as it’s clearly audible, infinitely influential. Loved every second

The song lengths make this difficult to put into casual rotation, but I did really enjoy it.

enjoyed but each song was too long for me to revisit. sry!

Chef was really cooking with this one. Possibly the greatest 4-track LP of all-time.

Should've had it in my playlist already

Really surprised by how great this one was.

Wow! Did not expect to like it that much. One of the best Soul record I've ever heard.

When progressive and smooth soul dance together in the best way. Beautiful and heartfelt album!

It’s okay

8.5/10

Not my thing. it's fine. not sure it's list worthy.

Prog soul? Solid 3.5, rounded up to a 4.

This is my first time listening to this album. Man, this is smooth. I'll be adding this album to my list of albums to listen to again.

Didn't like the cover of walk on by, but the other tracks are grand.

Very nice

Not too shabby.

While listening to this album, the question "Where do I know that voice from?" kept running through my head. I Googled the artist's name — and lo and behold, it's Chef from South Park! However, Chef would be thirty years away, but for now, let's consider the fact that this forty-five-minute record consists of only four songs. At that length, it might seem like prog rock, but no, it's soul, albeit a rather unusual one. Moreover, two songs on this album (that's half of it) are covers, which Hayes managed to stretch out two or three times longer, yet they never get boring or lose their appeal: this is beautiful, somewhat pompous music, perfect for a candlelit dinner. The record is almost sixty years old, but it doesn't feel that old at all; it's hard to believe it was recorded that long ago. I think that's one of the hallmarks of quality.

Solid gold. Interesting backstory; a testament to giving the artist full creative control. Labels, take heed!

Meh

4/5 exactly as the title says

Great laid back soul.

You know, I don't think this is Isaac Hayes best work, but the last song about the man finding that woman and her cheating on his 7 times, that was heavy and told a story in a way I don't get to experience often. So for that experience it definitely hits a little higher in the rankings.

I liked this but man some of these tracks are long. High 3

smooth

I went into this album expecting it to be just more soul music, but from the very first song I realized that Hot Buttered Soul had its own unique sound. This album was a good discovery, and I will be listening to it again even if the songs are long.

Perhaps the most extreme example of song length inflation in this period. With 4 tracks in over 40 minutes, it’s fair to say the tracks are dragged out! The sound is grand and well composed (you understand why Hayes worked on a film, Shaft, after this), but even classics like Walk on By seem so strung out.

Isaac Hayes seems to have thought the way to make a great song even better is simply to make it longer. ‘Walk On By’ and ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’ are both fantastic songs… in their original sub-three minute forms. I don’t think dragging them out to interminable lengths added anything, and I can definitely live without eight minute-long spoken intros. Unsurprisingly, the shortest song here, ‘One Woman’, was easily the best of the album for me. I can’t say Hayes’s vocals particularly impressed me either; the album’s saving grace was that the band and production were fantastic.

I ❤️ Stax Records

Fantastic album start to finish. Pure hot buttered soul

Mr. 'Chef' himself in his second release is down right funky as hell.

What a banger

High praise for this one. Definitely worth bookmarking and coming back to. Incredibly fresh and soulful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed listening to this. I felt it dragged on a bit long in certain places and I could have done without the 8 min spoken word section. 3.5/5

Hey it's Chef. Hot Buttered Soul may be the best album name I've ever heard. The music is in fact buttery. Just 4 songs, I can't believe how many albums I've listened to that are only 4 songs long. The songs really grow, there's a lot of space to each one, they're lengthy, and somehow it works better. Isaac Hayes' voice is really something else, I love the instrumental backing to each song. By the Time I Get to Phoenix really ends this one on a high note.

I couldn't listen to the whole thing. Feels very self indulgent and not easy listening.

Plenty to like here. Isaac Hayes is kind of "the king" of this style right? I don't love love love this and I won't reach for it often but man when you want that smooth low-baritone this is a good choice.

God, what a perfect album. Isaac Hayes combines incredibly soulful delivery with super lush instrumentation, to astonishing effect. One of the GOAT albums. Fun fact: Henry Rollins, frontman of hardcore punk band Black Flag, cites this as his favourite album ever!

Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic!!

GOD these arrangements are perfection, there's no better description for it than 'prog soul'. Standouts: Walk On By • Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic • One Woman • By The Time I Get To Phoenix

Great album but for once I actually wish it was longer so he could show off more stuff!!

The audacity to open the open with a 13 minute song, damn. Can definitely hear how he influenced so many who came after him.

Honestly surprised by how pleasant it was.

Lowkey sumptuous.

Hard to hear as anything but parody, yet it still sounds cool.

what a fantastic album. there's so much here that's novel. it's short at only 4 songs but it's also 45 min long!

4 songs 46 minutes of Chef singing. Not my thing.

a 12 minute song, a 10 minute song, and an 18 minute song are on this album and I wasn't bored once.

Cool vibe

It’s completely unbelievable

was always number 1 on my topsters lists... i basically think its the best album of all time. ive loved it my whole life

1.5

wow. This album made me do all my chores in a blink. Very good.

Walk On By my choice for greatest cover ever. Up there with greatest intros too. Too me far too long to appreciate the genius behind Chef.

Stunning album. A true classic. This is what I needed on a day like yesterday.

I love three minute pop songs. Two of the greatest ever written are on this album. Walk On By and By The Time I Get To Phoenix are bone fide classics...or at least the originals are. Extending these perfect pop songs beyond the 10 minute mark isn't big and it isn't clever. It's just annoying. Nope!

God yes. Since I got the Shaft soundtrack (haha ‘got the shaft’), I’ve been really looking forward to getting this one. Hot Buttered Soul is an even better record than Shaft was in large part due to Isaac Hayes’ singing being more prevalent. The singing is smooth and filled with swagger. The instrumentation upholds the same qualities, but is even more lush and gorgeous. I really loved this one.

Album 42 Top 2 favorites off the album: By The Time I Get To Phoenix, One Woman Only two favorites today because 3 of 4 seems like cheating. On second thought, I'll just do a definitive ranking: it's the order of the album backwards. Ta daaaaaa. Alright, so I didn't love this one sound-wise, but I did like the story in By The Time I Get To Phoenix. I think Hayes has a good voice. It was actually the instrumentation in this one that didn't wow me, particularly on the first two tracks. Something about the theatricality of Walk On By just didn't appeal to me on this album. 45 minutes for 4 tracks... did it need to be 45 minutes? Not sure. I was falling asleep (partly my own fault for the time I went to bed, but there wasn't much that excited me about this album). I usually like soul. I don't know what happened here. I don't think I'll come back to this one.

Enjoyed it. They were long tracks, but didn't feel like it.

I imagine this record was important to the Beastie Boys during the Paul’s Boutique era. It reminds of the type of 60s/70s they mythologized. For me, I’d like the songs more if they weren’t so long.

Epic and funky!

Bluesy chill vibes

Ikkje for meg

4 songs. 46 minutes.

Um bom album Soul, Isaac Hayes constroi muito bem todos os arranjos, tem muita identidade. 8/10

This Soul music is really great. I will definitly be diving into this album and more of this genre in the future

Incredible soul album, one woman is the highlight

Incredible. Brave to put out an album with 4 long songs. So ahead. Wish more people would experiment with album format in this way

Hmm. There are parts I liked a lot, but also extended passages that left me stone cold - so it just doesn't work for me as an album. It might have been fantastic for some people, it's interesting that it came out in 1969, but it just doesn't work for me. 3/10.

Annoyingly long songs.

Smoothhh

Starts off outrageously cool. But as is often the case with cool things, the more time you spend with them, the more faults you notice, and in the end, the mysterious stranger turns out to be nothing more than the rambling uncle.

Butterball

A classic! Another ive not listened to for a while so am happily going through Issacs oeuvre! Again!

Who actually enjoys this? What made people actually record this? When are you supposed to play this? Where can I ask for my time back? Why dear lord why?

Really interesting listen and oozes cool. Narration may drag on repeat listening.

Such a beautiful album. Genre defining and ahead of its time. It didn’t need 8 minutes of narration on track 4 … but I’ve decided to waive that to score a low 5 / 5

Unusual and ahead of it's time. Not an album for repeated listening. Some cool arrangements, though.

Each individual component is objectively good: musicianship; songwriting; flare. For me however, there is a structural issue with the flow of these tracks. I don’t think the seemingly endless jams put any of these beautiful components in their best light. It all comes off indulgent and lacking in momentum to me. Though I am sure that the people who love this album love it for the jamming element, and maybe even wish it would never end…!

A low 5 for Isaac Hayes, wow what a record, listened to it twice over and will absolutely be revisiting regularly, just great

Holy shit.

Songs are too long.

First foray into Isaac Hayes get the shaft soundtrack and no complaints

3.5 Isaac Hayes souled out

Walk On By is fantastic, Hyberbolicsyallbicsesquedalymstic and One Woman are very solid. By the Time I Get to Phoenix would've been better without the 8 minute narration at the beginning.

This was a slow burn for me. I was listening to it in the background today and I felt it fall short, later on I realized that's because this isn't meant for the background. Sit down and use your ears real good for this one. This is soul fundamentals, and it's fresh. His vocals are an instrument of their own, the man has a beautiful voice, and his energy is eternal. That first track sets the perfect tone. It reshapes a popular song into something so full of emotion that it distorts. It lays a badass undertone to start things off, rocking out with the Bar-Kays, who merit way more visible credit for this effort. It's then drawn out, experimented with, played and displayed. You can feel that dynamic on the four tracks that make this record. It's playful, it's sensual, it's intense, it's a beautifully executed project. I feel like I might possibly love this more in the future. My rating expresses a single day of exposure to this gem, where I find this as something I highly appreciate but not necessarily a project I'd listen to frequently. I would still buy it. 4.3/5

Better than Coldplay

surprised I didn't like this one that much 2

Don't like but it have some good instruments Rate 3/10

I know Isaac Hayes best from "Theme from Shaft," which I've always loved since hearing it on the radio when it was a hit in the early 70s. Plus the wikipedia article says that this is one of Henry Rollins' favorite records. So hey, let's go. This is everything that I liked about "Shaft" but stretched out, sometimes with an almost improv kind of feeling. I did not expect these instrumental bits! The crazy long end of "Hyperbolicsyllablecsesquedalymistic" reminded me of Can. (Or maybe better to say that the bass on "Tago Mago" reminds me of "Hyperbolicsyllablecsesquedalymistic," since this came out 3 years earlier.) What interested me most when I first saw the tracklist was this 18-minute-long version of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." What? I didn't know what to expect with this, an 18-minute soul version of what I remember as a lightweight Glen Campbell song from when I was a kid. But damn, his long intro that created a story around why the guy in the song was doing what he was doing caused this version to be pretty heartbreaking. 4/5

This was a great discovery. For old-school soul music, this album really stands out. It has mellow, soulful moments but also builds up to expansive orchestral sections that are truly captivating. Some parts of the album even break into extended jams that keep the energy flowing.

Mijn god, wat een plaat, dat dit in 1969 gemaakt is! Dit raakt echt iets in me, zo zwoel, zo goor, zo glibberig als Isaac z'n kale kop op de album cover. Overigens echt absurd hoeveel dit gesampled is trouwens. En oh ja, fuck scientology

Enjoyable listen

Enjoyable listen

Ik had Black Moses wel eens geluisterd maar dit is nog beter. Wat een grooves, wat een productie. Hoe is dit opgenomen in de jaren 60? Deze man leefde ver in de toekomst.

Classic soul

Very enjoyable, Hayes' voice is so smooth and his take on Walk on by is so different, almost unrecognisable. With all the songs being ten minutes long sometimes I found my attention wondering a little towards the end as they were mostly instrumental.

I don’t like soul. It’s a genre based on a vibe I don’t enjoy. However, this album is a lot more lush and instrumentally complex than most soul, so it balances out. I liked it. I think the last song is a little bit underwhelming because of its long intro, but other than that, it’s one of the most enjoyable soul albums I’ve heard so far. 7/10

Uses long track length to its advantage. Each track builds a vibe and lets you live in it long enough that it starts to really get to you in a way that most standard-length songs don’t. Total vibe with a great voice.

Very nice bit of classic RnB.

By The Time I Get To Phoenix being one of the best songs ever recorded certainly helps this one

Holy cow! This was 1969!!?? Literally light years ahead of its time. Didn’t know what to expect, but this is just superb. Got a dirty nasty vibe at times and then it’s smooooooth. Definitely deserves its place on the list. 3. Drops points because it lost me a bit in the end. Definitely coming back to it though.

I could not stand this album. It just did not click at all, seemed to be just too experimental and way too slow for my taste.

Tremendo

This is the type of album that reminds me why I started doing this. So good but never would’ve picked out myself.

听不懂

Chef cooks

I think all albums should end with a 12 minute interview with the artist

373/1089 - Thanks Chef!

Too much talking

This was ok

Such a great album. I remember my dad introducing me to this album as a kid. I remember hearing it but not appreciating it. I eventually hear the single version of Walk On By and I was like "okay, I hear it now" Fast forward to my twenties when I revisit this album and hear the full Walk On By 🤯 It's a feeling that keeps through the record. Are there only 4 songs? Yes. Are they long? Yes. Do they take you (as someone else put it best) a journey? Yes Each one tells a slightly different story musically. Lots of heartbreak in the album but told majestically through the mind of Isaac. I usually try and choose a hit, a miss, and a hidden gem but really each song can be any of those if you are not familiar with long songs, or its not your style. I love the journey it goes on.

I've heard a lot about this album, but I've never actually listened to it, and it is as good as advertised. By the Time I Get to Phoenix is a TRIP.

Incredible, timeless sounds with soul that cannot be contained. Can't believe I've never listened to this before. MAGIC.

The spoken word at the beginning of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" was gratuitous but overall a very good album. Maybe one of the most accurate album names ever.

It was unique in the ebbs and flows of each song however it was too long for me to ever want to revisit it

This was fine, but I didn't really get the point of the album. The songs were all very long but without much in the way of transitions or changes that could keep them interesting. I didn't dislike it, but I can't think of many reasons to put Hot Buttered Soul on again.

Lovely Isaac. A 3,7

dette har jeg aldri hørt om før! // fra første strofe er jeg solgt, for en opplevelse

How did they ever get this man to do South Park?

I didn’t know I needed full orchestral soul music in my life. Very enjoyable

First off it has a way more modern feel then 1969. I feel like this could have easily come out in the 2000's. (Except the backup vocals, something about a small group of ladies as your backup singers really screams 60's and 70's.) For its time I can see where this was different and pushed the envelope in terms of instruments and melodies. But its actually kind of boring and kind goes on and on. Hyperbolicsyllabise....seemed to drag on longer than the title. Then By the Time I Get to Phoenix had an unnecessarily long explanation or story that really hyped up the song that ended up being nothing. If he had shortened songs up and written one or two other songs I think it would have been much more impressive. I also was slightly disappointed I didn't get to hear him sing and have his voice by more central. Knowing he voiced Chef I thought that his voice would be stronger and more powerful, but honestly it felt like his voice wasn't meant to be the star of the songs. Overall this was kind of a throw away album.

Never listened to Isaac Hayes before. It was sort of what I expected... except the songs were much longer than standard pop songs. It makes it more of a vibe thing I think. You turn it on and you just groove to it. I dig it but 20 minutes of him talking about his bad relationship? Dude... C'mon. I hope that was very healing for him but I found myself wanting to pay for his drink and leave half way through.

What a deliciously smooth listen. And it also went hard psych in parts. I wouldn’t say this is a life changer, but I’d come back to it. 3.5 stars.

The instruments felt very lush and full throughout this album. I loved that. I didn’t mind the length of songs either. Between the storytelling and the way the music ebbed and flowed and built, this was a delightful journey through sound. I think my soul is officially hot and buttered.

Me frotaría en su calva

Incredible album.

On the first listen I didn’t really get this one. On the second listen, I think I understand the merit of this album. It’s a pretty challenging listen (because the songs are so long), but I think the point is to just sit back and let Isaac Hayes take you on the long-haul soul train. When you accept this, the album plays beautifully and provides a very potent soul experience. It’s a slow burn (one of the slowest I’ve ever encountered), but worth sitting with. In particular, the triumphant horns on the closer (an honestly puzzling 19-minute version of “By The Time I Get To Phoenix”) are a great example of how this album pays off for the patient listener. Edit: this album is a masterpiece in soul, and an incredible experience.

Such easy listening really like this one

Not for me but was great to have on in the background

First time listening to Isaac Hayes. I like the instrumental grooves, but I find it a bit boring because every track is so long. If I find a good part in a 14-minute track, I can’t wait to get to that part. My favorite tracks are ‘Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic’ and ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix.’

First time listening to Isaac Hayes. I like the instrumental grooves, but I find it a bit boring because every track is so long. If I find a good part in a 14-minute track, I can’t wait to get to that part. My favorite tracks are ‘Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic’ and ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix.’

This was pretty cool. Pretty pretty cool. Pretty short too. Or felt short. Long grooves and funky sounds. Can’t say I loved it but very nice.

So damn good

45 min album with 4 songs! Wouldn’t listen to this kind of music all the time but enjoyed the soul.

Heerlijk chil

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUTT - štyri pesničky a aj tak to je 45 min omg😭 - dosť prekvapujúci sound na to že rok 1969, ale trz keď nad tým rozmýšľam tak ani nie je to taký uzemnenejší jazz na pohľad, ale potom it gets really funky sometimes 1. Strašne dlhé intro, lyrics skôr v strede, ale I like them. Všeobecný sound je nice, ale až tak ma to neoslovilo, it's way too long for me. 2. Táto má zase iný postup, všetok text na začiatku potom skĺzne do akejsi jam session. Idk how I feel about this, still long, ale nie až tak 9:36. 3. Táto má iba 5 minút, bojím sa ďalšej, lebo to znamená že posledná má asi 15 😭😭 - might be my fave, páči sa mi Hayesov slower sound, má ten rnb hlas proste na tento typ love songov - omg wait, this is about cheating 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨 hold onnn - “woman making me do wrong“ sir that's all you - ale I stand by this being my fave sound zatiaľ 4. 18:44 guys I'm so cooked nemam attention span na toto oml

noticed a lot of parts other artists sampled! cool digs

Muy bonito

I was conflicted between a 3 or 4. This is just above average and has some enjoyable songs, but a lot of fluff too.

Good soul record.

very groovy classic

Yeeeeesh. Stank face went on early and never really went anywhere. The 60s? Really? Walk On By is sooooo good, how have I never heard this? I guess I recognize a lot from being sampled in other tunes. Soulful suspension in time listening to hyperbolic, groovy. Walk on By has to be the track, 4/5.

This is insane considering its from the 1960s

10

2.5

This is a fantastic new discovery for me. Epic and soaring, you can definitely see the early influences on 70’s soul and R&B. When I saw it was only 4 songs, I couldn’t believe it, but they are all unique and great in their own right. The only knock against it in my opinion is the lengthy spoken intro for By the Time I Get to Phoenix, but that was because I wanted to get to the rest of the song already. The groove on the second track is my favorite of the whole album and might be one of the best I have encountered in the project so far. The guitar on “Walk On By” is fantastic, excellent tone and I feel like it has been sampled repeatedly because it was recognizable and yet new at the same time. Really glad I listened to this.

É um album que não estava a espera. A ultima faixa fez me sentir num podcast

So vibey, good to listen to stoned

YES YES YES FOURTY FIVE MINUTES AND FOUR SONGS OMG actually hard slay of an album. needs to be listened to in its entirety.

Damn these songs are long. But they still sound good. He was just talking on By The Time I Get To Phoenix, yet thats one of my favorites on here. Saved: One Woman

would be 3 1/2 but i cant rate half stars

I knew Haye's version of Walk On By that starts this album but I didn't know the rest of it. It is an astonishing work, although I'd prefer a rather more straight version of By The Time I Get To Phoenix.

Fantastic. Can’t believe this came out in the 60’s. Way before its time. Only complaint is the long monologue on track 4 but even that is somehow smooth as hell.

Verbaasde me dat dit album al uit 1969 kwam. Luistert lekker weg, lange nummers. Wel aardig wat herhaling. Wel heel relaxt voor de achtergrond. Eerste drie liedjes niet goed naar de tekst kunne luisteren, laatste lied beter: gewoon een soort spoken word.

Name doesn’t lie

4.5 Recién lo empece y los instrumentales de Walk On By están alterando la química de mi cerebro en estos momentos, que JOYA HP ESA GUITARRAAAAA ALO?? Los vocales de él y la voz de fondo de ella se complementan a la perfección. Estoy levitando como ese meme de Bob Esponja, no puedo creer que no he escuchado esto anteeeees!!! Incluso los 3 últimos minutos no me molesta en lo absoluto que repitan las letras una y otra vez (cuando normalmente odio eso) EL RITMO lo complementa tan bien!! PINCHE ROLA ESPECTACULAR, ESTO HA SIDO CINE PARA MIS OIDOS, y como se suben los tonos en el minuto 10:30 mas o menos AAAAAAAA Y ESA BATERIA AL FINAL WAAAA no puedo creer que solo tenga 4 canciones este álbum. Aunque lo que dura cada canción si le hace justicia xd, lo tomo. Top 4 Songs: - Walk On By - One Woman - By the Time I Get to Phoenix - Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic Tengo que decir que la intro de By the Time I get to Phoenix si se me hizo algo larga. De ahí, fue una total experiencia escuchar este álbum, las vibras que me dio fueron indescriptibles, y pues ojalá descubrir más álbums así a lo largo de este trayecto. La plena no sabía que me gustaba tanto este género hasta este álbum. Tengo que escuchar más a este caballero Isaac Hayes definitivamente, estoy tan agradecida de haberlo escuchado, FUE CINE, no tengo más que decir (lo dice después de escribir un testamento xd)

Soul de corazón

It was alright. I lost interest in the last song, but aside from that I enjoyed the first track and the rest kind of just blended into the album.

Where to start? It’s so over the top, melodramatic and heavily arranged that it’s difficult to fully know what I think. Love his voice though-really soulful-and the songs (all four of them) are all powerful. I especially loved One Woman. Really good overall.

The guy has a great voice, but I found the whole album a bit slow. Also, he talks too much! Still prefer The Stranglers version of "Walk On By".