Reviews (page 5 of 14)
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.
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
373/1089 - Thanks Chef!
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.
dette har jeg aldri hørt om før! // fra første strofe er jeg solgt, for en opplevelse
I didn’t know I needed full orchestral soul music in my life. Very enjoyable
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.
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.’
Heerlijk chil
noticed a lot of parts other artists sampled! cool digs
I was conflicted between a 3 or 4. This is just above average and has some enjoyable songs, but a lot of fluff too.
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.
10
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.
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.
Name doesn’t lie
Hot Buttered Soul is the perfect title for this album. If you are into this kind of high-concept, luxuriant soul music, with time taken over everything, great musicianship and super-high production values, the album must be a real treat. I’m a not really that guy but I recognise the artistry.
Leuke vibe! Einde was wel beetje saai voor een tijdje maar verder echt leuk! 8/10
This was my nickname in high school
Need to get it in my head that this is not Gil Scott Heron
I really enjoyed the first song, however, the last one did kinda lose me after a while of all the talking. Once it got to the music tho, very nice.
That was love making music. Good shit. South Park voice actor for chef lol.
Long soul jams
really nice but not my style, but still rlly nice to hear
This was almost a 5 for me, but it's derailed in the final stretch by the 9 minute spoken word intro to 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix'. That's a full 20% of the 4-track album, if you're wondering. Though it has some camp appeal, the sermon is slow as molasses, mostly pointless and kills the replay value of the record as a whole. But like, I said, otherwise, this album is almost perfect. Specifically, the arrangement of 'Walk On By' is stunning and backing band the Bar-Kays are in top form on 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymisitc'.
Great musicianship with smooth grooves funky rhythyms and Hayes has that great smooth deep voice.
Peak. Would be a 3.5 if rating existed. 9 minute spoken word intro to the final song killed the pace but was eventually worth it.
Wasn’t the chaotic jazz I’m used to but you can tell this was incredibly influential to modern jazz
Other than the intro to phoenix, some great stuff here
7.0/10
I was already familiar with this album. It is a soul classic. Every track is great, and while By The Time I Get To Phoenix is very long, clocking in at over 18 minutes, it doesn't feel that long. My favorite track is Walk On By. I would listen to this album again for sure.
Walk on By
Wow. Love the opening two tracks. Amazing sound, vocals, lyrics. Couldn’t ask for more in a song. Later songs were good, but not my favorite. 8.5/10
I like it, but i wish the songs were shorter since I get bored of the songs when they last too long. I might be living under a rock, but imo he´s an hidden gem.
3.5
This one has grown on me a bit since i first listened to it on my 1969 dive. Believe it or not for once my favorite tracks on here were the shorter tracks but especially "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic". But even the longer tracks has their high points like the guitar work on "Walk In By"., if there's a part that really loves me a bit it is the long spoken word intro to "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" but when it gets to the actual song it's as smooth as hot butter. (8.3) ★★★★
By The Time I Get To Phoenix takes an awful lot longer than it should to get there but other 3 tracks are terrific. 4 Chocolate Salty Balls out of 5.
Tendría cinco estrellas si 25 de los 40 minutos que dura el álbum no se la pasara hablando.
Second time around for this album as well - really liked it, a super solid listen. Great songs and vocals.
The Hammond organ is at it again 💃🏻 Not a boring moment on this album, despite how long the songs are (including the 8 minutes of spoken word. He’s a storyteller!) Definitely returning to this.
Damn. A 12 minute opening track. I was already showered and ready for a nap before track #2.
Sure was an interesting listen, 4 tracks 40 plus minutes slow burn soul. Indulgent, yeah guess so, I mean 8 mins before even get close to phoenix ( that’s how to cover a song) but Pretty damn good with it. Got his singles on Stax box set and own shaft but never listened to any of his other albums, as said interesting and changing that from today, 4 Star
Holy shit I can't get enough of this.
Damn. Sets a mood, very cool. On another day, maybe the repetitiveness might have turned me off, but I was grooving through to the end
Hard not to like, though I'm between a 3 and a 4,
Such smooth grooves! I’ve always enjoyed this one, a real nice way to start my day.
My excitement when I opened this album and saw it was 46 minutes with only 4 songs cannot be described. I love long songs and I love albums where the tracklist is short and doesn’t total over 50 minutes—with some exceptions, of course, especially when it comes to punk music or concept albums. The effect and build up at the very beginning is awesome. All of Walk On By is phenomenal. I feel like I’ve heard it a lot before, but I know they wouldn’t play an eleven minute song on the radio so I honestly don’t know. Maybe something samples it? Ok apparently Me Against the World by 2Pac does, and I have that on my playlist, so that makes sense. Also 6 Inch by Beyoncé, which I’ve only listened to two or three times, but it was a fairly memorable song. Hyperbolic… has quite the title, with lyricism to match and lots of cool production. One Woman is great as well. I honestly don’t remember much because I had to listen to it in segments due to some stuff that came up, but I remember liking it—great vocals and such. By The Time I Get to Phoenix is a beautiful spoken word telling a love story. It’s a great closer for the album and really perfectly sums up what the album’s about. Amazing album. RIP Isaac Hayes.
Excellent! Still sounds fresh.
Glad I got to listen to this. Now I can say I've heard his actually music rather than nostalgia of South Park.
Sacré découverte, dommage que la dernière chanson soit un peu longuette.
Que vibe
Sometimes I wonder how many babies were born because of Hayes and his grooves. Many, I assume.
i love this guy
Need a relisten with more focus on the lyrics
Shaft! Except not this time. Clearly so influential in both image and sound, this is an awesome album.
Solid sound from top to bottom
Cool
88/100.
PEAK
epic, grand, and ambitious. love how established his sound is in only his second recording. the messaging of being a good man isn't a weakness is interesting, and turns the stereotype of the man doing wrong by his woman on it's head in the 1960s pretty progressive. chef is cool as hell.
i should listen to this again very impressive next to buttery
Thought I must've clicked the wrong thing when I only saw 4 songs, but this is a solid album. Slow burn, mellow grooves. Title is perfect.
One of the best to ever do it.
First three songs were fire, last one was way out of whack.
i'm thinking that maybe i should become a scientologist. very good grooves. a lot of soul and funk cooks, but almost none of it is as carefully braised as this. deserves to be one of the 1001? yeah!
Incredible soul music.
Smooth and sultry. Super long tracks though, I preferred the single edits. Very innovative for 1969.
Good. Dragged on a little for me, but that's more on my attention span than the album.
Sample heaven. Warning by Biggie and Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos immediately came through, but I’m sure there were plenty of others as well. Gorgeous music. Only complaint is that some songs dragged a bit for me, and in particular the last one went on far too long for my taste.
Pas toujours dans le mood d'écouter du Isaac Hayes mais quand c'est le temps c'est bon.
This album certainly belongs on this list.
Can’t help but hear chef from South Park lol. But good album none the less.
Four songs on an album are enough, if they’re good. And this time, they were. Overall, a solid album.
No this was hot not Kollaps
So smooth very groove
𝘏𝘰𝘵 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 stands out through its luxurious instrumental arrangements and the unmistakable presence of Isaac Hayes’ voice. The extended orchestral passages and smooth grooves give the album a cinematic feel, and instead of rushing through songs, it lets them unfold slowly and confidently. Hayes’ vocals tie everything together — warm, commanding and full of personality — turning long tracks into immersive experiences rather than indulgences. It isn’t flawless, but when the rich instrumentation and powerful voice lock in, the album reaches a unique emotional depth that few soul records attempt at this scale. Stylish, expressive and memorable.
Hot Buttered Soul gets four stars from me on vibe alone. Well, that and the fact that I imagined South Park's Chef--who was, of course, originally voiced by Isaac Hayes--doing the spoken word part of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and prefacing every line with "Now, children..."
Goddamn this stuff sinks right into my soul.
Issac Hayes is a baaaad man!
Fun
Isaac Hayes was out here dropping 18+ minute tracks?!
By The Time I Get To Phoenix is a JOURNEY
Very smooth and calm, perfect for some late night background music. I find the last song a bit boring, but it's cool.
4 out of 5. This is a hot buttered album.
I possibly enjoyed this more as it was a welcome break from a guitar heavy week. This only really functions as an album as each track in isolation is not that memorable but as a whole it worked.
Only four tracks but they all justify their length. Some fantastic grooves and vocals from Hayes here, packaged up with some very lush and rich production. And coming out at the tail end of the 60s, it feels like it set the template for a lot of more progressive soul going into the next decade.
Turns out I like my soul hot and buttered.
this album cover and name is bonkers in the best way. I wonder if this is a landmark soul album.
Well butter my soul, this is hot
On my first listen, I was working and this was excellent. On my second listen, I was driving with my family and I was less enthusiastic about it. I think it’s still solid.
Four songs. Four hot buttered bangers. Four stars.
1969? No puede ser. Espectacular. 8/10
Really quite lovely stuff. Yes it dragged a bit towards the end. But the first half was absolutely brilliant.
Isaac Hayes isn't like Otis Redding. Otis delivered his soul in 3:30 songs, but Isaac takes his time. Kind of interesting that they both came out of Stax; I think this is a testament to Stax. Isaac was destined for sountrack music--Hot Buttered Soul proves it, and Shaft delivered. My only criticism is that "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" is more vamp than slow burn.
Chef's early work is top notch. It doesn't have the comedic punch of Chocolate Salty Balls, but it's every bit as sexy. Seriously though, this is interplay between music and vocals is so delightful on this album, with its looong tracks that feel like a grand tour. Had to listen to it three times before being fully convinced: it's a four star showing.
Epic. Grand. 9/10
DAMN! Chef sure can cook! I prefered the first half of the album, but this was a really fine listen start to finish.
Quite a cool album. There's some stuff on there I've definitely heard sampled on rap songs too!
This record surprised me in a good way. Hell yeah Chef.
Great till the last song
This challenge introduced me to the concept of “psychedelic soul.” Isaac Hayes has a buttery voice and command of atmosphere, able to turn pop song covers into 15-minute epics. I enjoyed it.
This was so lovely. I hadn’t really heard soul music before, and I’d absolutely throw this on while working. Would 100% revisit again.
Totally cool. Like everyone else, I thought the spoken word intro to Phoenix goes on way too long. Really great production and creativity throughout.
3.5
Wish it was longer! Good stuff.
A interesting album, from his own take on walk on by to the mammoth By the Time I Get To Phoenix, this album is full of surprises. Not what was expecting but enjoyed it nevertheless
Right up my alley; added to the must listen again list
Short sweet, and packs a punch. You can hear how Marvin Gaye was inspired by this album, and how it laid the groundwork for later soul Albums
Right away, I recognized “Walk On By” from the Ludacris classic Southern Fried Intro, which was a cool surprise. That track alone hooked me, but the rest of the album kept me in. From start to finish, it’s smooth, soulful, and just plain easy to listen to. Isaac Hayes’ voice is as rich and calming as the music behind it. The arrangements feel warm and full, and even though the final track runs a whopping 18 minutes, it never drags. Somehow, he manages to keep it interesting the whole way through. Hot Buttered Soul is the definition of a chill record. Hayes took soul to a deeper, more cinematic place, and it works beautifully. It’s relaxing, confident, and timeless. Favorite song: Walk on By
Thoroughly enjoyed. Maybe just in the mood for it.
Very chilled and easy listen perfect with the newspaper and coffee on a Sunday morning . Issac has a very smooth and soft voice which feels like velvet , enjoyed the album very much and is a departure from my usual listening habits.
Glad I heard a little something new and different. Was actually a little more jammy than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise. I'm just not really a "soul" man, so I don't see myself returning to this album.
45 minutes of extended sweet psychedelic soul jams by the Stax guys. What the hell is not to like? Hayes burns it down. So weird. So luxe. So epic.
Maybe the most aptly titled album ever made.
Low 4
What’s not to like (maybe the overlong intro on track 4). Over 55 years old- the album not me. Great stuff.
I thought I was pretty over saturated in late 60s/early 70s Soul and the albums new to me that this list threw up didnt do too much for me, however Isaac has Shafted much of the competition here. Really appreciated the long songs which I dont think any of his contemporaries experimented with to the same extent. Recognized the Walk On By intro from the Wu Tang sample and that sucked me in right away, 2nd song was arguably even better. Dropped off 2nd half so 5/3 for the 2 halved, averaging out...
8/10 As a big fan of funk and soul from the late 60s into the 70s, this was always going to be an enjoyable listen. I’m familiar with some of Hayes’ work, though I’m not sure I’ve ever sat and listened to this one before, but I’m glad to have been handed the opportunity. The Bar-Kays are always worth listening to, and they create a really solid base for everything to work over here. They’re super tight and play with such feel that it’s hard not to get lost in the flow of the tracks. And then you throw on the flourishes over the top, particularly from the keys, which just roam around between soulful, funky and jazzy, adding little bursts of nuance and flavour all over the joint, it’s just glorious to listen to. The extra instrumentation from the strings, horns and woodwind just go to add depth, swells and punctuation to the whole thing, but it never feels overdone and really helps to engage the ear on songs that are pretty lengthy efforts. Top that all off with the buttery soul of Isaac Hayes’ voice and you really get a special blend. His delivery is often understated, not trying too hard to take centre stage, but delivering soulful lines like the smoothest man alive. His dynamic control is great and while he flows along beautifully for the most part, he also knows when to up the intensity enough to bring extra depth and range to a track. Sure, he gets a bit self indulgent on the intro to the last track, but frankly, who cares. I suspect I’ll be spinning this again soon enough and it might be time to dig a little deeper into his back catalogue. Walk On By - A great build and then it drops into something so smooth, the Bar-Kays doing great work as always. This is a proper 12 minute song, so many builds, different sections and developments, but it keeps referring back to the core song, so it all feels unified. All too often with long songs, they’re just a normal song with too many verses. Not here, this is a journey. The playing is so good and Isaac’s voice is, as promised, like hot butter. Some of the high tones are a little on the harsh side, but those moments are fairly fleeting. Solid stuff. Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic - This one doesn’t have as much development through its runtime, but it’s so undeniably funky and groovy that it can just roll with it and work. There’s some top notch playing on here from everyone, the piano being the obvious standout, but there are some great little fills and bits of flair all round. A really enjoyable funky experience. One Woman - He needed to stick something a bit more soul croon on here, and if you’re doing that make it something like this. The interplay between the lead and backing vocals in the chorus is just soul gold, and his voice is so, so good. The string runs and builds are top quality. By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Props to the bass player and drummer for not falling asleep while he rambles on for half of the runtime here. At least the organ player just needs to hold his chord. This isn’t as strong as the songs on the first half, but it’s still some decent soulful stuff. His voice is fantastic as always, and there are some really beautiful pieces of playing from the musicians again. Some of the little piano fills are gorgeous and the little horn, flute and string flourishes give things so much flavour. It does drag a tiny bit and feel a little self-indulgent, but if listening closely, there’s still a lot to hold the ear.
Is this the greatest masterpiece the legend Isaac Hayes ever made? I dunno if it totally surpasses the glory of Chocolate Salty Balls, but it's still great. It's a record I'd put on to introduce Isaac Hayes's music to someone. Rest in Peace to a Legend
This album was better than I expected it to be. I was scared by the track lengths, but I really liked listening to this album. I do agree with others that the intro to By The Time I Get To Phoenix is longer than it needed to be. It's weird to hear his voice, because I'm so used to him voicing Chef on South Park, but I got past that pretty quickly. He definitely has a nice, soothing voice. It's perfect for this style of music. To think that this was 1969 is crazy. My favourite song was Walk On By. 4⭐️
102 Yaaaa? Cuando escuché la primera canción me encantó. Pero luego sentí que estaba escuchando exactamente la misma canción en continuo. Está para poner de fondo, comer un picoteo, y pegarse una buena conversa y otras cosas también ;)
Overall: 8/10 I'm obviously not going to be the first person to mention this but I love listening to Chef sing. He was one of my favourite South Park characters and this was like having a little bit extra Chef. The songs are pretty great, lots of fun instrumentations and atmosphere. I genuinely think the intro to By the Time I Get to Phoenix almost ruins the entire album for me. It's way too long and should have been it's own track (though this was made in '69 so there was no way of knowing people would be "skipping" tracks on albums). By the time you get to the actual song, you almost feel like you're listening to an audiobook. The song itself ends up being really great too. The rest of the album was great enough that I'll forgive it. Once again, it's just nice to have more Chef. Fav Song: Walk On By
Litt sånn funky jazz der. Lange låter. Nummer 4 der starter veldig tregt. Men smooth. Blir en svak 4’er
Great instrumentals. The songs are a little long for my tastes. Would be good for a jukebox musical.
beautiful ambiance
A classic.
Really like the 2nd song
People love this one for Hurt, but Desperado, In My Life, We’ll Meet Again…… forget about it
Álbum de soul muito bom! Se não fossem alguns momentos muito extensos falados eu daria 5 estrelas. TRIxHBB Kai.
Wow that was exactly what the title described. Hot Butter Soul music and it’s amazing to listen to. It’s smooth, it’s beautiful and it’s heartfelt!
τέλειο soul
I really didn’t know what to expect…only four songs on the album, and three of them were covers. The only thing that was familiar to me about Isaac Hayes was the theme from Shaft. Anyway, I liked this album. I didn’t recognize “Walk on By”, but I still liked it. I even enjoyed the long introduction to “By the Time I get to Phoenix”, which was more of a story. And, he has a really good voice. Anyway, I thought this was really good, and gave it four stars.
Tiesin Isaac Hayesin nimeltä, tämä on ensimmäinen kokonaan kuunneltu levy häneltä. Miehellä on erittäin sielukas ääni, kuten suoliin vihkiytyneitä artisteilla yleensä on. Tää oli erittäin rytmikästä ja hidastempoista ”panosoulia”. 😬 levyllä on neljä kappaletta.
Buttery.
The soulful voice of Isaac makes his lyrics sound through each note, and through every song. Deep, sensual and incredibly smooth. This is 100% recommended.
(86/100)
Smooth
it's ok i guess, I have heard better soul prior on this list and this one is just fine, it is hitting very regular levels
Nice
One woman 🔥
Would be a five star were it not for the ridiculous spoken word intro to By the Time I Get to Phoenix. Walk On By is a stone cold killer though.
I really liked this. Cool style of music - jazz/soul/psychedelic. Obviously one heck of a production. Almost sounds like a Quincy jones arrangement. Isaac has such a smooth voice that complements the music perfectly. Songs are longer than I’d like but I can deal.
Indulgent, dramatic, stank-face inducing, funky soul r&b thats unapologetically sexy as fuck. Love it, would be 5 stars if it was more accessible and easier to sell normies on.
Super cool vibes, especially in the background while working. Some of it felt like a movie soundtrack.
A lot of pleasant songs
Awesome
Es un dandy sexual mu sentio con mucha labia y con tdah porque pierde la nocion del tiempo haciendo canciones y es la unica pega que le puedo poner, pero que canciones.
Smooth
it was interesting, i really liked it and yes i didnt know that was chef fav: one woman
Wowza. Pretty close to a 5
Solid 4 Groovy from front to back
Voix chaleureuse et rythme entraînant, certainnement un monument soul
Mad how 4 songs that go on for 45 minutes keeps me interested throughout. Some huge sound on this and sounds quite far ahead of its time
Buttery as expected 💯
Dug it
No chocolate salty balls?
I've already listened to his album (11). A classic. Side A is some of the best stuff ever made in the genre. But it does drag a bit in the end (the last song).
4 songs in 45 mins? You know it’s gonna be jammmmmin’
Very nice!
Long before he became known to a new generation as the iconic voice behind 'Chef' in South Park, Isaac Hayes had made his mark as a soul musician unafraid to test listeners with longer compositions and psychedelic/progressive elements. On 'Hot Buttered Soul', Hayes rips up the soul rulebook, backed by the impressive Bar-kays to give the songs a dense and driving edge. Only four songs on this album, three of them covers, but how Hayes and co. transform songs such as the Bacharach staple 'Walk on By' and Jimmy Webb's 'By the Time I Get To Phoenix' [the second cover of this song I've heard, the first being Nick Cave's] into original works of art featuring acid-laced guitars, simple but rolling percussion, funky bass, inventive piano/keyboard, all brought together by Hayes' smooth, laid-back voice. But the true highlight here is the sole original track, 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymystic', an enthralling funk masterpiece that no doubt would've encouraged the likes of George Clinton and Curtis Mayfield to go bigger, longer and more innovative in the 1970s. Until today, 'Chocolate Salty Balls' is the only Isaac Hayes recording I'd ever heard, but now I can add arguably one of the greatest and most important soul records of all time to that list. 'Hot Buttered Soul' is fantastic, an album I most certainly will revisit! 4.5/5
enjoyable up until the last track
Walk on by feels like a template for Daptone Records’ formula. It’s also like 10 min long?? I loved the sound of this and if I still smoked weed I think I’d like it even more. Gets a bit long for me midway through but it’s about the purest version of this type of soul music I can imagine
Walk on by = 5 Rest = 3
One of the best soul albums ever made, and enormous versions of Walk on by and By the Time I get to Phoenix are not a second too long.
I loved this, four stars because the songs were very long for my attention span. My favorite was One Woman. Great album to put on while cleaning.
So many samples, a pretty legendary album just for the contributions to other songs let alone the album itself
The spoken-word stuff in track 4 didn't really grab me, but the rest of the album is great. Classic funk soul.
Beautiful voice; you can tell he feels the music deeply. Downgraded one star for the loooong narration on the last track.
If it weren't for the 10min intro on "By the Time I get to Phoneix", it would be the Chef's kiss.
I got pregnant just listening to this album!
awesome
Sexual
Felt this in my soul. Very fun listen.
This album sizzles. The production is outstanding, and Isaac Hayes has such charisma. Great, great stuff. 8/10
I'm thankful I was introduced to Shaft at such a young age that Isaac always resonated with me. Hut Buttered Soul definitely escaped me for a while until like my mid-teens. Walk on By always got to me. Still does
He says “I’m gonna moan now”, then moans. By The Time I Get to Phoenix is better categorized as a podcast episode. But god damn you cannot deny the artistry and soul that went into this album.
Every song simmers then bursts into some sex fueled guitar. Not what I’m looking for but Chef can groove.
Great combo of soul and funk with some long drawn out, Pink-Floyd esque feel
Four tracks is all you need. Isaac Hayes is the master of very sample-able little fragments and layers and additional layers in his songs - so well-written and arranged, and he gives the songs plenty of room to breathe on this album. The one song that unfortunately keeps me from giving this 5/5 is One Woman. Yes, it's a very romantic song about cheating, and that's great. But this is the one song where I feel the orchestration is just too over the top, to the point where I picture him performing it on some schmalzy musical revue show my grandparents would have enjoyed.
Best Song: Walk on By When Darkside of the Moon came out, it had stayed on the charts for some crazy amount of years, like 40-50 years. Anyway, one of the theories behind its longevity was that it was a great album to bang to which came as a shock to Pink Floyd. However, this album being a great album to bang to wouldn't be a shock to Isaac Hayes. That seems to be what he was going for. I wasn't familiar with him outside of Chef on South Park and this was a good listen. 4/5.
If somebody told me that Isaac Hayes invented soul, I sure would believe them. He wasn't the first soul musician, but he was one of the best. What I love most is how Hayes infuses soul with funk! Every song was a brilliant creation and so different from one another. He himself provided the vocals and keyboards with backing vocals and many other instruments (at least, that's what I suspect; the linear notes don't list much, but my ears hear violins, horns, and more). Much of the content in these four songs are instrumentals that could arguably be called jam sessions, but Hayes leaves you with the impression that he knew exactly where he was going and what he planned to create. The whole album has an organic flow that his beautiful voice supports. There's no doubt in my mind he knew exactly what he was doing in Hot Buttered Soul. Most of these songs originally written by other artists, which just gives Hayes more time to play around, improve the songs, and show these jokers who the master really is.
I can't believe how modern and progressive this sounds in the year 2025, and from all angles. The funk sounds fresh; the soul sounds fresh; all of it just has very solid production work and forward-thinking sound. And then you have Isaac Hayes' phenomenal voice -- hot buttered soul, indeed! I think this probably hits at about a 3.5 for me, but it doesn't feel right not to round it up. The music here is surprising, it's gorgeous, and it deserves wider recognition.
Hello there children, Chef has cooked up a psychedelic meal worthy of a Michelin star
i'll admit i've never been a soul/r&b girlie, but the vibes here are undeniable.
Damn, this is a great album. He packs a lot of goodness into just four songs. Favorite: One Woman Would I listen to it again: Yes
I read ahead the reviews and rolled my eyes at 'lol it's Chef' but... reader, I regret to tell you that it is, in fact, Chef. It's a decent album though. Limiting how many .5 margins I'd give myself, but I feel quite strongly that this is better than a 3 but inferior to a 4.
3.5/5
Walk on By is the big hit here, but I think I am more of a fan of Hyperbolicsyllabicwewquedalmistic. Solid effort, probably not an album I will revisit - but will put mentioned tunes on my playlist
Good soul music
Funky, soulful, romantic
Great easy listening album. The last song dragged though. Know Isaac Hayes mainly from the theme from Shaft.
This was really good. If I could I'd give it a 3.5 because some of the songs were too long for me - a kind of boring stylistic choice of the time maybe?
Short and sweet.
Not my usual genre but loved it! My mom also said it was good. Listened twice!
Had low expectations but really enjoyed it. Funky and musical
Smooth
Smoooooth.
Three killer tracks in a row and then a total dud.
Oh yeah
Por la portada parece un disco de rap. Afortunadamente por el año no puede serlo. Creo que me va a gustar. Pues sí que tiene mucha clase esto.
Baroque '70s soul that seems almost spoken-word or performance art at times. All quiet storms should be so groovy and vice versa. The playing is sublime, throughout ... one feels somewhat toyed with, but that's the prerogative of such a cooler-than-cool and sui generis artist.
Love this album! I forgot how great Isaac Hayes is. What a good album!
decent
Last songs intro was a little long…
Pleasant
I enjoyed this one. Bring on the butter.
Menos mal que “Soul Man” dura solo 2:39 minutos. Stax Records entra en colapso, e Isaac Hayes no dudó un segundo en aprovechar la oportunidad para negociar control total sobre el contenido, el estilo, la producción y, sobre todo, la duración de su proyecto solista. El resultado: un álbum que dura lo mismo que reproducir “Soul Man” de Sam & Dave unas 19 veces. Hot Buttered Soul. Si usted está muy ocupado siendo víctima del capitalismo, este disco no es para usted. Porque precisamente esta cápsula atmosférica sonora demanda tiempo al pedo para disfrutarla por completo. Cuatro canciones que parecen inofensivas, pero que por dentro están llenas de referencias que vas a tener que consultar con tu estudiante de medicina más cercano. Hay una que todavía estoy practicando leer sin trabarme (te la dejo aca por si necesitas copiar y pegar: Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic). Pero qué atmósfera, por el amor de Dios. Canciones grooveras que hacen que el tiempo se vuelva relativo. La voz de él, en unos auriculares profesionales, debe ser una locura de intimidad. A veces, como todo chamuyador que te habla al oído, se extiende de más, y puede caer medio pesado con ese estilo “redondeando el recitado varón”. Pero es una gran experiencia inmersiva de soul que se siente relativa y atemporal. Disfrutalo mientras está en modo soulman, porque después vas a tener que debatirte entre amarlo en South Park y cuestionar su religión. Pero viste cómo es la locura del tiempo, que se termina derritiendo mientras los Outkast se están haciendo los waffles del desayuno.
The more I listen the more I like it. First listen was ok at best, but then it keeps getting better and better. And unlike many, I dont even mind the 8 minute story at the beginning of the last track!
I loved this so much more than I expected. Knew that Chef could sing but does he play everything else too? Big fan, might just throw this into rotation at very random times.
Hayes has a good, not great, singing voice. Terrific music composition. Enjoyed a lot. Kind tracks do well listening at home while cooking or cleaning.
Epic journey. Really cool.
Cinematic, no-holds-barred soul with some funk elements. Way way way ahead of its time in its combination of maximalism with smooth tunes. Saying that, low replayability because of the length of the songs
Good
*Replayable*
Great
I liked it! The talking one was cool and reminded me of the Quincy Jones song off Dawn FM. I didn’t finish the album though. I didn’t have time.
I really enjoyed this. It’s so funky, smooth, and just cool in general. I love the length of all of the tunes. If I’m in the mood I will listen to this again.
Bonne ambiance
BLACK STEEL IN THE HOUR OF CHAOS (actually Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic but) I heard that unmistakable piano riff first with Public Enemy and the original is just as good. On a mostly (?) unimportant note, there might not be 10 better-titled albums than this one. Classic that sounds amazing even after holy hell over 50 years, with the aforementioned 2nd track being my fave. Sure they're long tracks but it takes time for butter to melt, what the hell's your hurry? 8/10 4 stars.
Great album but long epilogue
Listened to this while cooking on a weekend - it was so so lovely. Might buy this album. People complain about the length but I loved how each song just kept building and building.
Smooth
Not listened to much soul music. Liked this, but probably would find many opportunities or situations to listen to it. The music itself was really good. Well produced. Lyrics were good too. Only gripe is that the songs were a bit too long.
Walk on By is my favorite, but I love the long jams here. Could listen to this while making dinner or trying to seduce a suitor.
I am an Isaac Hayes fan and I do enjoy this album, but "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" just takes too long to get into. Other than that, fantastic album if you're a soul fan!
One of the best album titles of all time.
This was awesome. Walk on by is great. High 4
Couldn’t listen too closely but enjoyed the vibey-ness
Walk on by is great. Good songs overall but too few
I know who Issac Hayes is, but I really haven’t listened to him that much. And he’s not really on the stations I listen to other than very sporadically. Well, at least the radio stations. I did know that he has a very cool voice though (trying not to state the obvious). This album was excellent. I loved Walk On By, just such a great groove, which is a consistent theme throughout this record. His baritone voice (perfect for voice acting, but we’re not talking about that) really soars on One Woman, which is another great tune. Loved the balance between his voice and the backup singers. Hyper… was another cool song, for totally different reasons. This is just down in it. Everything fits together so well (like a perfect recipe… no, don’t go there). The remake of By The Time I Get To Phoenix was my least favorite on this record. I don’t mind narration in songs, but this just went on too long and there wasn’t nearly enough to get me interested. In total, an excellent album that just didn’t finish off great. But, he gets a bonus half star because he’s Chef!!!! Damnit! I tried. The fingers were willing, but the mind was weak.
Hot buttered indeed. Creamy guitar tone coupled with stellar backing vocals makes for a Chef-inspired experience.
first listen hot dang this is cool
"Hello there children!" "Walk on By" absolutely carries this album. The other songs are good but DAMN. Favorite track: Walk on By 3.5/5
Très bon, j’ai été surpris !
Fav: Walk On By Least Fav: By The Time I Get To Phoenix Great album all around but shoutout to Walk On By for being an incredible song
I read a bunch of reviews that said the long sections that lead into the actual structured bits of the songs are annoying when those are obviously the best bit
Rating (1-5): ✩✩✩✩ Will I be listening to this again: Yessssssssss What do I like about it: This IS my kinda music ✩w✩ I also enjoyed the Interview What I dislike about it: Nothing Higlighted songs: One Woman, By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Chef form Southpark has a soft buttery voice
Really good! The rambling in front of By the time I get to Phoenix is the only blemish.
Can see why this is so iconic in the world of soul.
VIBES JUST ABSOLUTE VIBBESSSS mmmm i didn't care the songs were 10mins each they were just vibes nom nom nom
Pretty good, chill!
> the Beatles
Would be 5 stars but for the 9 minutes of talking in By the Time I Get to Phoenix. The 2nd and 3rd tracks are awesome. Hot, buttery and soulful
A great album with a great story behind it. Isaac (at the time a songwriter and background musician) didn't want to make the album, so he demanded total creative control - and this was the result. Interesting that he was known as a songwriter and only put one original on the album, but he sure makes the covers something completely different from the well known versions. Loved it.
Progressive Soul! Love it!
When an album starts with a ten minute long song it’s normally a good sign
4 estrelas
Accurate album title - this is some buttery shiiiit
Chef cooked with this one
Walk on By is excellent. Then, it’s some buttery soul. When we get to Phoenix, I’m not sure if the structure is brilliant or simply way too much for its own good.
Smooth funk
Ba jäkligt skönt sound
First of all, “Hot Buttered Soul” is an incredible album name. +1 star for that album title alone. Some song I know, but can’t place, sampled vocals from the first song “Walk On By,” I always love coming across the original like this. Next time I hear it, I’ll know where it from! This was soulful, groovy, and another album I’m shocked came out in the 60’s. I may not have ever listened to this in its entirety if it weren’t for this project, it was a good one.
4/5
Baroque yet funky and fucker, it was a blast.
sample for DJ Quik's Born and Raised in Compton at song two
Great album, surprised it was only the late 60s. the production is great the way it layers in the orchestra and makes a full sound. totally reimagined walk on by. 4.5
Not my thing but I can't deny the talent or influence.
Masterful, but a little too chill for me.
Þetta var algjör dúndurfílingur þangað til það kom mjög löng saga sem var allt í lagi að hlusta á en ég myndi samt aldrei setja þessa plötu aftur í spilun nema að sleppa þeirri sögu. Dregur hana niður úr fimm í fjóra
ooooh yeah.
Great album, seemed to go by almost too fast. Would love to give this one another listen or two
Never really thought his version of "Walk On By" beat Dionne Warwick's until literally this listen, but yeah that's an all-time great. Unfortunately, I don't really care for the cover of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", which sucks because it's almost half the album.
Walk On By and second track are great, especially the former. One Woman is kind of forgettable to me. By the Time I Get to Phoenix could truthfully lose the first nine-ish minute opening... but the ending is glorious.
Liked all but the last song
Enjoyed it.
Overall, pretty enjoyable; sounds great for '69. The long dialog in "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" makes repeat listens just a little more tedious.
The only way to properly serve soul music is hot and buttered. Thank you, Chef!
What a great start! It lets down a bit on the third song, but I was willing to still give it five stars, until he chose to lose the funky vibe with ten minutes of talking that was unnecessary (or could have been summed up in 30 seconds). The fifth song was good, but it had lost the momentum by that point.
Damn, Chef really has some talent! Enjoyable listen once I got past waiting for him to say, "Children!" Good stuff. The older I get, the more I like Soul.
Much mojo and swagger! Great sample in Walk on By. 3.7
“walk on by” was a MASTERPIECE. THE LYRICS??? THE INSTRUMENTALS. surprisingly WORKS as an 11-12 minute song. the closing guitar solo was excellent. the next two songs were good, not much else to say. “by the time i get to phoenix” should be renamed to “by the time i finish my monologue” because that was LONG. and mostly talking. however, i can respect the art on that one. overall, album was a solid 4/5.
8 minute monologue is the only detractor. Track is smooth and groovy af otherwise
Great fun throughout. Sweeping and cool. Sensual!
super fun listen adding it to my albums
A lovely album to have on whilst working. Not my usual vibe, but I appreciated it and would be happy to revisit it in future.
Enjoyed the Album more than I thought after the first track. Not my type of genre usually but I respect it and appreciate it. Was nice to have on in the background and made me stop and appreciate what I'm listening to a couple of times.
Da het mich de Isaac schön hinters heiss butterte Liecht gfüehrt! Erwartet hani old school hiphop und becho hemmer grandiose Soul miteme 12 Minütige ihstieg bis zum soul climax, was denn nach em 3te track wider biz abgflacht isch. Die erste zwei songs ganz klari 5 butterbräzel doch durchs s bizli abflache buttere ich 4 köstlichi butterfingers id Bratpfanne
Heissi Butterigi Seel! Big fan vo dere 12 minute version vo "walk on by" - de opening track zu de beste tanz performance woni je gseh han, damals ih mim erste summer in basel zemme mitem don timonski ih de kaserne und au jedesmal wenni das meisterstück lose gits en grosse zruggwurf zu de nachbesprechig am rhy mit emene bier und sprachlosigkeit au de rest vom album hett nöd enttüscht langi ufbauendi lieder hend eifach en soft spot bi drum gits für das vorzügliche butterbrot da grad es 4.5 ineklöpft yummie!
3.5 rounded up
A lesson in how to make hurt into something beautiful
enjoyed this a lot dk how i haven’t heard any prog soul before. second song is the best the monologue in the last song was kinda annoying but the rest was great
nice
"Hot Buttered Soul" is the second album by American soul musician Isaac Hayes. Progressive soul and pyschedelic soul are the Wiki-listed genres. That fits since it is recognized as a landmark recording in soul music by AllMusic and others I'm sure. Hayes was given complete artistic control and used producers Al Bell, Allen Jones and Marvell Thomas. Hayes played a Hammond organ and sang lead vocals. His backing band was the Bar-Kays (there you go) which included Willie Hall (drums), James Alexander (bass) and Michael Toles (guitar). And let's not forget Johnny Allen who arranged the strings and horns. Commercially, the album reached #8 in the US and also had highly positive reviews. There are four songs on the album and the first is a Burt Bacharach and Hal David song "Walk On By." An easy pace with drums, organ and strings give way to a fuzz guitar and Hayes' soft, soulful vocals. A post-break up song. A great guitar solo by Harold Beane and organ jam as the song ends. Actually, a quick drum finish at the very end. Hayes gets the funk and sexual overtones really going in "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesqedalymistic." A funky guitar and Hayes, not fooling around, goes deep voice as he describes a passionate, intimate interracial love affair. Female singers repeating the song title, bells and long periods of the piano and Hayes" sexual sounds. Hot Damn! "One Woman" is more delicate with piano, strings, drums and a gentler, softer Hayes. A song that builds. Isaac loves two women and can't decide where he belongs. The album ends with the 18-minute "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." In the first half of the song, Hayes raps about the power of love and then he finds his woman cheating on him. The beat picks up, horns, strings, a melancholic-sounding piano and Hayes singing soulfully. He's leaving her and seeing the effect on her. It was worth the wait. This album just oozes soul, R&B and sex. Long, extended jams of the piano, organ and piano. Great musicianship and excellent strings and horn arrangements. Hayes' music and vocals had a deep effect on 70's R&B and artists like Barry White. That is heard pretty clearly hear. A must listen for everyone and, wow, I need a shower.
Beautiful album that grazed my soul ever so slightly. 9/10
Едва ли не главный источник сэмплов для рэпперов. Довольно приятная музыка, но слушать я это не стану. Тем более с такой длительностью треков.
Kind of cool.
my soul is slathered
# Album Name: Hot buttered soul # Artist: Isaac Hayes # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Wow, that voice. The string and arrangements are fantastic. Love the take on walk on by. The guitar and organs are very good. its a 12 min ball of fun. Theres some good tracks on this album. Good listen! # Top Tunes: Walk on by / Hyper... / One Woman # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Awesome Memphis Soul
Where has this album been in my 48 years. Funk, R&B, Soul, Style and Essence. What an album.
Tight grooves and psychedelic flow. I loved this album. My first but not final listen.
Pretty cool, Chef from South Park
What do you have to say for yourselves, Hooverphonic? Fave: Hyperbolicsyllablesesquedalmistic