Reviews (page 6 of 14)
Four songs in 48 min is wild. I got a little lost in the middle, but it was an enjoyable ride.
Really liked a lot of the music, but the 'monologue' on the last track finished me off. Didn't make it to the end.
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.
Pretty good but not overly keen on his version of Walk On By.
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...
Opens with a fantastic performance of a Burt & Hal classic, but the slower tracks aren’t really my thing. I ’m just not sexy enough of an loverman for it to float my boat.
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
I'll be honest, I didn't think I was going to like this album. I was pleasantly surprised, however. I really enjoyed the musical build-up of Walk On By, and the piano in Hyperbolic was great. The introduction on By The Time I Get to Phoenix is entirely too long. 3.5 out of 5.
So groovy I had to stop what I was doing so I could dance.
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⭐️
I really liked some of it. The spoken track is funny. Love how long the tracks were compared to yesterday's 15 minute album
Didn’t really speak to me, but I enjoyed listening. The track where he mostly talks was not as enjoyable.
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.
pretty good jazzy would listen to again
Esto sí que es una joya, al nivel de Black Moses. 4 temas para la eternidad, destacan cómo no: Walk on by y By the tiem i get to Phoenix (ojo, yo prefiero la versión de Irma Franklin la hermana de Aretha), que son dos versiones, pero eso no importa nada. Excelente, sedoso, sudoroso, soul sureño y más allá. The Bar-Kays, Stax, Dusty y Elvis fueron a Memphis ese año, pero él era Memphis... Con Rumble te daban ganas de pelearte con cualquiera, con James Brown de moverte como un loco, pero con esto te daban ganas de tener maratones de sexo. Portada mítica disco imprescindible.
beautiful ambiance
A classic.
Groovy
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!
Isaac Hayes has a great voice, the songs on "Hot Buttered Soul" are nicely arranged, I like the experimental approach with only four lengthy songs... But still, it somehow didn't really catch me. Solid easy listening stuff.
three amazing songs, but walk on by? it doesn’t get much better than that.
Issac has such a soothing and powerful voice, and some of the songs meet him and really allow him to shine. Others just drag and labor on and get into 'jam band that doesn't know how to end the song' territory. I was waiting for it to be done after about halfway through.
I recognized the voice of Chef from South Park and I was surprised because I didn't know they made soul music back in the 60s. I like soul but the only gripe I had with this album is that two of the songs were almost 20 minutes long and 90 percent of the songs was just literal talking before the actual music starts. Could have shortened and that would have made the album better. I will give this a 3 because I certainly felt like huge portions of this album could easily be cut out.
τέλειο soul
There are moments of awesome here, but I will likely never listen to anything here again except maybe "Walk on By."
Surprisingly experimental. Long but great tracks. Thoroughly enjoyable.
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.
An artist with a classic timeless feel and style.
i liked it well enough
*1969. *45 minutes, but only 4 songs… *Really soothing, buttery soul music. *Great quiet Saturday morning background music. *Last song is preachy and talkative and I’m not into it. RATING - 6.5/10
There isn’t many tracks here to rate…it’s a 3
Funk/soul slow tempo. Instrumentals on Walk On By are nice. Fuzz, orchestral. Hyperbolic... has great instrumentals and funky beat Best track - Walk On By, Hyperbolic... 3 stars, but Hyperbolic... is great
I wanted to like it more. But it kept going way too long and just got annoying.
I like walk on by but the album as a whole was pretty lackluster
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.
Not for me thanks
Buttery.
not a r&b fan
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
this shit hot to the touch
Nice
this was amazing, this is some insane soul music, insane grooves, awesome vocals, instrumentations being strung together really well, ending is very strong as well, not much else to say this seems quite essential and i’m glad i heard it before i die
Kinda cheesy
I thought this was weirdly good, not much to say really other than I really loved some of the guitar riffs, he has a great voice and this is kind of classic soul music. It made me feel quite happy but other than that I’ve got little to add or comment really. I’m kind of bored of four tracks on an album and one 20 minute song.
Again was apprehensive, but you know what this was a good listen again. My soul did feel hot and buttered in the end. Only thing I would say is the last track had too much of what I would call a live jazz set entrance to it, and I didn’t think it translated very well to an album. But overall very smooth
So I'm giving this 2 just because of the length of the tracks and that there is only 4 and they do go on too long in my opinion but for the actual sound, instrumentation and vocals I would give it more. I enjoyed this more that I thought I would, especially the opening track 'Walk On By' which felt like a powerful, exciting and just full of sound opening to an album (excitement dwindled as it went past the sixth minute though...) and the other that made me notice was the last track 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix'. This was an interesting one because of the subject matter as in my recollection it's one of the few love songs that is from the mans perspective of trying to leave the woman and he keeps coming back to her but this is the final time and he gets away. I enjoyed hearing it from the other side for once and to hear the vulnerability from him and knowing he had to leave. As I say though, overall I'm afraid I won't be going back to this again but I am glad it came across my path.
I had not listened to Isaac Hayes until now, and I personally have a bias towards any music created in the 60s and 70s, but this was not one of my favs. I like 2 songs enough to put them on a playlist, but I also do not want to take away from the fact that Isaac Hayes was amazing. This album just didn't do it for me.
Best Track - "Walk On By"
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.
Nailed it with the album title, this is easy listening with a silky voice. Listed as 4 total tracks on the album but feels like it’s one continuous song he’s playing to you in a small underground poorly lit bar.
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.
This is a top tier album for me. “Walk on By” is a perfect opener and one of my favorite recordings, also made for a great Biggie sample. What a unique voice Isaac Hayes had….the narration on the closer is so epic. Glad this was today’s choice because it’s something i wanted to listen to anyway. Great interpretations of very stylistically different songs, walking a tight line between intimate arrangements and anlso also letting the backing band (The Bar-Kay’s?) stretch out. Funky, soulful, unique….Love this one
Different genre than I normally listen to but easy to enjoy. Not a huge fan of an album having four super long songs but I see what he's doing. I think the story tying into a song for the last one was cool but 19 minutes is too long. 6/10
Ok, too long. What’s the last one about. Not my cup of tea. Would have to be in the mood
Super cool vibes, especially in the background while working. Some of it felt like a movie soundtrack.
What an amazing voice! Unfortunately the songs are just ok. And half the *really long* By The Time I Get To Phoenix is him talking. It's an interesting talk, but I'm here for music not monologe. Would have been a 1 star for the songs, but +1 for the voice. Best song: Hyperbolicsyllablecsesquedalymistic
A lot of pleasant songs
Awesome
Second album proposé après ‘Shaft’ que je n’avais pas trop apprécié (noté 2/5). Celui-ci n'est pas mieux ! =>2/5
MÚSICA DE NEGRÃO QUE SABE FAZER FILHO BONITO!!!!!!!
This is probably a generational thing, but I was expecting to have a really hard time not hearing Chef, and it actually wasn't for the most part, only every once in a while did it kinda come through! I think mostly cause he's so much younger on this. "Walk On By" and "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" were my faves, and I enjoyed parts of "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" it just needed to be way shorter
Its just good, one of *those* albums in the best way possible
Makes me feel good.
This album was amazing, I especially loved the last track on the album as it was very unique and felt like he was taking me through the story with the music.
2- Stars (4/15)
This album will make you pregnant.
Smooth and soulful if skimpy on the type of songwriting and storytelling that makes it a must listen
Almost 4 stars but the last track drags on a little too long. Walk on By is a classic though and I would say at least listen once.
Funky, cool
Too much talking and repetition
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.
С первых звуков заинтересовал. Альбом весьма хорош.
Smooth
the absolute SEXINESS of this soul record is dwarfed only by the fact that this album came out in 1969!!! WHAT?! the story is also insane - Isaac Hayes was granted full creative control to record and release his 2nd album after his record label lost their back catalog and had a sprint to produce more work. Hayes crafted absolutely epic (both in quality and length) masterpieces that had a feel of gospel, rock, epic, and pure epiphany. This is by far one of my favorite albums i've discovered in this journey.
One of those exquisitely produced and made albums that just isn't really my thing. A perfect soul/R&B record. But with the extreme song lengths (Average of 11 minutes, one of them is 19 minutes long!!!) and this just not really being my thing, just don't got a ton to say about it other than it's fantastic, just not for me.
PARA DÍA TRANQUILO, LEER CONTEXTO HISTOIRCO Y CULTURAL DONDE FUE ESCRITO
By the time the track finished I had got to Phoenix.
so did he ever get to phoenix
Fenomenal
When this album came out I was 8. My BFF was black, I am white and we grew up in Brooklyn together. I was often invited to tag along with her and her family to visit friends in BED Stuy (do or die). This album takes me back to those apartments filled with hip black folks with big fros, daishikis, reefer and music like this. It fills my heart to overflow.
Love soul music
Lots of long, meandering soul music. Not my style, but I see why it's beloved
Überraschend gut.
meh. trying a little too hard.
Nice mix of songs. Very smooth and chill listen. I have never heard this before today and I enjoyed it very much. Probably not something that I would gravitate towards but a nice listen when the mood strikes.
What a wild ride. You are NOT ready for Isaac Hayes’ version of “By the Time I Got to Phoenix,” by Jimmy Webb (look him up - that dude could write some songs) and mostly remembered for the Glen Campbell version. Isaac Hayes has a fantastic voice and the soul on this slab-o-wax is heavily buttered, baby!
So hot. This album is fantastic, start to finish. "Walk On By" is possibly one of the greatest popular songs ever recorded. I've heard this called "Progressive Soul". I think that might be labeling it wrong. This arguably predates Progressive Rock. It's clearly doing it's own thing, too. And I think drawing from vastly divergent influences. It is sweeping and epic.
it was interesting, i really liked it and yes i didnt know that was chef fav: one woman
Not for me this Album don’t enjoy 10 -15min songs and didn’t feel these songs where good enough to warrant that length I thought the band the Bar Keys where great tho
3/10 - I liked the first song but the other ones had way too much talking
Wowza. Pretty close to a 5
5/9
Solid 4 Groovy from front to back
The 18 minute track really didn’t work for me, and because it was half the album that made it challenging. Still three stars for overall grooviness.
Good album. I enjoy it.
Absolute masterpiece
Soulful but not something I'd revisit.
A classic
Voix chaleureuse et rythme entraînant, certainnement un monument soul
Kool
I love this, so full of funk and long jams. Orchestration is wonderful and his voice is so unique. I only knew him from South Park and the Shaft theme and I am so glad to have heard this now. Timeless quality music
It was a very pleasant listen
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
only 4 songs but incredibly good vibe
Memphis soul
I was fully buttered by the end of this album. So smooth and engaging. Just makes you want to move and groove. Can't belive this is my first time listening to this.
Buttery as expected 💯
Groooovy 🫠🫠🫠
Slowly simmering, this gorgeous production showcases Isaac Hayes in the most tender way to butter the music consumer's soul.
This was a solid and enjoyable listen - didn’t realise it was Chef until halfway through. Super soulful and funky.
Fun soulful album. Got some groovy jams
Jag är bara inte så förtjust i denna typ av musik.
So....this album is for fucking, right? Like this album is specifically made to be fucked to, right?
Dug it
No chocolate salty balls?
Started off real strong, but then "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" brought this album to a screeching halt. Ten minutes of talking (I have no idea what about) is far too much to ask of any listener. The last nine minutes don't provide a big enough payout to make Hayes' seemingly endless monologue worth it. Minus a half-star because Scientology. Just think about how South Park would be even better right now if Chef was still around.
Why are the songs so long?
Favourites: All of them!
My attention span cannot handle it. Also just not my vibe. Very funky. Not horrible. 3/10
This is it. This is the coolest album of all time.
Did Isaac Hayes invent Post-Soul?
Kind of faded into the background. Not exactly my jam but pleasant enough background music.
This was a pleasant smooth album to have on in the background. I didn't love the last song, "By The Time I Get to Phoenix", but the others were sweet. I'm surprised at how aggressively Spotify is selling merch for this 60 year old album. 6/10
Usually before my actual review of the album I list my 3 favorite songs from the album, but considering Hot Buttered Soul is only 4 songs long and all 4 of them are basically perfect, I can't bring myself to do that. This is one of the smoothest albums I've ever had the pleasure of listening to, I damn near cried during Walk On By just because of how beautiful the song was. Each track is lengthy, but not a minute of them is wasted, even the spoken word intro of the album's closer By the Time I Get To Phoenix. I enjoyed every minute of this record, easily one of the best soul albums of all time. 10/10
Smooooth
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).
It was okay
Eh
I’m not sure if it’s genius or awful, but you have to admire this man’s chutzpah into taking 3 - 4 minute pop songs and turning them into 10+ minute psychedelic soul epics.
Ah yeahhhhh. Cool n funky & 100% sexy. REALLY dig the instrumental portions of the record. solid 3/5
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
Dad- 3 Mom- 6 Mike- NA Lori- 5.5 Michael- 6 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg-5.13
enjoyable up until the last track
MmmMm that smooth buttery head. 46 minutes 4 song R&B/soul album from the 60s, you can count me in. And then the second song was just kinda whackadoodle I didn’t really match its freak, and the one after that was just about him trying to choose between his mistress and his wife, and I wasn’t really about that, and then the final song it took him 8 minutes to even start, although I will say once he did it was BUS. And of course the first song was excellent. Despite all those gripes though, this was all around a pleasant listen, I’ll probably revisit the 18 minute By the Time I Get to Phoenix cover often enough.
Masterpiece. Desert Island-skive. Ulovlig sexy & buttery smooth. One woman’s making my home, and another woman’s making me do wrong — mannen var en ustoppelig sex machine. Relasjonsbyggende når man setter det på i en sosial sammenkomst med folk man ikke kjenner så godt enda. Noen av de mest energiske, suggerende, engasjerende, instrumentelle partiene som noensinne er fanget på magnetic tape. Siste halvparten eller whatever av By the Time I Get to Phoenix tok musikk til et nytt plateau. Messingen og strykerne mot hverandre: *Chef’s kiss* (ordspill velkomment).
Et mesterverk. Hot buttered soul er en basisvare jeg alltid har tilgjengelig, og hvis jeg ikke vet hva jeg skal høre på så kan jeg alltid ta fram denne plata
Nice! I think I’d bump it up a star if that last track wouldn’t drag so much.
Pretty good, not the type of jazz that I was expecting. Probably wouldn’t listen again bc it’s not rlly my thing
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
Wow. Just... Wow
For only 4 songs it’s pretty great.
Half of the album is a twenty-minute spoken-word "song".
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.
No hate love Isaac Hayes but didn't gel with the longer instrumental sections
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.
Crazy this album was made in the 60's, sounds much more modern. Chef can sing a lil bit! Maybe a little weird that there are only 4 tracks, but it's a very creative and well-produced record.
Shit, Chef made an absolute fucking banger. Praise up to L. Ron. I've been giving most of what I've rated so far a 4. 4 means I really liked it, I'm glad I listened to it, I might have sent it to a friend, I might come back to it...I really enjoyed it. This is somewhere between a 4 and 5 for me. 5 is reserved for indispensable....but man, 4 tracks, about 45 minutes...what a risk to take. ...holy shit this was good and unexpected. Gonna give this a 5. "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" is my favorite track. The extended jam to close it out is amazing, as is the extended jam to close out "By The Time I Get To Phoenix."
Beautiful voice; you can tell he feels the music deeply. Downgraded one star for the loooong narration on the last track.
3.5
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!
Dear god I want to have hyperbolic syllabic sesquipedalian sex with you to this album
I’ve never heard this before and fell asleep listening to it on the couch and had the most vivid dreams about relationships and break ups and trying to help a drunk man who had lost his cigar and was worried it was going to start a forest fire. So a real sonic mind trip that I think has made me grow as a person.
awesome
The name of this album is so accurate. It was great to hear Southpark’s chef again after many years. The first song is so timeless and I like the buildup in the last spoken word song. 4.5 stars
Sexual
Feels like he invented like four genres at once. Some really good soul jams
Estão a dizer que isto é do final dos anos 60? Tão atual! Nos anos 60/70 faziam-se obras de arte na música
Songs were very stretched out. But I didn't mind. Good vibes.
I thought this was cool at first but I got supremely bored
First time listening. I'm very glad for this opportunity. It's crazy, it's too good! You start with Walk On By, the intro plays. And I had to stop, go back, listen again. And stop. I gave the headphones to my partner. “Listen to this intro here." I had to share it with her. Finally, back to the beginning to listen again. Second track. The piano, the beat. It doesn't stop being awesome. The tracks are very long, but you don't notice the time passing. Every second is enjoyable. One Woman is quieter. Absolutely beautiful. This is not the kind of music you listen to a song, and jump to another like a tiktok video. This one you put your phones on, sit down or lay down, ignore the time, ignore your problems, and enjoy the beat!
not my kind of music
A thoroughly forgettable early R&B album. 4 songs. The final one is 18:44. Which is about 18 minutes longer than it should've been. Pretty sure this list would've been better without this album.
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
Issac Hayes for 18 minutes - okay.
When I left Phoenix, I left a piece of my heart
4 tracks, 45 minutes, and half of it is just Isaac Hayes telling a story. Where's my music album, Isaac?
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.
Fine until that last track, which is a giant waste of time
Enjoyed this one even though I probably won't find myself coming back to it. Vibes were good.
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.
Hell yeah!
I found this album interesting. Wasn’t what I expected at all - long, ten minute plus songs, some meandering grooves and some unique ideas. I expected short soul tunes and more focus on actual songwriting. I enjoyed it though because it totally blindsided me. As an album I felt it did come up a little short. I either wanted it to go deeper and darker or lighter and snappier. I’m left curious about Hayes’ other work, particularly around the same period. The 8 minute-odd spoken word section in By The Time I Get To Phoenix left me wondering what the fuck was going on though.
Great stuff. Anyone who can take a glen Campbell song a stretch it time 18 minutes and make it work is amazing.
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.
I hate to admit that this is some sexy-ass misogyny
Not my go-to genre but enjoyed this very much. When it wasn't groovy/funky/soulful, it was freakin hysterical
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 enjoyed it. Not something I'd listen to every day but really powerful messages in here. Also, many many rap samples have been lifted from this album. Props to that. 3.4 / 5 stars
This album always has been 4/5 but now I paid attention how passionate lyrics are
Žr ilgos dainos. Groovy. Literally 4 dainos.
The elements of greatness are there -- but they come too performative altogether.
Not bad, just easy listening
You need to sit and actively listen intently to any album you want to enjoy or critically judge, but this is one you Really should be sitting for. It's lavish experience, you're the VIP in your own private lounge. Even if you don't like soul you'll have to admit the feeling captured here is perfect.
i'll admit i've never been a soul/r&b girlie, but the vibes here are undeniable.
A soulful, funky album through and through. Loved the orchestral arrangements on the opener!
I liked his voice and music. Didn't care for the story he shared. It was fun to hear Chef from South Park in his prime.
Love Isaac Hayes but he gets a little over indulgent on some of these songs. Way too long but still enjoyable listen.
Listen to this before you die. Often.
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.
good ass album. first album that truly deserved to be on this list.
It has a couple of really long songs on it. Not *exactly* like Lysol by Melvins. Maybe the Melvins are the Isaac Hayes of sludge metal. The last song he mentioned 'The Power of Love' but he didnt sing a Huey Lewis song. Curious thing.
3.5/5
First time hearing this artist. Loved this mini album. Cool guitar riffs.
3.5
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
Simmer slow burn soul. Can be gritty or soft. The songs evolve slowly with new horn or string parts that expand the mood. The songs are long but keep your interest, almost more than short songs do in a way
Only 4 songs - but don't let that fool you. They are long. A little psychedelic funk in some of them - which is enjoyable. Isaac Hayes voice is deep and smooth. I would imagine he has better works.
Interesting and jazzy (it's soul actually)
Funky, soulful, romantic
Really a 3.5. Solid album for the most part. I enjoyed a lot about it and know that if it came on I probably wouldn’t turn it off. So that’s pretty decent
kinda boring tbh, but i'm just not much into this kind of music
Nice! Vor allem die ersten beiden Titel. Den ersten kannte ich, konnte ihn bisher aber nicht zuordnen.
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?
4 songs, 45 minutes long. You'd expect that of a twiddly prog rock album. There are elements of filler, but its soul in some form of long form wizardry
Last track drags on for a bit long
Loved this! Added this one to my collection of favorite discoveries from this generator.
Short and sweet.
feels like a slow burn romance but the rhythm of hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic gave me headache little bit boring tbh
4 songs? All long ones, from The Duke of "Escape From New York" fame. I instantly knew "Walk On By" from god only knows where. It's got a groove and some jamming guitar work before he ever sings a word. It feels like a soundtrack to a movie more than a single. And at 12 minutes, I walked and I walked, I did walk right on by and lost interest at the midway point. It got repetitive and glorious at that point but there was still 3 minutes to go. The next two songs were average at best, with "One Woman" being difficult to make it all the way through. Then he wraps it up with an 18 minute song with an 8.5 minute mumbling narrative to introduce it, I can drive to Phoenix in less time. The man is not a great singer. Honestly, how'd this make the T1001? I'm losing a little faith in the process after back to backs with Bjork and now this. How is this an album that had/has made an impact? One hit (the very edited version) but this isn't on heavy rotation anywhere. 9/10 people have no idea who Isaac Hayes is. No legacy. Really poor call on this one. The man has talent but it wasn't on display here. 1.5 stars.
By the time I get to phoenix is an unexpected gem.
Not my usual genre but loved it! My mom also said it was good. Listened twice!
6/10
Walk on by is great, but it's a thin album.
Fantastic mixture of funk, soul and at times almost psychedelic. The production and instrumentation is a highlight on all tracks, particularly on the extendes covers of Walk on By and By the Time I Get to Phoenix. The song lengths might seem off-putting but they flow by seamlessly.
Hot Buttered Soul is a full-blown soul explosion, wild, funky, and totally uncompromising. With only four tracks and running times pushing 20 minutes, this album shatters all conventions and throws you headfirst into a sonic world that’s psychedelic, cinematic, and deeply groovy. From the 12-minute epic Walk On By, with its sweeping strings and fuzzy guitar, to the 18-minute soul monolith By the Time I Get to Phoenix, where Hayes talks, preaches, and seduces for nearly nine minutes before even singing a word, it’s bold, raw, and intensely satisfying. The funk in Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic is filthy and unstoppable, and Hayes’ voice walks a perfect line between sex, sorrow, and strength. Everything sounds crafted with confidence, vision, and soul on a massive scale. If this is your first time hearing it, it’s hard not to be blown away. The album still feels ahead of its time, and it doesn’t just sound like music, it feels like an event. 5/5
Soul, last song seemed like some kind of oral story
Had low expectations but really enjoyed it. Funky and musical
Smooth
Holy song length
This is an amazing album. I haven’t listened to much soul music, being a rock guy mainly, but the soaring instrumentation and sick grooves, with Hayes’ smooth vocals, just damn.
Pure genius, pure magic. The arrangements on this album are fantastic, and the vocals are nothing short of amazing. All 4 tracks are incredible pieces of music and the first and last tracks are some of the greatest covers ever performed. I know some don’t like it, but the monologue on By the Time I Get To Phoenix adds so much more emotional impact than you would get from just the song, and it provides an amazing end to an amazing album. 5/5
As soon as I heard that opening track I knew I was in for some absolute fire. This album was as beautiful as you'd expect. Groovy, buttery smooth, and so damn sensual. The passion coming from this man could rival the likes of Marvin Gaye, Barry White, and the many soul brothers that have walked this earth. That opening track was just cinematic. And all the tracks that followed were great as well. I will admit the last track had me worried because of the semi excessive dialogue but when he finally got to singing and those violins came in, I was reeled back in. A gorgeous record through and through. Top 3: Walk On By, Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic, and One Woman no bad songs 4.50-4.75/5
7/10
This album just is.
"I'm gonna make love to you woman, gonna lay you down by the fire" is now stuck in my head and "Hot Buttered Soul" makes me think of the deepfake Gary Busey "Hot buttered Sausage" meme. All joking aside, this is a very soulful album with some interesting lyrical twists. I prefer the single edits, the others are unnecessarily long. "One Woman" is smooth af. I skipped the interview, no time for that. I hoped for more, I can't lie. But it's alright.
Smoooooth.
Three killer tracks in a row and then a total dud.
holy shit the longest intro in history
A nineteen minute song is absolutely insane. Walk On By, the single edit, was actually really good! 12 minutes was excessive, but the shorter version was top notch. Probably going to give this one a two/three star?
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.
Felt like a lot of filler.
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!
This is not an album. This is an experience. Every song on the album is a grand journey unto themselves, stretching on for miles — and it's a journey you'd never want to end. Whenever a song fades out, I'm almost disappointed that I hafta leave this place that is so wonderful, until the next song starts up and I'm somewhere else equally fantastical. You'd think I was exaggerating here. Like, no way is this record actually **that good**; you've gotta be pullin' some kind of hyperbole out of your ass. Believe me, though — I am absolutely not. There is no way I can overstate just how truly magical this LP is. If you've ever heard this album's take on "Walk On By", then you know. You just know, deep in your very core. And it's like, I'm yammering here, but I'm honestly kind of speechless. I mean, could probably go on for hours, or at least try to, and it would never compare to just putting on a good pair of headphones, closing your eyes and letting your body rock back and forth with the music. That is a better explanation than words could ever give. I guess if I wanna say anything while I'm here, I'll be honest, standing next to these titans, it's funny that "One Woman" ends up feeling a little out of place. Like, come on — only **five minutes**? The next song on the album is **nineteen**, and it spends your running time and **dollars** in change just **setting itself up**. Like, if I can paraphrase another review: "the longer the song is, the closer you get to God." But it's like, length doesn't matter. Song structure, y'know, whatever, that doesn't matter either. It's all about experiencing these musicians, on some fuckin' higher plane of existence shit, pullin' off tracks these incredible. Even "One Woman" — after all, a journey is a journey, no matter how long it is. Seriously, like I said, I could keep on. But screw it, I'm stopping it here and now. This album is an absolute all-timer. An absolute masterpiece of soul. Don't just take my words for it. Hear it for yourself and, jus'... By the time you get to the end of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", you'll get it. And I honestly feel bad for those who don't. You don't know what you're missing out on. I don't even have a snappy joke line to end this off on. Jus'... Damn. Magic. Absolute magic. Insanely good stuff for 1969. In short: I can dig it.
It's a damn shame he got caught up in Scientology later in life, because this is some damn good Soul. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 10. Sometimes, I write that “words fail me” and then somehow manage to write 500+ words complimenting an album to high heaven and back. In this case, they are failing me, fully & totally. I can’t properly think straight after feeling “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” at a visceral level, and therefore I can’t truly write anything further. All I can say is, off of a first listen alone, this is indeed the “landmark recording in soul music” that Wikipedia cites it to be. It feels as tall as the Eiffel Tower & as masterfully crafted as the Great Pyramids – “landmark” is not hyperbole here, and I can only recommend listening to it, with headphones in & with full, undivided attention. A top to bottom hot buttered stunner, simple as that. 10. I need to listen to more Isaac Hayes.
I like this album, very energetic soul album Fav song - Walk On By 3/5
decent
Mir zu langatmig, ansonsten ganz okay
This is a THICK soul album. Repetitive in some areas, and I am not the biggest fan of straight talk storytelling for 10 min; but dripping with hot butter. Quite a good album when you are looking to slow down. 3/5 not bad
It goes on and on. Insists upon itself.
The last spoken word thing took a bit too long and I stopped focusing on. Was overall a good album. Can see how he had as much success as he did
Smoooooth as! Although it’s quite daunting seeing 4 songs stretch over 45mins, it doesn’t feel like it once you start listening. ‘One Woman’ is a tune and a half.
Favorite Song: Walk On By
Hmm, two Isaac Hayes in the space of a week. I prefer the Shaft soundtrack. This one was ok but unnecessary for this list.
I really enjoyed the 1st and 3rd song, but the 2nd and 4th (intro part) really dragged for me, so it's hard to gauge my overall opinion. Definitely like the instrumentation and overall sound, I feel like edited versions of the song would be my preference. Walk on By: I am enjoying the sounds, love the character all the instruments have, especially the keyboard and funky guitar sound. At first when the vocals came in, I almost missed the instrumental. But it won me over, especially the brass section at 5:00. I really didn't notice the length of the song on first listen since its dynamic enough to keep my interest until about 9:00 when it gets a bit drifty for me, and I was ready for it to wrap up. (Wish I knew more about the original version of the song since it's a cover!) Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic: This one had some sounds I really got into, but it didn't really stick the landing to me. Enjoyable enough but not particularly memorable, not including its hilarious title. Middle section of the song had me a bit bored, it doesn't seem to build or go anywhere for a while. One woman: What an awesome love song until the part where I went, excuse me? I enjoyed the sound of this song a lot, and I thought the vocals felt particularly strong here, probably due to the more stripped back instrumentation that lets him shine. Maybe just slightly long for me but I liked the sound. Like the song, definitely want to ignore the lyrics. By the Time I Get to Phoenix: The spoken intro was interesting at first but I was ready for it to wrap up. I get why he did it, but I literally got so annoyed by the end I almost wasn't going to listen to the main song. That part is pretty good but I admit my focus was diminished by the time it actually started. Best Song: Walk on By
Last songs intro was a little long…
Pleasant
This album is silky smooth and satisfying. His voice, the beats, lyrics, and timing all marry so well to create a vibe. I really enjoyed the first two tracks. The album dropped off a bit for me on the last two tracks. Overall, I can see why it’s on the list. Impressive, cinematic, and full of soul. Giving it a 3, but really it’s a 3.5.
9/10 Magic. One of the best albums I’ve had so far, lightning in a bottle. I knew this one before - the first 2 tracks are amongst my favourites of all time. That puts a lot of pressure on the second side, which doesn’t live up to it but ends super strong. Amazing production and variation in style. Psychedelic soul, proto rap, pure soul. Fantastic orchestration on the first and last tracks. Best: Walk on By
A little too buttery for me. But definitely better than the grateful dead.
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!
Excelent!
Not my bread and butter
Chef can sing
Some songs were better than others. The long songs had me bored.
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.
Put me on the grill... My soul is hot buttered now.
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.
Cool for what it was. Had a great song name
This album goes hard
Epic journey. Really cool.
Never listened to this one before, and quite liked it, especially the opening track.
3 stars I enjoyed it, although the ultra jam soul can feel a little overindulgent. But perhaps in just not used to it and with time it will grow on me. For now, this was an enjoyable experience I will return to, but has not revolutionized my perspective on soul.
1969. Walk On By
Erster Song war geil, der Rest hat mich nur gestresst
Isaac Hayes: Hot Buttered Soul: CHEF SOUTH PARK??? Its a cool album, a lot of chill songs, his voice is good, and the instruments are soothing. The first 3 songs were very enjoyable, but the last one is way too much speaking and droning on. Not an awful song, but 18 minutes of that is too much and I did not like it. Not super my thing as a whole, but the first three songs were rather good. 7/10
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