Hot Buttered Soul

7/10. It had a really nice soulful vibe to it. Four long songs. I like long songs. :)

i cannot stop thinking about chef from south park singing this. all seriousness though, this is a phenomenal album. i was a bit wary at first, 4 songs, 40+ minutes is not an easy sell. having “walk on by” as the opener was such a great decision. i think i still prefer dionne warwicks over this, but i’ll be damned if this isn’t a phenomenal cover. feels like a totally different song. my only “gripe” with this is the long monologue on “by the time i get to phoenix” i understand its place in the song, but it does hamper the replay value for me personally.

I knew of Issac Hayes from South Park and pop culture references, so I was curious going in. I love the sound, feel and atmosphere created on this album. The spoken intro on the last track really drops the ball though. When you've only got 4 tracks it's a big blow and stops this from getting a 5 from me.

yeah, this is some really good stuff. 9 min spoken intro just adds to the vibes.

3.75

Smooth. Of course. Very original of me.

This album dies by its long intros and outros, but at least they still sound good.

Som album namnet säger asså!!!

Awesome

Nice one

Very good

one of the great of soul

The first track, “Walk On By,” is excellent. Unfortunately, I feel like the quality decreases as the album goes on - in particular, the (long) spoken word portion of “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” didn’t do anything for me - but “Walk On By” was good enough, and the rest enjoyable enough, that I’m willing to be more charitable in my rating. 3.5 rounded up

Never been a fan of 15 minute songs with the 70s, Vegas-style talking soliloquy before getting to the essence of the song, but I forgive Isaac with this album because the music is so funky. And it’s short in terms of the number of songs, which I like in its entirety so thumbs up for me.

Loved this one. Isaac Hayes’s voice is buttery smooth and the long form songs were a hit for me.

The first track is sensational. Being a Wu-Tang fan, I immediately recognised the sample, but beyond that it's just stunning. The last track is a little slow on the uptake, but overall this is a great collection of songs.

smooth

The first two songs on this album are great. The last two... underwhelming. Overall the grooves are great, songs are a bit long for a normal listener but otherwise note bad. And lets just mention that Isaac Hayes is Chef from South Park! Album title alone gets a star!

more of that good classic soul to keep the mind, body and... well, soul in check. this one only has a few really lengthy tracks. it's a really well produced album, i especially like the trippy wailin' guitars... but a lot of the songs end up being a little stagnant, just draaaaaaaagging for long periods of time. one of the tracks is more spoken word than sung.

incredibly well produced at the time. actually really liked this one

buah

Está guapo

cool stuff - Personally I like long songs, especially if they are telling a good story. So, I‘m impressed. Thanks for this 45min.

It's almost spoken word at some points in this album. These tracks are so gentle, soulful and intentional. Usually things I don't really value in the music I listen to regularly but the rhythm section is just so damn tight and groovy.

Last two songs bring down the rating.

Walk On By KÆMPE banger!!! Alle numrene er gode!

MEGET smooth, virkelig lækker lyd. Nød det her en del mere end Shaft soundtracket. Ved ik helt om jeg synes By the Time I Get to Phoenix havde behøvet den der 10-minutters spoken word intro

Kunne ret godt lide den her.. 4 sange, men de var super fede.

Molto particolare, piacevole. Per un sottofondo delicato ma cool.

Each song is great but also overstay their welcome. Nearly a third of this is filler.

Amazing album! I was aware of its legend status, but haven't really listened to it. Psychedelic funk, count me in!

Favorite Track: Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic

This album was one of the first cassettes I ever owned…I wonder if it is still around here somewhere? Great groove…an album that can play in front or in the back ground. One of those that take me back. Grandy & Rockfish.

Only really know him as Chef from South Park but this was awesome. It’s like funk classical music if that makes sense. Would listen to it again

Loved it. Crazy that it was only four tracks. Loved the final track which was very story based.

Heeel dicht tegen 5 aan, wat lekker ey

An easy listening album

4.5/5

Going with 4 jammed out songs instead of opting for single hits was an interesting decision in the era of Motown. That’s what I always respected about Stax. They always took a flyer on shit like this. Not only is Hayes’ voice indeed hot and buttery, but the backing band (The Bar-Kays) are absolutely killing it. I love those moments where he just lets the band jam. Best listened to on a Sunday morning with coffee and a joint.

Good jams. It's wild how little Isaac sings. Smooth as silk.

unbelievable this is over 50 years old as of 2024. there are genuine soundscapes on this that you’d be impressed to hear today. the horns and strings on one woman and by the time were magical and emotional. they don’t dominate the whole mix but when they come in, they come in loud and draw your attention. the keys (both piano and organ) have some beautiful, understated moments. this was really lovely, the track lengths seemed intimidating but their length felt natural and if anything a couple could’ve had a little more at the end. this album once again shows what soul had to offer in the 60s. this is grandiose, romantic, psychedelic, and full of soul.

It is heart warming!

the 1st two songs are 2 of the best soul songs ever. and Dr. Dre sampled the second track. knocking off 1 star because the last 2 songs are meh.

“Walk on By” is classic soul with a riff built for sampling, while “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is a dramatic monologue that tests my patience. But this is where the mythic '70s soul man truly arrives—gold chains, strings, and all.

Shaft us a bad mother...

Cool album. It's only the last part that brings down the rating as the first is brilliant.

Love the funk and the soul. Not my favorite album by Hayes, but a great one just the same.

i dont know what to say this is actually amazing. i feel actual tingles when i listened to this album. every song is a masterpiece, i dont know what else to say, and im too lazy to comment on each song by itself :3

muy buenos desarrollos instrumentales. no lo conocía

Way more than just a good time.

I was worried about seeing just 4 long songs, but this was so dynamic and awesome, minus “One Woman”, which was thankfully the shortest song on the album. Best praise - I didn’t think about Chef at all when listening to this.

The beat on the opening track - an epic, almost cinematic reinvention of the Bacharach/David classic "Walk On By" - has been sampled so much it is nearly singlehandedly responsible for the entire Trip Hop genre. Four stars just for that tune. The songwriting on the rest of the album isn't as interesting to me, which is surprising considering how many classics Isaac Hayes wrote.

A great selection for this project! Given how long the tracks are on this album, I doubt I've ever heard any of these songs before, at least in their original format, so it's really nice to hear an early release of an iconic artist. (Sadly, the YouTube Music link for this album includes the much shorter single/radio-friendly version of "Walk on By". The 12-minute version is so much more interesting, I'd say.) It's fascinating to read that if not for Atlantic splitting with Stax, he probably wouldn't have even made this album, which would have been a shame for everyone. And not just Henry Rollins. :)

This is truly an album where the title is self-descriptive.

Apparently no creative barriers for Hayes and he relishes it with long, psychedlic soul songs and ballads. A true melding of the Stax and Motown sounds with the lush strings added in post in Detroit. Epic, layered compositions. Walk On By is an slow burner but upbeat slice of soul funk that ends with a Eddie Hazel style solo while Hayes works the leslie. Funkadelic comparisons continue on track 2, not just in stylizing of the title but the funky backbeat and wah guitar that perfectly frame that deep baritone singing about modus operandi and medula oblongota. One Woman is a bit saccharine and overwrought, thankfully the shortest one on here. By the time I get to phoenix starts with the epic story of a love gone wrong before a gut wrenching ballad, punctuated by horns, strings and woodwinds over a slow thumping bass line and Hayes' tinkling piano. His voice is again the centerpiece here, telling the story of heartbreak with an almost desperate bittersweet pleading before a final build up and coda.

Isaac Hayes and Marvin Gaye were great voices of soul early on. Easy to forget younger listeners know Isaac from his work outside of his artistry as a soul singer. We lost Marvin way too young. Never listened to this at the time, but I had Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. Enjoyed the listen—doesn’t sound dated at all!

Very good prog soul album from the late 1960s with incredible production which doesn't sound dated even after 55 years. The spoken word poetry was a bit long but otherwise a really good album in this genre.

What i have gotten to know Isaac Hayes for is his voice. Unmistakable, warm, deep, enveloping. But what starts this record and runs throughout is the incredible, soaring power of the music. The voice here is an instrument in the whole: this thing, hypnotic and that comes at you from all over the map. The strings, the funky riffing, and this bass, round and enchanting and almost liquid. And as I walk around the house, head nodding, I am travelling. He does not come in until we are a good 2-3 minutes in, but is already haunting the song, picking his spot. At the time, it must have been such a tricky piece to pin down. What is this thing he is doing? The year is 1969 and Hayes is doing whatever he pleases with whatever he finds. Four songs, with one topping 18 minutes. These «  songs » soar to become soul epics and rewrite the format of whatever soul music was at the time. Whatever this is, it is luscious, spacious and smooth like a warm summer night. And the next minute it is raucous and gritty. And I cannot think of anybody doing anything comparable to this. Funkadelic released their first a year later in 1970, and then Maggot Brain was in a year later. Stevie was not yet working on his 1970s classic albums. There is yearning here , for an expanded life, an aspiration to freedom, and a bravery that is barely contained. I am tempted to say it is fearless, but I don’t know. Maybe there was fear, and that might be what makes this record special. It cannot be easy to refuse to be contained when you are a black man in 1969. And yet there is a container: that of the soul tradition. Making Walk on By your first song on your first record, only to explode it and send it to the stars the way Hayes is doing here is both deeply loving and incredibly bold. This is a black man taking a song written by two white men for a black singer, completely reappropriating it and turning it into a manifest. This is excellent. If you see me walking down the street And I start to cry, each time we meet Walk on by Walk on by Make believe that you don't see the tears Just let me grieve In private, 'cause each time I see you, I break down and cry

I love the guitar on Walk on By. So much so that I will learn to play it myself. The album wears down around By the Time I Get to Phoenix, at least through 3/4 of the song, then it gets good again. It’s a decent album Choice Cut: Walk on By

I think I gave this record on vinyl to a buddy of mine at the radio station I worked at. Huge mistake as this is definitely a classic. Pretty cool sounding soul record. Pretty experimental feeling too having such long songs but the arrangements of a full band plus some orchestral elements really add to the vibe. If you pay attention you can appreciate all the details or you can just let it play for the general vibe and it's good both in an hypnotic trancey state or a mood enhancer. One woman being a beautiful love song. Walk on by being a killer opener. The second song which I can't remember the full name feeling inspiring to that outkast album but being a jaunty piano track. A crazy "by the time I get to phoenix" cover. This album is the definition of not feeling cool enough to listen to it.

As far as Scientologists go, I'm a fan of Isaac Hayes. What a legacy. I was more familiar with his work composing songs for others at Stax and film scores like Shaft and Tough Guys, but hadn't heard this one before! I probably have acquired the strongest taste for this genre out of our group, so it will be no surprise to anyone that I did not feel these songs were overlong (there's a single version of the last track). Loved One Woman.

Just an epic album. 4 tracks, 45 minutes but sweeping in scope. Isaac Hayes really takes his time with these songs, both allowing the band to groove and the tension to build until the euphoric moment of release. He has complete command of these songs. The cover of "walk on by" is transformative and unrecognizable but great. This must have been such a ballsy album to make and must have influenced the psychedelic temptations as well as Marvin Gaye's moodier albums. I could have done without the spoken intro to By the time I got to Phoenix, but the end of the song was sublime. The wait paid off. Would do a 4.5 if possible.

What a wild name for a record eh? Fantastic stuff, liked this one a lot. Meandering 12-15 minute songs were a surprise, and fit nicely. Didn’t know Hayes had previously been a session musician, much more interesting guy than I ever realized.

Das ist ein mächtiges Album. Richtig bombastisch: Streicher, Bläser, souliger Gesang. Wow. Das ist sehr beeindruckend. Ein richtig gutes Album mit kleinen Symphonien.

Great musicianship but tracks are a little meandering.

so good, doesn't sound dated at all, production is brilliant. points deducted for the audiobook section. 3.7.

I loved Walk On. The rest was good, but a little forgettable.

kalju-paten hauskan pito sessio. suolaiset kuumat suklaa palleroiset eikö heh... puhuva kone, kuin roger waters... dark side revisited...reinvented..resurrected...like jesuis kristo... vapahtajamme... nousi ylös kolmantena päivänä.. kuin sairaalloinen sydänvikainen konsanaan...ja nousi... ja uusi grindi lähti käyntiin... hyvää pääsiäistä, kaikille uskovaisille veljille, brothers..in arms.... kuuma voideltu sielu walk on by

When i saw that this album had really long song i was a bit "scared" because most of songs that i've listen on this list that last more than 7 minutes are pretty much shit, but believe me this is not the case, it's such relaxing music that you forget that there's a song that last 12 minutes. For me it was kind of like a chill morning album, it's really great.

Liked everything.

A true classic Great album. Granted nothing here comes close to chocolate salty balls but little does.

Amazing production. Felt modern even though it was from the 60’s. And genuinely great songs. The slow build up was worth it and it rides itself the perfect amount. The spoken word segment was a little too long but aside from that a great album.

Beaucoup aimé l'instrumentation. Le disque n'est pas long! Faudrait que j'écoute les autres que l'artiste a produits. Moins aimé le blabla de la dernière chanson, mais je suppose qu'en live ce serait apprécié.

Only four songs and that first one is a trip.

Gorgeous arrangements of two classic tracks in “Walk on By” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”. I especially enjoyed the long setup and slow build on the latter. The other two tracks I was more meh on, but nothing I disliked. 4/5.

Walk on By 4 Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic 3.5 One Woman 3.7 By the Time I Get Jimmy Webb to Phoenix 3.5 Score: 3.675

Great songs but the 9 min monologue for the last track was excessive. Otherwise was a fun album

Smooth

12 Minute long first song here I come... Good vibes but not entirely great until the end I'd say. But difficult to rate. A song like walk on by is just crazy. Especially when knowing it is from 1969.

Hot buttered soul

I dig the flutes

Isaac Hayes is so under rated!

Nice stuff, though I can't imagine ever willingly listening to the full-length version of some of these songs again. At least there are shorter versions of them.

Some great vocals and emotions on display. The extended versions could go on a bit long, but if you think of this as a concept album it all fits together very well.

The arrangement was so familiar also like jazz each song is full of improvisation.

With 4 songs two near the 10 minute mark and one nearly 19 minutes I thought they might drag, the near 9 minute monologue on the last track was a bit unecessary, but the way that track builds to a crescendo, as well as the other tracks makes it a good album IMO.

I was today years old when I learned that the voice of Chef in South Park also sang Shaft. A mesmerizing voice in elaborate soul compositions. Everything works up until the way too long spoken introduction to 'BY the Time I Get To Phoenix'.

I now want a 20 minute version of “Chocolate Salty Balls”.

I like the music I like his voice :)

A good listen, that's one hell of a monologue though

Really liked first song and the rest of the album was also fantastic.

This is awesome

4 songs, 45 mins, amazing beats, cool vocal some yapping at the start of 4th song but he’s just telling a story

I like Isaac Hayes very much. Good voice and fine soul. I was surprised to learn, that he played the Duke in Carpenters Escape from New York.

Cool soul music

Like his music but he talked waaay too long before By the Time I Get to Phoenix.

This list is really opening my eyes to soul music. This was great hype music to study to.

I enjoyed most of this. Dude has a great voice.

Classic!

Good!

Have never listened to much soul music before. I thought this was great. I even preferred the much longer versions of the edited songs. The overall album was a joy to listen to.

very chill

Soul indeed...

Enjoyable listen

forgot what a great voice he has

Very smooth and groovy

Amazing intro to kick off the album. A lot of soul and blues here but enough to keep it interesting and complex. Not much repetition. All the singing and instrumentals are great. 4.45

Interesting to see where he came from and to see where hooverphonic got their sample from. Did not expect the heavy gospel and preacher vibes on it.

Jazzy soulful with only minimal grunting. The lyrics are odd but the instrumentation and layering are great

Very good album, enjoyed it more than I would have expected.

9/10

Amazing opener

Hot Buttered Soul stands as a timeless soul classic, a lush and beautifully orchestrated landmark album. For a man that is mostly remembered for telling bad mothers to shut their mouths or saucily singing about Salisbury steak with this album he has created a glorious symphony of sound that seals his legacy. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 3 STANDOUT TRACK - One Woman

Right when the song comes on, whew, soulful. Makes you want to start dancing. two songs in, and this is a long one. 4 tracks and but each track is extensive. I dig track 2. This last track is very long. Mostly talking. So far the standout tracks are 1 and 3.

The album starts with a 12 minute track; generally speaking, I do not enjoy songs that long but the composition of this track, even as a cover, makes it a great listen. The album as a whole contains some excellent blues elements, jazz swoops and oozes with the soul that Isaac Hayes was famous for, accented beautifully with the orchestral sway, and dotted with some very interesting psychedelic-ness. Hyper brings some smooth funk and One Woman is an answer to the lovely smoothness of being loved by Issac Hayes. A very solid album even though it is outside of my general preferences.

Cool album.

Vibes 🤌🏼 :D aikamoine

Really nice tunes, although lyrically not that great

Gran álbum para escuchar en la noche.

Very smooth listening. Good background music.

The guitar was a great unexpected addition to the album. It felt like a unique mix of soul, rock and jazz.

4.0

absolutely timeless

Solid, silky, smooth-ass soul.

Wow. Smooth, soulful, gorgeous. It's a bit of a challenge listening to 4 songs with substantial length. But Isaac made this worth it. One Woman really impressed me. I got goosebumps listening to it. Hayes' 'Walk on by' cover is grand, romantic and completely his own. An excellent cover that neither overshadows Dionne Warwick, nor underwhelms. Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic is a middling song. We have more lovely soul vocals, smooth bass, but it isn't hitting like the others. The ultra long song title is charming though. Speaking of titles, 'Hot Buttered Soul' has to be one of the most delicious album titles I've heard - and combined with the beautiful shining bald noggin of Hayes - it really amps up the aesthetics of the album to its peak. Even before I've started listening, I'm impressed. I'm interested. I'm ready to experience something gorgeous! 'By the time I get to phoenix' is my least favourite. It's too long. I'm not interested in the talking for the first 8 minutes. It drags. The vocal part is nice but again, not the best. Overall, solid 4. The good supremely outweighs the bad. This was a true pleasure to experience.

Sonic caramel

I like this album. Vocal is allright but music is really nice

Great, not entirely sure what the 10 minute speech was all about though

Weirdly, I quite liked that. I’m usually against long songs but this small collection spoke to me

Chill

Great album that sounds like it influenced Barry White / Marvin Gaye. Pretty nice music, but I could have done without the 8 minute story at the start of By The Time I Get to Phoenix.

This was actually pretty good. I enjoyed how calming it felt to listen to this.

first 2 songs=A+ second 2 songs=meh

What’s not to love with this?? The great Stax songwriter, producer and when it was really necessary to survive, performer, almost at the peak of his powers, with this, his second album. The two extremely long cover versions make for riveting listening. I also have the single-length versions of Walk on By (edited from 12:01 to 4:32) & By The Time I Get To Phoenix (18:41 to 7:02). Both versions of both standards work so well. Hayes’s melodramatic introductions are fantastic. Kitsch at times, but fantastic nonetheless. Is it any wonder that his voice became an essential part of one of television’s classic series. The other 2 tracks on the album are also great listening, particularly the very funky Hyperbolics…. song. One Woman was later covered by Al Green. Love this record.

Not my favorite style of soul/funk, but Isaac's voice is on point and some of the guitar points had me grooving. Might warrant a few more listens on my part, as I have not previously given this album a chance.

Enjoyable

Loved the first track

Listening to Isaac Hayes is one of the easiest most relaxing thing you can do. What a pleasure!

Extended soul funk jams with the smoothest baritone vocals you'll hear, some ripping guitar lines, and a full on set of arrangements. I feel like this one is relatively overlooked and underrated, probably bc the song lengths make it very radio unfriendly and it doesn't have the tight pop song-writing of other soul singers' best work, but the performances are amazing and they really nail what they're going for in terms of setting a mood.

If not for the long speech during By The Time I Get To Phoenix, it would be a 5.

Chef from South Park can really cook some soul food.

Four songs is all that was needed. I think the long form allows for even deeper expression in an album that began to point Soul towards popular music in the 70's. The storytelling and emotion captured from Isaac's playing and singing really made this album captivating

Love the first 2 songs - amazing sound, great vibe. Not as much a fan of the second 2 songs, especially the one that opens with an unnecessarily long spoken piece. But the second track (out of the 4 total) is so amazing that it bumps this album up to a 4.

Such a cool vibe. Loved his version of “walk on by”.

Super soulful

enjoyed the songs, enjoyed the voice

Great work from the big man

Honestly I was astounded at the soul of it all

Really good. Can’t believe this came out in 1969. Rating: 4.3

I gave in to base desires and allowed all this hot butter to wash over me, carrying me away on a greasy stream of fatty indulgence. Mmmm, butter. For an album that only has 4 overly long tracks, something I would normally hate, I enjoyed it a lot. It's oddly concise, somehow. 1 star per track seems fitting.

Fun soul. Great vibes

Soulful as hell. Not a big fan of lengthy songs but he kept it interesting.

A- Walk On By 5 Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic 3 One Woman 4 By the Time I Get to Phoenix 4 I love this album. It's one of the first vinyls I ever bought.

That first side sounds triumphant. Seemless blend of soul, funk, psychedelic rock and cinematic landscapes. The song lengths look intimidating at first but once the songs start, they're so comfortable and detailed that there's really no rush to move on. The second side slows down quite a bit but with isn't without its soul and style.

Great album, full of jazz, blues, great vocals.

Loved it

Better than I was expecting. Some really nice soul music, but I just wish the songs were shorter. Especially the last track, which is 18 minutes long. I don’t mind long songs usually, but these were too much. Still though, I enjoyed this one. Above average for sure. 7/10 Top 3: 1. One Woman 2. Walk On By 3. Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic

Pretty cool short album. Jazz with guitar? Idk but it was cool.

Really, really good album. My only critics is obviously that some of the songs are too long, im not adverse to long songs at all, I’m just less likely to re visit them

I really liked three out of the four songs, one was more of a podcast lmaooo. Absolutely amazing and I don’t mind it’s a short album. Quality over quantity. Favorite was walk in by 👌

Dude knows how to groove, get that shit straight. Great music. I think if he cut the songs down and summarized, these 4 songs would be pretty close to perfect. Although the free standing form is pretty dope the way this guy sings and the way the instruments fill gaps. Personal Favorites: Walk on by

I'm not really into the super long songs but it's a great sound overall. Track 2, "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic", was a highlight for me. I think this is a 3.5.

The first side is hotter and more buttery. Really love the first two tracks. So cool. Side 2 is still good, but doesn’t hit me as hard.

Great sound and production, I enjoyed it a lot

A sad reality in life is that people really don't make music like this anymore. There is so much modern music that I absolutely love, but artists nowadays don't really release music to the same level of quality and care as something like this. This is 4 tracks of soul excellence. And one of the most important albums in the genre's history. Honestly, I don't think I've ever heard a song, or just an album in general, start the way Walk On By does. It inherently feels cinematic, due in part to those incredible strings. Strings and horns in funk and soul music always do something to me. This album starts off with a bang, and having it be this 12 minute long epic is a risky, but worthwhile power move. Thankfully the song is amazing. Isaac's voice is smooth and sultry. And those characteristics, combined with the horns, (again), and the backing vocals, potentially make One Woman one of my favorite love songs of all time. It is the shortest song by far, but I love the build up, and just how emotional it is. We also get a little bit of spoken word from Isaac on By the Time I Get to Phoenix. The second half of that song is great, but because of the first part, it feels like a song I would only listen to if I really felt like it. It takes more attention to listen to, and felt a little long-winded. Really, this album is a piece of art. All music is art. But not all music is art in the way this is art, or in the way other music is art. Some albums just excel at reaching parts of your heart and brain that others can't. This album is one of them. Rating: 8/10

Funkay. 4 stars.

Volume a bit inconsistent, but sounds good. Last song drags on too long. Worth a listen, but I won't revisit it.

Sonorités soul et psychédélique très cool, riches et puissant. Album concept avec de longues musiques, pourquoi pas. Intéressante découverte.

Isaac Hayes is a genious, this album is so soulful and dripping with sexappeal.

Includes two of the all-timers in the "long ass songs" category. A great album for driving, cleaning, cooking, background noise at a small gathering.

Easy listening R&B album. 4 long songs is interesting, 45 minute length seemed to go by quickly. Favorite Track: Walk On By

This was really, really great. I think that Isaac Hayes is a genius who deserves all the recognition that he gets if not more. Yes, the 9 minute spoken word intro on By The Time I Get To Phoenix might not be for everyone but the music is so damn good regardless. This is absolutely classic progressive soul and each of the 4 songs on here, which are mostly radically rearranged covers are awesome.

Would've been a 5 till it got to 10 minutes of him talking lol Great album, just the long extended story at the start of the last track throws the whole thing off.

This is a really strong album. It's got a good vibe to it and was great to just have on while working. That's not to say it's boring or background music though. I have listened to a little bit of Isaac Hayes' music before but this was my first full album and it was solid. Standout Tracks: Walk On By, Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic, By the Time I Get to Phoenix

It’s good. Listenable, 4/5

Crazy Album! It’s really a lot but a lot of good things. I’m having a hard time to rate the album, it’s not my favourite, I don’t know if I’ll listen to it again but I feel that this album is something extraordinary. So 4/5 nevertheless

Good Motown funk

This is a very classic R&B album that has aged very well. Although it’s a very short album, it has longer songs that are very soulful while crisp beats play in the background. I can hear hints of where modern day artists like Michael Kiwanuka got their inspiration from.

Smooth

Really nice instrumental sections. A couple long periods of talking that I was less enthused about.

Walk On By- Awesome, you can really hear the influence on so much music in this one song. Hyperbolicsyllablecsesquedalymistic- Says it all. One Woman- Great emotion. By The Time I Get to Phoenix- You have all this musical talent and then spend 8 minutes ignoring it?? Walk On By (Single)- Looses the groove of course but overall good single. By The Time I Get to Phoenix (Single)- STILL TALKING?? IN THE SINGLE??

Ethereal and poinignant

This was my first soul album. Considered a classic of the genre. It was alright. Good listening for a summer day.

Groovy

I was not excited about a 4-song album with one 18 minute long track. I was pleasantly surprised. Hayes and the band are fantastic. The grooves were tasty, and it was not at all boring. The 18 minute "By the time I get to Phoenix" cover was fantastic. Hayes dragged out all the emotion by telling the backstory before he dove into the Jimmy Webb composition. Great album.

Wow

Very chill, Isaac has a killer voice. I think 60s soul manages to do the super long song better than anything else, and this album is no exception. He really builds these songs up, manages to make an 18 minute song fresh the whole way through. I really enjoyed this one.

There is a beautiful place in this world for long-form Funk. Of course long epics like these tracks will start to drag a little at times but overall this is a great listen!

Hello Children!

Yes

Not my style of music but a great sounding album.

This album is everything it was going for and more. Isaac exceeded his own expectations on this one and it’s as good today as it was back when it came out. The proof is just how many samples there are of this album in modern music. It’s so good and I don’t care how long it is, it’s the pinnacle of soul and groove and all things vibing. His voice is so soothing, I just wished there was more of him singing. Everything else is phenomenal. 4/5

As a millennial, he’ll always be Chef to me. Fond memories of asking my mom to get Chef Aid: The South Park Album when it first came out. It was my first personally-owned CD. I also like the Shaft theme, but never checked out his other stuff. Digging this! Love that little fuzz lead on the opening track! Dirty fuzz tone. The ending of that track has some very obvious fader riding which I kind of love. All the tracks have something good going on. I like his vocals and the band is jamming on. I like the backup vocals a lot. At first I felt like the tracks were missing something. But after listening more, the vibe is growing. Also, considering this was one of the first albums of its kind, gotta go 4/5 on it.

This is my first ever soul album, so I went in with an open mind. Isaac Hayes has a beautiful voice, it works well off of the instrumentation of the album. Speaking of instrumentation, it’s great! Everybody has a part and it fits together perfectly. However, I think some parts while having some merit, are a bit monotonous and some parts go on for a bit too long and are a bit unnecessary.

I really loved this more than I thought I would. I think I saw Isaac Hayes before as more of a caricature, as Chef from South Park or the guy that did the Shaft theme song. This album was really great though, just catchy soul and some light funk. My only criticism would be the monologue at the end. Really glad I listened to it overall.

Oh hell yeah. I’ve been playing this a lot this summer, specifically Walk On By, my favorite being on my way to the beach. Sunny windows down driving with those fantastic orchestral stings sheeeeesh. And damn Isaac’s voice is amazing

Better than I expected. Very funky stuff. Not sure how many times I'd want to sit through the entire story of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" many more times, but on the first listen, it was pretty gripping. The Hyperbolic song was probably my favorite track.

Nearly a 5 but monologue fest at the end ruined it

Smooth shit which spawned a million hip-hop samples. Would get top marks if not for the boring 9-minute spoken word segment on the last track.

Why does he talk for so long on the last track? Apart from that it's good.

Shaft is a better album.

Isaac Hayes is so badass! So funky with amazing orchestration. He has some lame tracks where he talks too much on here but this is still great.

BEST SONGS: -Walk on By -One Woman

am not a english music listener by any stretch - I found songs long (12 mins, 18mins with a story intro etc.) but music/lyrics were good

For me this is an album with two sides, both figuratively and literally. Side A is 'Walk On By' and 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic.' This is the absolute top of soulful and grooving music ever made. Isaac's baritone voice is the extra layer on top of it. 'Walk On By' is the best version of this Burt Bacharach song I've ever heard and even though 12 minutes, it doesn't bore for a second. 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic' brings the funk to the album, and together with the pressing piano is a musical masterpiece that can't continue long enough for me. That bass combined with the the impelling drums that bring the song to orgasmic heights. Side B, even though really good on its own, really can't stand in the shadow of Side A. 'One Woman' is Isaac Hayes on the romantic tour. It's a good song, but not outstanding. 'By the Time I get to Phoenix' suffers from a much too long uninteresting intro of Hayes talking over the music. But he's no Gil Scott-Heron and it takes a full 8 minutes for the song to finally go. When it does it's marvellous though. Those heavenly horns and strings. So, a full 5* for Side A and a 3,5* for Side B will make this a 4*

This album is comprised of 4 long and great soul songs that sprawl in their splendor.

Nice

Heavy heavy soul! Banger after banger after banger!! Clearly the best version of Walk on By, that hype PE sample, sweet soulful One Woman and the absolute banger ending track, five isn't enough!

A nice, smooth and passionate record with a little bite at certain points. I think the long format tracks worked well, and while the last track took me out of it a little bit, I still felt like this is one of the easier records to get into so far.

Isaac hates kicks ass. Heard what buggie sampled

A great slice of funky soul. As much as I love ‘Walk On By’ and ‘Hyperbolicsyllabicesquedalymistic’, I do feel they are both a couple of minutes too long. Hayes’s version of ‘One Woman’ is great and at a more reasonable length. The long speaking intro to ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’ does stop me from revisiting this album.

Finally a soul album! Isaac Hayes' production is incredible and really elevates these 4 songs through gorgeous strings and piano keys backing the classic soul vocals. Walk On By is one of the best soul songs ever made and the longer version actually made me appreciate it more. Also 10/10 album cover.

Great renditions although a tad too long perhaps.

Åpningssporet er verdt 3 stjerner alene. Åherreee. 1 stjerne for resten

At first seeing a 4 track 45min Soul album I was dreading listening to this. However I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely the album is, it doesn't sound like an album from 1969. The voice of South Park's Chef does not disappoint! Walk On By has beautiful instrumentation throughout, great song. Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic has more of a funky sound which is a nice change. One Woman is slower than the others and the most "Soul" sounding track. By The Time I Get To Phoenix wastes the first 8 minutes telling a meandering story. When the music actually starts it becomes a fantastic track with sweeping music. It's a shame the remastered single edit of the track also doesn't cut out the fluff. Overall really enjoyed the album, will listen again.

Love this. He was so cool. 4 songs. Crushed it.

Light 8

4/5

Its not bad, but also not something I would want to try more often. Its only 4 numbers, quite some mumbling, which isnt ideal for working/reading. When they play music, it is nice.

incredible soul record. walk on by wins the title for possibly most sampleable track ever Favorite Tracks: Walk On By, Hyperbolicsyllabicesquedalymistic 4-4.5/5

Mä kyllä tykkään Isaac Hayesin kamasta, oli se sitten takaa-ajo funkkia tai sitten enemmän täät kutumusaa. Hieno levy, jota ei oo turhaan pilattu liian lyhyillä biiseillä. Tunnelmallista. 4/5

Genrensä klassikko, eikä syyttä. 4/5, voisen pehmeää.

Great funky soul album! Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: probably Favourite Song:

sweet sweet album. immaculate vibes

We are eased into the album almost like Hayes is seducing the listener. The string arrangement, the guitar and then the voice and he’s got you. Walk On By, builds and builds across the opening twelve minutes. The band lock in the groove and jam to a close, awesome. Hyperbolic picks up the pace and it’s one of the funkiest jams ever recorded . Onto side two, yep there are only four tracks in total. One woman is a soulful ballad, Hayes vocal is smooth. The backing singers bring this track to life with some brilliant performances. And then we move onto the final track, all eighteen minutes of it. By The Time I Get To Phoenix, starts with a spoken word intro……eight minutes is a little long for an intro. But once it kicks on it’s a gorgeous string drenched soul classic. The horns chime in, piano tinkles deep in the mix and the layer of instruments builds and builds. Bass next and the groove is set. Hayes is lost in the vocal and there’s the Hammond organ to take us a little closer to a climax. What a ride we’ve been on.

Psychedelic and rich soul/R&B. Not an everyday listen by a stretch, but damn good for sure, I'll be coming back to this one.

Strong and smooth sound, definitely wanted more. Felt like it was very short, but that could be due to some of the very long tracks. But enjoyed the general vibe. Would have given 3.5 if I could.

It’s good. Very good soul. The only issue is the length of the songs. They are just a tad too long without justifying that length.

Veryspecialalbum. Canberasily5butlasttrackisverystrangeformytaste.

Not his best but still

Very fitting title. Silky soul. Intro to ‘Phoenix’ is a bit long, but still enjoyed the concept of it

Börjar och slutar briljant, med något mindre briljant emellan.

Not very lengthy album which makes it perfect for about 45 minutes of soul/funk music. Meaty tracks that make you remember Isaac more for his music than his beliefs. “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” is a story that hurts the heart.

Loved it

Sumptuous, interesting, classic. So much love for this one. Never thought I was a Hayes fan but I was wrong.

Hadn't listened to this before at all, so it was a nice surprise! I didn't care much for "One Woman", but apart from that, it was great. Voice smooth like butter.

Great stuff. Always starts out as a four and ends as a three, but on balance I'm going with the four.

на удивление, очень приятный альбом было пару слабеньких мест, но в остальном отлично

очень жирный приятный соул. Довольно медленно, но верно погружает тебя в эту приятную атмосферу

Меня прям пробило... Вот тут Фрэнк Оушен недавно был - вот такое он написал бы 50+ лет назад, кажется. Очень размеренный соул с классными гитарными импровизациями. Томный голос окунает тебя с головой в это море звука. Короче прям кайф, это можно ставить на почиллить на диванчике с чашкой чая.

Great listen, and an incredible atmosphere. One of the best albums by a Scientologist.

Noice

Amazing soul album. Isaac Hayes had an outstanding voice which made the title even more fitting to the whole album experience.

Yo this is dope. First track def the highlight. I'd heard things sampled from it but not the og. Wish it had stayed smooth all the way through without the noisy guitar bits.

Besides the first 9 minutes of the last song, I really liked this one. Go chef! Shaft!

This album is excellent. Honestly probably would've been 5 stars except for the Phoenix track having way too much spoken word before track gets going. Guy's an immense talent. Though this album really could've used his classic "chocolate salty balls" track.

Solid music. He's a great singer and these songs are fun to listen to. No major highlights as this is a pretty consistent album. The lowlight is the last track, I get a little tired of the story he's speaking to us because it is insanely long. Overall I think some of these tracks could stand to be shorter, if only to for the sake of making room for an additional couple tracks for us. On their own though, despite their lengths, I found that other than the final track these songs did not overstay their welcome, they're just nice to have on.

I really liked this album. Sounds more modern than the release date would suggest. Perhaps ahead of its time?

This album is great. It’s expansive, takes its time in everything it does, and when the big moments hit, they hit you like a truck. It really feels like you’re transported to a different world for its entire runtime. Outside of the cinema of it, it just is excellent musicianship all around. The grooves are brilliant, the guitars hit you in the soul, and Hayes’ voice is perfect on top of this production. His rendition of Walk on By is one of the greatest songs ever created, full stop. I can’t give it 5 stars due to it getting a tad overindulgent at parts, stretching out songs well beyond what the musical ideas have to offer, but in the grand scheme of things that’s really a minor nitpick. Listen to this album, it will hook you on soul if you aren’t already, and hook you onto longer form song structures.

I’m of the generation where I knew Isaac Hayes primarily as Chef on South Park. It was a long time after this that I actually realised he was also a very successful musician (I may have been watching South Park at a younger age than I should). So let’s listen to his music! Songs I already knew: Walk On By (although not this version) Favourites: Walk On By Often with the few albums I’ve heard that only have a few songs, I find myself growing bored. Hot Buttered Soul has only 4 tracks, and it was only during the last track that I started losing attention. Walk On By is a very interesting take on the Dione Warwick song and I did enjoy it. I will admit that in my mind’s eye it was still Chef singing each of these tracks, although it did kinda add to the fun of it. Overall, a fun album, though likely not one I’ll be returning to.

Issac Hayes jamming on 4 tracks that lasts 45 mins. How could you not like this. Long jam sessions on awesome soulful grooves. Super listen able

I didn’t think I’d like 10 minute long soul songs but it turns out I do. I draw the line at 10 minute long spoken word intros though.

I love the funky music, how the classics Walk on By and Phoenix are slowly buils up into something epical. Nice discovery thanks to 1001 albums

3,7

Good god, what a great album. So many samples I didn't know. Another "how did this slip between the cracks" album.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: One woman

A+ soul music, just wish it was longer

The most perfect name for this album because my soul is buttered. I really avoided it due to the length of the tracks but I loved it. Saved to my favourites.

A really great record. It was perfect for the sunny afternoon.

Smooth grooves. Love the long jams but I think I need to be in the right mood for it.

2023/03/21

I knew these songs but did not know I knew these songs. The single version of these songs can tend to be the better song, but this is an excellent album overall. I have never gotten into Isaac Hayes' catalogue so this is a great start to his version of soul.

This album was a fun listen. I nearly made it all the way through before I had to stop. I had to stop because, at my office, we have The Current playing, so I can faintly hear what's playing while I listen to the music in my headphones, and I could hear this faint little angel singing. So I pressed pause and perked up my ear to try and figure out what was playing, and low and behold, it was Billions by Caroline Polachek, which made me realize that I haven't listened to her album yet today and switched over to "Desire, I want to Turn Into You."

So that's why Chef got laid so often. Favorite track: Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic

This album is 7 songs and it's an hour and 9 minutes. I can justify a song over 10 minutes if it's on a live album, a really good song, or you're watching a live performance on a studio album pushes it. I don't know if that's an opinion other people have but it's one that I hold strongly. However, I did enjoy the songs on it. The 18 minute one definitely had me struggling to keep listening but it's hard to be upset over a solid album like this one.

Sexy

Really solid work

Very good soul album

Tempted to drop a star off for the lack of original material, but it’s just too good

good 8/10

Glorioso

So soft! Not enough 'o's in smooooooth

I already listened and reviewed in my first short-lived trip. Yes. Hot buttered soul.

Epic soul, love how long these tracks go for and are allowed to breathe. Only let down by the ballad "One Woman" 4*

This albm is great. A real slick cool groove soul record that always feels like it is driving towards something, even with only 4 songs and a 45 minute runtime. The extended story telling of this songwriter is a little boring though.

Prog soul is quite intriguing. I think it lacked something that really popped for me, but it truly is a great album.

Samples of this album are so intrinsic to classic hip hop it’d be hard for me not to enjoy it by association, that said, the ‘By The Time I Get To Arizona’ cover’s spoken word intro is awfully pathetic and overdone.

Knew so many of the tunes from Wutang and other artists sampling, in fact it's hardly even sampling, some of my favourite tunes are ripped straight from here it seems. however this is all Hayes as even though some are covers "Walk on by" it's all his style.

Loved every track besides Phoenix.

If any record producer wanted a masterclass into how to remaster an album, THIS IS IT. If I didn't know, I would have said it was recorded yesterday, with brilliant use of EQ, creating an "as live" feel. Hot Buttered Soul is the perfect name for this album, achieving the warm gooey feeling inside that only Soul music can muster. If there's one thing that stood out for me, it has to be the outstanding orchestral arrangements. It took each track to a whole different level and made it feel somewhat of a masterpiece. I also loved the story telling intro of "By the time I get to Phoenix". For an album released quite so long ago, it has to have been one of the first albums to include this style. The interview at the end is the icing on the cake. Isaac's effortless passion for his music shines through and brings the album to a close wonderfully. The only negative, and the reason for a loss of star is simply due to the album being far too short. 4 real tracks, 2 repeats and an interview. This is more EP than album. I finished, but I wanted more.

Un soul dulce y muy clasico que es vibrante y hace mover la cabeza al instante. No se hace pesado, diria incluso que es corto. siento que algunas caniones las habia escuchado pero no se en donde y tampoco me acordaba de las letra, cara, portada, sonoridad del todo. Buenos temas, que tienen adornos interesantes y arreglos sutilmente pensados. Conforme con esta escucha. Ya más hacia el final del disco me dio por reconocer lo texturoso que es, es uno de los aspectos positivos de la musica antigua. Este tema es tiene muchas textruas, se podría pintar con él. Me llevo una buena primera impresion de lo que es un buen disco y lo que parece un buen artista.

The only thing bringing this album down is the ten minute monologue

Great album, but there are some passages that drag on way to long, and I could have done without the spoken word intro to By the Time I Get to Phoenix.

Strong melodies and very easy to listen to

This was pretty groovy actually. Nice album and short. 8/10.

Hot buttered tits dipped in treacle, dripping into the eye of my anus as the sun comes out. What an immense piece of aural sex. My eardrums are bashing one out.

Better than expected.

This album starts with pure awesomeness (it’s great to learn where Portishead got their sample from), but side B is one big letdown. Regardless, I’m going to give credit to the creativity and originality in this album. Well worth listening to!

So good. What a great voice

Some deep grooves and exploratory textures on this record. A wide breadth of instrumentation is used to great effect, with strings, woodwinds, keys, guitars, organs all being brought to the forefront at various times. The length and pace of the tracks isn't necessarily overbearing but does make for a more static listen at times than the rhythmic drive of the music implies at first. The roots of modern soul are all here; traces of this sound can be found in Marvin Gaye to D'Angelo. The tracking band is never drowned out, rather they are complemented by the overdubs, avoiding a pitfall many albums of the genre succumb to. Some sonically unique and creative guitar playing here as well. Favorite Tracks: Hyperbolicsyllabic... Walk On By

So soulful and smooth. I love it!

For only 4 songs, this album has a lot. Hayes turned "Walk On By" into a completely different (and soulful) song from Dionne Warwick's version. "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" is a catchy tune considering it might be about heroin addiction. I'm surprised that "One Woman" wasn't a hit R&B single. If there's a weak spot, it's the nearly 19 minutes of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" with the first 8+ minutes as some kind of poetry slam (though the rest of the song is good).

Smooth, rich vocals. Lengthy tracks with creative and unique instrumentals.

Excellent funky cool, really low-down satisfying voice, great funk rhythms. The title is a spot-on description. You could drive around in a fat white Cadillac listening to this, with pink furry dice and people would just say y e a h

Super funky and soulful. a ton of sample gold in the songs. Only real knock is the "story" for the first 6 minutes of By The Time I Get To Phoenix. That's just too long for my millenial brain to wait for the music to start.

Very smooth and fun to listen to. This is my first album and makes me excited for the next one. I really like the dynamics in the first track.

This surprised me with how good it was!

The generator just gave me Shaft 3 days ago. I felt it's presence, but I didn't particularly enjoy it. Tonight surprised me. I was hooked from the beginning. I love the first two tracks, albeit a little too long for me. Then I was completely detailed by One Woman, like ready to stop listening. But I soldiered on and by the time Isaac Got Me To Phoenix, I was back in the groove.

Luka bio si upravu. Album je ispred svog vremena. Produkcija i miks su fenomenalni, svaka pjesma koliko god duga drži ti interes.

Odma prva stvar u dušu lupi. U jednoj minuti sam odma dvije stvari čuo, jedna mislim da je od Ghostface Killah - prvi sample, kad se promjenio sam čuo Compton's Most Wanted - inače stvar koja je korištena u GTA SA. Al sam eto pročitao da je to zapravo cover koji je on napravio, nije original, ali svejedno jako dobro zvuči! Druga stvar "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" je odma na prvih par sekundi uzela moj interes. Odlična isto. I tu ima jedan sample koji se koristio, vjerujem da je to bilo za jednu pjesmu od Public Enemya. Sve u svemu, album mi se jako sviđa, jebeni groove, funky, produkcija, šta da drugo kažem?