Isaac Hayes-Hot Buttered Soul, Stax.

A recently entry in the American Top 20 Album charts was this package by singer/songwriter Isaac Hayes. It contains a mere four tracks — Walk On By, the Bacharach-David song that was once a hit for Dionne Warwick: One Woman which was a recent hit single for Johnny Rivers: Hyperbolic syllabic sesque dalymistic a thing co-written by Hayes, and lastly one of the most devious tortures yet devised—an 18 minute version of By the Time I Get to Phoenix. (Imagine an 18 minute version of Jim McNaught and Long Tall Texan.) Actually, I'd love to say the interpretation was stimulating, scintillating and just too much man, but unfortunately it's drawn out (a spoken monologue lasting almost ten minutes!) and generally very boring—lots of strings and deep comments on life and love.

One Woman which lasts a mere five minutes is good—orchestra, girlie chorus and Hayes' deep voice rumbling along in the middle of it all. Walk On By lasts twelve minutes and is the funkiest number on the album. This track features fine backing work by the Bar-Kays, recorded cither before they went down with Otis Redding or else by a new group carrying on the name.

Hayes has very little to do with the whole album, which is regrettable. The type of soul-stirring sounds that Hayes has produced in the past for Sam and Dave, Carla Thomas and some of the other Stax stars is not in evidence here. The whole thing is too sugary—the backing is very full but too orchestral. The album is worth hearing, but don't bother waiting for something to happen, because literally, you'll sit there half the night.