Isaac Hayes

Only one song clocks in under ten minutes on this four-song release. A seminal album, Hot Buttered Soul cemented Isaac Hayes's image and his influence on the music industry. The music is stunning both instrumentally and vocally, and its relentless low-key grooves should strike fear in the hearts of poseurs everywhere. Includes the phenomenal "Walk On By."

This album is a smash, and it may be so overstated that it has its own validity--a baroque, luscious production job over the non-singing of one half of Sam & Dave's production-songwriting team. (Grade - C)