Isaac Hayes was taking soul music to crazy new heights in 1969, and this is only his second album! Ike came in and took the formula laid down by Stevie, Marvin, Al and The Isleys, but did it better, longer and with a country-fried twist. In contrast with his debut, Presenting, Hayes’ background as a producer is on full display here... there's no 3 minute pop single in sight. Hayes didn’t even want to record a second album (Presenting was a commercial flop), but struck a deal with a desperate Stax, who were under threat of bankruptcy, in exchange for complete creative control over the album. There’s only four tracks, all of which have been sampled to death at this point, but the arrangement and instrumentation is so lush (courtesy of The Bar-Kays) that savvy beat flippers still continue to find hidden fruit between the cracks to this day. It’s a real desert island disc for soul lovers. “Walk On By” is the obvious banger here, but don’t sleep on “One Woman” or Ike’s sprawling, 18 minute version of Jimmy Webb’s “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.” 180g import pressing with remastered audio, housed in old-school style tip-on jacket, recommended.

• 180g black vinyl pressing
• high quality UK import
• housed in old-school style tip-on jacket
• remastered from the original analog tapes
• limited edition of 1000
• original release year: 1969
• music label: Stax 2021

reviewed by hannibal chew 03/2018