Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It?

Isaac Hayes | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: May 16, 2006
• Release Date: May 16, 2006
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Stax
• Copyright: (C) 2005 Concord Music Group, Inc
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 2:36:16
• Genres:
• ASIN: B000VDU2FE
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,531 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You Should Dig It..., November 21, 2005

By 

Thomas D. Ryan "American Hit Network" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It (W/Dvd) (Dig) (Audio CD)

Damn, where's he been? For thirty years, Isaac Hayes has apparently been one of the coolest people on the planet Earth, but he's rarely seen, and only heard as a voice on a crazy cartoon show. This CD lets us hear what we've been missing for the past thirty years. At the start of his career, Hayes wrote hit songs for the Stax/Volt label. That by itself is enough to label him as one of the planet's coolest people, but this collection doesn't even bother with his career as a songwriter for others. Instead, it picks up at the point that Hayes decided to become a solo performer on his own, and the diversity of his career is nothing less than mind-boggling. With no sign of strain, he seamlessly incorporated stone cold experimental jams, psychedelia, orchestral soul and funk, inspirational music, jazz reminiscent of the Ramsey Lewis school, and `love-man' R&B.

"Hot Buttered Soul" was the kick-off for a career that eventually came to define mid-seventies soul music, and it still stands as an all-time classic. It is amply represented here by standout extended jams like "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Walk On By". It also moves through eleven subsequent albums, with mixed results that are nonetheless continually fascinating. At times, he sounds like a spitting image for Barry White, but with an unconventional flair for going further than any other funk soul brother would risk. Photos show Hayes wearing clothing that would make the king of the pimps jealous (head to toe in fur, or head to toe in leopard skin...you get the idea), while being referred to as `Black Moses'. It was a singular, unforgettable image that suits every track on this disk.

As a visual aid, Disk One represents the sound of mink pants and an open-chested shirt while cruising in a gold-tinged Cadillac with pink naugahyde interior. "The Theme from Shaft," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Hyperbolicsyllabic-Sesquedalymistic" and "Never Can Say Goodbye" all capture Hayes at his glorious, over-the-top peak. Disk two, meanwhile, is the aural equivalent of carelessly discarded chain mail, crushed velvet sofas, red light bulbs, and a bottle of Mateus Rose. "Walk On By," "If Loving You Is Wrong", "Baby I'm-A Want You" and "Let's Stay Together" all stress the love-man vibe like burning incense. Far from consistent, though, there are a few mis-steps. Like everything else here, though, even the clunkers are spectacular in their badness. "Three Tough Guys" and "Come Live with Me" are both trite, incredibly overwrought, and poorly written - clunkers of astounding proportions, and all the more fascinating for it. The videos on the DVD disk are fabulous, though, both musically and historically, featuring three great songs/visuals from the often out-of-print film "Wattstax", plus the incredibly funny and ridiculous "Chocolate Salty Balls" video, from the `South Park' cartoon. Inconsistent but always fascinating, this is one CD collection that should not be missed.

B+ Tom Ryan

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Album, December 16, 2005

By 

Robert J. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It (W/Dvd) (Dig) (Audio CD)

This compilation distills the clever genius of Isaac Hayes into two audio discs, covering the whole range of his early career. It contains pure unadulterated emotion, clever humor and incredible smoothness all at once in a very unique style. Isaac is one of the few artists who can make you feel his genuine emotions right with him. The remastered tracks sound better than ever. Packaging is good and there is a bonus DVD with some rather inspiring concert footage from the 70s. I'm pretty sure this is the best compilation set ever from "the Sinatra of soul."

5.0 out of 5 stars Needs Six Stars, March 26, 2011

By 

Victor C.. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It (W/Dvd) (Dig) (Audio CD)

Ultimate is the word... 30 combined studio and live tracks, plus a DvD you could not ask for more. The DvD contains Live footage of 4 songs and a small clip from South Park,with isaac hayes singing as Chef. Mr Hayes was an extremely talanted musician who's work is properly represented within this 2 CD set.. Well worth the Money.