Joy

Isaac was on a roll in the early 70's with his cinematic romantic funk/soul tales. Than around this this time BOOM!:I've Got So Much to Give,Barry White's debut album was unleashed on the world and all of a sudden Hayes started to seem like he was part of a movement rather than the sole purveyor of it. It was all for not as it turned out: Isaac himself was already so successful and he and Barry's style of orchestration and approch were so fundamentally different at the very bottom that both could easily exist in the same world together. In fact on this album Isaac is borrowing very heavily from Barry's cross pollination of his own sound. The psychedelic element,already being purged heavily from his sound during the Shaft period is completely gone here. Not that it's noticable:while there are changes in production and arrangement style,the musical flavors remain the same. Five songs,all between 6 and 15 minutes in lengh and featuring spoken "raps" in and around them are again the order of the day. The title song is the longest,almost 16 minutes in fact and catching onto this very deep and potent sound of what I call atmospheric funk:the sound seems to float but also be rooted at the bottom as well. But then again that is kind of how joy feels sometimes and,it's certainly one of his classic slow burning funk jams. The rest of the album is focused on slow grooves,all of them very much on the changing moods and twists in romance-both taken from the male and female perspective. On "A Man Will Be A Man" Isaac has been a cheat and is not asking to be forgiven but rather a chance to be accepted AND to redeem himself-looking at the possibility of again being some of integrity. "I Love You That's All" of course has the distinction of consisting mostly of a toast between Isaac and his lady-after which the vocal consists of the sounds of love making:the aspect of Isaac's sound Barry White obviously borrowed most heavily from. On "I'm Gonna Make It (Without You)" Isaac is the one whose been played but has learned an important lesson on both ends. In this day and age when one too many a male R&B singer seems all to wishy washy or plain just-don't-care-ish it is always refreshing to think of someone like Isaac who,while freely admitting romantic flaws also uses his own dignity and self pride to get himself into a better place no matter how it turns out. It's that concept that makes not only the music on this album so potent but adds that important ingrediant of thoughtfulness to what happens in the bedroom as well.

Just recently added this to my Isaac Hayes collection. Another SOUL WRENCHING CLASSIC. From the mastermind himself. What a treat to listen to in my high quality headphones. You can hear every instrument so clearly. And the deep R & B voice of Mr Hayes.

I had the original album when this first came out and lost it in one of my home moves. I now own it once again and if your an Isaac Hayes fan this is one you must have!

Old school music

Honey, the brother can sing! I love his song "Joy" on this album. Very sexy and uplifting, for you know what. All of Isaac Hayes cd albums are keepers and they sell out pretty fast.

Taking you back when you actually had to know how to play!

This product was for my wife,who has an LP copy,but no CD.

Isaac at his absolute BEST, Still Listening to the CD NOW!!!!!