More than the voice, more than the performance, this is a collection of inspired interpretations of classic songs. Production sophistication years ahead of it's time, this is one of the greatest producers of all time at his very best.
May 17, 2008 |  | Probably Ike's greatest work. |  |
This is definitely an Isaac Hayes classic! I'm so glad this album along with his other's made it to compact disc. Practically almost every song on here is hittin' on all cylinders. My personal favorites are "Part time Love, They long to be close to You, and Your love is so doggone Good". This is definitely one soul cd to have in one's music collection! I was glad to have copped it when it first hit cd.
April 17, 2008| | | Isaac's finest and most accomplished album still sounds great today. | |
"Black Moses" is Isaac Hayes' finest and most accomplished album ever. His stunning remakes of "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Part Time Love", "They Long To Be Close To You", "Your Love Is So Doggone Good" and "For The Good Times" have him literally reinventing these hits and making them all his own in the process. Lush and ultra-smooth string arrangements and orchestration are ever-present on most tracks that add a haunting quality which matches Isaac's deep baritone and romantic (yet at times wistful) vocals perfectly. This album remains a stone classic of '70s Soul while serving as a precursor to what the late Barry White would do shortly thereafter.
January 24, 2008I guess in 1971 Ike felt there was a lack of his material out there. This year alone he had released 'To Be Continued' and the major hit soundtrack 'Shaft'... So what better time to release a double-album?!
Not that anyone should complain. 'Black Moses' is Ike's shining moment. 14 cuts of hot buttered soul mixed with some hefty spoonfuls of that Memphis flavour and dreamy orchestration. Hip hop, R&B and dance artists have looted arrangements from this album endlessly over the decades and its not hard to understand why. From start to finish Ike is inspired in a major way and the dark grooves and tones of the melodies never let up. Genius!
The two featured numbers 'Never Can Say Goodbye' and 'Never Gonna Give Ya Up' are awesome, 'Good Love' is downright fonky, whilst 'Your Love Is So Doggone Good' nearly steals the show with a downright eerie harmony. Its difficult to pick out favourites from a perfect album, a Must Have if you want my advice. January 18, 2004
| | | Deeply-rooted gutter soul from the muhfuggin' MAN himself! | |
What y'all know 'bout Brother Ike? If you know nothin' an' are readin' this on one'a dem "curiosity kicks" then I needa shed some light on 'ya. I ain't gon' make this a long-winded review that seems 'ta go nowhere, an' I ain't gon' break this down song by song or nothin' like that. I'm jus' gon' tell you that 'Black Moses' is one'a the greatest epic pieces'a music you will find. His sangin'a these beautiful songs, an' his urban blunted grease-fire backing instrumentations; 'specially that Fender Rhodes piano are like some great message bein' sent down from the heavens.
I love it all, straight-up; from the first note'a disc one to the final fade-out of disc two, is' all so immeasurable. I love the dour, simple street-corner soul melody on 'Nothing Takes the Place of You' more than anything; there's so much power in his voice alone when he sangs a note, when he brings it up to a soulful cry, or lowers it down to a subtle croon; man, I love this song. I also love the brazen slowed down funk on the Curtis-penned 'Man's Temptation' an' the kickin' gutter-blues of 'Part-Time Love'. I'm damned enthralled by 'Ike's Rap II/Help Me Love'; God forbid I take a bottle to the dome befo' I listen to it an' all the memories of what once were come floodin' back to me. The horns an' arrangements an' passion that fills the once again-Superfly-penned'Need to Belong to Someone' is pure BRILLIANCE. But the straight-up baddest funkiest, groovin'-est JAM on the whole double-disc set has gotta be 'Good Love'; I listen to that song every single day I go out an' see the sun shinin'. Nothin' makes me feel better.
Well, lemme stop before I do exactly what I had said I WASN'T going to an' break 'em all down one by one. You can play this album straight through anytime; it works at a get-together wit' your boys, when you jus' wanna play cards, drank a few beers an' smoke some cigars like you some gangstas or sumpin'; but it works jus' as well for a night spent tryin' to get sumpin' started with a woman; candlelight, wine, makin' out, whateva else y'all is old enough to do. Is' jus' got sumpin' for everything. Straight-up this is one'a the BADDEST soul albums EVER! Let Bruh Ike, the soul messiah, the strongest, blackest Moses on the planet show you the way to happiness. October 1, 2003
More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(19 reviews)