Isaac Hayes: Joy : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

It isn't the bogus orgasms or the blustery soul-baring that are embarrassing. It's the fact that Hayes has systematically substituted these gimmicks for the native sensuality of black music. "I Love You That's All" begins promisingly: a tipsy, early morning dialogue, a toast, a turning on of the stereo. But, instead of leaving it at that and singing, our man proceeds to audibly demonstrate his undying love while tepid nightclub filler holds forth in the background. It becomes tedious in a hurry. The title cut and "The Feeling Keeps On Coming" are more self-sufficient. They involve the listener on purely musical terms. But the album's musically limited and intellectually pseudo-liberated stance does little to correct Hayes' arrogant public image or the shortcomings of his recent recordings.