"Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" - Isaac Hayes
Apple Music link: https://music.apple.com/us/album/hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic/1440941776?i=1440941782
When most people think of '70s R&B, they think one of two things: the hot, sweaty, tense funksters or the sappy, string-heavy, mature soulsters. Both of these individual styles have their individual charms to cherish on their own terms, but many of the greatest R&B albums in the '70s went so far as to unite both of these styles into a funky soul paradise: Superfly, Innervisions, and Talking Book are classic examples of this successful synthesis. However, this new type of soul didn't come solely from the hands of Curtis or Stevie. The roots of almost all of these burgeoning styles are found in Isaac Hayes's seminal Hot Buttered Soul, the true beginning of '70s soul for all intents and purposes, and while "Walk On By", "One Woman", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" presage the lusher, mature types of soul, "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" is where funky soul music was born.
Of course, this shouldn't be confused with the birth of funk music in general. That probably started in 1965 with James Brown's "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", and both Sly Stone and James would begin to establish their mighty empires as the decade went on. Yet, neither of them saw themselves primarily as soul musicians like Isaac did (at least by 1967 neither of them did), and because of that, it would be nobody but Hayes who would create this new style, a seamless merger of equal parts soul and funk that would prove to be so influential.
How did he do this? Well, sultry sexuality, in short. Isaac Hayes was simply the smooth, masculine, larger-than-life sexual figure in soul music, one that would eventually become a cliche in the hands of Barry White, but for now, he was a radically new personality the likes of which the R&B community had never seen before. This charisma he brought in would affect how he would approach everything he performed, and especially on this song, he play funk music more erotically than anyone had done before him. Just hear the sheer sonic richness of the guitar-bass interplay throughout the song, how you can hear each grumble, twitch, and thrust of their synergistic playing as they lay down those filthy riffs. Yet, Isaac Hayes laid the groove down slowly, not just to ensure you can feel the fullness of every note but also so he can take control of the song with his deep, naturally sexy voice. With all of his carnal lyricisms and seductive phrasings, the whole song feels like you are peering into an intimate, love-making session between two lovers, and if you let this groove penetrate into your soul, you might even be able to place yourself in Hayes's shoes in the song.
Still, as sensual as the lyrics and vocals are in the song, his voice has an underlying depth of feeling and even spirituality that makes the song cut much deeper than your average "sex soul" song. That feeling is emphasized by the jaw-dropping, amazing jam that follows the main song, where Hayes showcases his incredible piano-playing abilities on top of the tight funk groove. Focused on expressivity over perfection, he relies on harsh, brutal phrases to pummel as hard as he can until the grand release of tension around the eight-minute mark where he totally lets it loose onto his listeners. It is a breathtaking performance, where you feel Isaac and the Bar-Kays are playing almost telepathically to reach the grand, final conclusion of such an epic song.
"Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" is just an incredibly stunning achievement of soul music in general, balancing accessibility and experimentation with such perfection that the song is just as exhilarating today as it was in 1969. The song deserves the level of praise "Walk On By" receives, but instead of simply hearing those two songs, it is worth your while to hear this whole record to treat yourself to some of the most daring and rewarding soul music ever created.
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