Possessing one of the most distinctive voices in recorded music history, Hayes's "Branded" is a cool collection of up-tempo tracks and mellow ballads. Mixing his traditional and passionate love songs (such tracks as "Thanks to the Fool," and "Soulsville," a remake of his classic from "Shaft") with funky jams (a reworking of "Summer in the City" and "I'll Do Anything (To Turn You On," to name a few), Hayes shows what made him an icon of the 70's and 80's and a sought after "voice" frequently heard today.

Each of the first four songs that start the album segues into each other, making for an extended fourteen-minute masterpiece, containing Sting's "Fragile," performed in a manner that only Hayes could do. The presentation is a triumph of vocal and instrumental arranging. This release is the companion piece to "Raw & Refined," released the same year. Both complement each other and are essentials for fans of the artist.

Why he is not a continued presence on the music charts is one of the great mysteries of the new millennium.

By the time Isaac Hayes signed with Virgin Records and released this comeback CD in 1995, he really had nothing to prove. This CD has quite a few highlights but your real reason for buying it is Isaac's stunningly-beautiful remake of Sting's "Fragile"--a version so beautiful that it should have become a Quiet Storm classic.

cd with a wonderful version of sting's fragile, that have a good speaking

introduction of mr. hayes. very good

I'm not a big fan of soul music, but this CD is worth a listen. Hayes' voice glides over the music like magic.

I didn't like "Let Me Love You" because it never really took off. Some of the songs are staggeringly drawn out.

But when listening, this CD gave me peace of mind, in a strange way.