Though groundbreaking, 'Shaft' wasn't the greatest movie ever made but Hayes' score – and in particular the opening title music and hit single, 'Theme From Shaft' – has endured well and has achieved a longevity and status that is almost iconic. It's been reissued several times over the years and now returns in an expanded format. But anyone expecting a slew of outtakes and collectable unreleased gems from the archives will be sorely disappointed – the 'expanded' part of the CD only covers one track, a redundant 2009 mix of 'Theme From Shaft.' So in that respect, this reissue is a bit of a rip off – and if you own the 'Shaft' soundtrack already, there's no point in adding this to your collection.

On the plus side, this reissue allows a reappraisal of Hayes' legendary magnum opus. The title theme, with its simmering hi-hat figure and rippling wah-wah guitar licks is a classic slice of symphonic soul. The rest of the album is mostly dominated by instrumental mood pieces or orchestral film cues, though they're pretty good – like the jazz-inflected 'Walk From Reggio's,' the strutting 'No Name Bar,' and the dreamy, Bacharach-David-style 'Early Sunday Morning.' The vocal cuts, though, deserve the most attention; 'Soulsville' is a bluesy, mid-tempo, ghetto rumination where Hayes' resonant basso profundo voice is counterpointed by sleazy sax lines and churchy female backing vocals while 'Do Your Thing' is a hypnotic groove of epic proportions.

Though it was his best selling album by a long way, 'Shaft' wasn't Isaac Hayes' best long player in terms of quality (that honour belongs to 'Hot Buttered Soul'). Even so, it's still one hell of a record and if you've never heard it, this reissue offers a great opportunity to makes its acquaintance.