Shining the Spotlight on Black Summers' Night (a review)

DISCLAIMER: I'm a huge Maxwell fan. I know he has a lot of fans who are all huge Maxwell fans...but I'm a huge Maxwell fan. Yes, he's sexy. And I appreciate his sex appeal, but I appreciate his music even more. I don't know what it is about his music...the actual melodies...that gets to me so. I kept my laminated V-card in my back pocket for over 20 years, but "Whenever Wherever Whatever" was integral in loosening my grip enough to cash in that preciously guarded treasure. Maxwell doesn't know it, but he was right there with me on all of those late-night cramming study sessions right before a big test. Only he could help me loosen up enough to digest what I was reading. So I have Maxwell to thank for my higher education, as well.

It's been a long 8 years since the release of Now, his last studio album. To say that his return is highly anticipated would be a serious understatement. During the past 8 years, whenever I met an R&B singer, I'd show my appreciation by asking whether they know Maxwell and can coax him back into the studio for his fans' sake. Rude, I know. But I didn't care. Anything to get my musical muse back...

REVIEW: And finally, after many broken promises, he has released the first CD in his Black Summers' Night trilogy. Simply put, it's beautiful. (Yes, I'm biased. But I think I'd be able to give him a honest review if the CD actually sucked. Good thing it doesn't.)

1. Bad Habits - A delightful slow-grind ode to persuading a lover to forgive after an argument using...below-the-belt tactics. Literally. :-) This has an old-school vibe. And I mean that in the best way possible. Are those real instruments I hear accompanying Maxwell's beautiful voice?? Yes, yes they are. This isn't rare for a Maxwell CD, but my ears just aren't used to hearing those anymore...Marvin Gaye would be proud of this musical "Sexual Healing" successor. Warning: Put the kids to sleep before pushing play on this one.

2. Cold - Sounds like Maxwell mined some of Curtis Mayfield's Superfly jam sessions. It's a solid mid-tempo but not one of my favs. I have come to expect at least one song on a Maxwell album that sticks out like a sore thumb and this is it for Black Summers' Night. (Whoever decided to sandwich it between Bad Habits and Pretty Wings should get a demotion.) Cold would have fit in nicely with his Now album, but it feels out of place here. Maybe that's preventing me from liking it more...But even Maxwell's worst efforts are better than 90% of other R&B singers' best efforts, so I'll let him slide on this one. It's not a bad song. It just doesn't move me like the others.

3. Pretty Wings - This is a great choice as the album's first single. It's a very pretty song...and sounds as angelic as the title implies. The song's lyrical meaning can easily get lost in the lushness of the horn arrangements: setting someone you love free because you both deserve better than each other is one of the hardest things to do. Maxwell once explained his long absence by saying that he needed to take time off to experience life to have something to write/sing about. Well, when Maxwell screams "Someone's gonna love you!" near the end of this song, it's clear he experienced a painful relationship during his hiatus. I hate that he went through it, but thank the person who provided the inspiration for a great song.

4. Help Somebody - this is an upbeat jam that would have went better after Cold instead of the introspective ballad Pretty Wings. There's a bit of rock guitar here, so it definitely gets filed under "funky". Lyrically reminding us to look out for our fellow brothers and sisters over a bunch of dueling instruments, Help Somebody reminds me of the best of Prince's late 90's work.

5. Stop The World - this should have gone right after Pretty Wings. But whatever. A mid-tempo love song about how Ms. Rightness makes Maxwell feel like cocooning with her while the world spins (or stops) around them. Maxwell's lyrics have become more grounded (and understandable) as he's matured. This song is a good example of that maturation. Beautiful instrumentation, as always.

6. Love You - And here's one of my fav songs off this album. When I first played this CD, I put this one on repeat and listened to it at least 5 times in a row. I'm listening to it right now as I type this....It's a great blend of up-tempo (including his signature up-tempo churchy organ!) with I-Love-You lyrics. And Maxwell begging to love "me"? Perfection. ;-)

7. Fistful of Tears - Yea, this ballad is in the vein of 80's-era Prince circa "Beautiful Ones", especially the opening piano chords. Just like Prince discovered over 20 years ago, Maxwell is finding out that the beautiful ones always hurt you...everytime. I feel his pain.

8. Playing Possum - Maxwell showcases his beautiful falsetto throughout this ballad to beg some random chick for forgiveness. (She's obviously deranged, Maxwell, so I think it's best to move on to the next woman who will appreciate you. *smile*) It might be the album's slowest joint so the lyrics stand out here. They're bare but meaningful: "Come back from the dead/You left my, my heart here..." sets the right tone for a begging session that will make other men relate instead of cringe (read: no Babyface-style begging here).

9. Phoenix Rise - the album closer is an upbeat full-on instrumental with funky drums! That left me angry/disappointed at the album's shortness (I've listened to the entire album 2.5 times while writing this)...

...and inspired me to write this senryu:
Phoenix Rise fallen/on open ears and touched soul/to be continued...

I can't wait until the 2nd part of the trilogy. I'll try to be patient...as long as we don't have to wait another 7 years.

SUMMARY: A more earthy-sounding Maxwell with more mature lyrics. Featuring a real BAND in the studio instead of one person pressing buttons on a machine to simulate "music". Good mix of beautiful ballads and a few funky uptempos. Sonically inspired by Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and early/late works of Prince. Two thumbs up!

Please share this review with other fans of R&B/Soul because Maxwell deserves to have an album that sells well after such a long break. We don't want him (or his record company) thinking we don't appreciate the music, riiight?

FYI: According to the interview on the extra Deluxe Edition DVD, Black is the first in the trilogy set and was meant to be "darker" than the next two albums because it represents his past. Summers is more of a hopeful party record. Night is an all-instrumental record. Just going off of those descriptions, I think Black features a little bit of all three records in one, so it's a nice preview of what's to come.

Have you heard the CD? What do you think? What's your favorite Maxwell song or album?

If you haven't heard the CD, you can hear the full songs below by clicking on the links (or copying and pasting the URLs into your browser). You're welcome b/c you'll surely thank me later. ;-)

Bad Habits http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuzRtalasxQ
Cold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brnHRhHWcOw
Pretty Wings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mLfC2kkvPw
Help Somebody http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzepz62Cbqw
Stop the World http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp-7z3l8zkY
Love You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU9-t4viOKY
Fistful of Tears http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZMyB1iZtQ8
Playing Possum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A-3-ZbbGjA
Phoenix Rise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7jgFLLr6j0

Buy Maxwell's Black Summers' Night audio CD here: http://bit.ly/bmJne
Buy Maxwell's Black Summers' Night audio CD/DVD Deluxe Edition here: http://bit.ly/QQdHS