According to his twitter: https://twitter.com/_MAXWELL_/status/545656579107078144

oh okay.

lol

>oh okay.
>
>lol

yeah, i'll believe it when i can buy it.


-------------------------------------------
INFIN8 Photography
http://www.infin8photography.com
http://leicanthrope.tumblr.com
http://twitter.com/infin8photo
http://www.facebook.com/INFIN8Photography

silk.later Reunion radio with Old P. & Silk http://reunionradio.blogspot.com/

"i'm talking about *Balls Deep*....In Love (c)Cleveland Jr.

He was cultivating a fine nigga farm (c)Goldmind.

R.I.P Jamie Hubley

Ive never heard too much on who the people are in Maxwells camp that work with him...

Has it been the same people since urban hang suite, or changed over the years?

Everybody in their right mind knows that it's not actually going to happen until summer or later, but at least he seems to be gearing up to release the damn thing.


Nardwuar: "Why should people care?"
Archy: "You don't have to care. I don't care. If you like it, you like it."

http://austinato.bandcamp.com

http://www.discogs.com/lists/Favorites-of-2014/193910

Where you at 3Stax?

when Black Messiah dropped
everyone did the animation
shock, "Wh------Whut!"

although i absolutely love "black messiah", I'm not sure anyone can describe maxwell as "lazy" when he has already released 5 albums (including the live disc).

Released almost twice the albums AND had a shorter hiatus.

Let's see....Voodoo dropped January 25, 2000. Max's last album dropped July 7, 2009. The hell you mean D woke up everybody's lazy asses?! That nigga's just waking up himself.



Since 1976

People will find any way possible to praise their heros

but this looks desperate as hell right now

plus. i think he has already tweeted approximate time frames for this album.

anyway, i'll be sure to cop regardless.

D released an awesome album...almost 15yrs after his last. and only his 3rd in total.

Max had his hiatus (less than half the time of D's), came back and stayed visible. dude can take all the damn time he wants imo, but it sure as shit won't be 15 damn years. besides he's been throwing teasers out like this for the last few yrs already, aint nothin new. standard Max stuff. this hyperbole over D tho... :/

V.

I love that folks are excited about the D record, but let's not lose all sense of reality, lol...


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

and I love Maxwell.

(admittedly, not as much as YOU love Maxwell, but come on).

better songs, better singer and is a good showman on stage.

D'angelo has talent, but all that Mumbling only works if you are high and don't speak good english.

Maxwell still can bring it.

wondering if any influence will show in this, been waiting for this, I would be SHOCKED if this drops before the spring though

@rob_starrk

...and probly earlier. the only thing i could ever find about his pov on house was that he personally tapped Naked Music's Jay Denes ("Blue Six") to remix "Fortunate" back when it dropped.
he totally fits house music.
if u heard any of the bootleg house rmxs of his stuff, it works.

V.

damn - I don't think I heard this

*activates the googles*

he personally tapped Naked Music's
>Jay Denes ("Blue Six") to remix "Fortunate" back when it
>dropped.



-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

The snippets he's posted to instagram + co-headlining shows with Nas tell me something is coming.



"You have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep yourself in balance."
—Ken Kesey

http://austinato.bandcamp.com

http://www.discogs.com/lists/Favorites-of-2016/269401

The best part is how Maxwell's social media avenues are him on the beach with supermodels for the last few years. He dgaf lol those snippets are nice and I am ready, but he is slow to release for certain

I guess these dudes are all multi millionaires

Cool, I guess

But still

Niggas be in NO hurry


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCkvEfGRjGb/

that's what's up

and that snippet sounds godly

>and that snippet sounds godly

My general arritude with guys like him is that when/if stuff comes out, I'll be more than willing to check it out. But I don't really sweat it that much because I start thinking about the millions of records I need to hear before I die and I go hunting. Nothing wrong with the inverse at all.

heard that snippet a little while back, dope choice for the first single.

V.

V.

>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nJkGH80suo&feature=youtu.be





-------------------------------------------
INFIN8 Photography
http://www.infin8photography.com
http://leicanthrope.tumblr.com
http://twitter.com/infin8photo
http://www.facebook.com/INFIN8Photography

If the album is up to this level, it should be a keeper for sure.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

_______________________________________
Current Playlist:
Anderson Paak - Malibu
The Internet - Ego Death
D'Angelo - Black Messiah





"This is your world. Shape it or someone else will." - Gary Lew

"I wasn't sure if I was lost or running away again. . ."

http://austinato.bandcamp.com

http://www.discogs.com/lists/Favorites-of-2016/269401

LOVE getting new Max treats, man. gotta be one of the few artists that still get me actually GIDDY when they drop new shit.

V.

https://youtu.be/QBpMKXRQa0A

7/1 release date for bSn, per spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/maxwellcmgmusic/playlist/69vHpwrtjy3UhGRYhnlRUG

i don't know if he did that consciously or not but...fuck lol.

V.

I got a notification from my BandsinTown app that says he'll be here in August 4.

:-(

I'd love to see him at Essence Festival but I may just have to wait until he comes to Atlanta.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwWmBNUkAI6vN4.jpg

https://twitter.com/hopeherfuture/status/732985688765943808

https://twitter.com/_itsMICOLE/status/732587646283714561

Looks like certain fans received postcards with a preview of the album cover and art direction, and were encouraged to post it on social media.

Looking forward to the finished project.

is it just me, or does it look really amateur.

It's not really grabbing me, but it's fine for what it is... hard to judge off camera shots of awkwardly-sized material, though...


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOIF9Vzje3Q.

V.

It ain't been shit since that first hiatus.
I was hoping he would have it together this
time around, but man. I definitely wouldn't
want to hear him perform "This Woman's Work"
anymore... or "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever"
or anything else with alotta falsetto in it.

last time he killed it with the falsetto was when he did that Alicia Keys collabo. absolutely nailed that shit. but this Colbert performance? not so much.

V.

>last time he killed it with the falsetto was when he did that
>Alicia Keys collabo. absolutely nailed that shit. but this
>Colbert performance? not so much.
>
>V.


silk.later Reunion radio with Old P. & Silk http://reunionradio.blogspot.com/

"i'm talking about *Balls Deep*....In Love (c)Cleveland Jr.

He was cultivating a fine nigga farm (c)Goldmind.

R.I.P Jamie Hubley

and he killed that one post-operation.
mighta just been an off night *shrugs*.
tis forgivable purely for the fact that there's no way he can keep up that falsetto for his entire career.

V.

https://youtu.be/BsSu0bRZEHM.

V.

interview.

01. all the ways love can feel.
02. the fall.
03. iii.
04. lake by the ocean.
05. fingers crossed.
06. hostage.
07. 1990x.
08. gods.
09. lost.
10. of all kind.
11. listen hear.
12. night.

one month to go!

V.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2a85v0yxoY.

V.

I like LBTO, but THIS is what I was really waiting for!

Max is killing it with these dope ass drum sounds, on both LBTO and 1990X.

Can't wait til the 1st!!!

THIS GOES!!!!!

http://pitchfork.com/features/interview/9901-maxwell-hostage-of-love/

Nothing revelatory here but still a good read.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Man, his voice is ON POINT. Shouldn't be any worries, he still got it. Never lost it. Confident stage presence, and he was funny as hell too.

Did the hits: Sumthin, Ascention, Fortunate, Get to Know Ya, Lifetime, Noone (ballad version), and of course This Woman's Work--with a Kate Bush intro.

As for new bSn stuff, he did LBTO and Hostage.

Thanks for the mini-review - hoping to get to see him when he's within driving distance in early July. Not sure if it will happen or not, but this just gives me more motivation --- good to hear his voice is in top shape!
-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Especially if he has another 7-year gap like between Bsn and bSn!

Roots played there earlier this year too. Palm Springs area so no Los Angeles madness to deal with.

Another thing I didn't mention, the show actually started on time (9:00 curtain call) and ended at a reasonable hour (10:45ish). Very considerate to us grown folks. Max knows his audience demographic haha

but i dom't know anyone who likes Maxwell, and i'm not going to a Maxwell concert alone (full concert, at least. i am going to see him on monday at Kimmel live).

i remember when he came back in '09 and he was opening some of his shows with a ballad version of "Everwanting" (via YouTube). shit was beyond awesome.

V.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7ziWpTAOWs.

i remember he had a 1min demo of this floating around like 5yrs ago or so. took a few listens to get into. short but sweet.

V.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB9_ORhFoYU.

THIS, however. is ripe for a deep house, shit...even mainstream EDM remix. loved it straight off the bat.

V.

V.

I pray he adds an Atlanta date.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwnHUezUMis.

sounds like a distant cousin of "Love You" from the first disc.

V.

.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guX880vW50I.

half the album's already on his youtube page. betting the rest of it will be up by release date.

V.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/maxwells-waiting-game-r-b-hitmaker-talks-loyalty-longevity-20160629


Maxwell's Waiting Game: R&B Hitmaker Talks Loyalty, Longevity
Singer-songwriter on how he sifted through hundreds of songs to assemble first LP in seven years

By Elias Leight June 29, 2016

Maxwell believes in biding his time. "People do too much," the R&B singer explained to Rolling Stone over the phone earlier this month. "Fame is a very precarious thing. I'm not a corporation where things get funneled through me, and my name's so big that it's gonna be a hit. I better really live something and write something." The latest results of this method can be heard on blackSUMMERS'night, out July 1st.

When the artist debuted two decades ago with Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, his priorities were clear – sifting through R&B's history to recombine potent elements from various unimpeachable sources. That album included input from Leon Ware, who helped write all of Marvin Gaye's 1976 erotic tour de force, I Want You, and Stuart Matthewman, who has played on every Sade album. "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)," Maxwell's first Top 40 hit, added more reference points: the bass suggested Keni Burke's 1982 single "Risin' to the Top," while the audacious falsetto opening nodded to Prince's "Adore."

In the interim years, Maxwell made small tweaks to his aesthetic. The first was sonic: After a pair of sinuous, breathy albums, the singer adopted a crisper style more aligned with mid-to-late-Seventies Isley Brothers – "Fortunate," a non-album single penned by R. Kelly, signaled the switch. The other change was in his artistic process: After releasing three albums between 1996 and 2001, it took Maxwell eight years to deliver BLACKsummers'night, which he advertised as the first installment in a trilogy. He was marginally quicker in delivering the second part.

For much of his career, Maxwell has maintained a small inner circle of collaborators, and he wrote almost every song on blackSUMMERS'night with guitarist Hod David – the two met in the Nineties, when Maxwell was a busboy, and David was a waiter. Matthewman returned to co-write one song as well, and Mike Pela handles mixing duties, just as he did on Urban Hang Suite. "I'm pretty loyal to the people I work with," Maxwell observes. "I like to keep them around. I may not be so great at relationships, but when it comes to the music, I'm pretty loyal."

Despite the long gap in between albums, Maxwell claims the work flow was steady. "It kind of blows my mind that I have 300 to 500 songs based on the BLACKsummers'night thing," he says. "I was doing so much, while not doing that much."

"Some things are more thought out than others," David clarifies in a separates conversation. "Some of it is just a groove and a little bit of a vocal – I wouldn't say they're all songs you could press play on."

David describes his process with Maxwell in casual terms: "I'll just start playing him ideas. He grabs a mic and starts singing. Things happen or don't. Even the ones that happen, you're like, 'That's OK, not our best.' Other things you thought weren't that great turn out great. It's always morphing. We maybe write a few albums, work at stuff, sit on it and watch the wind blow."

But at some point, this constant state of flux comes up against hard economic realities. "I can wait for a baby to be made – or a song, metaphorically speaking – and not be seen by the world," Maxwell asserts. "But I got taxes. So I need to put some stuff out. Generate some cash flow."

The new album continues in the vein of its predecessor, though there are fewer shifts in tone, and no equivalent to "Pretty Wings," BLACKsummers'night's highlight – an alluring, unusually structured ballad built around a dissonant metallic chiming. Most of the friction onblackSUMMERS'night stems from the interplay between rhythm section and voice. Maxwell, known for chic falsetto, reaches into the haggard part of his range on several tunes, wringing raspy feeling from "III" and "Hostage." Every tune seems addressed to a lover; according to the singer, some are also about the subject of "Pretty Wings." He draws parallels between this record and the previous one – new song "Fingers Crossed," for example, reaches back to "Fistfuloftears."

Surprisingly, Maxwell already appears to have his eyes set on the next release. "At the end of the day, I still gotta make another record that's just as good," he notes. "It's back to anxiety land." He refers to the final installment of his trilogy, which will be titledblacksummers'NIGHT, as "the end of the saga," and suggests that it "could very well make its presence felt in February right after the Grammys." "Then I'll be free!" he jokes, with mock triumph in his tone. "I can have PURPLEwinterafternoon."

That would be a stunningly quick turnaround for the singer, and listeners might not want the music that soon anyway – both Maxwell and David believe that the long period between releases helps with quality control. "You really get to see which (songs) hold up and which ones don't," David says. "You can write a song and be super excited about it, but it doesn't carry the weight. You know it's a good song when it's been a year and you press play, and you're like, 'This is still hot.' Trends come and go; this still feels great."

"If it's good enough now," Maxwell declares, "it should be good enough in five years."

This strategy proved to be successful with the first part of the trilogy: BLACKsummers'night spawned three Number One singles on the Adult R&B Songs chart. The first offering from blackSUMMERS'night, "Lake by the Ocean," followed suit, climbing to Number One after nine weeks.

Maxwell's release schedule already marks him as an anomaly in a frenetic digital age, but the fact that listeners seem to reward his long-game approach with hits is even more rare. When D'Angelo returned after 14 years, he barely dented a singles chart. In 2015, Janet Jackson put out her first album in seven years; though "No Sleeep" climbed to Number One on the Adult R&B chart, the next two songs failed to match its success.

According to Maxwell, the reception of "Lake by the Ocean" on the charts relieved some of the angst he felt about stepping back into the pop arena. "Those are real drums!" he says with enthusiasm. "It's on the radio! It was just a song I wrote four or five years ago."

"I could've been going through all this then," he theorizes. But then he reasserts the value of holding back. "Maybe people would've been like, 'Eh,'" he decides. "Sometimes waiting gives people a chance to digest. I think they're like, 'OK, it's time for some Maxwell now.'"

It's pretty good, a little bit better than the last album, great songs, a lot of confessions and storytelling, music is pretty much what you would expect from him in this era, from smooth jazz to neo-soul but nothing too heavy.

Only thing that pisses me off about the album is how it starts, I love intros and starting off the album with a uptempo cut is like a slap in the face (you wanna hear the album, SLAAAAAPPPPPP, here it is, lol).

definitely one-upped the first disc.
in love with all these joints right now.
"Listen Hear" being the lead fav, standard seeing as its the Stu Matthewman collab and i love anything those two dudes do together.
my one and ONLY gripe? that fucking useless 23second outro.
cmon dude.
7 years.
i need COMPLETE SONGS lol.
but otherwise a solid album.
can already feel it growing on me heaps.

V.

>my one and ONLY gripe? that fucking useless 23second outro.
>cmon dude.
>7 years.
>i need COMPLETE SONGS lol.

3/4 through my first listen and this is impressing me at every turn.

That opening track?
The band?
Max's voice?
The WRITING? Shit, the writing here is *def* some of his best.

Usually like to listen a few times before making any big declarations, but I'm thinking that this will rank a notch or two above the last album (which I love)... honestly, the longer grooves and winding melodies here feel more like Embrya than he has since... well, Embrya. But with a more pop-minded sensibility. Only worry is that after a few listens some filler will show itself (already not really feeling "Lost" especially coming after the powerhouse that is "Gods"), but so far the tracklisting has been tight, no fluff, strong sequencing --- a full album, for sure.

Starting a new job today but this is getting played right up until I walk in the door, and will get cued up again as soon as I'm out!


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

The things that caught me immediately were Max's voice and the drums. Both are warmer and more human-sounding than any Maxwell album before it.

The songwriting is beautiful and smart. LBTO is a love song to a lady and to Mother Earth. I heard Max say in an interview (BC?) that most of his songs are romance-based on the surface, but there are layers of meaning. That blew my mind! All this time Max has been slipping in subliminal shit disguised as love songs??? Been trying to decode 1990x since it dropped.

It's simultaneously his tightest and most complete. Bsn was tight but too short. I wanted MORE. UHS and Embrya were complete, but meandered (which is perfect for the right mood). And Now was all over the place. I'm perfectly satisfied with bSn and I was hit with nothing by solid complete songs.

Before this, I held Max to an Embrya standard. But I'm not in my 20s anymore. I don't need another experimental, Massive Attack-influenced underwater Sade album. Ain't no album ever gonna sound like Embrya again, and it shouldn't. At this moment, I need a solid, headphone album that I can also play with my wife in the car on a long road trip. Max sounds right at home with a live band. He's a funny, playful, smart dude (his Twitter, Snap, and Insta are awesome) and this album reflects his personality perfectly.

>The things that caught me immediately were Max's voice and
>the drums. Both are warmer and more human-sounding than any
>Maxwell album before it.
>
>The songwriting is beautiful and smart. LBTO is a love song to
>a lady and to Mother Earth. I heard Max say in an interview
>(BC?) that most of his songs are romance-based on the surface,
>but there are layers of meaning. That blew my mind! All this
>time Max has been slipping in subliminal shit disguised as
>love songs??? Been trying to decode 1990x since it dropped.
>
>It's simultaneously his tightest and most complete. Bsn was
>tight but too short. I wanted MORE. UHS and Embrya were
>complete, but meandered (which is perfect for the right mood).
>And Now was all over the place. I'm perfectly satisfied with
>bSn and I was hit with nothing by solid complete songs.
>
>Before this, I held Max to an Embrya standard. But I'm not in
>my 20s anymore. I don't need another experimental, Massive
>Attack-influenced underwater Sade album. Ain't no album ever
>gonna sound like Embrya again, and it shouldn't. At this
>moment, I need a solid, headphone album that I can also play
>with my wife in the car on a long road trip. Max sounds right
>at home with a live band. He's a funny, playful, smart dude
>(his Twitter, Snap, and Insta are awesome) and this album
>reflects his personality perfectly.
>
>
>

Sometimes, it sounds like it's Embrya 2. The key differences are that he sounds more comfortable doing it and my own ears are more 'ready' for it. And it isn't as long-winded in a good way. For my money, some of his best stuff is on Embrya. Maybe You is my choice of songs to use to intro him to those who don't know.

Whatever it is, I love this album lots after two full listens on the 'good headphones' with no interuptions and a nice set of skip around repeats. Aka I'm gonna be street-teaming. The fall is hard! III is a vintage direct but not really Maxwell uptempo come-on record..Marvin style 'I can do this too' jam. Hostage is so many good things. Listen here. Fingers crossed might be my favorite song on the whole thing. And holy shit at Lake By the Ocean sounding like a huge muscle flex in the cut on the album. And that intro...whoooo. Of all kinds. 1990x. Yeah...jammin. This thing sounds GOOD.

I swear...I've spent so much time over the years 'lamenting' what could've been with the 'neo soul big 3'. You know: Badu, D'Lo, and Maxwell. I'll get to the other two some other time. But hell...I think Maxwell's career makes a lot of sense with the type of artist he is. I'd feel totally differently if he hadn't come back with that ambushing BET awards Simply Beautiful performance and Black. And now this for Summer after the delay and my fears that his falsetto is dying? I was wrong! It's different but it is better.

SUMMERS' is the deeper connection.

Damn, I had *high* expectations and it still satisfied.



"I wasn't sure if I was lost or running away again. . ."

http://austinato.bandcamp.com

http://www.discogs.com/lists/Favorites-of-2016/269401

hah!
i got to see him live for the first time EVER in 2014 when he came down as part of the SoulFest tour, his first ever live gig in Aus. now he's comin back for a proper solo show for the new album.
only two dates tho: Sydney on 22nd August & Melbourne on 24th August.
coppin tix nxt week.

V.

but after a few listens I find myself skipping around it a lot. Good to great songs, but doesn't add up to being a great album because the sequencing is kind of off.

I don't think it's better than his last joint, but it may grow on me.

_______________________________________
Current Playlist:
Kaytranada - 99.9%
YG - Still Brazy
Maxwell - Black Summers Night





"This is your world. Shape it or someone else will." - Gary Lew

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/arts/music/maxwell-blacksummersnight-interview.html?_r=0

Maxwell Is on His Own Timetable

By JOE COSCARELLIJUNE 30, 2016

The first time Maxwell disappeared, he was gone about eight years. After starting his career in the mid-90s with three platinum albums in a row, each delivered punctually, this soul and R&B singer all but vanished. He opted not to tour and didn’t release the expected follow-up to “Now,” from 2001. Instead, he faded into near anonymity.

But his fans waited: “BLACKsummers’night” debuted at No. 1 in 2009 with his best sales week ever and won two Grammys. Maxwell assured his faithful listeners that such a gap wouldn’t happen again, explaining that his fourth album was part of trilogy he’d already written and, in large part, recorded, with the next installments to follow in consecutive years.

Then another seven years went by.

“I couldn’t believe how big it got — it freaked me out,” Maxwell, 43, said of his first comeback. The long break that again followed, he said, was the result of an intensive creative process, which is dependent on “living a life” — romantic relationships remain Maxwell’s muse — and escaping expectations. “I like to forget who I am as much as I possibly can,” he said. “The problem is that I’m constantly being reminded that I’m supposed to be this way, this thing that everyone knows as a product.

“Can you imagine the anxiety?”

So he retreated for a second time, filling his days with “a lot of Netflix, listening to music, traveling, days on the beach,” Maxwell said. “Sex is awesome, too, when you throw it in here and there.” All served as fuel for songwriting.

“BlackSUMMERS’night,” out Friday, July 1, is his lovelorn trilogy’s long-delayed Part 2, more upbeat and groove-oriented than its predecessor. Citing disco, gospel and rock undercurrents, and the influence of Tame Impala’s psychedelic pop, Maxwell called the music “progressive soul.”

While he has always resisted trend-hopping, having initially emerged from the so-called neo-soul movement, which rejected the flash of the ’90s for earthier ’70s throwbacks, Maxwell is returning yet again to an altered musical landscape, this one almost unrecognizable: R&B has been subsumed even further into hip-hop, with rappers doing a lot of the singing themselves, while music sales have cratered in favor of online streaming, which rewards the brand-name artist and instant gratification.

If Maxwell’s last return was a triumph of quality in a changing but still-receptive market, this one is more of a tossup, though the ingredients remain the same. His dense new album — free of the songwriters, producers and guest rappers of the moment — will count once again on a patient audience seeking a more intricate, lyrically mature alternative to modern R&B, a genre often less reliant on vocal strength and range than attitude and delivery.

“We’re trying to be rappers now,” Maxwell said of his younger cohort. “I’m a big Chris Brown fan — I know all his records. But when it comes to what I write, I know that in 15 years, if I’m still alive and able to do it, I don’t want to look like an idiot singing the stuff that I wrote when I was 22. I’m lucky that most of what I’ve done holds up for a 55-year-old.”

He added, “You want it to sound like you don’t really know when it came out.”

Commercially, although the radio format known as urban adult contemporary — Maxwell’s bread and butter — remains a force, audiences have also turned in droves since his previous album to services like Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal, where artists with a fire hose of fresh content, such as Drake and the Weeknd, tend to thrive.

“The biggest challenge is that the last record came out when there was physical retail,” said Rob Stringer, the chairman of Columbia Records, Maxwell’s label since his debut in 1996. “A streaming audience will not be as easy to find.”

Yet Maxwell’s target demographic — adult women — makes him one of the few artists (like Adele) who can still potentially succeed in selling CDs at big-box stores like Walmart. “There are five records a year now that will be able to find that physical audience,” Mr. Stringer said. “You’ve just gotta hope that Maxwell is one of those.”

Along with the consistent musical quality — “The body of work he put out in his formative years justifies why the fan base is so loyal and fervent,” Mr. Stringer said — the wait between releases might also heighten demand. “Mystique has as much to do with why an artist remains special as exposure.”

Maxwell, who speaks in an intimate, low murmur and maintains a movie-star aura, has come to terms with his drawn-out process, including playing hard to get with fame and renown.

“I don’t want to be forgotten, but then at the same time I want to be forgotten, and then I want to remind you: ‘Hey, remember this?’” he said on the penthouse balcony of a Manhattan hotel, pulling intently on a golden tobacco vape pen. Remixes of his lush recent single, “Lake By the Ocean,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s adult R&B airplay chart, blasted from a speaker nearby.

“I’m so happy that my success has never been like 15 or 25 million records,” he said, as if he were sharing a deep secret. “That’s everybody in the world liking you. Justin Bieber, being as famous as he is, where do you go? It’s hard to say it’s tough — the guy put himself out there, and he’s making millions of dollars — but can he just not be bothered? You’re not seen as a person.”

Still, Maxwell is knowing about the optics of his “champagne problems” and enjoys the comforts his success has afforded him, including the relatively low-key, jet-set lifestyle that took him to Miami, Dubai and a few islands between albums.

For a traditionalist, he is also active on social media, especially Snapchat, which he uses constantly, and he gets a rush of energy — but always remains diplomatic — when gossiping about the unnamed Hollywood actor he shared romantic drama with, or the career arcs of artists hungrier for the spotlight than he claims to be.

Aside from concern about his public profile, there is Maxwell’s artistic diligence, an intense allergy to repeating himself and others. He eschews the studio trickery of Auto-Tune and will wait — sometimes years — until the right mood strikes him to lay down vocals. When the feeling hits, it works: He recorded the new songs “Listen Hear” and “Lost” in one take each.

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Starting out, “I didn’t expect to have ideals about ‘this is how things have to sound,’” Maxwell said. “Most people are business people. They’re like, ‘O.K. cool, I’ll go work with Fetty Wap and Rihanna,’ and they buy their little penthouses, and they’re feeling sexy like that.

“I don’t do it like that.”

Instead, Maxwell has kept the same small team of collaborators and business associates since he first hit it big alongside neo-soul artists including Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and D’Angelo.

“They were really down with the black managers and the black producers,” Maxwell said of his peers. “I was a little bit of a surprise to everyone. I walked alone with the odd guys,” he said, playfully referring to his Jewish songwriting partner, Hod David, and white manager, John Dee Hammond.

That outsider status was compounded by rough memories of his upbringing in Brooklyn as the half-Haitian, half-Puerto Rican son of a teenage mother. “I just never felt like I had the D’Angelo story” — Southern, raised singing in churches — “which is so perfect,” Maxwell said.

So he worked meticulously for two decades to prove himself as a Caribbean soul singer with undeniable chops. Speaking of that drive to succeed, Maxwell said, “Michael Jackson had it because he had all those brothers that he had to rock. Prince had it because he was very small in stature. I would think that mine came from the feeling of: ‘You’re not going to be successful at this.’” (Maxwell paid tribute to Prince, one of his heroes, at the BET Awards, ending his performance of “Nothing Compares 2 U” on his knees.)

D’Angelo, another songcraft and studio obsessive, also retreated inward after finding early success. When he returned in 2014 with “Black Messiah,” his first album in nearly 15 years, it was with a sharper political and racial edge.

Maxwell, though, has stuck to songs of love and heartbreak. He says he keeps up with current events and even watches C-Span for fun. “But I’m not a guy who’s caught up in color and race and creed and gender and sexuality,” he said. “I’m not a fight-the-power guy.

“If Trump doesn’t get elected, I’ll probably make a ballad album of love songs. But if he gets elected, I’m going to have to be a political guy all of a sudden.”

The closest Maxwell comes to politics on “BlackSUMMERS’night” is on the funky “III,” when he sings, “I just want a Michelle Obama lady/To hold me down when the world’s crazy.”

The reference — a rare topical mention in Maxwell’s lyrics — came from the same place as most of his writing: an intense longing, and lingering anxiety, about finding that forever love. Such unions have long been on his mind: His debut album, “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite,” climaxes with “Suitelady (The Proposal Jam),” in which he implores a partner, “I only wanna understand you baby/So will you marry me?” He was 20 when he wrote the lyrics.

Unmarried, Maxwell said he struggles to “know how to receive love,” which is complicated by the adoration (and thrown lingerie) he receives from female fans.

“I feel really good when I’m by the water, reading a pretty good book and when I’m really sure of the love that I have in my life,” he said, adding that such bliss can be “very difficult to find because I’m a little screwed up, because I’m supposed to be, because then I write good songs.

“But then at the same time, the music is so overwhelming that nothing beats it. It wakes you up in the morning and says: ‘Write this.’”

**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

IMO, It's not nearly as good as "BLACKsummersnight." And to be honest, it's probably my least favorite of his albums at this point.

But still...it's Maxwell and his worst effort tends to outpace most other artists.

It's not a bad album, I just like it less than the others.

So far, I think "Gods" is the standout for me.

I see some mixed reviews but I'm loving the vibe of this joint.

I don't really see an issue with the sequencing either. I'm sure I could re-arrange it but I'm not bothered by it like some people in here.

I have to go back to the last before deciding which I like more.

>I see some mixed reviews but I'm loving the vibe of this
>joint.
>
>I don't really see an issue with the sequencing either. I'm
>sure I could re-arrange it but I'm not bothered by it like
>some people in here.
>
>I have to go back to the last before deciding which I like
>more.

got zero issues with the sequencing. and honestly, Max has been sequencing his albums almost exactly the same since UBH: mid-tempo opener, then some fast cuts, then slow jams, finish off with an acoustic joint, usually end with an instrumental. i mean it's a sequence that makes sense in terms of the journey of listening to an LP and how you'd typically expect the tempo to shift. so getting a slightly different sequence this time around actually made it a bit refreshing (specifically from a Max-centric POV).

the album is beautiful, tho.
i really REALLY love how ppl are pullin out the "Embrya" comparisons. that's my fav LP of all-time right there. and i'm hearin it, too. he's lettin the band groove, lettin the tunes breathe. i'm just a little bit mad he doesn't have any 6min cuts like he used to. i miss those.
or doesn't put in any work on the singles with the versions and remixes he used to put out.

V.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22057-maxwell-blacksummersnight/

"I wasn't sure if I was lost or running away again. . ."

http://austinato.bandcamp.com

http://www.discogs.com/lists/Favorites-of-2016/269401

Nothing caught me. Except LBTO, but that's b/c I've heard it so much. ..I didn't even care for that initially.

so much better than this

I've listened like 5 times now and nothing really stands out besides Lake By The Ocean and 1990x... Maybe Gods... but I'm just not pulled in. I'm not a fan of how muffled he sounds, and I read that was intentional. I might give it a few more spins, but this one really isn't doing it for me thus far.

This album keeps pulling me further in... I've had it on repeat for the last several days, taking it pretty much wherever I go.

The arrangements on this thing are ridiculous, and I love how chaotic they are at times. The off-kilter drums on The Fall; the slightly frenetic, dubby (?) feel of Gods. That sudden turn of a bridge a minute from the end of Hostage, short but unexpected. The long outro on Fingers Crossed (one of my favs on the record, for sure) that refuses to let up, moving from something verging on a dirge into something that starts to feel celebratory (horns all the way), liberating. The slight grinding fuzz that winds through the last chunk of III (is that a synth or a guitar?). And the way the horns seem to echo the main theme of The Fall ("winter summer fall"), or maybe I'm imagining it...

The layers throughout the record? Ridiculous. But also a really smart minimalism at work, too.

Have barely listened to anything else new since it dropped... it's got me in for sure.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

i swear i couldn't get to sleep these last two nights cos i've had the damn groove to "III" repeating over and over in my head lol. my brain wouldn't shut the fuck off and let me go the fuck to sleep.

the whole thing is classic Max.
with a classic lead single anchoring the entire thing.
just cant get over how 'auteurish' Max's vibe is considering how (arguably) mainstream he's been. don't think i've listened to much else since this dropped. actually the only other things i've listened to are other Max LPs.
the arrangements are killer.
the band really stretches out.
and the lyrics are pretty damn raw, if not half in Max-speak, but still obviously raw and emotional. lotsa insecurity on display which makes it a lot more compelling.

kinda stunned at the mixed reviews i'm seeing on okp. then again all the comparisons to "Embrya" make me realise so many ppl shat on my fav album of all-time for years before coming around and realising the majority opinion on that was so fucking wrong.

*shrugs*

V.

Clear to me now Stuart Matthewman played a bigger role than I had first thought.

Maybe you'd do better to ignore preconceptions and just judge the music by the music?


"I wasn't sure if I was lost or running away again. . ."

http://austinato.bandcamp.com

http://www.discogs.com/lists/Favorites-of-2016/269401

Excellent album though

Bumpin in the STEREO:
Gladys Knight&The Pips
KING-We Are King
Babyface-Return Of The Tender Lover
Brandee Younger-Wax And Wane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQobX9bZkog.

V.

video for that is coming soon too.
says there's a deluxe version of the album coming with a gang of remixes.
and that the third installment ("NIGHT") ain't too far away either.

V.

And man, Fingers Crossed is a ridiculously fierce tune... and I just love the three track run of Lake/Fingers/Hostage --- all three are tracks you can just get lost in, lots of nuance and care in their arrangements, amazing development on each... so, so good.

But yeah, the drums on Fingers Crossed are on another level, as is the outro...

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Also, that *should* be a 5-track run on that album and it almost makes the cut, but his higher vocals on 1990x really fall short (in my book) --- which is such a shame, bc that track could be sublime, too. Gods is in my top 3 from the album and would be a great wrap-up for that mid-album section.


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~