Maxwell - Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

Handsome in his designer clothes and angelic, nappy dreads, Maxwell styles himself a modern-day urban love prophet in the tradition of Marvin Gaye. He concocts a conceptual music suite that purports to tell a fully rounded tale of meaningful love set in the tough but misunderstood inner city. What he delivers, however, contains only the faintest hints of what he promises. Instead we get a whole lot of the same tired R&B elevator slush and lyrics like "Gonna take you in the room suga'/ Lock you up and love for days." Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite is significant only in that it recasts the same old same old as something monumental, and nearly pulls it off.

Initially, there's a lot to like about Maxwell: On his openers, "Urban Theme" and "Welcome," the early '80s full-band R&B and jazz pop grooves are reminiscent of Maze's brightest days and Steely Dan's coolest nights. But soon even Maxwell's passionate voice gets lost in a flat mix that turns every song into faceless background music. While R&B is at no loss for suave and sexy personalities to take the stage, a dearth of new ideas keeps the genre for the most part floundering and visionless. In the end, Maxwell's urban hang suite is just another empty room. --Roni Sarig

Amazon.com

Maxwell

What else can be said about Maxwell's music other than, timely, romantic, relaxing, and sensuous? October 19, 2008

"Lose myself inside his ebony..."

I can recall how women used to swoon over Maxwell in the 1990s. When he would come to town, they would make sure they were in attendance, and when he released new music, his loyal female fans were the first in line. I kept hearing songs from this album on AOL radio and it provoked me to listen to this album once more. Wow! I was captivated by the middle of the first song. Music lovers, this is real music! This album contains singing, instrumentation, and lyrics! I do not see why any living thing wouldn't find something they thoroughly enjoyed on "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite."

This album contains a lot of instrumental breakdowns within the songs and I loved that! Of course, there is enough of Maxwell crooning, but all of the instruments really make this album a distinguished and memorable work. Each song is worth listening to; he gives his listener more falsetto than we are used to, and he sounds fresh, young and sexy on from track one to track eleven! The weakest moments are "Welcome" and "Suitelady", but even they exceed mediocrity. The songs that were released, "Sumthin' Sumthin", "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and "Whenever Wherever Whatever" are easily three of the best songs of the 1990s. "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and "Sumthin' Sumthin'" are dance numbers thumping with wonderful baselines, while "Whenever Wherever Whatever" is a flawless, emotional ballad that you will never forget once you have heard it. Maxwell's voice is crystal clear in this ballad and the way the guitar cries will make the listener shed tears, also.

Pick this album up right now! You are surely in for a treat. Sometimes we purchase albums and listen to them once and throw them away afterward because we did not enjoy it. I am willing to bet that this album has never been thrown away. This is his best work and he can't make an album better than this.

Mikeisha's Top 5

1. "Whenever Wherever Whatever"
2. "Sumthin' Sumthin'"
3. "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)"
4. "Dancewitme"
5. "Reunion"
October 1, 2008

This is why a critic is NOT an artist

I purchased this cd in 96 when it first came out.....I fell in love with the man, with the sound, with the vibe and the aura. How dare this reviewer try and pigeonhole this artist? Maxwell (to TRUE R & B fans) is a breath of fresh air. He can seduce a 70 year old as well as a 25 year old with his passionate stylings.......I happened to hear him on the BET awards show in June in honor of Al Green doing "Simply Beautiful"....I nearly died and went to heaven! The man is still awesome (sans his Neo fro)and I just wanted more, more, more.........

I think that the critic should stick to reviewing Rock music.....cuz this genre right 'chere....YOU know nuttin about!!!! August 26, 2008

nice flow

great album by maxwell. one of my favorites to listen to when i just want to mellow out. July 30, 2008

a love-ly set of songs

a great, slow, sexy set of love songs but hardly in the traditional sense. no up tempo to change the pace of things. but where is maxwell now? to be enjoyed over and over again. March 16, 2008

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