AMG Gives BLACKsummers'night 4.5/5 Stars Review by Andy Kellman
quote:
Maxwell spent part of the eight years between his third and fourth studio albums walking the Earth, attempting to experience a life resembling that of a human. One of neo-soul's most visible faces, along with Lauryn Hill and D'Angelo, he had been on the music industry's hamster wheel for most of his twenties and needed some tangible inspiration. At some point he got down to scheming and quite a lot of recording; BLACKsummers'night is the first release of a trilogy, with BlackSUMMERS'night (rooted in gospel, with a twist, apparently) and Blacksummers'NIGHT (promised as a disc of slow jams) to follow. Just as he arrived in 1996, offering an alternate option to the exaggerated masculinity that was dominating contemporary R&B, he returns as the airwaves are stuffed with raging hormones expressed through Auto-Tune. He has made no concessions to them. BLACKsummers'night is all devotion, regret, and heartache, written with Now collaborator Hod David and played by a session band, including a horn section, that sounds closer to a touring band that has been supporting the singer for years. The musicians morph with every shift in emotion through arrangements that are unfailingly exquisite and sensitively nuanced, even when they are briskly played. If the singer got into adventures while he was away, he does not detail them during these 38 unified minutes, but he did go through a serious, failed relationship, just as "Pretty Wings," the album's floating pre-album single, suggested. Like the real-life flip side to Al Green's "Simply Beautiful" -- the song Maxwell performed at the 2008 BET Awards, signaling his return -- it's catharsis through bittersweet elegance, equal in its enamored resentment ("You toyed with my affliction/Had to fill out my prescription") and remorse ("I came wrong, you were right/Transformed your love into like"). Although the rest of the album leaves plenty of space for the most common form of pleading, the disarming "Fistful of Tears" is as impassioned as the steamiest moments and indicates the complexity of Maxwell's relationship: "'Cause I go insane, crazy sometimes/Trying to keep you from losing your mind/Open your eyes, see what's in front of your face/Save me my fistful of...tears." For all its dimensions and progress, the album is simultaneously designed to ensure that devoted fans will feel the wait was worth it. After all, its opening lines are "Make me crazy, don't speak no sound/I want you to prove it to me in the nude," and they are sung in falsetto.
Originally posted by tae2004: Ill be picking up my copy tomorrow from Target. $8.98
As will I. And I'll be up bright and early to get it.
I learned my lesson with Beyonce and Keri Hilson's albums. I'm not gonna wait and then find that the album is sold out. And I have a strong feeling that Maxwell's album will easily sell out in quite a few places, including Best Buy, Target and Wal-Mart.
NO WAY! Maxwell has done too much radio and concerts over the past 12 mos to debut under 100k. I would be totally shocked if he isn't at least in the 125-150k range.
Posts: 1763 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: September 25, 2007
I agree. Even in this sales climate, I think Maxwell can expect 100,000+ for the first week. I doubt that he'll do less than that.
Ooh,I hope so Mr. Talented and thanks for posting that article.This album deserves the recognition. I will have my copy first thing tomorrow and will be in NYC for the CBS morning concert on the 8th!
Originally posted by tae2004: NO WAY! Maxwell has done too much radio and concerts over the past 12 mos to debut under 100k. I would be totally shocked if he isn't at least in the 125-150k range.
Isn't Maxwell ahead of Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus in pre-order sales or something?
"Bad Habits" is absolutely brilliant. What a way to start off the album!
He'll easily sell 100,000+ this week. I got to Target thirty minutes after opening and his CD was sold out. So I got it from Best Buy, and it was literally FLYING off the racks when I got there.
Yes Bad Habits and Stop the World are my favorite tracks... His vocals are so amazing!!! I love the cd, but I think I still like his old cds better. Thats just how high quality his material is.
Posts: 1763 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: September 25, 2007
Originally posted by MrTalented: Just got the new album!
"Bad Habits" is absolutely brilliant. What a way to start off the album!
He'll easily sell 100,000+ this week. I got to Target thirty minutes after opening and his CD was sold out. So I got it from Best Buy, and it was literally FLYING off the racks when I got there.
That's good news! I got mine from Best Buy too.There were only a couple left when I got there.I guess other people were thinking like me.Get it early.lol.
My fave tracks(for now)are Pretty Wings
Bad Habit(I feel you from the floor to ceiling,girl I feel you when you comb your hair)mmm.Kerry Washington is going to be in this video.
Fist Full of Tear and Love You.
This is gonna be one of my fave Maxwell albums,I can feel it.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: ellasgirl,
Originally posted by musicluva123: When is he shooting the video for "Bad Habits"?
I'm pretty sure it's been shot already.There was an interview with him on the set when he talked about Kerry W being his "Bad Habit" in the video.He didn't say when it was coming out.
Maxwell is going to be on 106 Park today at 6pmest.Maybe he'll talk about it then.I will miss that.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: ellasgirl,
I don't know if it's true, but Perez usually copies and pastes. If it is true, then it exceeded mostly everyone's predictions. That'd be cool if this is true. It'd be very deserving as well. Maxwell needs a Grammy pronto, and this only increases his chance.
Based on five reviews, Maxwell's album has an 84 on Metacritic. Hopefully, it stays in the Universal Acclaim area. If those first week sales are true, then I think we could add Maxwell to the AOTY contenders list. Maxwell is throwing jabs.
