Maxwell: BLACKsummers’night

At a time when music has been saturated with money and the heart of a lyric has been replaced by auto-tune, it couldn’t have been a better moment in time for Maxwell to reappear into the music scene. It’s been nearly a decade since Maxwell’s last album (Now) but by no means has the seasoned neo-soul veteran fallen flat. Maxwell returns with BLACKsummers’night, the darker installment of a 3-part series (blackSUMMERS’night and blacksummers’NIGHT in the works), only to re-introduce the world to his unforgettable sound.

Without hesitation, the album springs into an up-tempo horn infused “Bad Habits,” leaving a platform for Maxwell to straddle the line of desperation and aggression, all the while producing a sexual disposition that carries throughout the album. Moving forward, the cool jazz track “Cold” digs deep into the mysterious working ways of a woman (as well as casually stating that women are cold-hearted), but nonetheless, expresses a sense of endearment about females. What could have been a salty track was undoubtedly sweetened by the vulnerable frustration Maxwell‘s vocals. Love-and-lost is a prominent theme trough the album, only paving the way for the songs “Pretty Wings” and “Fistful of Tears.” As soft chimes introduce “Pretty Wings,” similar to that of a child’s music box, a sense of innocence and purity put forth into the ballad. As Maxwell‘s voice effortlessly slithers over the melody, he exudes airy wisps and vulnerable breaths that make one feel the song, not just hear the song. Similarly, “Fistful of Tears” is an uptempo ballad patented with a strong pianistic presence, contrasting the sound of Maxwell‘s sultry voice to the melody only to achieve a qualified track about heartache and heartbreak. The influx of emotions is drawn from the raw images and subtle hopelessness Maxwell puts forth vocally, allowing for a strikingly dynamic existence often lacking in neo-soul music.

Following that number is the dark and mournful “Playing Possum.” Starting with a soulful Spanish-inspired guitar melody, Maxwell‘s creates a visual imagery through his lyrics that reflects desperation so deep it could very well be a metaphor for a greater loss, such as death. The compelling nature of this song is conveyed further by the use of a horn segment in the second half of the song, alongside beautiful adlibs, formally completing this sincere lullaby.

“Help Somebody,” “Stop the World,” and “Love You” are the more dramatically sounding tracks off the album, making full use of the 10-piece band bestowed upon them throughout the BLACKsummers’…. The production of “Love You” and “Stop the World” are the most simplistic of the three tracks, however, this simplicity allows for Maxwell to give up the most energetic and lucrative vocals on the album. As “Love You” speaks of an admirable promise, “Help Somebody” breaks the heart-shape cookie cutter mould to speak of a different promise – a humanitarian promise. As passionate as Maxwell is about love, it’s apparent that that passion is transferable. The heavy instrumentals that accompany Maxwell may overpower his vocals; however, they capture eardrums with ease. The heavy lacing of the piano, drum loops and second half horn lead instrumental add an edge to this album otherwise unforeseen, simultaneously bridging the sounds of soul and ‘neo-soul’ together.

In a strikingly twist of events, BLACKsummers’night is concluded by an electronic/Euro dance instrumental, contrasting not only the album’s sound, but Maxwell‘s distinctive style. Whether it had been a purposeful tactic to break fluidity on the album or whether it’s awkward placement is a precursor to what may come in the next two segments of this trilogy, it most definitely defies all comments about Maxwell being ‘stale,’ and stuck in a static time zone.

Weighing in under an hour has to be the biggest disappointment of this album, given the fact that a whole lot of material could’ve been written and produced in 8 years. Regardless, it’s evident that this album truly believes in quality over quantity. As BLACKsummers’night emerges with smooth productions and timeless sounds reflective of Maxwell‘s subtle vocals and outstanding imagery, it also produces a sense of mystery of forthcoming projects. It may not be a classic album and it’s definitely not a mirror image of Maxwell‘s greatest work, but the heart and passion artists fail to put forth into their music is evident all throughout this album, marking BLACKsummers’night as a testament to an untainted craft by the name of soul music.

82/100

“Pretty Wings”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“Fistful of Tears”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“Help Somebody”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.