![]() ![]() The unforgettable performance became one of the most talked about in 2008. But after uttering the first gentle lyric ("If I gave you my love.") everyone remembered and so did Maxwell. Without his signature afro or silk mono-chromatic suit, it was hard to tell if this six-foot tall body was merely a mirage or indeed the man that for so many years had left legions of devoted fans wanting more. ![]() On June 24th Maxwell galvanized an unsuspecting audience at the 2008 BET Awards with a live rendition of Al Green's classic song, "Simply Beautiful." It would be his first live performance in seven years. "Every time I'd get in the studio it would be like am I trying to outdo this last record? I just wanted to make a really good record." Of course, what Maxwell's notoriously modest character failed to warn was that what he was creating was more than "good" but rather (like his other projects) a timeless piece of work. Though having much of his creative team on board, Maxwell still approached the creative process with extreme caution and the painstaking meticulousness of a true genius. By late 2008, the process of polishing and shaping the album was full on. BLACK is a much darker but soulful compilation, SUMMERS' leans more toward the gospel side and NIGHT is more a cool collection of slow jams. The album is the first installment of a trilogy entitled BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT. He might have been out of the spotlight, but Maxwell along with long time collaborator and friend Hod David, had begun crafting BLACKsummers'night several years ago. I didn't intentionally step away from all of it, but I just wanted to.live my life a little bit, and then be able to make music with that pure experience again." "What did my music and creativity speak of to people? For me, coming back to that promise was kind of where my heart was really gravitating towards. "I wanted to return to ‘what was the promise?'" Maxwell offers. Needless to say, it is a conversation that's been overdue but as the soft-spoken, multi-platinum artist sees it, in order to come back it was necessary to step away. His fourth studio album and first in eight years, BLACKsummers'night is the sound of an artist taking the commitment to his craft and the conversation with his audience that much further. BLACKsummers'night, the first installment of a trilogy, is a collection well worth the wait. The same artist who brought us classic songs like "Sumthin' Sumthin'," "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and "Lifetime" (not to mention the unforgettably ethereal cover of Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work") is back with a challenging, mature, sensual, courageous and emotionally open album entitled, BLACKsummers'night (Columbia). Yes, after an extended hiatus, the sexy ambassador of soul has returned with a brand new look and a fresh yet deliciously vintage sound. Such is the case with Maxwell's new album. But that said, there is something to be said about anticipation. In an age of immediacy, the idea of waiting sounds hopelessly outdated. ![]()
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