Whatever happened to... Maxwell?

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It's been nearly 4 years since Now and internet searches for any information more recent than that are turning up zilch. Anyone know?

Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, 19 February 2005 23:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

Have you seen this man?

Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 19 February 2005 23:23 (8 years ago) Permalink

Him and Rockwell are smoking blunts with D'Angelo

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 21 February 2005 01:33 (8 years ago) Permalink

Roachford's mixing drinks.

why must we cut onions? (Lynskey), Monday, 21 February 2005 01:36 (8 years ago) Permalink

ChesnuTT's knocking to get in.

jergins (jergins), Monday, 21 February 2005 01:56 (8 years ago) Permalink

Kate Bush finally got hold of him for what he did to "This Woman's Work" and rightly slit his throat.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 21 February 2005 16:40 (8 years ago) Permalink

Huh? I thought he served "This Woman's Work" quite well. If you want to be angry at someone for ruining a Kate Bush song, may I point you in the direction of The Futureheads?

Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 21 February 2005 16:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

A friend finally burned me his Unplugged disc. The NIN cover is great!

Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 21 February 2005 17:04 (8 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...
Apparently, he has a new record finished, but the record company finds it to be way too vulgar, and refuses to release it.

The Brainwasher (Twilight), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 16:57 (8 years ago) Permalink

Michael Musto said the same thing last week. Please let this leak.

Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 16 June 2005 04:35 (8 years ago) Permalink

this is Maxwell's Black Album, so obviously someone must photoshop him onto the Lovesexy cover.

Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Thursday, 16 June 2005 04:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

"Kate Bush finally got hold of him for what he did to "This Woman's Work" and rightly slit his throat."

Sorry, but that's a beautiful version of a great song. He more than did it justice. New album's on the way apparently.

j-rock, Thursday, 13 September 2007 17:41 (5 years ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

this is never coming out eh.

that snippet that he put on his myspace a few months ago was pretty nice/

The Brainwasher, Monday, 25 February 2008 00:00 (5 years ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=P1LjrMYeuJI

The Brainwasher, Thursday, 26 June 2008 04:56 (4 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

there was a feature on him in vibe the other month. didnt really read it properly but he has a totally new look (non pretty boy) and record co. troubles seem to be the reason he still hasnt put anything out.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 7 January 2009 18:40 (4 years ago) Permalink

This ;)

Geir Hongro, Thursday, 8 January 2009 04:10 (4 years ago) Permalink

Geir you're a sick fuck

some dude, Thursday, 8 January 2009 04:37 (4 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

New album BlackSummer'sNight Pt. 1 (of 3) out July 7th, 2009

Album Preview: Maxwell "Black Summers' Night"

It's been eight years since Maxwell released "Now". For most artists, that's a career suicide to be in a hiatus for almost a decade. For Maxwell, all the time away ever did was increase the buzz for the enigma's comeback album. An appearance at the BET Awards last year only heightened the buzz for a Maxwell return and finally it will happen.

The return of Maxwell. Are you ready?

Now, after an extended break, Maxwell is set to return with not one, but a trilogy of albums. The title of the release is "Black Summers' Night" and will drop in three different installments with "Black" being the first to be released this summer. There is no scheduled release date for the other two installments but BET.com did get word that the songs are recorded and completed for both "Summer" and "Night".

BET.com got a chance to hear the first album of the "Black Summers' Night" and for those concerned that Maxwell may have changed his sound, fear not, Maxwell has not lost a step. Before we go any further, it is imperative to note that there are no Lil Wayne guest appearances, no Kanye West production and no Autotune. It is safe to say that the lush arrangements and vocals that have made many a lady heart melt is still intact.

Many of the songs feature several movements and some stretches of noteworthy instrumentation. Sure, Maxwell is known for his impressive vocal talents, but the production on this outing masterfully brings the album full circle.

Scheduled for an early July release date, "Black" features songs stuffed full of emotion and energy. Brooding love jams, funky basslines and Maxwell begging, pleading, loving and crooning his way through the 9 song release. Although we cannot release song titles as of yet, just know that it is indeed vintage Maxwell.

Maxwell has also decided to keep it short and sweet with 9 offerings that will surely leave the listener yearning for more.

The first single and video will be "Pretty Wings" which will also debut exclusively on 106 & Park next Tuesday, April 28. Maxwell will also be holding a press conference after his 106 appearance to announce further details regarding his upcoming album and a tour that will begin in June.

Maxwell has also been the first artist confirmed to perform at this year's BET Awards.

tracklist:

bad habits

cold

pretty wings

love you

stop the world

fistful of tears

help somebody

playing possum

phoenix rise

and then it comes to me... like an epiphany (The Brainwasher), Tuesday, 28 April 2009 08:48 (4 years ago) Permalink

cant wait. tho i dont expect all 3 albums.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 28 April 2009 08:52 (4 years ago) Permalink

Single is on iTunes now:

and then it comes to me... like an epiphany (The Brainwasher), Tuesday, 28 April 2009 13:56 (4 years ago) Permalink

There was a great presentation from Jason King at EMP basically wondering when the dude would stop screwing around with those three albums so hey, a glimmer of light.

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 28 April 2009 14:01 (4 years ago) Permalink

The funniest part of that presentation was King reading a Maxwell EMO BLOG ENTRY with the "Whenever Wherever Whatever" video playing in the background.

I've never really been a huge Maxwell fan, but I'm totally stoked for this.

The-Reverend (rev), Tuesday, 28 April 2009 18:53 (4 years ago) Permalink

Hahaha, yes on the blog thing. A perfect combination.

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 28 April 2009 18:56 (4 years ago) Permalink

I also liked Jason saying "I see him jogging around my neighborhood, he hasn't disappeared!"

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 28 April 2009 18:56 (4 years ago) Permalink

I see a mention of Rockwell upthread and can't help but wonder if there is anyone or anything that has mentioned what he is up to. The obvious paranoia in some of his stuff suggests he might make for a good interview.

litcofsky, Tuesday, 28 April 2009 19:18 (4 years ago) Permalink

http://twitter.com/wgordy

There's kind of a resemblance there, no?

litcofsky, Tuesday, 28 April 2009 19:30 (4 years ago) Permalink

Or nevermind, I am a moron. Not the same person.

litcofsky, Tuesday, 28 April 2009 19:36 (4 years ago) Permalink










cumlord jamar (The Reverend), Friday, 8 May 2009 02:41 (4 years ago) Permalink

this is superdope

cumlord jamar (The Reverend), Friday, 8 May 2009 02:45 (4 years ago) Permalink

In a word, yeah.

Ned Raggett, Friday, 8 May 2009 02:46 (4 years ago) Permalink

i saw him live back in October 01, that shit was off the hook. been looking forward to another record by him since about then. now we just need d'angelo to release another album and i will be happy for another 10 years or so.....

pipecock, Friday, 8 May 2009 03:07 (4 years ago) Permalink

this is great

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Friday, 8 May 2009 21:42 (4 years ago) Permalink

Heard Donnie Simpson interview him recently. He mostly came across real normal and down-to-earth. Of course, Donnie did not really follow-up on Maxwell's non-detailed answer to what he's been doing all this time. He noted that a relationship he was in did not work out, and that he's been traveling alot. They were both busy complimenting one another.

curmudgeon, Friday, 8 May 2009 22:58 (4 years ago) Permalink

cant wait to hear this but im surprised no one had mentioned the rumors around why they were having trouble marketing dude

btw urban hang suite is easy top ten of the 90s record to me

autogucci cru (deej), Saturday, 9 May 2009 02:16 (4 years ago) Permalink

you mean the gay rumors?

sex and gambling (The Brainwasher), Saturday, 9 May 2009 02:22 (4 years ago) Permalink

Heads up:

Soul Master Maxwell

Appears on KCRW TOMORROW, May 13 for a Rare Interview

KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad will host the long awaited return of the soul icon at 9pm PST.

KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad will host the long-awaited return of soul icon Maxwell live this Wednesday, May 13 at 9pm PST. Expect classic Maxwell tunes along with an interview and some tracks from his forthcoming album "BLACKsummer's Night." This is Maxwell’s first appearance on the Santa Monica-based public radio station. The session will air live on KCRW 89.9 FM and on KCRW.com.

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 May 2009 17:20 (4 years ago) Permalink

i like pretty wings but something about the melody is every so slightly throwaway by his usual standards. plus the chorus makes me think of old sanitary pad tv adverts.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 12 May 2009 22:58 (4 years ago) Permalink

hey, it's got gamelan in it!

messiahwannabe, Wednesday, 13 May 2009 09:57 (4 years ago) Permalink

1. Bad Habits 5:52
2. Cold 4:01
3. Pretty Wings 5:09
4. Help Somebody 4:01
5. Stop The World 3:55
6. Love You 3:35
7. Fistful Of Tears 3:40
8. Playing Possum 4:22
9. Phoenix Rise 2:41

i'm educated in sex, yes (The Brainwasher), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 03:45 (4 years ago) Permalink

wow is that short

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 04:55 (4 years ago) Permalink

37 minsish? Trad LP length....

Mark G, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 08:21 (4 years ago) Permalink

I am completely in love with this song.

Matos W.K., Tuesday, 26 May 2009 10:25 (4 years ago) Permalink

otm

autogucci cru (deej), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 10:28 (4 years ago) Permalink

Like, single of the year.

Matos W.K., Tuesday, 26 May 2009 10:29 (4 years ago) Permalink

^^ possibly yeah

some dude, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 13:12 (4 years ago) Permalink

basically the first time i heard it i was just getting home and i had to park and just sit and listen to it until it was over.

some dude, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 13:13 (4 years ago) Permalink



a hater (The Reverend), Friday, 5 June 2009 08:05 (4 years ago) Permalink

Wow.

Matos W.K., Friday, 5 June 2009 08:21 (4 years ago) Permalink

We holdin up unopened bottles, empty glasses, unlit cigars and posin with clothed girls.

StanM, Friday, 5 June 2009 08:42 (4 years ago) Permalink

how many cliches in one picture.
this does indeed look very staged.

mark e, Friday, 5 June 2009 08:44 (4 years ago) Permalink

This record is amazing but I have next to nothing to actually say about it. Still, this is the shit.

Matt DC, Saturday, 17 October 2009 16:22 (3 years ago) Permalink

50 quid for a london ticket.

i cant go :(

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Monday, 19 October 2009 12:26 (3 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

the musicians on this album are so fuckin good

call all destroyer, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 01:40 (3 years ago) Permalink

like it is such a pleasure to hear session dudes in a non-sucky context just doing their thing

call all destroyer, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 01:41 (3 years ago) Permalink

I feel as if this is the most slept-on universally acclaimed album of 2009.

Hell is other people. In an ILE film forum. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 02:03 (3 years ago) Permalink

yeah i think the length and the fact that it's an unusually understated "comeback" album cause that, tho i can't decide myself whether it's more "great" or more "really fucking good"

call all destroyer, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 02:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

I never felt like Maxwell's critical rep was that high, though. Certainly not compared to D'Angelo or Badu.

swag the dog (The Reverend), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 02:55 (3 years ago) Permalink

7 months pass...

im still not sure what happened to his sense of melody (sounds much more radio R&B influenced) here but this album is great. didnt blow me away as a 'comeback' album when i first got it, but its a solid grower. and yeah, the playing on it is fantastic.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 07:26 (2 years ago) Permalink

everyone i work w/ loves it but the joke going around the ballpark is that the song is secretly called 'chicken wings.' big lols

― butthurt (deej), Monday, August 17, 2009 4:35 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

lol forgot abt this

NOT FUNNY NEEDS MORE GUCCI (deej), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 13:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

this album doesn't have a sense of melody?

BACKSTABBERS: THEY SMILE @ U FACE (some dude), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 14:30 (2 years ago) Permalink

wtf

Gucci Mane hermeneuticist (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 14:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

...?

d4n, d4n, d4n (yaosah, yaosah, yaosah) (The Reverend), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 15:11 (2 years ago) Permalink

Another argument for having year-end polls in like August of the following year.

Pete Scholtes, Tuesday, 24 August 2010 15:42 (2 years ago) Permalink

i love whatever instrument it is thats used at the start of pretty wings.

i believe it's an instrument called the gamelan, from indonesia (where i'm living) they're kinda like tuned mini gongs, usually grouped in 8 or 10 and lined up in a scale. it sounds to me like maybe it's the javanese brand of gamelan (as opposed to balinese or sundanese, which have slightly different microtunings) me and some indonesian rap dudes i hang with have sat around several times trying to determine if it's a loop from a gamalan cd or a producer playing it on a sampler - on one hand that intro sounds very much like the instruments are generally played live to me, but listening closely i can hear melody lines with just one gamelan playing coming in and out later on in the song, so i guess it's probably just samples. but i'm thinking the guy playing them has heard a gamelan record or two, he's got the style down well enough to have fooled me at first, and i listen to shitloads of gamelan.

man pretty wings is just so damn... pretty! and serious staying power, in this age of easy all-you-can-listen-to downloads 99.9% of everything i download only gets a single listen from me, maybe 2 if it's my favorite artist or something... but this one keeps popping up on my stereo a LOT. hell, i just listened to it 4 times in a row reading this thread!

messiahwannabe, Tuesday, 24 August 2010 16:22 (2 years ago) Permalink

just re-listened to this recently. the first four tracks are so amazing and i think "why don't i listen to this all the time?!" then the second half is like "oh yeah, huh".

i'm so ready for a new album from this band, but it seems like his momentum has slowed down a bit?

emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 16:40 (2 years ago) Permalink

isnt this meant to be part of a trilogy?

"this album doesn't have a sense of melody?"

his sense of melody has *changed*, not disappeared.

titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 25 August 2010 10:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

iirc he had 3 albums' worth of material in the can over the long break, although I dunno if that means the other albums are totally done or if he's continued to work on them. the 2nd was initially going to be released less than a year later, but i think the 1st did so well that he's just riding it out with as many singles and tours as he can and it looks like the next one's pushed back to 2011.

i haven't listened enough to his earlier stuff to really compare, but the last album's melodies didn't sound especially different from before, or closer to other stuff on the radio.

San Te Claus (some dude), Wednesday, 25 August 2010 14:16 (2 years ago) Permalink

if anything, i feel like there's ~more~ of a focus on melody than on his previous albums

king boy swag (The Reverend), Wednesday, 25 August 2010 18:24 (2 years ago) Permalink

^^^ yup

I listened to the album this morning thanks to this thread, and, yup: it's still my favorite album of 2009.

Gucci Mane hermeneuticist (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 25 August 2010 18:28 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

"pretty wings" is really good but when he goes into his slurry soul-man vamps it sounds like "pret-ty WANGS" and i laugh every time...

― flying squid attack (tipsy mothra), Monday, August 17, 2009 1:07 AM (2 years ago) Bookmark

dayo, Thursday, 20 October 2011 11:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

Whatever happened to....Samwell?

frogbs, Thursday, 20 October 2011 13:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

11 months pass...

evan r. linked this to me on twitter just now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62c2oTTSLJM

lil dirk (J0rdan S.), Thursday, 4 October 2012 19:58 (8 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

How're those other two records coming, Maxwell? And don't pretend you don't follow this thread.

Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 25 November 2012 21:06 (6 months ago) Permalink

Maxwell duets w/Alicia Keys on her new LP... http://stupiddope.com/2012/11/20/alicia-keys-maxwell-fire-we-make-new-music/

"Hahahaha, nice one, Punchy," I said. (stevie), Sunday, 25 November 2012 21:12 (6 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

god urban hang suite is ridic

J0rdan S., Tuesday, 25 December 2012 07:37 (5 months ago) Permalink

hear hear

ILX is not a non-profit — we are just not profitable (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 25 December 2012 17:41 (5 months ago) Permalink

embrya is the greatest thing in the world

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 26 December 2012 09:32 (5 months ago) Permalink

i've literally only listened to maxwell over the past few days...

i'm digging embrya but now is a bit better i think. the criticism that people levy against voodoo (too focused on grooves at the expense of songs) is something that i think actually applies to embrya to an extent, but that's still a raw record. "drowndeep" def has to be one of his best songs.

J0rdan S., Wednesday, 26 December 2012 09:37 (5 months ago) Permalink

there's a dearth of writing about maxwell... i want to read a fucking tome about these albums right now

J0rdan S., Wednesday, 26 December 2012 09:37 (5 months ago) Permalink

i hope when he comes back he goes thru w/ that full albums tour

J0rdan S., Wednesday, 26 December 2012 09:46 (5 months ago) Permalink

I endured a Maxwell phase in September and came away thinking Embrya was my least favorite, although "Cococure" is one hell of an aural bask.

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 December 2012 12:50 (5 months ago) Permalink

Now's "Changed" is my new favorite.

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 December 2012 12:52 (5 months ago) Permalink

i've listened to "whenever, wherever, water" like 40 times in the last 24 hours

J0rdan S., Wednesday, 26 December 2012 15:19 (5 months ago) Permalink

yeah i went through a phase late summer where all i listened to on the way to work every day was "drowndeep: hula"

k3vin k., Thursday, 27 December 2012 00:35 (5 months ago) Permalink

i wrote an extended thing about "pretty wings" four years ago but no way would i show that to anyone

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 27 December 2012 04:16 (5 months ago) Permalink

now, you guys

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Sunday, 30 December 2012 02:18 (5 months ago) Permalink

i mean you knew it and i knew it but for some reason i never listen to this record

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Sunday, 30 December 2012 02:20 (5 months ago) Permalink

i'd love to read anything about pretty wings tbh

an eagle named "small government" (call all destroyer), Sunday, 30 December 2012 02:21 (5 months ago) Permalink

nope, i wrote it in 2009 and i spend way too much time shitting on maxwell's pre-blacksummer'snight stuff (why) and sade (what was wrong w/ me)

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Sunday, 30 December 2012 02:27 (5 months ago) Permalink

now indeed

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 December 2012 02:28 (5 months ago) Permalink

think i was trying to situate "pretty wings" as kind of new, "realer" sonic territory for him but he had already flexed plenty with now so whatever @ 21-year-old me

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Sunday, 30 December 2012 02:35 (5 months ago) Permalink

hemioblock (The Reverend), Saturday, 5 January 2013 20:53 (5 months ago) Permalink

stoked cant lie

rap steve gadd (D-40), Saturday, 5 January 2013 20:56 (5 months ago) Permalink

aaahhhhhhhhhhh hyped

lex pretend, Saturday, 5 January 2013 20:58 (5 months ago) Permalink

oh, he says that's a PARTIAL tracklist. hmmmm. does that mean he's still recording more songs?

hemioblock (The Reverend), Saturday, 5 January 2013 20:59 (5 months ago) Permalink

i love maxwell so much goddammit

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Saturday, 5 January 2013 21:27 (5 months ago) Permalink

what if that's the album cover

J0rdan S., Saturday, 5 January 2013 21:27 (5 months ago) Permalink

sticky note sadeness

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Saturday, 5 January 2013 21:28 (5 months ago) Permalink

passiveaggressivenotes4ursoul

What am I, in France? (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 6 January 2013 01:24 (5 months ago) Permalink


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