A debut album that sounds like a release by an old pro.
This album sounds like a lot of contemporary R&B, except the songs are actually well written. Musically, it's not really played all that unique. There's lots of slap bass, fender rhodes and horn charts. But everything is so well placed and arranged. Oh yeah, there's also Maxwell's voice. You know David Ruffin? What about Eddie Kendricks? How 'bout Marvin Gaye? Well, our good friend Max can vocalize well within in all those folks' repsective ranges. And he never sounds like he's trying to just copy his idols. Not once. The songs don't vary in tempo much, mostly falling in the mid-to-slow jam range. All told, it makes for a very sultry mix of some fresh, catchy and just plain fun music that clearly has its influences, but doesn't exploit them. Instead, it feels like Max was probably saying to the musicians and artists involved, "Try not to play it like you've heard it before." And even though there's an argument lurking over how good an album can or can't be when it has as many clearly audible influences as this one does, let's just call it a fine record --especially for a debut-- and leave it at that. Consider this the crowd pleaser of Maxwell's discography.
~Austin
Sweet EP that will be of interest to fans.
First of all, this is why Max ain't your regular modern day R&B soulish cat. There's b-sides on this 12" single. Honest to goodness, songs you ain't gonna find nowhere else b-sides. The entire first half of the 12" single is performed as one twenty minute piece that has three slight variations on "...'Til the Cops Cme Knockin'." The first 'movement' is oh-so-mellow; the second, mostly instrumental; the third being the version that appears on the album. It seems like (even if it wasn't the case) the entire thing was performed as one continuous piece in the studio. And damn it's great. It's subtitled "The Opus", just to give you a hint of its epic scope. Flip the record over and you get a brand new tune (asopposed to a variation on one that you already know), titled "Lock You Up N' Love Fa Days." It's a tune that doesn't really branch out from the theme of the title track of this EP, but it's still fantastic. This EP is a little scarce by this point, but well worth it if you can't get enough of the first album.
~Austin
Standard issue live album, complete with totally unlikely kick ass covers.
First off, let me just reminisce for a moment about how great MTV Unplugged used to be... As a child of the 90's, it was great to see that sort of live music for free on TV. I used to love to watch it, even if I didn't like or didn't know who the performing artist was. It's when the "M" in "MTV" actually was still present and allowed for things like this album to exist. Anyway. This live album was released as a stopgap moneymaker in the aftermath of Maxwellmania after the Urban Hang Suite completely exploded in popularity. It really does a great job of conveying Maxwell's personable and totally genuine presence. It's mostly Urban Hang Suite stuff and the opening medley of stuff is executed flawlessly. A new song pops up with "Mello: Sumthin (The Hush)", although it seems to be a variation on "Sumthin Sumthin". A slower, stop and start jammy thing, it's cool nonetheless. All of the Urban Hang Suite stuff gets competant readings, but by this point Maxwell's reperetoire was still fairly small, so as the tradition goes, he turns to covers. And not only are they totally great and unexpected (Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work" and Nine Inch Nails' "Closer", retitled here "Gotta Get: Closer"), they point the direction to the future and give a fine preview of what was to come. Max is, predictably, in fine vocal performance and really does well with the Kate Bush cover. If for nothing else, pick this up for the covers, but you'll dig it if you dig the first album.
~Austin
Marvin's I Want You on psychedelics. Even better than it sounds.
Ok, so, I have to wonder: was this the album Max wanted to make all along? Because while it certainly does sound like a distant cousin of Urban Hang Suite with its mellow tempos and prominent basslines, it just immediately goes off into left field melodically and thematically. "Everwanting: To Want You To Want" boasts a killer bassline and a beautifully minor chorus. In fact, every song here is so g'damned catchy, it's hard to believe that nobody really dug it or understood it when it first came out. Sure, the synth drum and single guitar chord delay intro to "Luxury: Cocure" sounds just awkward at first, but let it get to the chorus and you'll be shakin' it and waiting for the next line. But, most of the songs here are at least six minutes long, so I guess if you want radio-ready fluff, you'll be lookin' elsewhere. The songs are incredible. The band sounds absolutely on fire and there's this mix of sporadic strings and horns that just comes in and accentuates at the most perfect moments; it seems like the same song without them would be somewhat pointless (see "I'm You: You Are Me and We Are You (Pt. Me and You)" for the best example of this). The tempos are again, mostly in the mid-to-slow jam range, but man, dance till yer butt can't take anymore when "Luxury: Cococure" comes on. Feel that bassline, cat. All through your chestal region. To follow it up with the musically perfect "Drowndeep: Hula" is just twisted, in the most brilliant way. That guitar solo is just perfection. And that's just the first half. The second half of the record really goes off, seemingly every song wanting to outdo its predecessor until things finally reach the ultimate climax with an absolute epic of a tune. "Submerge: Til We Become the Sun" is the sort of thing Marvin would have done had Berry Gordy let him really do what he wanted. And not to play down the originality of it. Because it is one of the most unique and brilliantly beautiful songs I've ever had the priveledge of hearing. A dub reggae type riddim provides the foundation for Max's deepest, most thought-provokingly surreal lyrics. To reduce it to the merits of its songwriting quality seems disrespectful, but the chrous is amazing. It all provides a fantastic introduction to the last quarter of the record and it's truly one of the coolest things I've come across in my musical travels. As if he wasn't that great previously, Maxwell's singing on this album is practically a how to guide for aspiring vocalists because he sounds like he's singing every single note as if were his only chance for the world to hear him. Range, emotion, skills. He's the full package and this album displays that again and again. Honestly, this is one of the most moving and thoroughly intruiging albums to be released in the 1990's. And plus, it grooves, rocks, rules and ultimately ends up being an incredibly organic and emotional experience. Creative, sprawling and endlessly beautiful, Embrya is one of the very few expressive and artistic masterpieces of the post-punk, post-corporate takeover of the music industry. It expresses so many human emotions so perfectly and articulately, sometimes without effort. To call it essential seems like an understatement. Godlike.
~Austin
And now, an Embrya rant. Enjoy.
A moment in the spotlight for one of Embrya's brightest spots.
The entire first side of this 12" is basically one of the longest 'extended mixes' I've ever heard, as it stretches the song out into three movements and 15+ minutes overall. The "Prologue" basically builds the groove and lets it simmer until things boil into the "Monologue", which is basically the album version of the song. It boils over on the "Epilogue" which is like an instrumental. It's pretty phenomenal to hear in one sitting, as the whole thing blends together seemlessly and that killer groove is never once sacrificed. Flip it over and you get the regular version of the song, followed by a "Luxdub", which stays true to its title and follows on the heels of Embrya's heavy reggae influence. Not much to offer in the way of unheard b-side material, but essential to fans nonetheless for the otherwise unavailable (and superb) mixes.
~Austin
A concise record and also a breakup record... trouble brewin'.
This is like... so much better than 98% of contemporaries. It's stupid, really. "Get To Know Ya" is one of the most blatantly pop things Maxwell has done yet, but it doesn't feel forced or contrived at all. It's just a jam. And just happens to be catchy as heck. Those horns. They make me say, "Whoo!" One thing that's instantly noticeable about this album right away: Max discovered that the guitar can be used for more than just to accentuate a rhythm. These songs are just so written so damn well. That guitar really does a service to them. But don't get it twisted, these songs are relatively sparse in comparison to Max's past work. And the subject of them is surprisingly dark. Max isn't even addressing the ladies on the majority of the album. Mostly, the songs seem to be a theraputic address to himself that he needs to move on from a relationship and its particularly difficult ending. "Lifetime" sounds like some classic soul, circa 1972. Really good stuff and a seriously uplifting track. From there, things get pretty dark from the bitter "W/As My Girl" to the downright cynical "Temporary Nite." This album sounds a bit weird coming from Maxwell, but the same record by any other contemporary crooner would be hailed as a masterpiece. It just happened to have the misfortune of following Urban Hang Suite and Embrya. However, that being said, it is easily his most personal work to date. Just stands out for a few reasons that shouldn't matter, but do: first of all, the masterpiece that preceeded it and the love oozing out form its lyrics and then the subsequent bitterness found throughout this record. Second, it's musically pretty sparse, but no less brilliant. But still, just strange to hear a Max song where there's just Max, drums, bass and guitar. And lastly, the silence that followed it. What happened to Max? Did he lose it? The album sold well and spawned a hit. It seemed like he could've easily followed it up. But perhaps (or obviously, rather) he saw it as a personal document more than just a piece of product. And how could an artist follow up such an incredibly personal work? Just think if all of these songs were autobiographical (which they probably are) and how that would affect a person. Really, like I said, the same album by any other artist would be hailed as a landmark. Within Max's discography, it's another superb record. On some days, I'd argue that it's his second best. Interesting note to go out on... if it's his last.
~Austin
Cheesy R&B crooners don't impress me.
