Moderators, can we please have a Sticky?

"Pretty Wings" will make its debut 4/28 on Musze.com and also on BET's "106 and Park". It is the 1st single off "Black Summers' Night" coming July 7, 2009.

BET had an early preview:

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.

Keep up on Maxwell here:

http://twitter.com/_MAXWELL_

http://www.musze.com/

http://www.myspace.com/maxwell


[Edited 5/22/09 13:45pm]

When you're an original artist with original ideas, you don't need to have anyone "guest" on your "tracks" - you can "feature" people on your "songs" (you know, those musical compositions that were so famous last century?), and only if they suit the purpose of the song. In other words, musical fluff is not always necessary. Go Maxwell!

The song titles from "Black":

bad habits

cold

pretty wings

love you

stop the world

fistful of tears

help somebody

playing possum

phoenix rise

Its so funny how BET makes fun of the things like Autotone and Kanye and Wayne and yet plays them 24/7 and when faced with artists of difference they could give two shits, BET is full of crap.

lastdecember said:

LOL true that!

^^

Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens with most everything. Not just BET.

I love it - 8 years since his last release and his first follow up has NINE songs - NINE, not even TEN. What an asshole - a fucking hot, talented, sexy, amazing, brooding, ear candy making asshole. The 3 album thing seems to be a new theme in neo soul - though Badu has yet to make good on her promise, and I doubt Maxwell will have these other two released ANYTIME soon...

But I'm glad he's back! LOVE HIM TO DEATH!

badujunkie said:

But back in the day, this was how albums got made.

Take it to the cliMAXwell... 9 songs? Cool with me. I'd rather have a 7 minute opus, instead of a 3 and a half minute poptune..

Hey, Anita Baker used to have 8 songs on her albums!

Reminder: Maxwell on "106 and Park" tom'w (Tuesday).

Nick715 said:

Yeah i mean im in favor of SHORTER albums, enough of this 14 track 80 minute mess that most artists put out. So on that note props, more should do this, however the delays i cant handle from anyone.

I'm sorry 8 years to make 9 songs. one of them better be 9 minutes long

you'd think a 2 disc set was coming out
[Edited 4/27/09 21:59pm]

if prince had done 9 songs instead of 3 cds full of crap - he would be popular at the moment

can we get a Faith No More reunion sticky?


[Edited 4/28/09 5:25am]

for me it's been about 11 years now since i didn't like "NOW" too much.

strangely i like all it's different parts and like it when those songs
come up on the shuffle play but as an album it's very dull imo.

urban hangsuite and embrya are two of the best albums ever. love every
single song on both.

japanrocks said:

Do u actually believe the stuff that u say?

I heard 'pretty wings' on the radio twice this morning...

Didn't really like it at all

thekidsgirl said:

I'm not feeling it either.

Graycap23 said:

Yeah what's up with stating an artist should only do 9 songs.
Shit for 11 or 12 bucks a cd i want 18 songs, dvd extras, b sides, or
whatever and it's not like prince wasn't the b side king
in the 80's. Hell some of his b sides were better than the
singles. Hell i find his both his cd's enjoyable. Are they spectacular? No,
but i'm not one of those people sitting here expecting 1999 and Controversy
part 2.

Maxwell Takes Flight With 'Pretty Wings' Single, Readies 'BLACKsummer'snight' Album

April 28
Link


After a nine-year hiatus, R&B singer Maxwell is returning with his long-awaited, oft-delayed fourth studio album, "BLACKsummer'snight," slated for a July 7th release on Columbia Records. The album's first single, "Pretty Wings," debuted today (April 28), with the accompanying video premiering on BET's "106 & Park" this afternoon.

The nine-track set is the first installment of a planned trilogy and was recorded with a ten-piece band. Entirely self-produced by the Brooklyn-born artist, "BLACKsummer'snight" features no guest appearances so far, although at press time Maxwell was still mastering two tracks.

On the lullaby-like "Pretty Wings," Maxwell croons, "I had to set you free, to see clearly / the way that love can be when you are not with me / I had to leave, let love set you free to fly your pretty wings," over xylophone clings and guitar strings.

Other tracks include the regretful "Bad Habits," a mid-tempo number with big horns and layered voice-overs; "Cold," about a cold-hearted lover; the uptempo "Love You," on which Maxwell pleads, "tell me I can be your man / baby let me love you," over an organ groove; the jazz-like "Stop The World," with heavy guitars and kick drums; the piano-laden "Fist Full of Tears;" and the inspirational "Help Somebody," which finds Maxwell singing, "help me be the helping hand / and make a dream come true," over marching band drums.

"Bad Habits" and "Stop The World" are both tentative follow-up singles.


To promote "BLACKsummer'snight," Maxwell will be touring this summer, as well as headlining the Essence Music Fest on July 4th. This trek follows his fall 2008 tour, Maxwell's first in six years. Although not supported by any new material, the tour sold out every stop.

Maxwell's last album, 2001's "Now," has sold 1.8 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

Copycat said:

Wow. Has it become mandatory that there be guest appearances on albums nowadays?

The video:

http://link.brightcove.co...1345933001

Whatever haters. Just bring it!

thekidsgirl said:

the fact that it sounds foreign and not familiar makes me love it

I like the song..


having said that.. i had a weird vision when he was sayin "pretty waaangs".. i thought about this song being on a KFC commercial..

The Press Release:

http://news.prnewswire.co...036&EDATE=


Columbia Records Announces the Release of 'BLACKsummers'night' (Part 1 of a Trilogy) the Long Awaited New Full-Length Album from Maxwell







Modern Soul Master's First New Studio Album Since 2001 Available Everywhere Tuesday, July 7, 2009


First Single, "Pretty Wings," Available Tuesday, April 28


North American Tour Dates Announced


NEW YORK, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia Records is proud to announce the release of BLACKsummers'night, the heavily-anticipated new studio album from the groundbreaking modern soul artist Maxwell, on Tuesday, July 7.


BLACKsummers'night is the first full-length Maxwell release since Now, his critically-acclaimed third studio album, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in August 2001.


BLACKsummers'night is the sensuous opening installment of the artist's monumental BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT trilogy. (The trilogy's subsequent chapters, blackSUMMERS'night and blacksummers'NIGHT, are slated for release in 2010 and 2011 respectively.)


"Pretty Wings," the first single from BLACKsummers'night, will be available through digital service providers on Tuesday, April 28. A video for the song will premiere that same day on BET's "106 & Park" and on musze.com, Maxwell's website.


BLACKsummers'night reunites Maxwell with long-time collaborator Hod David, who serves as co-producer and co-writer of the album. Striving for an emotional authenticity and real world sound for the album, Maxwell and Hod recorded the entire album live in the studio with an a-list ensemble of elegantly sympathetic musicians.


Maxwell -- who is scheduled to headline the main stage of the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans on July 4, 2009 -- will be taking his new music on the road with a major North American tour in support of BLACKsummers'night. Cities along Maxwell's 2009 tour route will include Milwaukee (Sat-June 20), Seattle (Tue-June 23), Vancouver (Wed-June 24), Las Vegas (Fri-June 26), Los Angeles-BET (Sun-June 28), Phoenix (Mon-June 29), Austin (Wed-July 1), San Antonio (Thu-July 3), New Orleans (Sat-July 4), Nashville (Sun-July 12), Louisville (Mon-July 13), Columbus (Wed-July 15), Cleveland (Thu-July 16), Pittsburgh (Sat-July 18), Buffalo (Sun-July 19), Albany (Tue-July 21), Atlantic City (Fri-July 24), Foxwoods (Sat-July 25), Norfolk (Mon-July 27), Savannah (Tue-July 28), Tampa (Thu-July 30), Miami (Sat-August 1), and Orlando (Sun-August 2).


Following an extraordinary performance of Al Green's "Simply Beautiful," his first television appearance in seven years, at the 2008 BET Awards in June 2008, Maxwell launched his 2008 BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT US tour, his first live shows in six years, that October. When all 144,000 tickets for the tour sold-out within minutes of going on sale, the tour was extended from 26 to 33 cities. Positive critical response to Maxwell's' tour was unanimous. The New York Times praised Maxwell's Radio City Music Hall concert as "exquisite" and "powerful" while the Boston Herald lauded his "awesome talent." Maxwell premiered new songs from BLACKsummers'night during his 2008 fall tour, among them "Pretty Wings," "Bad Habits," "Never Do Without You," "Help Somebody," and "Cold."


Maxwell's debut concert in South African sold-out some 10,000 seats. Following his breathtaking performance at the Macufe Music Festival in South Africa on October 4, 2008, Maxwell was honored with South African citizenship. BET's "Access Granted" aired exclusive footage from the concert as well as Maxwell's first televised interview in seven years, on October 17, 2008.


Maxwell began redefining classic soul music for a new generation with the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, in April 1996. Fueled in part by the RIAA gold single, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)," the Grammy-nominated Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was certified platinum in March 1997, less than a year after its release, and achieved double platinum status, in recognition of sales of more than 2 million copies in the US alone, in 2002. Maxwell followed up with his MTV Unplugged EP, released in July 1997 and certified gold in September 1999. His second full-length album, Embrya, was released in June 1998 and certified platinum in May 1999. Another Maxwell single, the hit "Fortunate," was certified gold in June 1999. To date, Maxwell has achieved 10 gold and platinum certifications from the RIAA for his albums and singles.


musze.com

myspace.com/maxwell

twitter.com/_maxwell_


columbiarecords.com




SOURCE Columbia Records

Sdldawn said:

so wrong

utopia7 said:

You know it's gonna happen

I can't lie, I thought about chicken at the end of the song. Tastay Pretty waaangs floating away.

Video is alright. Kinda preferred he came back with a dance jam. The song is nice tho. It was well accepted when he performed it live last year. Wish he took off the shades tho.

Ya'll are killing me on the chicken jokes.
Pretty wings seems like two different songs wrapped into one that don't naturally go together. But I like it. Looking forward to seeing how this fits on an album.