is this album any good?worth a look?opinions?comments?

Grown up soul. Love it!

Embrya isn't anything like his classic debut Urban Hang Suite, almost. It is his most interesting record because it is plays like a dreamy sequence of moods and events, all woven together by relaxing rhythms, seductive vocals, and well-done soulful arrangements. I don't see why this was wrote off as a sophmore slump when it was released back in '98, but all I know it was good. Probably not on the level of his debut, but it was good. Drowndeep:Hula is my favorite track!

my favourite MAXWELL album.

silverchild said:

Love that song too! "Luxury" and "Matrimony" were my two favorites.

i just heard Submerge

im definetly picking this up tomorrow

thanks guys

They actually sounded like outtakes from UHS. I really didn't dig it when it dropped but after hearing it on XM radio I'm warming up to it.

muse87 said:

It is definitely worth purchasing, but it is not my favorite Maxwell album.

Definitely! It's beautiful, and I like it just as much as Urban Hang Suite, althought it's not the same.

muse87 said:

One of my faves. It was a write off cuz it is so damn' different in vibe than his debut.

Lots of succesful 'neo-soul' artists, like D'Angelo and Erykah Badu made sophomore albums that were WAY less succesful than their debuts, just because people expected something ELSE.

This does not mean they are BAD albums. People frownded at What's Goin' On, fr [deity here]'s sake...

i may have to cop this. i need a moody, thematic, grown up album. and now that i know it was a departure from UHS, all the more attractive

I hate that I constantly find UHS and Now in stores all the time but Embrya is NEVER on shelves...

ABeautifulOne said:

i got the last copy at circuit city

there were like 50 copies of Now and UHS

Embrya is like nothing else I've ever heard, and in a good way.

silverchild said:

Everything you said Except I can't decide on my fave track, probably Submerge... very nice album, full of MOOD

silverchild said:

Because it wasn't 'Urban Hang Suite' 2. Maxwell dared to challenge his listeners to something different and predictably it didn't fly. The lukewarm response (saleswise) to the album, as well as the infamous dream hampton review reportedly crushed Maxwell and led to the release of the R. Kelly penned 'Fortunate'. Rumor had it he was still a bit shell-shocked and tentative during the creation of 'Now', which IMO was a very good follow-up.

I wonder when he is going to release that new album thay have been talking about since valentine's day

violator said:

thanks for the interesting tidbit

violator said:

WHAT? Now sounded more like he was doing another Urban Hang Suite for the 2000's. I was disappointed by that whole album...

silverchild said:

I didn't get that at all from 'Now'. 'Urban Hang Suite', to me, had a very 70's feel to it (no doubt, in part to the involvement of folks like Leon Ware and Wah Wah Watson). 'Now' feels much more contemporary to me. Now having said that, Stuart Matthewman has a very deliberate sound and his presence on all three records may lend to your impression of 'Now'.

violator said:

To my ears, Now was very much a return to his Urban Hang Suite sound, if a little less 70s sounding.

violator said:

Didn't Stuart Matthewman work with Sade back in the day?

it's good, but not as good as "Urban Hang Suite". It's worth a purchase though.

missfee said:

It is a different good, just as Around The World In A Day isn't bad, just great in different ways. There are tunes on Embrya I truly adore.

the only Maxwell album I own
I shall listen to it one day

I did hear "Submerge"
on a CD single I had
and I love it

I just haven't gotten
into Maxwell like that
I may be the only one

silverchild said:

Stuart Matthewman is a member of Sade.

there IS no "Sade" without Stuart Matthewman. that's actually the name of the BAND in addition to being her name.

i better get my copy if Embrya is getting hard to find

This is part of Maxwell's latest blog. We better hear some new music by the Summer!



Saturday, April 28, 2007


sak PASITO!

after what feels like an eternity, summer is close and sumthin's even closer...
i'm alive among the living and hope-full u are alive n are doin' you, as much as u can. no updates yet, nothing to say, so very sorry but the next time u know something; it will happen. i hope u'll be ready when "it" is and again thank you, thank you, thank you...

MESMERIZING

love, love, love Embrya