"Our premiere is LOCKED IN with BET for 4/28. We wanted you to be the FIRST to find out. Make sure to tune in during the 6pm et hour to see Maxwell on 106 & Park while he unveils his new video. Also, make sure to check out musze.com and BET.com at that time for the streaming video premiere."

4 u nick ifu havent already posted this

revolution75 said:

Thanks, I love you. Time for a Maxwell "sticky"!!!!!

Maxwell's heading to the BETupfront at the NOKIA theater to announce his upcoming BET performance for June 28 2009!

21 minutes ago from twitterrific

Yes, the ball is rolling!!!

Also, the single is going for adds 5/5!!!!!

Prediction: the single wont take off at all, and the label will delay the record again. Sounds like Stevie Wonders time 2 love, we had almost 1000 preorders for this album when it was first set with a date, after 10 pushbacks, about 30 of those 1000 people bought it or even cared.

lastdecember said:

Sorry, but Stevie Wonder is old, Maxwell isn't. Truth be told.

For example, as much as I love Duran Duran, Top 40 stations don't give a shit when they have new music out.

Nick715 said:

Dont be so confident on Maxwell either, he is old by todays standards, i can see him getting the "prince" like play on RB radio. Which means, it better be a painting by numbers sex joint ballad. This is why Prince hasnt had a song on RB radio that wasnt a crappy sappy ballad.

Maxwell will be 36 next month. He is younger than Mariah, Gwen, etc.

Max ain't getting no younger tho, lol.

lastdecember said:

I love Max but I think you may be right. Between the album delays, changing music marketplace, and youth oriented market, I don't know if he'll strike big success. I don't know if that is his goal either so that might be fine. As long as the album gets released. I know I will be buying it.

ETA and with respect to age, in my opinion Maxwell reads "mature" in a way that other artists his age that were mentioned (Mariah etc.) don't. When he came out he was in his early 20s and he already felt late 20s/30 already. I went to his show when I was in my early twenties and most of the crowd was 30 and up. He doesn't have a youth appeal, in my opinion. Which again, I dont know if that is his goal either.

This will all be interesting to watch.
[Edited 4/23/09 17:22pm]
[Edited 4/23/09 17:23pm]

Nick715 said:

Ok but you are talking about Maxwell as if he is a mainstream all format artist, he isnt. That is why im saying he is too old for crossover by todays standards, its not a slight on talent, its the way it is with the world. Mariah is done, look at what she has done to her music to sell? and now her albums and singles dont even catch on so she's shit out of luck, now shes going to do an 80's cover to regain an audience she alienated. As for Gwen, same deal, shes singing with AKON and Tpain? Ok same deal as Mariah. Will No Doubt be big when they come back, probably a little bit, but they havent even completed a record at this point, so the jury is out on them. Maxwell is not a mainstream artist in this formula, he just isnt. Whether the music is good or bad is the important thing not what hes gonna sell or crappy BET "play for a day".

All good points, but I expect "Pretty Wings" to be huge at itunes and R&B radio.

Nick715 said:

I liked the song in concert, have no idea how it will sound on record. What makes you think it will be huge? Just curious.

Nick715 said:

Like it was said i think it will fit in the more "mature" formatted stations, and album sales are something that more mature people are carrying nowadays anyway. But finding him getting play the same stations playing Katy Perry or Fall out boy or even Ciara wont happen i feel. He is now at the Vh1 Soul level, just like Norah Jones fits on Vh1 and Shows like Austin City Limits, she still sells shit loads of records and gets no play on any mainstream radio, outside of her first single.

mcw00 said:

I've read nothing but good reviews for the snippet from his website. People love it from that, I'm sure they will love the full version.

It is also a comeback single.

now is the perfect time for his return
im not sure how it will do pop wise but max was never pop
rnb NEEDS a cat like max now, there's a huge void missing and the timing coudn't b better
in the rnb world, this could b maxwell's year

revolution75 said:

So true!

Today's Twitter:

Maxwell is heading to MASTER BLACKsummers'night!
about 5 hours ago from web

ABOUT - F*CKING - TIME.

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 nine 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 nine 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.

I think he's posting the tracklisting on Twitter:

# bad habits
# cold
# pretty wings
# love you
# stop the world
# fistful of tears
# help somebody
# playing possum
# phoenix rise

I created another thread here:

http://prince.org/msg/8/306110

I am waiting on moderators to make it a "sticky".

I really wish there was another venue for his release/publicity besides BET. Blech.