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02.06.2016
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Maxwell has finally given fans an update on his long-awaited album, blackSUMMERs’night.

In an interview with Essence, the singer spilled new details about the follow-up to 2009’s BLACKsummers’night while discussing the upcoming 20th anniversary of his debut album, Urban Hang Suite.

"I can’t believe that 20 years after doing something that I started when I was 21, would even mean anything, or even stand the test of time to the point where I would have an interview and it would be a mentioning point," he says. "What’s really great about it is that I work with all of the same people, and I’m working with all of the same people on the new album that’s coming out this year. We’re writing this new album. It feels, to me, even better than what we did twenty years ago."

The singer adds that he shares his fans' excitement about the project. "I’m so hyped about the new album coming out, which is so exciting for me, because it’s fresh and it’s different, but it is what I do," he says.

Maxwell also addressed the six-year hiatus. "People are like, 'Why does it take so long? Why does it take so long?”' Because there’s always a part of me that’s like, 'Nah.' You know? I know I started the record, but have I lived enough of what I need to live to view it with the emotion that it needs, and then release it?" he explains. "I can sometimes feel like it’s okay to wait."

The singer's fifth studio effort will serve as the second installment in his SUMMERS trilogy.

Thanks for the update and will buy whatever he drops.

As much as I like Max, I've sort of written his work off to "when and if it happens...."

I mean, does a Maxwell hiatus actually feel any different than status quo?

Lammastide said:

missfee said:

I'm tired of artists taking forever to finish a new album.In the 70s,artists and bands had a new album in stores every year...sometimes more than one album! It shouldn't take multiple years just to record 13 new songs,smh.

Can´t wait to hear it. I hope it is as cohesive and concept-laden as Urban Hang Suite and its follow-up masterpiece Embrya. I didn´t really get into his Now album (bought it but didn´t really grab me) and I still haven´t bought the first part of BlackSummerNight´sDream. I think the whole trilogy idea was a bit silly, and wasn´t there also some sort of typo or grammatic error in the title?

-

Artists often try to either recreate a certain sound by using the same staff and equipment, or they try to come up with a whole new concept but in Maxwell´s case, as much as I like his newer stuff, his newer stuff never really grabbed my attention the way Urban Hang Suite and Embrya did.

.

He used to show up in my newsfeed quite often and we even got into a heated little debate a while ago due to some misunderstanding....but these days he is rarely in my newsfeed anymore.

He´s spent quite some time on cruiseships the past couple of years.

Is that a good or a bad thing? I wonder what that´s like from the audience´s point of view and for the artist.

.

As far as the hiatus goes, I don´t really care. If he needed his time and he comes back with an interesting album, that´s all I care for.

Look at D´ Angelo......he disappeared for such a long time but he came back with a masterpiece.

Good things need time.

Expectations are very high.

He must save money.

missfee said:

I follow Maxwell on Instagram and he keeps hinting at something that's going to happen on Valentine's Day....whatever that will be. I love his music but all these hint dropping games are old and boring. If you are going to release something, then give us a concrete date, otherwise don't say shit at all.

He is performing on Brooklyn, NY w/ Nas for Valentine's Day at the Barclay Center

Graycap23 said:

really?! I had you pegged as a Maxwell fan

How about a Urban Hang Suite 20th Anniversary Edition? There were so many great releases from this album...

Disc One: The Album

1. The Urban Theme
2. Welcome
3. Sumthin' Sumthin'
4. Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)
5. Dancewitme
6. Til The Cops Come Knockin'
7. Whenever Wherever Whatever
8. Lonely's The Only Company, Part 1 & 2
9. Reunion
10. Suitelady (The Proposal Jam)
11. The Suite Theme

Disc Two: The Singles

1. The Urban Theme (Unfaded)
2. Ascension No One's Gonna Love You, So Don't Ever Wonder (The Tribute Uncut)
3. Seguranca
4. Mellosmoothe
5. The Mantra (Uncut)
6. Whenever Wherever Whatever (Espanol)
7. ’Til The Cops Come Knockin’ (PT 1)
8. ’Til The Cops Come Knockin’ (PT 2)
9. ’Til The Cops Come Knockin’ (PT 3)
10. Lock You Up N' Love Fa Days

Disc Three: The Dubs & Performances

1. Sumthin' Sumthin' (LP: Unsung)
2. Ascension No One's Gonna Love You, So Don't Ever Wonder (Unsung)
3. Lock You Up N' Love Fa Days (Unsung)
4. Til The Cops Come Knockin' (Unsung)
5. Whenever Wherever Whatever (Unsung)
6. The Mantra (Unsung)
7. Ascension No One's Gonna Love You, So Don't Ever Wonder (The Tribute Unsung)
8. ...'Til The Cops Come Knockin' Encore (Live)
9. This Women’s Work (Live)
10. Ascension (Dub Ever Wonder)

Throw in the FULL MTV Unplugged performance and you've got my money!

SoulAlive said:

I'm tired of artists taking forever to finish a new album.In the 70s,artists and bands had a new album in stores every year...sometimes more than one album! It shouldn't take multiple years just to record 13 new songs,smh.

Some singers and bands put out an album every 6 months in a calender year, Al Green did.

Record, release or STF Max.

TD3 said:

SoulAlive said:

TD3 said:

Some singers and bands put out an album every 6 months in a calender year, Al Green did.

Record, release or STF Max.

Exactly.This whole idea of taking 6,7 or more years to record an album is ridiculous.Many of today's artists seem to be artistically lazy compared to the artists of the past.

It's called LACK of Talent.

Graycap23 said:

SoulAlive said:

TD3 said: Exactly.This whole idea of taking 6,7 or more years to record an album is ridiculous.Many of today's artists seem to be artistically lazy compared to the artists of the past.

It's called LACK of Talent.

Ouch! I think Maxwell is extremely talented,but like D'Angelo,he just doesn't work as hard as he should.It almost seems as if these guys write and record one or two songs a year,lol.

...

[Edited 2/12/16 1:06am]

hausofmoi7 said:

Graycap23 said:

really?! I had you pegged as a Maxwell fan

I am a fan but these fake release dates have become a major bore.

SoulAlive said:

Graycap23 said:

It's called LACK of Talent.

Ouch! I think Maxwell is extremely talented,but like D'Angelo,he just doesn't work as hard as he should.It almost seems as if these guys write and record one or two songs a year,lol.

...

[Edited 2/12/16 1:06am]

From my vantage point, creativity is a talent. These cats are lacking in that department.

I beg to differ with you that he and D'Angelo aren't creative individuals. Stevie Wonder has not released a new album in over 10 years. Would you say he's less creative than his peers?

Identity said:

I beg to differ with you that he and D'Angelo aren't creative individuals. Stevie Wonder has not released a new album in over 10 years. Would you say he's less creative than his peers?

Stevie is 70 years old.

D'angelo & Max have been in the business for some 40 years and have released less than 10 albums between them. That is an embarrassment. I'd call that a LACK of creativity. That isn't to say that when they finally release some material, that the music isn't creative. I'm talking strictly based on their output...or lack thereof.

You can't give Wonder a pass on this. McCartney, who turns 74 this year, has put out a greater number of albums over the past 15 years than D'Angelo, Maxwell and Stevie combined.

Identity said:

You can't give Wonder a pass on this. McCartney, who turns 74 this year, has put out a greater number of albums over the past 15 years than D'Angelo, Maxwell and Stevie combined.

I could care leass about a 70 year doing anything but breathing.

I'm talking about D'angelo, Maxwell, Badu, L-Hill, etc.............who are either 2 damn lazy or lack the talent to release music on a regular basis.

Dude, you were the one who mentioned age first. I seem to remember
you singing D'Angelo's praises upon the release of Black Messiah.

Identity said:

Dude, you were the one who mentioned age first. I seem to remember
you singing D'Angelo's praises upon the release of Black Messiah.

14 years between releases in just plain lazy.

I like all of his output, but what does that have to do with the time between releases?

They are completely unrelated.

Identity said:

You can't give Wonder a pass on this. McCartney, who turns 74 this year, has put out a greater number of albums over the past 15 years than D'Angelo, Maxwell and Stevie combined.

That would be great if I liked McCartney. At least the man is putting in work, unlike the folks mentioned here.

Graycap23 said:

Identity said:

Dude, you were the one who mentioned age first. I seem to remember
you singing D'Angelo's praises upon the release of Black Messiah.

14 years between releases in just plain lazy.

I like all of his output, but what does that have to do with the time between releases?

They are completely unrelated.

Hmm, I wasn't the one who endeavored to link talent to productivity. You did.

Identity said:

Graycap23 said:

14 years between releases in just plain lazy.

I like all of his output, but what does that have to do with the time between releases?

They are completely unrelated.

Hmm, I wasn't the one who endeavored to link talent to productivity. You did.

Productivity..........is a talent in the creative world.

It's his prerogative to release if and when he wants to.

It's his audience's prerogative to react how it wishes.

He's promising a summer release. We've seen that promise before. We may see it again. But hey, people are paying good money to see him perform. Maybe that's enough for him.

But, he's been more prolific than D'Angelo, with releases in 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2009.