Product Description

Riding the wave of young turks delving into old-school soulthat includes D'Angelo, Eryka Badu and Adriana Evans, Maxwell's URBAN HANG SUITE heralded the arrival of a balladeer who combined Al Green's seductiveness with Prince's sensuality. MTV UNPLUGGED shows off the live side of this young free spirit whose musical roots reach through the Quiet Storm intosome pretty unlikely places. Throughout this EP, the arrangements are lush, the horns caress every groove and Maxwell'screamy falsetto ducks and feints through his own "Whenever Wherever Whatever" and "The Lady Suite". He also takes time to give props to Kate Bush with a crystalline reading of "This Woman's Work". Showing off a knack for the unorthodox, Maxwell closes out the festivities with a completely transformed cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" that moves from a jazz/funk workout to a gospel feel.

Track Listing

1. Suite Urban Theme (The Hush)
2. Mello: Sumthin (The Hush)
3. Lady Suite
4. This Womans Work
5. Whenever Wherever Whatever
6. Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)
7. Gotta Get Closer
8. Till The Cops Come Knockin'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27483 in Music
• Released on: 1999-08-30
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live

Amazon.co.uk Review
Marvin Gaye's heir apparent buys time with this seven-song, 34-minute EP. In 1996, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite showcased a rising star, and the sumptuous early '70s soul-moves here underline the potential. A bit of a tease, then, but just the ticket to spread the word about this remarkable newcomer. --Jeff Bateman

From Amazon.com
Marvin Gaye's heir apparent buys time with this seven-song, 34-minute EP. In 1996, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite showcased a rising star, and the sumptuous early '70s soul-moves here underline the potential. A bit of a tease, then, but just the ticket to spread the word about this remarkable newcomer. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews

Solid gold
I guess there's little value in adding yet another gushing review of this album - but I'm going to do it anyway. That's how good this album is!
If I could only take a few albums on a desert island, etc,etc,. Why so good? - (i) great soul music and (ii) solid gold musicianship. This CD will drip of your stereo like sweet soul syrup - perfect harmonies, muscular baselines, breezy percussion, and of course Maxwell's soft voice - this is perfectly crafted music for those soul fans out there. Add to that great longevity, and you've got a sublime album of music.

this is class
I would buy this Maxwell album and Urban Hang suite, then you would have a good idea of who Maxwell is. This is a good example of how a live performance can sound if its really carefully planned. This is very sexy and very smooth and is the ideal music for getting it on........ not that i do anymore.. anyhoo very good soul music, buy it.

Short and sweet - best MTV unplugged session
Yes, there are only 8 tracks on this recording and the whole thing lasts only 34 minutes; and yes, Maxwell's debut Urban Hang Suite was a high standard to surpass - but with the release of this recording Maxwell has really surpassed himself (and countless others).

Although rarely mentioned among the greatest MTV unplugged recordings, this is absolutley the best of the whole bunch of them bar none.

Where do I start? Fantastic instrumentation that moves you in the right places, and gets you grooving in others. The band, including horns and strings, is just perfect. Backing vocals credibly recreate the mood of the "Urban Hang Suite" album, and Maxwell himself is on top form.

The re-work of Kate Bush's "This woman's work" is simply a stroke of genius, with Maxwell holding a flawless falsetto throughout. As for the live interpretation of "wherever, whenever, whatever", if the strings don't get your hairs tingling, the vocal performance certainly will.

This album is excellent and everyone should have it! 34 minutes worth making time for.