Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Nicht so meins, erinnert an Marvin Gaye.
Jaa-a. Tempo on alhaalla ja rytmit vievät romanttiselle illalliselle ITSESI kanssa. Näin smoothia RnB:tä saa hakea.
Kinda...eh. Not really my style, maybe too mellow.
Vibey but not too much my thing
Classic
This is Sumthin’ Sumthin’
Well. This was a thing. It's certainly smooth as butter, but, eating so much butter can't be good for your health.
More let's get it on for those who couldn't get enough of let's get it on. Heck the guitar player is called wah wah Watson and he clearly didn't steal his moniker. Time for your dutch lesson everyone: this is a "neukplaat". A record people have sex to.
Overproduced nonsense for cocktail bar background music. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ in part, turned it off Revisit ❌️ Why? ★★☆☆☆ (3/10)
I am not much of an R&B ran, but this is a very solid album. Very good production and funky beats. Low 4.
Belongs in the book. "1001 Albums You Must Hear While Having Sex." This would be very near the top of that list.
Fuck, that's a sexy ass album
This is not for me. Not bad, I just can't care about it.
This album was fun to listen to, it’s not my usual taste and I probably won’t be listening to it again as it’s really not my style but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world
As debut records go they do not come any better. The scene is set as if the listener is entering a nightclub. Maxwell is a perfect host with themes of desire(till the cops come knocking), longing (sumthin sumthin) and religion (ascension). The last of the 3 possibly the song of the 90s. Little bit self indulgent towards the end of the album but what transpires before it make that easily forgiven.
Sounds like a standard-issue 90's R&B record to me, not sure what makes this list-worthy.
Horny/10
Won't return to this one - not terrible but just not inspired to listen to it again.
Really gorgeous and lush production that is also utterly forgettable. It’s unfortunate but it’s true - there’s just little to no substance here as it feels like a copy of better and greater artists. It’s a blech listen, and while I might be proven wrong sometime I just don’t get any good vibes from this. I’d rather sit with Marvin Gaye, Al Green or Curtis Mayfield.
zzzzz
Boring. It all sounds the same middle of the road barely better than Muzak to me.
SLIGHTLY too smooth for me, but well produced, I do like the vocals, and it is a nice listen.
Maxwell sexing everywhere and now everything is pregnant. Are you happy now Maxwell? Are you happy now?
i thought you were supposed to fall asleep after sex, not during it
Good but non really my genre.
"I grew up in a small town. What about me seems ‘urban’ to you?" - Stanley Hudson
sure, that didn't annoy me much while working.
Hard to give it anythings else, just a whole BGM-album
Again, not my typical listen, but I really liked the vibe. I could definitely listen to this and will check out some more of his stuff. My big takeaway which I've noticed in other very soul-oriented music is that the vocals are excellent, but the hooks are not terribly strong. I did not leave this album remembering any of the music.
Ah yeah, it’s sexy time. Time for Maxwell’s Method of Making Women Moist and it’s… ungodly boring. I don’t mind some mid to late 90’s R&B, but this album is one-note as hell. Honestly, if you’re not at least on second base by Ascension, don’t bother going to the ballgame. It doesn’t really get any better. Well, actually, the album kind of slows down for Whenever Wherever Whatever and Lonely’s the Only Company and it actually felt like it was getting better. Like “there we go, that’s more like it” territory. Then, it got boring again. Honestly, if the songs had just a trifle more variety, I probably would have liked this one. But unfortunately, it’s bloated. And nobody wants to have sex when bloated. Favorite track: Whenever Wherever Whatever Other hits: Lonely’s the Only Company, Sumthin’ Sumthin’, Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder), The Suite Theme
Nice
Background music
Just not feeling this
This was surprisingly chill.
If the powers that be were compiling a "1001 Lift Music Albums You Have To Manage Not To Fall Asleep Through Before You Die" challenge, then this would make a prime candidate for inclusion. Unfortunately, it's wormed its way into the wrong list and I'd have failed at the first attempt.
Would rather listen to Maxwell’s Silver Hammer on repeat for a hour. This was not enjoyable.
This album was so disappointing. These reviews made it sound like it was going to be hyper sexy. Sadly, I was not hard AT ALL while listening. SO SAD also it was boring
I liked the groove and style, though to be honest, all of the songs pretty much sounded the same. There was an interesting shift at "Whenever Wherever Whatever" where the songs became a little more tender. I certainly felt like I was in a club (or Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, if you will) while listening to this music. Honestly, I could quite literally feel the smoothness/slipperiness of this song, which was a little off putting at times. I think you really have to really get into this particular groove and style to get into this music.
Disco sinuoso, setoso. Di seta oro e rossa. Però un po' lunghetto.
I, a 43 year old man, listened to the whole thing and am now pregnant.
Does nothing for me. I have nothing against it, but I switched it off far sooner than albums i disliked more.
Smooth af
Real smooth r&b. Pretty good, kind of lost interest after a while, but still was a good listen. 3/5 Might listen again
My first listen appreciated the first half of the record more so than the rest of the project, but I was still enjoying the mood. The replay value is insane here, the original version of this record teases you at the end with one of the climactic tracks from the middle, giving you just enough of a taste to consider a circle back. Repeated listens got me appreciating the concept. It's a love story that's been chopped up into individual songs displaying genuine human emotion, that also happen to work really well together. The influences here, I can hear Marvin, Michael, lest we mention the all-stars that are literally playing the instruments. I wasn't expecting to be this impressed with each different aspect of production, while also enjoying the music for what it is as it comes out. 4.5/5
1 - my least favorite genre of music
This isn't exactly a new take, but wow this is smooth, and so sensual it's *almost* funny. But consistent songcraft and quality performances keep this ball of sex and grooves from falling apart. And the result is great, check out ...Til The Cops Come Knocking, it exemplifies everything this album succeeds at. My only real complaint is that it's a little long winded for what it is, but there aren't really any songs that are a total failure, so I'd really need to think about what would have to be cut. While I'm complaining, I must also say that, as a lesbian, the sex appeal of Maxwell is somewhat wasted on me, but that's not his fault. Plus, even if it isn't necessarily for me, the atmosphere here is kind of transcendent. This is really solid stuff, while listening to this I kind of learned that Maxwell seems sort of overshadowed by D'angelo, and from this album I couldn't quite figure out why. And, while I learned it's because Maxwell's career consistency isn't quite there, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite stands strongly on its own as a self-contained statement.
Smooth R&B that's a nice way to start my Friday. I enjoyed the first track and feel like the entire album kept with that vibe. Some of the sax work had a nice Grover Washington Jr. feel to it. His album Winelight should be on this list also.
I don't like the new-soul label just like most artists of that time did. I feels limiting. Maxwell did something that was throwback while all his own paying homage to artists before him and not catering to the sound of what was current and that give him his unique voice. The songs are soulful and carry a weight and resonance that echoes true still today which is why I can put this album on and immediately connect to songs like Ascension. As a whole this isn't one I can put on and listen to cover to cover but that doesn't diminish its goodness. I love Maxwell and even more so the later work. I'm still surprised he wasn't a bigger artist.
fantastic, slow-jam soul. Not a bad song on the album.
Easy 5 stars. Amazing album from a man who has the silky smooth voice. No skips required
Was not my favourite. The instrumentals were nice but it was very intimate which is not a genre that I like too much.
This album is not for me, nor is it for anyone not actively shooting an adult video.
A 5 after track 1. Keeps going like it. Very smooth.
Probably a very good album for some but an endurance for me
ovulating and yearning rn
Smooth jazz
If I didn’t know that this album was from 1996 then the opening track here would convince me that this was a lost soul classic from the early 70s. It’s a great beginning, but the rest of the album doesn’t quite live up to it, being self produced smooth, jazzy soul with the occasional cringy lyric - I’m not entirely sure that promising to keep someone in a locked room having sex with them for days until the police come knocking is quite as romantic as Maxwell seems to think!
J’ai trouvé l’album vraiment quali (instru, rythmique, recherche sur sonorités, voix et même parfois chœurs - c’était vraiment agréable à l’écoute), après j’ai jamais été fan de soul, genre ça peut m’emporter quelques minutes et faire une chouette musique d’ambiance mais c’est pas le genre d’album qui m’émeut sur la durée (même si c'étais certes teinté de R&B / hip hop / éléctro, qui contribuent à cette rythmique et instru stimulantes très plaisantes à l'oreille) Je souligne encore un timbre de voix très agréable et de belles perf vocales, sur des compos vraiment bien structurées
I was literally grooving with this album! une proposition musicale entre R&B et soul vraiment intéressante— ça évoque à la fois les sonorités d’Usher et celles de Marvin Gaye. et en regardant ensuite, j’ai vu que le label souvent associé à l’univers de Maxwell est celui de “funky smooth R&B”, ce qui correspond exactement à mon ressenti : apaisant, mais avec du rythme quand il faut. sur le plan musical, j’ai particulièrement aimé les segments instrumentaux (solos de sax, piano, guitare)— surtout dans The Urban Theme, The Suite Theme et Til The Cops Come Knockin’ (version 1:35). seul petit bémol : une légère répétitivité vocale sur l’ensemble de l’album, avec beaucoup de riffs. Mais l’écoute reste très agréable, surtout quand on pense à l’influence qu’a eue ce type de son par la suite. je suis probablement un peu biaisée, parce que ce mélange de genres correspond exactement à ce que j’écoute le plus souvent, et mon oreille repère donc plus facilement les nuances et les associations (ce qui est encore moins le cas pour les différents types de rock, par exemple). 4.2 pour moi :)
Pretty much elevator music, even if it's still has some charm
An album of songs about having sex doesn’t tonally work as well at 5:30am at my job.
Nice and relaxing. Not really my taste but would happily have it on in the background
3.0 - Ok
Dope RnB
Nah.
- Niet mijn ding - 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM
Actually this wasn't bad, and to be honest I'm sure I heard several bits that Digital Underground had sampled. On the whole though it was ok, worth a 3.
We don’t seem to have had many albums from this genre yet (almost 600 albums in), and it was a lovely surprise! Never heard of him, but hooked on the first half of it. Very smooooth, with some great bass playing and some funky wah-wah business going on. The vocalists were great. All very enjoyable, although the second half did seem to tail off and completely mellow out. I guess that was completely intentional. Reminded me of early Michael Jackson with a huge pinch of Fun Lovin’ Criminals.
Smoother than a thing which is very smooth, I can't think of the right analogy today. How about this, I would have been happier if the vinyl version had very smooth sides and I only had to listen to the sound of the needle skidding all over the place. Unfortunately I had to listen to the digital version on my streaming service and I was bored of it by the second song. I realise he was a precocious young man at the time who had made a very grown up soul album for the ages. But just not my ages. Sorry mate but the odd feedback screech or an out of tune guitar would have created a fantastic juxtaposition and made me happy, but your producer and target audience would have strung you up.
Smooth. Maybe so smooth that the songs aren’t even memorable. Yikes! Great voice, of course. Think what he could’ve done with some actual songs.
drab and irritatingly boring. wanted to strangle the singer. some great reviews!
There's nothing wrong with it. I think the reviews are being dramatic; I did get a laugh from a good few of them though. It's not really my bag, it's too slow, and R&B mostly sounds the same, but it's not terrible. It didn't make much of an impact either way. Bit dull. I suggested I contextualise it by having sex, but my fella needed a poo.
One of the best neo-soul albums
Nothing about this stood out in really any sort of way. Having never heard of him, I was surprised that Maxwell is as well regarded as he is, but I suppose that's more a reflection of the types of music I do (and don't) pay attention too. The sound definitely borrows from early R&B which I respect, but feels a bit like some of the soul is missing. It's very polished but what's left has no edge. I can see that if you were a fan of ultra smooth R&B you would probably like this album, but it's really not my jam.
This is super smooth, funky, sexy R&B. Maybe a bit too smooth and sexy. It feels like the sonic equivalent of soft core porn. It’s honestly a bit too boring for me
Sounds like a parody of Barry White's music. I'd rather hear Don "No Soul" Simmons Not good and not to be taken seriously
Cool tunes
Made me get back with my Ex. Lost my 3125 day No fap challenge streak. Bankrupted myself paying child support. On the bright side, atleast I didn't get it in November.
This is some good smooth jazz / soul / r&b vibe. I appreciate the actual music played on real instruments. This is a just some great chill, sexy-time music. I'd put this on as background for a date night or something. It does not require actively listening or examination of the depth of the lyrics. This is not that album. While not my favorite genre overall, I do like this. Might even go so far as to give it a 4.
Good r and b .
Going off other reviews, is this genuinely what men think woman want to hear if we have music playing during sex? This sounds like a retro porn back track mixed with elevator music. This is just bad and I didn’t need to hear it before I die.
hot and sexy
Favourite: The Suite Theme
Have to agree with other reviews, it was almost too smooth, the music slid right off of me
Just ew
Was going to go for a 2 as the first track was quite good. But the album went too long and felt bland.
Not my thing, if had stuck with the funk I think it would have worked better for me, bit long.
Just all quite one note. Too smooooooth for me I’m afraid. Maybe with more variation. I don’t know 🤷♂️
Annoyingly bland
One awkward, tedious, slow motion declaration of love after another. Til the Cops Come Knockin’ is particularly shocking. I’ve never heard something so desperate to be romantic and sensuous - quite off putting.
Maxwell getting a 4 from me and will definitely go into rotation, scratches a similar itch to Sade but a bit less sensual/deeply emotional and a bit more breezy/chill, deffo got a place for this - and the production is chef’s kiss
90% Best: The Urban Theme; Welcome; Sumthin' Sumthin'; Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder); Dancewitme; ...Til the Cops Come Knockin'; Suitelady (The Proposal Jam); The Suite Theme Must-Hear? Yes
I liked it for a while. Cool smooth soulful jazz sound. But then it just kept going and going and got more boring along the way. On the fence 2/3.
Meh not my cup of tea, it all literally sounded like one song too!
This album is exactly what amazing sex sounds like. Maxwell is probably an honorary uncle to dozens of kids because of this record—I know I've definitely used it as the soundtrack to a date or two!
Not for me at all, it's not bad, but not for me.
🦎
Not for me. 2/5
Very smooth. Too smooth for my taste
Mouais musique d’ambiance 2 étoiles
Some good sexy jams but not my jam
Didn't think I'd ever heard of this guy, although I did recognise Ascension. Anyway this was excellent and a surprise package. Borderline 5.
Smooth, jazzy, and sexy as hell.
Loved this for ages.
A very chill record by, what I assume, is a pretty big name in '90s neo-soul. At least I think so - the name Maxwell is super familiar, but I can't say I was familiar with his stuff before this. He doesn't really stand out in any way vocally, I find, just a dude that's really good at what he does. He has a very nice falsetto, though - really shining through on the immensely smooth '...Till the Cops Come Knockin'''. The basslines here are tight and funky, the synths are prestigious and glittery, and the percussion is light, tight, and slick and the songs are laced with many little embellishments, keeping things interesting. So your typical solid Neo Soul record with some memorable songs here and there, like 'Sumthin' Sumthin'' and especially 'Ascension'. But the whole thing I find starts to feel a bit samey as it hits the 40-minute mark, or after the pretty enjoyable guitar ballad, 'Whenever Wherever Whatever'. It's honestly far too long for its own good. I'm sure I'd enjoy digesting this whole thing in one go in some background context, but as a dedicated listen, it was sort of fatiguing. Which sucks because there really wasn't a subpar moment here; it all sounds so good, but it's just a bit too much for me on first listen. Still great overall and a record I see myself revisiting in the future.
Maybe this is a good album for it's genre? This isn't my thing. I'm not a fan of smooth, slick, highly produced soul music.
Finally, an entire album of music to sleep with older women to. I guess every good list of all the most important albums ever made needs at least one good Skinemax soundtrack...???
Ok for background
Didn't know "love-makin music" was an actual genre...but it appears we have found it.
album swag e molto smooth, ambienta bene
A lot of this album delivers some fun, sensual funk. The first five opening tracks that are the clear highlights. But when it leans more into straight R&B/soul, it misses the mark for me. Still, the funkier moments make it worth a listen.
Sounds like the kind of music you’d have sex to in a RadioShack back in the 90s.
ну вот вроде неплохой грув, но почему то не цепляет
This couldnt be further away from my usual listening, but it skipped my withput any offence and i even found myself taoping along occasionally
Love this album. Have heard before. R&B neo soul.
Extremely smooth
Shouldn't have listened to this at work, it made everyone feel too sexy.
Now this is what I call eaaaassssyyyyy listening
It's R&B Muzak.
Started off good but it's just all the same
This is about as good as you can do R&B...and it's still just not for me for casual listening. It's a shame
Yeah kinda cool for sure
really really lovely
this album cured my g.i. issues
The vibes are all there, this is smooth
What started off as a chill way to begin my work day ended in realizing this is not the album to listen to while at work. Would do it again 😀
I remember liking this a lot when it came out. It doesn’t really stand out now.
smoooooth. maxwell has an angelic voice. the bass lines were solid
Very chill. Went straight into my daily playlist. Unfortunately, it also didn't push the medium, and if I didn't personally have a taste for this style of music, I would probably consider it pedestrian and forgettable.
Interminably smooth. Just horrendous.
This app os shiting me now. I entwr notes and then come back or rate and the old notes appear. Anyways. Nwver heard of this guy before. Album started with a jazzy instrumwntal that had mw wondering whethwr it would be an easy listening album, a lofi west coast hip hop album. Second track opened with a singer aounding like Michael Jackson. It aettled into a funky r&b rhythm. Was thinking there are aome great individual parts that i really like, like the bass on sumthin sumthin, some nice lercussion but oftwn suspet its a sample or drum track. Probably not an album id come back to again amd again but might dip into for funk or r&b type ideas if i were a muso, but overall not aomething i would generally go for. Theres some hilarious bits like til the cops come knocking - gonna take you intk the room, lock you up and love for days, we’re gonna be rocking baby, til the cops come knocking…. I think this album was written almost as a romance movie soundtrack, the insteumwntal titlw track, boy meets girl, dance in club, bang, break up, reunite, guy proposes, closing credots outro music. If you could give half stars i might gove this 2.5 for the concept. But this app wont allow so 2.
This comes out at a 3.5* because each point I would like to add for making music that's horny without being creepy (a lost art) is just a little bit undercut by how god damn long all these neo-soul albums are
I remember this one... in the mid 90s I was all about post-punk, power-pop, and jazz. This (and US3) were the albums that pointed me the way to acid jazz, which I still love. It was fun revisiting it.
Funky, smooth and beautiful
So...it could be like background music at some point, but the first grooves are nice and make you swing your hips.
Boring
Not too bad
I tend to like classic soul more than neo-soul, but this was a very solid album. It opens very strong with some extremely groovy bass, which I love. It starts to drag a little toward the end, but still, quality album!
I'd rather listen to this than some of the rap and hip hop I've had on this project, despite the creeper lyrics (lock you up and love for days - ewww) but still not something I'd revisit.
Part of the neo-soul Trinity
This is very much a time and place kind of thing. It certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea.
- Starts out good but by the end I found myself, once again, asking why I needed to hear the record. .... and it's probably context; release date, album is credited with bringing back soul to the forefront, with starting the neo-soul thing ...... but, taken on it's own merits, it just doesn't hold up. Yeah, it's smooth, it's even funky, but it's also boring. Was I listening to some kind of BarryWhiteSoulTrance? Afterwards I was really trying to think of one track that stuck with me. Nope, not a one. Perfectly competent, even skilled considering he did it all, basically but .... boring. Can't go more than 3 and it's a weak 3 based completely on the craftsmanship.
Couldn’t do it. I didn’t like a single song.
Meget fløde. Kom kun igennem fire sange.
4 stars This is why I started this project. Covering blind spots. 90s neosoul R&B was not an area I had much background in. I had heard of Maxwell, but did not know his music. This album started out great with some old school funk, added in the slow jams and sexy lyrics. It was mostly consistent throughout, although it wears out a little towards the end. All in all a great listen that feels classic and timeless.
<3
I didn't mind the opening instrumental, but the rest of this is a kind of smooth mid-90s R&B I can't stand (probably largely because no girls wanted to dance with me to songs like this).
Not too bad, but it is very samey.
Not generally my kind of music: I generally don't love doin'-it-music. But, he has a great voice, and it's an objectively good album for the music genre.
Pas mal du tout, quelques bangers (Ascension, Sumthin' Sumthin')
Started big, i had high hopes! Then i dunno, it just lost me
Definitely a groove to this, at least for roughly the first half of the album. Then it gets a little elevator music-ish starting with Whenever, Wherever, Whatever--a vibe that continues through Lonely's the Only Company. Reading up on this album, they compare this to Erykah Badu, Lauren Hill and D'Angelo. But Badu kills this by a long shot, as does the part of Lauren Hill considered neo soul rather than rap. 3/5
I think this album got me pregnant. This is an album that defines a romantic evening with your partner. It fits more in the late 70's, and I'm shocked dude made it in the mid 90's. We had our fair share of 90's booty music, don't get me wrong, but the music FEELS 70's soul to me. Good album.
Good if you want to listen to some horndog do a Michael Jackson impression for an hour.
Bellyache music
Not my style, this was incredibly boring and overlong to me. 2/5
just what I needed today
This is an album you put on during sex, and for no other reason.
Obviously a classic album that is great for what it is. Total baby-making music here. Not for me but I recognize the talent.
Fades into the background for me, but is smooth enough. It did start to wear on me after a while. Whenever wherever is soooo boring. I think I like it in parts, but some didn't work for me. 2.5/3
Not mine...
Descent jazz bits at the beginning. Liked it less as it went on.
So smooth!
I really enjoyed this album. It came out in the mid-’90s, a time when it probably would’ve flown right past me, but damn, it’s such a smooth, funky jam. You can feel the fingerprints of Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Barry White, Stevie Wonder, and Prince all over it, and Maxwell channels them beautifully without ever sounding like an imitation. Some of the instrumentals had me half-expecting Barry White to drop in and just say anything. The whole thing has that silky, romantic sound of an earlier era, yet it feels timeless. What really strikes me is how much it stood apart from the R&B and hip-hop dominating the charts back then. It’s more intimate, lush, and patient. A slow-burning classic that sounds like candlelight and velvet.
Very pleasant noises
Was kinda busy listening to this, forgot it for the most part. Not really my kinda jam anyway Will I listen to again: 0%
Very smooth neo soul which sounds quite like a 70s album but with better production. A good listen for a chill late night, though a bit too background music as the songs sound very similar. It's also around 15 minutes too long.
At it's best this is some pretty well crafted elevator music, or easy listening if you want to use more generous terminology. Either way, pretty bland stuff.
It was good, but it would have benefitted from being about 20 min shorter
Kinda nice and soothing
Extremely smooth, extremely funky. A great neo-soul record that I would point to as the exemplar of the genre. "Ascension" fucks.
Funky
At times sounded like Simlish elevator music, and despite some very smooth production, it all felt a bit uncanny valley with what sounded like all those programmed beats. (Perhaps this distracted from Maxwell's voice, which is clearly good)
smooth arrangements
I gave this multiple listens but, as pleasant as it is, there just wasn't much to it. "Till the cops come knocking" is a standout, and has a really gorgeous groove, but the rest is just a bit lightweight. Makes a nice difference from the 70s rock, but doesn't come close to Prince or anyone else in the genre. A low 3, because it's not *bad*, just a bit fluffy
Back in March I gave this album a relisten and was reminded of just how good it was. I was honestly surprised, but elated that it showed up on this list. Giving it another listen this morning brought out no complaints from me.
Perhaps the sexiest album on this list. Plenty of soul and R&B influences from yesteryear too, which mostly makes for an easy listen. Yes, it's sensual, but most 70s/80s soul/R&B artists were the exact same. This is supposedly a concept album, but I didn't quite follow that here.
Yuck Favorite songs: Sumthin' Sumthin', Welcome, The Urban Theme Least favorite songs: Lonely's the Only Company (I & II), ...Til the Cops Come Knockin' 2/5
This was..... magical. Just so good, I was transported to a penthouse suite overlooking some city I've never been to. It was perfection. Start to finish!!!! I didn't want it to end. I 100% would get this on vinyl and then laze about my house like I make 3x the amount I do. Also this just has that late 90s sound that is so nostalgic to me. Even disney movies during that time had at least one song like this on every album! This is a masterclass in the genre however.
5/10
After listening to the first track I thought this would be good. It wasn’t.
Thankfully Til the Cops Come Knockin was on this album twice
Music to make love to.
I wasn't really thinking about lovemaking to this music - I was more imagining myself in a cafe by the sea on a midsummer's day. Fun listen overall, and I really enjoyed the storytelling throughout the album. R&B isn't always the sort of thing I reach out to listen to, but this was really refreshing overall. The only thing stopping it from an extra star was that nothing really stood out to me fully, but I guess for the sort of vibe it's going for, that's a fairly good thing. FAVOURITES: Sumthin' Sumthin', Whenever Wherever Whatever, Suitelady
It’s good, I enjoy the musical parts of it. It’s too horny for me, and goes on a bit too long. 3 of 5
Good for what it is, but too smooth for me to actively listen to for long. “Til the Cops Come Knocking” is a jam, though.
very soothing
#672. This is the kind of music that's in the ads on Pornhub. 3/5: fine
A smooth, slick sounding R & B, Soul, Jazz album that is easy to listen to, but begins to sound samey and generic after a while. I enjoyed the opening track, but once the vocals kicked in, I may as well as listened to a Sade record. This isn't a bad thing, Sade is okay, but okay isn't essential enough for me for repeated listens.
At the start of this album, I was enjoying the silky smoothness and funky grooves, but after an hour of listening to essentially the same song, I grew weary of the smooth sameness.
Elevator porno music 2/5
I liked it. Kinda funky jazzy
Generally groovy
Ascension got my butt movin. The slow songs are pretty cheesy. Also every song is too long. Pretty mid overall. Couple goodies though.
Sure this is fine, but I really don't care about it at all.
Dieses Album wurde in den Jahren 1994 und 1995 in mehreren Studios aufgenommen – darunter Electric Lady, RPM, Sorcerer und Chung King in New York sowie CRC Studios in Chicago. Maxwell ist US-amerikanischer Sänger und Songwriter. Das Album bewegt sich im Genre zwischen R&B, Neo-Soul, Soul und Retro-Soul – mit einem warmen, reduzierten Groove. Besonders bekannt und stilprägend sind Stücke wie „Sumthin’ Sumthin’“, „Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)“ und „…Til the Cops Come Knockin’“, die alle eine subtile Sinnlichkeit und klare emotionale Atmosphäre vermitteln. Die Musik wirkt durchdacht und aus einem Guss, vermischt zeitlose Soul-Elemente mit Jazz-Funk-Anleihen und legt dabei Wert auf musikalische Tiefe statt auf Effekthascherei. Persönlich empfinde ich die Tonalität als angenehm unaufgeregt – die Stimme von Maxwell entfaltet eine behutsame Verführungskraft, die emotional nahekommt, ohne laut zu werden. Die Atmosphäre des Albums ist getragen von Romantik und musikalischer Ruhe, die sich wie ein roter Faden durch die Songs zieht. Die Produktion wirkt sorgfältig arrangiert mit einem klaren, zurückhaltenden Klangbild. Ein knappes abschließendes Urteil: Das Album überzeugt durch ruhige Eleganz und hält seine Richtung konsequent – eine feingezeichnete, stimmige Einführung in Maxwells musikalische Welt.
- It's alright but definitely not my kind of music - Better than some of the other albums I've had so far but definitely not the best I kind of enjoyed this album but it was definitely not my favourite. I would probably never listen it it again but it was alright.
the definitive soundtrack for dimly lit hotels with neon signs down an empty street.
This album is so smooth and jazzy, with just a touch of boom bap. Maxwell is a great vocalist and one of the best examples of mid-90s sexytimes R&B. 3.5⭐️
Don't listen to these other reviews. This isn't just background music. This is super detailed R&B featuring swathes of jazz, funk, and pop with great melodies and impeccable production. This is quite an achievement for a debut album. 5.0/5.0: Iconic
this starts off pretty strong; the instrumentals and production are fantastic. that said, theres a time and place for this type of album and my desk at work aint it. additionally the songs feel very repetitive the more you listen. its great for what it is, but outside of that context i dont think id ever listen to this album from wish.com prince again.
Rating: 1.1 Also known as “albums for your auntie to get fucked to.” I’m not going to get anything out of this sorry.
Really strong, cohesive, and vibey album.
It's fairly smooth but seems meandering. Is it okay to say it's like a male version of Sade?
The opposite of birth control.
Fun soul album. Not my usual sound, but I dug it.
Funky
This is smooooth. Music tailored to the very slowest kind of love-making on a Sunday morning. The right mix of soul, funk, and silk. Like honey-scented lube.
Os caras estudam. pesquisam e desenvolvem tecnologia de áudio, pra daí depois vir um sujeito e gravar uma faixa inteira com chiado para soar vintage. Deu até um ruim! Sobre o álbum, como um todo: um representante do movimento neo-soul dos anos 1990, que pode ser resumido a "mais um disco de gemidos". Entediante e sem graça. Fraco!
A posthumous release apparently, given that he died in 1991 after falling overboard from his yacht. I wonder what his children are doing now?
Normalizó, guay para una terraza chill out
Better than Coldplay
Pure baby making music. It’s so good it’s practically a parody of itself. THREE STARS
Boring and generic.
Bang bang Maxwell’s urban hang suite came down.
Awful. Sounds like weather channel music. Couldn't make it through a single song, even as background noise.
Groovy nineties chill funk/baby making playlist material
First time hearing this album from start to finish. What a soulful record. A lot of jams on this, so well produced.
I kind of remember Maxwell with his fabulous hair and jawline. Apparently those are the most interesting things about him. There is nothing memorable here. It is boring though I will concede the musicianship is competent. It’s not sexy either. Mission failed. 2.5
Listened to this while playing Through Ice and Snow. I lost again. This wasn't bad...but it also didn't strike me as some crazy special or important. Don't get me wrong...I was bopping to the songs...but it just didn't leave me with much. Also...I am pretty certain he's singing "Til the cows come knockin." I was more than halfway through the song before I looked up, saw the song title, and had a good laugh.
Smooth, men jeg ville forvente at støde på Erykah Badu eller D’Angelo før Maxwell på den her liste
Ku godt have skåret 20 minutter! Nogen virkelig gode funk-numre, men de helt stille numre bliver for kedelige, sys jeg
Smooth production, horny vibes, I guess it's a good R&B album
Pretty smooth
Started ok, but I just grew bored, or even irritated by it very quickly.
I put this album on every 6 months when my wife lets me have sex with her.
This was so nice. Though I did listen to this in the morning at work and it just made we want to get back into bed and be cozy, who could work at a time like this??
2.6
My two takeaways from this album: 1) Maxwell has sex 2) Maxwell wants me to have sex 2/5
It's ok, but I don't understand funky music with a potential groove that makes the mistake of using a drum machine. It sucks the soul right out of it. -1 star for all the drum machine usage.
Super solid beginning to end
This was a real smooth experience.
Dude. This is my favorite R&B album ever!
So smooth! This album is going on the sex playlist 🗿🍷
Great album
This was really just -ugh-
Ik weet niet zeker of ik dit zou opzetten uit mezelf, maar het was wel eens cool om het te beluisteren. Heeft wat weg van een jazzy versie van Michael Jackson . 3.7
Nice
relaxing. I could listen to this as background music.
Smoooooooth as hell, but unremarkable.
I did not use a private spotify session for this one and I had no idea what I was getting into. I loved that first track, groovy and jazzy, wah wah on the rhythm guitar, but then it got very r and b and I started losing interest.
I guess the word for this album is smooth. I did feel oddly hit on? I don't really know how else to explain it.
Great sounds, mood, vibe, voice but not quite 5 stars because many songs sound similar.
This was veey funky, at times too sensual bit a cool listen. Fun grooves, I liked it.
Smooth, consistent, not really changing my world... Pleasant to listen to but nothing I'm going to keep around or like, really remember
Boring as hell. Too cliche. And it’s not that I don’t like the style or genre, I’d just take Bobby Womack any day over this.
Too damn sexy.
somehow I missed this guy. I'm cool with that.
It's like elevator music if someone was shooting a porno in there. I enjoyed some of this but mostly it made me feel seedy.
Not really interesting.
Good
Meh
58 minutes of sex music. My wife quite liked it. 3 stars.
I didn’t know anything about this album, and I wasn’t optimistic. The first track made me surprisingly nostalgic/sad, even though it’s really nothing special. Not sure why it hit like that. Once the vocals kicked in in the second track, the rest of the album was more mediocre. It really feels evocative of those “lo-fi hiphop beats” YouTube playlists, which kind of sums the whole thing up - decent background music, but is it really the sort of thing you can easily enjoy on its own merit? While I didn’t dislike it, it’s hard to justify its inclusion on this list. If you don’t hear this before you die, don’t feel like you missed out on too much.
too smooth jazz-y
Favorites: Sumthin' Sumthin', ...Til the Cops Come Knockin', Suitelady (The Proposal Jam) Incredibly hot and alluring record. Some incredible R&B jams here. If you like sex, this is for sure the record for you.
I like the sound. There are no standout tracks for me
Ugh!! So good. Gorgeous and funky! Sick bass lines, groovy keyboards, multiple horns!! Breezy, floating vocals. This is everything.
Never heard of this guy and it was a nice discovery. Very smooth and groovy R&B - the bass lines especially are a real stand-out here, it's hard not to nod along with. The vocals are seductive and create a nice vibe. I found the second half a little less engaging so capped at 3*
Love the album, it gives driving in a lowrider, chill and relaxing, gives nostalgic and throwback music you find from your parents or grandparents, and you end up loving it. The only issue is that the songs are lengthy, about 5 to 6 minutes each, and there's not much diversity in the songs and album, but I like that it is all a similar vibe, so it depends on the type of person you are.
Very funky opening with "The Urban Theme", but as the album progressed I thought it became way too chill/relaxed. The funk is still present in most songs, but the general tempo of the album could've sent me to sleep - feel like I've just listened to an hours worth of elevator music, which isn't my cup of tea.
Few I recognised and I can see the influence for the likes of D’angelo and Badu. Nice listen but is it groundbreaking?
Baby making jams. This is a vibe. Til the cops come in feels borderline problematic?
Giving this 3.5. It’s very 90’s r&b. Sounds like a lot of those guys from back then. Nothing outstanding.
Forgettable.
I hated the singing the moment I first heard the vocals on Welcome, sappy, breathy and soft. Things went from bad to worse with the sickening third track Sumthin' Sumthin', and the groove of the bass guitar did not thrill me, but this was the first track where I could hear the soul influences, so that was nice, letting me see a bridge between soul and more modern R&B, but I don't think I'm ever going to like the modern genre. Someof the other user reviews for this album are gold. I agree that this is a smooth album, so smooth it's basically featureless.
Had low expectations going into this album I’ve never heard of, but I’m pleasantly surprised. Side eyeing the song … Til the Cops Come Knocking, though.
Very well done and soulful just didn’t have enough different sounds. Could have been all one song
Not bad, just not for me.
I don't know for sure but it sounds like they recorded and pressed to vinyl and then record them playing the album on vinyl which I'm a fan of. It gives it some warm texture. Well I was more stoked on this record before the singing came in. I was thinking it was going to be a nice chill groovy jazz record but the singing is making it a bit cheesy and now I just want to go listen to Yussef Dayes. 4.5/5 instrumentation, 2/5 vocals, and too long.
What I really like about neo soul is that its full of really cool musicality. Its really rich and full. It has some psych, funk, jazz, and r&b to it. Often when I hear the intro track, bridge or when they kind of jam it out, I get really into it. But... like a lot of genre music (disco, funk, 80s pop) it starts to sound like a specific time and doesn't age super well. Its hard to listen without it feeling kind of cheesy. Its a mix of the vocals and percussion. The percussion especially feels very 90s and its hard to move past that. Weird production in the 90s. Overall, I enjoyed this, but its not something I gravitate to very often. Also, 1 hour is too long!
The hardest one yet for me to make it all the way through. I was almost angry with how bad it was by the end. This one made me question how badly I want to complete this project.
Bäh
Pretty boring album. Some nice listening here for sure but nothing that will keep me coming back 5/10 Favourite: Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) Least Favourite: Lonely's the Only Company (I & II)
This isn’t exactly my go-to genre, but if more contemporary soul and R&B were like this, I’d definitely enjoy it more. The newer, more aggressive R&B often loses the essence of what soul and R&B were originally about. That said, this album is incredibly laid-back, smooth, and lush, with a sensual atmosphere and polished, glossy production.
I bought it on release and have listened to it hundreds of times since then. An album I know very well. I absolutely love every single track. It's the sort of album that sounds better with every listen, and it definitely sounds better if you listen to the full album in order.
Smooth jazz Muzak...
soul mit viel schmalz - fast schon triefend.
R&B, nicht der übelste, aber nicht meines
That’s a modern Barry White schmoozin it in the bedroom for an hour with some smooth soul. Songs were very similar, standout is Til the Cops Come Knockin’. Liked the Suite(s) finish. (2.3*s)
This started out as some smooth soul beats but quickly became a cheesy bang-album. It's every R&B trope, one after another, sliming through your ears for a very long hour. I got tired of it very quickly. You think one track is winding down and it comes back in for another 3 minutes of oozy, elevator musak. 1.25 only for snaking "Cottonbelly" (S. Matthewman) from Sade on sax.
Gah...this started out the gates with some sweet groove but quickly deteriorated into a slow jam, border-line muzak snooze fest. Oozed a bit too much with saxy serenades, proposals and love sounds. Max was probably getting laid while he was in the sound booth. Wished he stuck to the funk and kept it chill. I can see a horny, desperate woman hanging on Maxwell's Suite Urban Wang but I'm skippin'...1.15 stars.
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite is a mixed bag of a review. On the one hand Maxwell absolutely nailed the execution on assembling a 90's R&B album. It sounds like a prototype for everything in this genre that came out during this period, some of which got airplay on MTV. It's got all of the expected smooth R&B tropes in soft electronic beats, sensual groovy bass, silky vocals laden with romantic themes, etc. On the other hand it's a genre that just isn't that interesting or engaging beyond a single song. Even if these are all effective R&B songs I just don't care to listen to an album of them. This album may have worked if it was slashed in half in terms of playtime, but by the end it had become a redundant mess of sappy songs. All in all its not a bad product, it may even be a fantastic product for somebody, it's just not one that I personally need/want. 1.83 stars stars
Very smooth Standout songs: Ascension Dancewitme
Not bad
cool neo soul
Genre: Shopping at TJ Max, sexually oooo Artist: At TJ Max, sexually yeaaaaa Rating: TJ MaXXX mmmmmm
Definitely not for me. Couldn't make it past 4-5 songs.
Smooth Neo-Soul offering up every R&B-trope I know.
Just spent the last week chilling in the Greek islands, it’s Sunday morning and nothing needs to be happening, and this sounds ok. Can’t think of any other times it could or would. It’s so smooth it has no edges whatsoever, it offers no resistance in the physical world, and that’s impossible to manage . Think will have that 1 listen and say goodbye as it just won’t work out between us again I fear. 3 Star
Unimpressive.
Interesting, not my style though
01) The Urban Theme - 7,0 02) Welcome - 7,0 03) Sumthin' Sumthin' - 7,5 04) Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) - 7,5 05) Dancewitme - 7,0 06) ...Til the Cops Come Knockin' - 7,5 07) Whenever Wherever Whatever - 6,5 08) Lonely's the Only Company (I & II) - 6,5 09) Reunion - 6,5 10) Suitelady (The Proposal Jam) - 7,0 11) The Suite Theme - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,00 (70/100) Current ranking: 346/565
Not a phunking phan of this stuff. Not offensive for the most part, but boring and unoriginal. I found nothing special about this. 2/5
When I heard the first song, Urban Theme, it reminded me of the jazzy bit before Mix Master Mike section on the Beastie Boys Check Your Head. Sumethin’ Sumethin’ was a vibe with some great bass work. The Dancewitme was a bit of Nile Rodger’s disco funk with some D'Angelo swagger. Suitelady was sexy good. I don’t know if I would look for this outside of throwing it on at a swank party (yep, every dreamable weekend) because it reminds me I’ve been married for a long time and spend my evenings alone writing music reviews rather than living this soundtrack, but it was pretty damn smooth and digable.
Random thoughts: * This was better than I expected coming in. * I knew of Maxwell but never really knew his songs. Maybe if I listened to Maxwell more I would have had more luck with the ladies. * This was some good slow jams music. * I'll throw this one on to get in the right "mood".
This album was like the music you hear while waiting when calling your insurance or standing in an elevator. Very slick but why is it on this list? 2-3 stars, rounded to 2
If you are need of some funky R&B sexy time music, this one should get the job done. It peters out near the end, but you’ll probably be asleep by then.
2.9 - Meh, forgettable
Weird one. Some kinda nice songs, but production feels super artificial and pristine, kinda off-putting. It doesnt sound bad but just kinda tacky. 3/5