Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Soul music, Neo soul, Funk, Contemporary R&B, Jazz, Urban contemporary music, Quiet storm, Smooth jazz, Retro-soul
A landmark 90s neo-soul release that stands along the likes of D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill. I could hear him in 2010s pop like Frank Ocean. It's a really strong record with modern production that still holds up today, utilizing elements of funk (Sly, Marvin Gaye), smooth jazz, and downtempo. The first half is energetic and funky, full of strong memorable hits and impressive displays. The second half is mellower, and besides "Lonely's the Only Company", nothing really stood out to me. It felt derivative of other 90s R&B pop, but it was better with the strengths of the production and coherency. Nevertheless, I did enjoy it all, even if I did space out in the last few tracks.
This was fine, but nothing really stood out other than "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)."
This reminded me of Trammell Starks' music on The Weather Channel & I'm here for it. No joke, I'm into this. It's chill, jazzy, soulful, smooth & silky. I'll definitely listen again. 4 stars.
Good for some chill background music. But in general I'll pass. 3.5
This some music to fuck to lol
Was expecting to not really enjoy as I'm not the biggest fan of R&B. But this caught me, really smooth and catchy. Found myself grooving throughout. I liked it but can only listen to this so much, started to lose interest near the end.
Sure it get's redundant but who cares when your shagging to it.
This is music for one thing and one thing only. And best as just background, offering no distractions.
I just found it boring. Probably the wrong genre for me.
Not for me. It's boring. I guess if I had the desire to have sex with the lead singer, it might've been different. But I don't, so I was just bored.
This album holds up! Classic soulful R&B. This will get you laid.
8/10. This was a delightful little surprise, I don't know that I'd heard of this guy, but this was a really chill album
Really smooth R&B, thought it would be a little more interesting based on the first song but not a bad album. 7/10
This didn't really do too much for me. Sometimes there were some moments that piqued my interest, but for the most part I found this too slow and repetitive.
This just really isn't my speed. It's so boring for me. There's nothing for me to focus on, and it just seems to go on and on. The basslines can be good, but by the end of the song I'm far past ready to hear something else. 1.25/5
Quite smooth and likable, I can understand the appeal. Maybe a little too long but this is how I like my 90s R&B, more inspired by jazz and the classics than rap. B-
This is the soundtrack of moist Vaginas
This might be the most I'm ever going to enjoy an R&B record. The production is stellar and Maxwell's vocals are incredible. The content is always sensual, rarely sleezy, and if he had cut 'Whenever Wherever Whatever' and 'Suitelady (The Proposal Jam)' this might have been a 5/5.
At first glance I was pretty overwhelmed by the stellar production and almost nausea-inducing butter-smoothness of the vocals. But as I dove deeper into the album I fell myself slowly losing interest. The last few songs are particularly monotonous and easily blends together into a soft, mushy pillow of delicious but boring songs. Had this been shortened by 2-3 songs it would have been so much better.
Porn groove. Had one good song though
Good but so unnecessarily long
Smooth.
Like electronic sounds. No bad
Low key, sexy, nice, a little boring
One of the more faithful reinterpretations of the mid to late 70s soul/quiet storm sound, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite is the equivalent of settling down after a long day, sipping red wine with a loved one and just laying back. It succeeds in willful seduction, in the kind of form that the older masters would perfect, and builds a world in which immersion is the only option. Perfect for late night vibes, which you need to stay for upon glancing the cover. Favorites: Welcome, Sumthin' Sumthin', Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder), Dancewitme, ...Til the Cops Come Knockin', Whenever Wherever Whatever, Lonely's the Only Company (I & II), The Suite Theme.
It was good easy listening. No songs I felt like skipping. Didn’t pay much attention to the lyrics so I probably missed out there. Solid enjoyable album.
I went into this with rolled eyes, prepared to hate it because R&B is just not a genre I care about at all. But I'm pleasantly surprised, and am actually finding this to be such an enjoyable album to kickstart my Monday morning. It is helping me get into a very focused and productive zone, and lulling me into a more laissez-faire mindspace. Thank you, Maxwell, for this time in your hang suite, much obliged!
a really lovely vibe. i especially enjoyed til the cops come knocking
I liked it. Interesting beats. Never heard of these guys, I was busy in 1996.
B- The Urban Theme 3 Welcome 3 Sumthin' Sumthin' 3 Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) 2 Dancewitme 3 ...Til the Cops Come Knockin' 4 Whenever Wherever Whatever 3 Lonely's the Only Company (I & II) 3 Reunion 3 Suitelady (The Proposal Jam) 3 The Suite Theme 3 ...Til the Cops Come Knockin' 3 I love R&B, but this is just so average. It isn't the Kollaps's that surprise me with their inclusion, it is the albums like this that do. Maxwell seasons his food strictly with salt and pepper.
smooth, sexy, 90s jazz r&b.
Nice chill out album.
Meh. Next time I need to seduce someone in an elevator
I enjoyed this
Probably would've maybe been passable 20 years before. Wouldn't even make the top 1001 soul albums. Only in this list because some virgins think this is sex music. Shite.
Never in my wildest dreams would I seek out an artist like this. The beauty of this website has introduced this album and artist to me. And I quite enjoyed it. Very soulful and funky at times. Music was very groovy. Vocals were reminiscent of a soulful Michael Jackson, which was great! I don't necessarily need this type of music in my life, but I love coming across it time to time.
Was surprised by this album. Fantastic.
On first listen, it sounded dated, with the sappy KennyG-like sax and other easy-listening tropes from the 80’s and 90’s. Two stars at best. On second listen I found more to like, and I’m bumping it up to three.
p785. 1996. 2 stars Bland background music for hipster bars with no standout tunes. I hate this sanitised, washed out "R&B" with a loathing that goes beyond all understanding. Bonus point for classy production.
Chill. So chill that I forgot that I was listening to it… bit boring
I had high expectations because I really like his cover of This Woman's Work, but none of these songs hit me like that one. Great vocals and chill vibes for background music. Rating 6.9, I mean, 3.4, rounded down to 3.
The actual music is fine. Don't get me started on Maxwell's lyrics...
Good
You managed to create an album with no hit songs. Congratulations.
Smooth
Nr. 21/1001 The Urban Theme 3/5 Welcome 3/5 Sumthin' Sumthin' 4/5 Ascension 3/5 Dancewitme 3/5 ...Til the Cops Come Knocking 2/5 Whenever Wherever Whatever 3/5 Lonely's The Only Company 2/5 Reunion 2/5 Suitelady 3/5 The Suite Theme 3/5 Average: 2,82 It achieves what it set out to be. Background music for sex. Just remains pretty unremarkable.
Not a huge fan - though the singer has a good voice - just not my cup of tea
Such a bore to get through. The most bland R and B shit you’ll ever hear. I dislike it so much I think I hate R and B now. I guess this album is here because it represents the larger late 90s movement? Either way this album blows Rating: 2.0
Pretty good. Didn't know a lot before, but it's good jams. 4/5
smooth
Really great album. Fantastic to listen to as a whole.
Smooth, funky baby-making music. The songs stretch out and groove. They take their time. They don't have anywhere else to be. They're just right here, right now, with you, baby. Dim the lights and let them work their magic.
This flavor of R&B often leaves a bit to be desired in my opinion. The drums are somehow robotic and dynamic-less, like they are a sample that is looped ad nauseam and have no live connection to the rest of the band. They are so strictly attached to a metronome that any signs of rubato are quickly and unconsciously shot down by all participating members. The often-too-loud bass guitar is a specifically designed point of interest but it's usually an unremarkable riff on loop that doesn't end up offering much besides being a focal point splash of paint on the canvas for a viewer/listener to say "What do I like about it? Uhh I like that one splash of paint" when they don't have anything else to comment on. The vocals are smooth and buttery but also passive, forgetful, and bland. It's meant to be in the background. It's meant to be on while you are cooking. It's meant to be on while you are having sex. That's cool, I get it. But I also like climaxing, and these tracks are too often devoid of climax. They linger, hang, and while their invitation seemed like a good idea, I'm left wondering when they are going to leave the party. They just keep taking microscopic sips of house wine, and short pulls from a borrowed clove cigarette. They just keep talking without actually saying anything. I'm trying to not hate on it so much but the heart knows what it wants. It's a low 2/5.
Music for making love
Such a good album! I recently found out about it and love the vibe, the production. Don’t know this missed me for decades!
Soulful, nice, lounge jazz pop.
Sexy slow jams
sex
i thought this album was pretty dated. Very good example of a particular moment in time
Porn music
Cool funky grooves but also some unwelcome crooning.
This was fine, and I can't deny Maxwell's talent, but it's not really the type of music I'm into. It was fine as background music, but sort of boring when I really focused on it. "...Til the Cops Come Knockin'" was a definite highlight for me, though.
not gonna revisit this stuff
Not unpleasant but worthy of a place on this list? Is it even notable among R&B?
It's too smooth for me. I just can't.
There's a time and a place for stuff like this. The morning commute is not one of these places unfortunately.
First thoughts 30 seconds into the album: "oh god, another smooth jazz Starbucks counter album that was added to this list for some reason". I will continue forward with an open mind, despite the musicianship being decent, this feels super generic. .....And after listening through the rest of the album I still feel the same way. I don't hear anything in this album that differentiates it from any other albums in this genre, which is just really not my thing. Standout Tracks: N/A
pretty barebones hotel lobby babymaking music. all these songs sound the same, and this album could easily be halved in length. though not the worst background music 2.5/5
This album felt like a long, warm hug Favourite tracks: Sumthin’ Sumthin’, Ascension, Til the Cops Come Knockin’, Whenever Wherever Whatever, The Suite Theme
20th September 2023 Same as before catching up late on the drive home. Started promisingly with vibey soul but didn’t deliver overall. 2.5 if I could.
Cheesy RnB is like my kryptonite.
Brown-chicken, brown-cow for old people, and/or for comedic effect. As a matter of fact, this album plays in Young Sheldon. The scene when Sheldon figures out his dad's a 'breast man' after discovering his collection of JUGGS magazine.
How can something so smooth be so... boring? This is the album that launched and shaped the neo-soul renaissance of the late 90s?
Veers too much into smooth jazz territory for my liking.
.
Don't you know what it means to become an orgy guy? It changeseverything. I'd have to dress different. I'd have to act different. I'd have to grow a mustache and get all kinds of robes and lotions and I'd need a new bedspread and new curtains I'd have to get thick carpeting and weirdo lighting. I'd have to get new friends. I'd have to get orgy friends. ... Naw, I'm not ready for it.
Kinda funky.
Part homage to the funk and soul singers of the 70s and part reaction to the state of hip hop and R&B in the 90s. Probably the smoothest album you'd have encountered in 1996. In some ways, it borders on self-parody but it's an impressive work when listened to as a whole. While I wouldn't seek it out often, I liked it more than I expected to.
mm
Well, really nice hotel lounge music, which is perfect if you don't like to sit in silence, but you don't want to listen to anything that requires attention. It feels like Maxwell had an idea for a great bass line, and then decided to build a whole album off of it. Honestly, all that I remember from this album is that bass line, otherwise everything is so forgettable and mediocre. Very surprising choice for a "greatest album of all time", even if that would mean a place closer to 1000. Very disappointing.
I always had heard of Maxwell but he listened to him as much as any of the other r&b artist of the era. This album absolutely blew my expectations out of the water. "...Til the Cops Come Knockin'", "Ascension", "Whenever Wherever Whatever" and "Reunion" were all really great with the star of thr show being the first song I mentioned. Truly a great album I definitely could see myself coming back to this album a couple times a year. Like a 9-9.5/10.
1996 - Soul music, Neo soul, Contemporary R&B, Funk, Jazz, Urban contemporary music, Quiet storm, Smooth jazz, Retro-soul
It may have stood out for its time, but just blends into the background with 30 years past.
Smooth. Don't usually listen r&b, but this was a vibe. Smooth.
this sure is some R&B slowjams. it sounds like something you would get in a fairly high class porno
I'm not even sure how this album got made, much less why it's influential.
Robert m'a donné raison de lui avoir cassé la gueule autour d'un thé il y a deux jours, l'album généré ce matin étant un album de R'n'B, style que j'affectionne tout particulièrement. Toutefois, ce que ne semble pas savoir Robert, c'est que le sous-genre en question, le Dégoulinant'n'B, ne fait vraiment pas partie de mes favoris. J'irai donc lui recasser la gueule en soirée.
Disciple de Marvin Gaye et de son mouvement désormais légendaire de l'ultra sexual pop, Maxwell vient très clairement avec l'ambition de nous baiser, et plus spécifiquement de nous baiser la gueule. Un pari que je juge réussit.
Really nice, relaxing!
Very smooth. Sooooo smooooooth.
This is one of the more influential albums of Neo Soul. If you like D'Angelo you'll like that. And I do. I think Maxwell is even better because his smoothness and lyrical focus makes this a more coherent album that has also some more interesting instrumentation than the first two D'Angelo albums.
vibes absolutely off the chart. production made everything sound so smooth it was crazy
Very chilled, very smooth, not much light and shade, but a pleasant soundtrack to a warm summer evening
música que le gustaría a mi viejo básicamente. 6.5/10
I like Maxwell, but this again falls in the debut album issue this project has. 3/5
Just no
This was some very stereotypical 90s love making R&B which is to say it isn’t terrible but it is a factor of its time. The smooth and slow instrumentals make this a pretty chill album overall and the singing is decent most of the time. It’s not bad but there isn’t anything too special about this album except that it executed in 90s R&B. 5.9/10
Dated and repetitive. It's not terrible, but this should not be an hour long. I did not enjoy this.
One of the greatest R&B albums ever made. No other notes.
Really digging this one as I listen to it.
Starts promising but quickly delves into this "smooth" jazz and funk that is played in late night "cinema". Till The Cops Come Knockin' is a bit creepy. It's also too long. I know it's a concept album so it gets bonus points for the attempt but it didn't do it for me.
L O V E This is music. Happy that everyone that goes through this list has to stop through the groove station. Pure Groove.
Maxwell's vocals are smooth and sound like a weaker George Michael, but he still goes hard in every song. There is nothing really significant to me about this album, as in it's usefulness is only regarded to driving or sex. I would probably not listen to this album otherwise. Production and vocals are great, very funky and similar sounding. But I do have to give credit, some of these songs, especially track #6, are so powerful and flowing with groove, there is surely art present on this record. Favorites: The Urban Theme / Welcome / Ascension / Til the Cops Come Knockin' / Suitelady
Great album! So soulful, smooth, funky.
2/11, 18%
Not my thing
A pretty great soul and R&B album. Fantastic bass lines. Not my usual genre, but this is well done!
Seksi albumi miekkonen kuiskii seksin aikana kuuntele miekkonen siellä hurmaa kannattaa kokeilla seksin aikana albumin velhoudet iskee miekkonen siellä laulaa adult romance adult and other adult, very adult!
It starts off interesting, gets less and less interesting until it finishes completely tedious
Boom-chicka-wah-wah
this album is more about vibes than songs
Below average bedroom music. One or two tracks could probably be remixed into something upbeat and more interesting. Best track: Sumthin' Sumthin'
Superb album a stroke of pure genius the album oozes quality from every note.
Liked the first track, much less so when he started singing.
Sexy
Yeeeeah no. This was just one hour of sex music. Kudos to those with that kind of stamina I suppose. But yeah, either way it wasn't really something I cared about. Everything seemed quite same-y. Definitely felt like this was just a mood-setter rather than a sit-down-and-listen kind of album. I don't think I'll come back to this. Favourite: Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)
The very beginning of this, before he started singing was good. It was all down hill from there.
An album with less than zero 'oomph'. I didn't mind the chilled and laid back vide initially, but it quicky wore thin. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) Date listened: 09/06/23
Smooth is the only word I can think of to describe this album. Smooooth
I do be lovin jazz, but only when it’s the best of the best. Okay jazz songs aren’t really worth my time listening to. Fav: welcome Least fav: reunion
An album so smooth that its front cover slips away from the CD case as soon as you buy it, and all you have left to show on Spotify, Wikipedia and the 1001 album app is the back cover. Also, an album so *square* that in 1996 it was named one of the year's 10 best albums in lists published by Rolling Stone, Time, and USA Today. Number of albums left to review: 537 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 221 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 108 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 135 (including this one)
I feel I’ve heard this a million times by a million acts for at least a million days before this 1996 release. There’s a decent groove. Otherwise, meh.
This promises a lot on Wikipedia, so I'm ready for the swing and gliding entry of the opening track of The Shagadelic Love Pad, I mean "Urban Hang Suite". you guys hated it, but for me, its grooving sexy beats get more and more mellow and sensual using all the tell tell sounds, until its obviously romance atmosphere music and dimly lit hotel room or rug by the fire scenery comes to mind. I managed until track 10 before It actually felt a bit too cheesy and self conscious, by the time its The Suite Theme is very post coital somnolence. ha, this is so cheesy and cool, and done with such a straight face, that it made me smile. I see why the Algo suggested to play next songs from Marvin Gaye and George Howard (but not Barry WHite, that would have been too much!)
Apparently this was the start of neo-soul, but I found it pretty bland.
I did not know Maxwell from Adam. I just listened to the album. There’s nothing offensive about it. But I think I have to side with Robert Christgau (Village Voice) who did not go along with the great reviews it got & rated it a DUD (see Wiki). Actually, I suppose I don’t think it’s a total turkey. It’s just annoyingly derivative. I didn’t mind the opening track (an instrumental), but the clown (RoniSarig?) who compared the first 2 tracks to Steely Dan - well I’d horse-whip him if I had a horse. By the time you get to Lonely’s The Only Company, it’s really sounding like a Sade outtake. But, hey, it’s reasonable background music.
This is one of the first albums of the 90s neo-soul movement, and I am quite partial. While still not yet showing the influence of J.Dilla (who, along with the playing of the Roots, marks the later works of the Soulquarians neo-soul recordings), I dig this. Wearing his influences (Marvin Gaye, Prince, Sade) on his sleeve, and roping in some collaborators from those artists, this is smooth, sexy and lush. I prefer the funkier tracks on the first half of the album (Urban Theme, Sumthin' Sumthin', Til the Cops Come Knocking), the back end of the album descends into slow jamz territory. I listened to this three times through in a row, and enjoyed it.
Not bad...overall I have enjoyed some Neo-soul in the past, and this is about the best I have encountered. 3/5
2.5 at best. Just not my cup of tea.
I see alot of Portishead and massive Attack, this is my kinda jam
I really liked this at first, but the slower stuff wasn’t for me.
Soul. R&B.
It's perfect 3,5 for me. But unfortunately there is no half. So let's give it 4. It's nice album. I hope it will return favour during future listening.
I guess this album was picked for this list here on account of the first track, because all the rest of the album is pretty boring. Should an album get listed here on account of a single track? I think that's wrong.
Sumthin, sumthin, whenever, wherever, whenever... You know what I'm sayin... This kinda album. Useful in some situations...
This is not a vibe 1
Who is/are Maxwell? Pretty funky actually, enjoyable but not a repeat listen candidate
One of the other reviews said that this sounds like joke music and I'd have to agree 😭 I've waited this long to learn what 'smooth' apparently sounds like and I was better off not knowing
Nice
In the 1990s, people had sex to this sort of music. This probably explains an unfortunate amount about millennials.
- Super groovy and jazzy - Great late night soundtrack - Slows down a little bit in the second half, not sure if I'd go back to it - 2.5 - Til the Cops Come Knockin', The Suite Theme
- Groovy - Music to get freaky to - The type of music your Uber driving is playing at 2:30 in the morning
Cheesy 90s R&B pop music. Sounds like music from a soft porn film. Not for me.
Maybe just not my thing. The vibe was cool, but went on too long.
Good Sunday neo-soul music.
I was so pumped for the first track, it was a great way to start the Monday drive to work. The later stages deteriorated into cheesy soft rock.
This had some elements of 90s R and B that used to turn me off: the louche lyrics, the air of arrogance, the soft jazz vibes. But I liked quite a bit of it and it sank in quite satisfactorily.
Smooth à la limite du kitsch. "'till the cops come knocking" reste le meilleur exemple. On traverse l'album dans un brouillard sexy rythmé par une basse groovy. Parfaitement dispensable mais en même temps tout à fait écoutable
Gotta admit, I gave up on this one a few tracks in. This era of music is just not my thing.
A collection of horizontal love songs I’ll likely be hitting and quitting.
This album was part of the neo-soul soul revival. This album, more than any other album brought my attention to modern soul/r&b as not just the stuff I heard on the radio that was all about getting in someone's pants. I mean there is some of that here, it is Maxwell and he is smooth, but this is more of chill at night with someone you care about and want to be close to. It's an album for mature love with smooth rolling bass lines and one of the all time great singers - who is just effortless
Very smooth R&B / Jazz / Soul. A bit too smooth, it doesn't really stick with me. Very relaxing music though, removing all stress.
The pinnacle of smoothness.
Smooth a l’os ahaha mais lecoute est bonne et le groove aussi 4
Another album I've never been exposed to before, but added a number of track to a playlist. "Neo Soul" and really tight musicianship.
Pf
Wat een smerige, zweterige neukmuziek zeg!
Prima op de achtergrond, maar niet heel enerverend.
Ik had me echt voorgenomen om die als achtergrondmuziekje tijdens het werk wel even weg te luisteren. Maar na een nummer of 6 vielen m'n tanden ineens uit m'n mond van die zoete gedweep.
Dit kan me eigenlijk niet behagen; veel te slick. Als achtergrondmuziek tijdens het werken is het wel te doen.
All the songs sound all the same
A decent soul album, doesn't really stand out
Heismusikk
Good genre 90s soul. Smooth and silky but ultimately not my cup of tea. It’s good, just not something I’m likely to revisit.
Some grooves but also some elevator music
At it's best, but very infrequently it sounds like a chilled out Prince song. At other times it sounds like Luther vandross, but sadly always, it sounds like background music.
Too smooth and tacky. I know this kick-started the whole neo-soul movement but there are better projects out there that better represent the sub genre.
Interesting. I’ll have to give this another listen at a more appropriate time for this type of stuff
He’s laying it on pretty thick. I kept imagining Chef from South Park singing vocals to some of the tracks. I wonder how many 26-27 yr olds were conceived to this album. Still miles better than George Michael’s.
An album that's made to have on in the background while hanging out in an urban suite, made by Maxwell... I can't complain, it's exactly what it says in the tin.
Pretty soulful early rnb well made, some of the lyrics felt generic and sappy but overall it's really well produced and performed
Oh no, this was not a fun listen at all. Talk about poor r&b. Awful.
This is probably objectively pretty good, but trying to focus on R&B for an hour feels like being trapped in a time vortex for 300 years. I will now proceed to live the rest of my life without ever thinking about this album's existence again.
I feel like the style of songs were far too similar, but a decent 90's R&B album
R&B just isn't my thing. First track I was enjoying, then when the vocals kicked in the second it just made me groan. Some ok tracks, mostly due to backing band. Some great bass lines. But most tracks I was praying for the end. I'm not trying to skip a single song in any listed album but by the end of this one I couldn't resist. Would give it 1.5* if I could purely for some of the decent backing tracks
HL: "Ascension", "Til the Cops Come Knockin'", "Sumthin Sumthin", "Whenever Wherever Whatever" -Unfamiliar with Maxwell prior to today - Something (sumthin) about some prior neo-soul / quiet storm albums I've heard made me think I was pretty ambivalent towards those genres. However I quite liked this -It was kind of a strange vibe mellowing out to this while walking through busy downtown streets. - reading now that some critics describe the Suite as derivative of its influences; eh. While I'm not refuting that, it uses the freshest ingredients from EWF and Marvin Gaye d̶i̶s̶h̶e̶s̶ records **** March 14, 2023
Just a good groovy album, I'm just a sucker for some good bass. I also love hearing some tight envelope filter on "Dancewitme". I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting too. Great way to end my night.
The bass lines might have been my favorite part, some solid grooves.
favs: "Dancewitme", "Sumthin' Sumthin'", "Whenever Wherever Whatever" least fav: "Reunion"
a r&b hang out record. Acension is still one of the best songs of the past 30 years. His voice is silky smooth. The height of neo-soul.
Great voice, very slick production, but it just does nothing for me and the songs blurred into the next and then it stopped. And I hate the tone of the bass guitar in Modern R'n'B / Neo-Soul, especially when slapping (which is a lot of the time), ewwww. 2 / 5.
Kenny G meets '70s elevator music. This is something they should add to the torture arsenal at Guantanamo. 10 minutes of this and I was admitting to everything from being Jack the Ripper to actually being Q.
Loved this super slick and super chill
There's a lot of subtle detail in this album with all the little instrumental flourishes that pepper the tracks but none of it is out of place. It's an incredibly easy listen that would fit right into the background while you're working/studying since absolutely none of it demands your attention. That said, this really isn't my genre.
Overwrought and overpraised by later day folks who couldn't leave well enough alone, not appreciating those of us clever enough to ignore it when it was first released and waited for Erykah Badu to come and perfect neo soul.
Good background music, but not much more
Sounds like background video game music, takes forever to go anywhere and when it does you wonder why it bothered. 2
The decades haven't changed my opinion of this album. I find it outrageously dull, and void of any of the soul it seeks to chase
Maxwell
very chill album but nothing revolutionary
Soul just really isn’t my jam. This was fine but I got pretty bored by the end.
Smooooooth. So smooth that my wife's face started getting flushed and then she slipped off her chair and fell to the floor. I think she's okay though, she just went to take a bath. Not exactly my favorite type of music but not bad either. Just sort of slid in one ear and out the other. 3 stars.
It wasn’t bad, but this was very forgettable R&B music, which isn’t really my thing
Nice and loungey, but overstays its welcome. 2.5/5
Йоу, добро пожаловать на Late Night Show Очень стильное классическое R&B, звуки которого я уверен засемпловали с удовольствием. Скачал на плеер, запустил на колоночках и кайфанул
Оуеее, у нас наконец-то что-то, что кардинально отличается от всего прослушанного за последние 2 недели. Видимо я уже устал от гитарной музыки и "простых песен". Поэтому этот альбом был просто как бальзам на душу. Его можно прекрасно слушать везде... Хотя визуальный ассоциативный ряд - это, прежде всего, ночная жизнь какого-нибудь городка на морском побережье, едешь с открытой крышей, вокруг чиксы... Ладно, это я чёт уже грезить стал. На самом деле, альбом конечно чутка однообразный. Это вот классная фоновая музычка (для подкастов, например), но слушать его для того, чтобы преисполниться какими-нибудь смыслами или насладиться уникальными музыкальными и композиционными решениями - почти точно нет. Просто классно звучит :) P.S. Тёма Соловьёв, если ты когда-то прочитаешь эту ревьюху, знай: это лучший альбом для тебя в этом списке (из уже открытых, само собой)
Вроде одновременно и приятный бек с вокалом, мелодика тоже нравится, но тааааак нудно, что периодически желание попереключать и выйти
Of the 415 albums so far. This is the worst…and I love almost everything
This is a desert island album for me. Not because I'd want to listen to it for the rest of my life, but because you could fuck a coconut to this, and it would be consensual and probably the best sex you ever had. I'm only like 3.5% gay, and I'd fuck Maxwell to this. Christ, at 3:06 of "The Suite Theme" he just exhales forcefully into the mic. This dude must be paying child support around the world. I heard that at the end of his shows they release 50k Plan B pills from the ceiling like balloons. Stuart Matthewman (of Sade) is all over this, and it shows. If you want similar (but also more interesting and varied) music that replaces sex themes with love themes, and replaces a sexy male with a sexy female, then reach for Sade. If you want to fuck something, reach for Maxwell (although, Sade works for that too). I much prefer Sade over this in casual listening (Sade is awesome), but this accomplishes what it set out to do perfectly. It just gets stale by the end. 7.5/10
Maxwell wants to have sex. Watch out crack of dawn.
I like the production on this, bass to the fore, which reminded me a little of Morcheeba. However, it’s a very samesy album otherwise, I didn’t come away with any sense of individual tracks, just a mood. Ok, but nothing memorable.
Smooth ambient album, but hardly memorable Saved tracks: Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder), Dancewitme, …Till The Cops Come Knockin’
Chill vibes, easy listening
Zwoele neukseks muziek
This was actually really nice, very groovy and chill
It was good, that’s all I’ll say.
why do i keep forgetting
Eihän tätä pysty kuuntelemaan, kammottavaa hissimusiikkia.
Ihan hirveetä. Ei pystytty kuuntelemaan loppuun asti. 1/5
Uuh niin kotoisaa kuin voi vaan musiikki olla. Lämmintä ja rentouttavaa. Ja kovin tanssittavaa myös! Tämä on tietty turvallisempaa ja yksipuolisempaa kuin vaikka D'Angelon musiikki ja levyn jälkipuolisko jää siksi vähän piippuun. Sanotaan kuitenkin varma 4/5.
Vähän tämmöseks hissimusaks menee. Taustalle laittaisin mut kuunneltuna aika tylsää. 2/5
The dry, clear sound of the bass tone on this is awesome. It just strikes me as too repetitive and shallow to really enjoy with all of my attention. At the end of the day, I suppose it's for bangin', and it succeeds at getting out the way.
Súper smúþ R&B. Mjög næs. Algjört Maxwell'n'chill!
❓❓
mood sexy grand mere (maxwell + tricot)
Very fluid and would definitely revisit - there were some areas that felt repetitive and too similar however overall pretty decent
Sopivan chilli levy maailman raskaimman työmatkapyöräilyn perään. Voi helposti kuunnella uudelleen.
Ihan jeekkis. Oli muutaman kerran kuuntelun jälkeen vielä käyttökelposta
Nope, a load of old pants!
cool
This is a very sexy album. 90s R&B bit with that 70s house band tightness. It drops towards the end, but I was very happily surprised that this was as good as it was!
The songwriting is a little bland, but this album grew on me. The production here is superb; one of those albums that you'd use to demonstrate your expensive CD hi-fi in the 90s. It also sounds like this is where Justin Timberlake got a lot of his ideas.
Today’s artist is another that I’ve never heard of, and from a genre I rarely listen to. I’m going into this a little apprehensively, but still somewhat optimistically. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Whenever Wherever Whatever, The Suite Theme I think that the act of me listening to this album might have gotten everybody in my neighbourhood pregnant. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a solid hour of porntastic music before today, so I can now scratch that off my bucket list. This was soul/funk throughout and never strayed much from this. The musicians are clearly very talented and I did enjoy listening to this album, but I’m not sure it enticed me enough to want more. Overall, I enjoyed this and would recommend it to anybody trying for a baby.
Kjedelig
Is it possible for an album to be too smooth? If so this is an example of one, so smooth I kinda forgot I was listening almost a forgettable album,
super fun - 9/10 maybe this should’ve come out 20 years earlier but I’m not complaining good vibes
Chill easy listen, liked it a lot
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite is porn music for the common man. No thanks.
First porn music album we've had for a little while. Doesn't do anything for me at all, it's not unpleasant to having washing around you whilst you get on with something else, but no real appeal. 2/5.
very smooth. easy to listen to, mellow aber nicht boring
i dont know if i should give this okay, un of the mill funk album this score, but im doing it. dude can sing. music washes over you. the not standing out part is the problem. i kinda don't remember it….. sooooo thats bad. oh well.
Mellow, smooth, cool. Dull. Smooth, Forgettable. 2.2 Also smooth.
особо не расслушала)
So extremely awesome. A bit too long but man. Smooth.
Hotel lobby music
It's got some solid bass parts, but I thought a lot of it sounded like department store muzak. And that's what I can remember of it. It just kind of went by without leaving much impression. Not terrible, but I don't need to hear it again.
Very smooth, very funky and Maxwell has a lovely voice. But a bit dull and samey after a while. Could have done with a little more grit
Smooth and Funky
I hear a lot of childish gambino in this project. It was a very smooth album. My Favorite was the saxophone in loves the only company
A debut from a twentysomething that is a concept album about a relationship. Sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen. I bought this when it was first released, and it blew me away. It still does. While there are refences to Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and Al Green, Maxwell's view is his own. A great listen from start to finish.
Smooth and soulful with really good musicianship. I especially like the bass lines throughout the album. I could see this as an album Marvin Gaye might have made.
If Mamas Gun was the companion to Voodoo this is the precursor. Jazz influenced R&B which feels both classic and modern at the same time. The title perfectly describes what we hear, as the songs flow seamlessly into each other. My only criticism is that some of the songs are a little too similar to each other but overall this is a great album.
Okay I guess.
Pretty chill and sexy
Smooth
R&B just doesn't do too much for me. Nice background music, but that's about it. Favorite track: ...Til the Cops Come Knockin
I found this album really tough to rate. It started off cool, but then it faded into the background while I was listening to it. A lot of it seemed to be pretty straightforward R&B. The quality of the album overall is good, but it didn't stand out to me as particularly groundbreaking in the context of when it was made. 3/5
3.75
So smooth I almost fell asleep.
Þessi plata byrjar á rosalega flottu grúvi og maður býst við hinu besta. En svo rennur þetta út í tilþrifaminni nýsoul. Rennur mjög ljúflega og allt það, en kveikir engan neista við fyrstu hlustun.
i would never listen to this
4.2 - Sexy mood music that draws heavily from the best R&B of the 1970s (Barry White, Marvin Gaye, Shuggie Otis...), performed exceptionally well so it sounds sophisticated and not kitschy or derivative. I especially love the synths on "Urban Theme", the slap bass on "Sumthin' Sumthin'" and the lush orchestration on "Lonely's the Only Company." A gentle and romantic journey from start to finish.
Old school funk and soul. Nice.
onpas karamellinväristä ja samettista, jenkkimusaa. en saa kiinni: ei herätä tunteita. (erikoinen kansi, miksi enari on siinä noin isolla?)
Ähinää hissimusan päälle. Loukkaavaa.
R&B that's so silky smooth. A lot of what this album has going for it is in the subtleties of it's production, letting the sounds build up and blend into a tasty neo-soul cocktail. My main gripe is that I don't find this sort of songwriting particularly interesting. For all the lovely things it has going for it, Maxwell is not for me.
Wow, it's like someone made a big batch of "every-R&B-trope-I-hate" juice and forced me to chug.
Now I've had all the neosoul artists that are credited with the revival. Honestly, having listened to the others I found this was probably the strongest. A high 3, but with a lot of bloat and lackluster tracks that keep it from 4.
Taki Stevie Wonder
lite gött sound ändå men långtråkigt. sumthin' sumthin' är en rätt go lät
A few nice funky parts but overall very boring r&b/soul. And a terrible album cover.
Smooth
Vögelmusik.
good music. not my taste. didn't listen to all the songs..
Bit like a long bubble bath. Relaxing and smooth has hell, but after a while you get a bit bored.
Smooth, sultry understated evening R&B/jazz that will do well in a candlelit dinner or a late night wine bar. Best: Dancewitme Worst: Whenever Wherever Whatever 2.5 Stars
Good soul album from the 90s, didn't pique my interests.
Was this porn music? Lol jk not really my thing and didn't care much
At first I thought 'wow I love being in Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite'. By the end I was very ready to leave the Urban Hang Suite. Unfortunately the buses weren't running and it's impossible to get a taxi at that time so I had to walk to the nearest station.
Smooth soft-porn jams. Some very tasty melodic lines in there, but a real one-trick pony lyrical vibe.
In het algemeen wel een funky album. Ik vind het wel te zacht naar mijn smaak, zit te weinig pit in.
Too smooth for its self. Very mediocre
retty generic sounding R&B dance album in the mold of Michael Jackson. It does have some soft jazz elements that give it a Sade vibe as well. The recording and mixing is outstanding, and who is the bass player. Brilliantly played and beautifully mastered. 2.5 🌟
3.6⭐️
I didn’t actually finish this album bc I wasn’t enjoying it
Nice chill vibes, and Ascension in particular was a big ol slice of groove, but it did get quite samey towards the end
Might be cool… The urban theme is a good opener as instrumentals go this is really pleasant. Welcome works really well bouncing off the last song his vocals sound perfect so do the instrumentals but the lyrics are quite filler. Sumthin sumthin is okay for a song that was released as a single though this seems like album filler. Ascension has the same kinda criticism to it it’s just so smooth that it just goes in one ear and out the other ( not what a single should be). Okay dance with me has a cooler rhythm the breathing strangely works quite perfectly 6 minutes does feel a drag for this song but it’s still cool. Again till the cops come knocking is literally one of the better songs but it just drags. Whenever wherever whatever is a nice tranquil break from the bulk of the album (but it happened too late). Lonely’s the only company ( 1 and 2) it’s a good sonic very morose but it actually fits well with it’s long time length. Reunion is a bit Basic and filler but nothing offensively bad. The penultimate track suitelady ( the proposal song) isn’t my kinda thing but I see why it could be a banger for some . The suite theme is a unique sounding closer for the album but like (almost) all of the 6 minuters on here it’s such a drag. With everything good about every song there is a criticism that comes with it a very easy 3/5.
Very fun album. I jammed to this all morning. Very smooth and felt a little ahead of its time in some ways. I feel like I've heard some of these beats in current songs. I'll be down to hang with this album!
A nice break from the usual rock fare, an R&B/soul project from someone I've never heard of. Is this the guy who makes the coffee? This was a decent project. His vocals aren't much to write home about, but the instrumentals were really solid. Still, fun to take a break from rock. Favorite tracks: The Urban Theme, Sumthin' Sumthin', Dancewitme. Album art: Kind of confusing here, is this a wall and floor meeting? The UPC on the front is throwing me off a bit too. Colors aren't bad but it's a bit boring. 3/5
90’s cheese aside it was a surprisingly smooth and good album
Some people have a very high opinion of themselves….that’s not a comment on the musicality because it was a very polished album, but the lyrics were laughable at times.
Funky en zwoel R&B album. Niet echt m'n ding, vind het eerder iets voor op de achtergrond
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Ascension, Dancewithme, Til the cops come knockin, Reunion
Solid
This is the type of soul that drives me nuts. I just can't handle all this wishy washy weenie singing.
I've had this guy pop up on a few of the Acid Jazz collections I bought back in the 90s. I remember that his songs weren't my favourites on the collection, a bit too sweet and smooth for me. Though he has a lovely voice, the instrumentation is subtle and the accompanying musicians are top-drawer.
This started off nice, with some good vibes. But it gradually trailed off into very sugary and tepid mediocrity that was hard to finish. Ok I’ll fess up, I couldn’t finish it, but what I heard was a solid 2 stars.
If you fed Stevie Wonder into a low grade AI algorithm and plugged in 90s level synths you wouldn't get something as bland as this.
Good
So 90s it needs cargo pants. It's not my thing at all, but he's got a nice voice and some of the songs are well-written.
As smooth as diarrhea and about as welcome. What the fuck is it doing on this list? Best Tracks: The Urban Theme; Welcome; Sumthin' Sumthin'
Smooth and funky
Started out groovy and fresh. Kept going and got stale. Seems that through the Album you can see the 90s "r&b" influence. Regardless there's some pretty great instrumental parts. Loved the bass early in the Album.
This was pretty smooth. No hard edges, all.... smooth. But I did fall asleep. In a nice way, but I still fell asleep. 3/5.
I am sure this is a great album for its genre. Unfortunately, it’s a genre that i actively dislike.
Not as sexy as they claimed it is. That voice alone can kill any sane guy's sex drive. The faster first tracks are actually a nice jam, but the latter, slower ones are pretty bland and boring. Overall, it's mostly soulless computerized soul. Not recommended for sexy sessions. Enjoy the vibe of the first half and stop as soon as it gets too slow.
Feels wacky having this be the second album after Herbie Hancock's Headhunters today. This guy is smooth and with a silky upper register. Til The Cops Come Knockin' is a song that drips.
I enjoyed the mix of jazz and modern r&b in the first song. The second song was a bit underwhelming. Sounds like classic 90's R&B music. Not a favored genre of mine or one that I'm very familiar with. It is easy to listen it and I don't hate it.
som agradável, suave
I am so down with music that makes you sexier – not just feel sexier, but actually be sexier and enhance your performance, too. Just buttery smooth and awesome. Neo-soul forever.