Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

Q - 3 stars out of 5 - "...One of the very best R&B records of the '90s..." Village Voice - Ranked #20 in the Village Voice's 1996 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll. Rolling Stone - "...evokes the prodigious bedroom electricity of FOR YOU-era Prince. You can also hear plenty of MFSB, Barry White and Marvin Gaye on the record....Maxwell massages his influences deep into the pink-satin folds of URBAN HANG SUITE'S cozy grooves..." Entertainment Weekly - "...While he can't yet claim the throne occupied by Marvin Gaye, he smooths hip-hop's and soul's edges, proving that black dance music doesn't automatically mean ghetto culture." - Rating: B+ Vibe - "...[Maxwell's] style calmly fluctuates between cool jazz and ballad-heavy R&B....MAXWELL'S URBAN HANGOUT SUITE is a refreshing detour from hump-bouncin' '90s R&B." Village Voice (2/25/97) - Ranked #20 in the Village Voice's 1996 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll. Rolling Stone (12/26/96, p.186) - "...evokes the prodigious bedroom electricity of FOR YOU-era Prince. You can also hear plenty of MFSB, Barry White and Marvin Gaye on the record....Maxwell massages his influences deep into the pink-satin folds of URBAN HANG SUITE'S cozy grooves..." Vibe (3/96, p.132) - "...[Maxwell's] style calmly fluctuates between cool jazz and ballad-heavy R&B....MAXWELL'S URBAN HANGOUT SUITE is a refreshing detour from hump-bouncin' '90s R&B." Q (6/02, p.134) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...One of the very best R&B records of the '90s..." Entertainment Weekly (4/5/96, p.80) - "...While he can't yet claim the throne occupied by Marvin Gaye, he smooths hip-hop's and soul's edges, proving that black dance music doesn't automatically mean ghetto culture." - Rating: B+ Pitchfork - "With melodious hooks to spare, URBAN HANG SUITE captures the sparkling intimacy and free-flowing conviviality that characterized New York's R&B open mic nights in the 1990s to a greater degree than almost any other album of its time."

Welcome to Maxwell's, where the groove always flows and love fuels all. Eschewing the slicker tendencies of contemporary R&B, Maxwell joins young turks D'Angelo and Tony Rich in looking back to the aesthetics of '70s soul for inspiration. Opening and closing with instrumentals ("The Urban Theme" and "The Suite Theme"), URBAN HANG SUITE is knee-deep in wah-wah guitar, funky Rhodes piano and lush, atmospheric sounds that evoke silk sheets and champagne.
Although Al Green and Marvin Gaye are obvious touchstones, Maxwell avoids vocal theft, instead appropriating the way those singers inextricably meld their music and their sensuality. The breathy quiet-storm sax that closes out "Welcome" is as much a part of the sexual vibe as the sinewy funk and propulsive rhythm of "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)". Oozing with sensuality, URBAN SUITE is a soundtrack for an evening of romance.|

Maxwell's debut offers up a sophisticated and stylized take on late-'60s and early-'70 soul. Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, and the like are subtly referenced over the course of these 11 tracks of wide-screen soul. Mixing sensual funk with ballad sincerity, Maxwell coolly sings through highlights like "Welcome," "...Til the Cops Come Knockin'," and "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)." The atmospheric, cool-breeze soundscape comes courtesy of Maxwell and Sade cohort Stuart Mathewman. More expansive and airy sounding than the deep groove and gospel sides by fellow retro-soulster D'Angelo, Urban Hang Suite is destined to become a classic contemporary R&B disc. ~ Stephen Cook