5 comments about Brown Sugar.

1. i like every song on this album. his voice just mellows you out. everyone should have this one in their cd collection.



2. It's been 12 years since I purchased this album and I finally write my review! I'm J-RE, an R&B artist out now and I honestly have to break it down for you in a simple sentence. D'angelo was my only inspiration for even wanting to break into this crazy industry. I was 14 when brown suga dropped and all I could remember was how cool this dude was. I listened to this album and studied this album and wrote and played keys and really used this album as a blue print. I am grateful for this album and honestly is the only album that I really still listen to like that (Voodoo as well)
   
   I don't need to write a crazy long review here. Just want to tell D'angelo thank you for exposing this to the world, cause without you, there would be no J-RE and that's real. Honestly if I hadn't listened to this album I would have not really cared to make music like this. I mean I was musically inclined since I was 8 but "Brown Suga" made me think..."Man this is the best music I've ever heard. I need to do this"
   
   This album is a hands down classic



3. THIS IS THE CD ,THAT GOT ME INTO LISTENING TO SOUL MUSIC AGAIN,I GOT VERY UPSET WITH THAT GENRE FOR A MINUTE,THIS BROTHER GOT THE MESSAGE AND DELIVERED THE GOODS ON THIS ONE FOLKS,I LOVE SOUL MUSIC PERIOD AND I WILL CONTINUE TO AS LONG AS WE GET IT AS GOOD AS THIS!D'ANGELO REMIND YOU OF SOME THE GREATS WHO CAME ALONG BEFORE HIM, AND MAKE YOU APPRECIATE WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE GAME NOW!THEY CALLED IT NEO-SOUL(NU-SOUL)WHEN IT CAME OUT!I CALL IT A NEW CLASSIC MASTERPIECE,THIS IS ESSENTIAL, A MUST HAVE,
   IMPORTANT RECORDING TO OWN......TIMELESS,BUTTER!BUTTER!BUTTER!



4. D'Angelo's (A.K.A. Michaela Eugene Archer) debut album was "Brown Sugar" (1995). D'Angelo is a multi-talented musician- singer, song writer pianist, guitarist and record producer. This short ten track release is an impressive groundbreaking album full of excellent music. The album's opener is the smooth title track "Brown Sugar", a feel good love track with a great vibe to it. The laid back "Alright" follows, D'Angelo laces the track with some soulful vocals. "Jonz In My Bonz" was composed by D'Angelo and his former girlfriend Angie Stone, who is also the mother of his son. One of my early favourites is "Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine", D'Angelo croons away. D'Angelo sings about the scenario of finding his best friend with his wife on "Sh*t, D***, Motherf**ker". "Smooth" is just that, while "Cruisin" has D'Angelo doing a cover on a Smokey Robinson classic - delivering another highlight track. Soulful ballads follow in "When We Get By" & Lady". My personal favourite track on this album is the closer "Higher", D'Angelo does take his audience higher with this exceptional song. It would take D'Angelo, five years to deliver another album, with Voodoo (2000) a solid album worth checking out. D'Angelo has dealt with some battles in recent year's whether it be with drugs and rehabilitation or nearly dying in a car crash, heard hes working on a new album wish him all the best with that. "Brown Sugar" is definitely the D'Angelo album to have, full of soulful feel good music, D'Angelo took his audience on a journey to remember.



5. I don't know why I didn't purchase D'Angelo's CD when he first hit the airwaves, but this CD has become on of my all-time favorites! Between this and Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite you can't miss!

5 comments about Come Away with Me.

1. The sound on this is very anemic. The bass is almost non-existent. I've read this in other reviews but I had to see for myself since I love this album. It's true. Stick with the regular CD. Later Edit: I've decided it's not as bad as I first thought. What I said previously still applies but you won't be wasting your money on this.



2. "Come Away with Me," American chanteuse Norah Jones' first CD, initially released in 2002, was a sensation, but you probably don't need me to tell you that. It won five Grammies, including "Best Album of the Year," and "Best New Artist," for its vocalist. And it eventually sold more than 16 million records in this country; 39 million, worldwide, making it almost the most popular album ever, just behind the Beatles' work.
   
   The album was produced by that living legend, Arif Mardin, who'd previously turned his hand to helping out the likes of Aretha Franklin, and Dusty Springfield; most people agree that he really knows how to showcase a woman's voice. And Jones' voice: well, that's what the fuss was about, wasn't it? Sultry, sexy, smooth, smoky. A jazz/pop voice that's sensual, plaintive, soulful, folksy, and a little bit country. In short, an album best classified as mellow acoustic pop -- some listeners find it a bit reminiscent of Eric Clapton's "Unplugged," which was a big hit in its own right. "Don't Know Why," a revealing, introspective, personal number, first track on the album, was also a big hit single.
   
   The beautiful young Jones, a native of Brooklyn, New York, is also appearing in the odd movie these days. But she was born with music in her veins. She is, as is well-known, the daughter of famed Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar, and American jazz vocalist Sue Jones, and half-sister of sitarist Anoushka Shankar.
   
   However, young Miss Jones can't yet be said to swing: best she can do is sway, occasionally. But listen to her take on Hank Williams' country classic, "Your Cold, Cold Heart." The girl's got the jazz chops to go yet farther: from any point of view, she's worth keeping an eye on. If you've worn out the original CD, you might want to replace it with this SACD; the sound's enhanced,if you've got the right equipment.



3. I listen to this SACD using my do-it-yourself made vacuum tube amplifier plus Beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones. The sound is excellent, very detailed, Norah voice very breathy and warm. However, sometimes I can hear a slight hiss from recording and I have an impression that some songs were recorded with different settings since the "color" of the sound is somewhat different (particularly when compared the first track with the rest). The other thing is that the grandpiano is a bit too loud in some songs and "covers" the voice. Anyway, these are minor things and they do not spoil general, very positive impression. I really had fallen in love with that voice :)



4. Great album for easy listening. Recording is good and SACD makes it better. You have to be in the mood to listen to her. Good for background music. Again, she's not called s'Norah for nothing.



5. I've listened to this in standard stereo CD, SACD stereo and SACD multi channel. SACD stereo sounds much better with this. She's sitting there right in front of me. I love the music and they did a superb job on the 2 channel SACD. Out of about 30 or so SACD's (and 400 CD's) I have this is one of my favs.

5 comments about Control.

1. Janet Jackson really knows what gets people moving with her songs. Keep up the great work.



2. This was back in the day before Janet starting singing the same old "sex kitten" tunes. It albums like this and "Rhythm Nation" where she was singing real songs.



3. The 80s! Virtually where music was at it's finest and some of the world's biggest artist broke out to become legends. The biggest without a doubt was Micheal Jackson who by 1984 broke dozens of records with his monster hit "Thriller". From his videos to his performances, Micheal was everywhere and crowned the one of the greatest artists to ever live. It seems that there was no room for any of the other Jackson siblings to follow in his shadow, especially the youngest of the family, Janet! By 1985Janet was at an ultimate career low with both her albums "Janet Jackson" (1982) and "Dreamstreet" (1984) being huge flops. But Janet never let the overwhemling success of her big brother get in her way, firing her father as her manager and collaborating for the first with legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Janet took "control" of not only career but he rlife and created one of the finest albums of the 80s. Filled with infectious beats, outspoken lyrics, wonderful arrangements, and Janet's sassy vocals, "Control" is an album that made the masses take notice at is scored Janet 5 top 10 singles, her first #1 hit, and selling over 14 million albums worldwide (5 million in the U.S.). This wonderful album can be sumed up like this:
   
   Control-Beginning with the unforgettable monologue about her "control", the song takes off to pop paradise as the 80s funk and the bold lyrics mix mash to make great statement about what the album is all about.-5/5 stars
   
   Nasty-One of Janet's first signature songs, with her declaring herself Ms. Jackson...if you're nasty for the first time and her sassy attitude as she sings through the pop/r&b groove, this is an undenible catchy hit and classic.-5/5 stars
   
   What Have You Done For Me Latey-Very catchy and showing for the first time a very take charge side of Janet, it's no wonder this was her very first hit and it still wonderful to this day!-5/5 stars
   
   Can You Be Mine-A very sweet and bubblegum pop song! Janet sounds so cute, the lyrics are nice, and I can't help but sing along.-4/5 stars
   
   Pleasure Principle-Hard to believe this rock/r&b classic never made it past the top 10! Janet's vocals are strong as well as the arrangements being flawless. The guitar solo during the middle of the song is so perfectly placed. Truly one of Janet's best and most memorable hits!-5/5 stars
   
   When I Think of You-Becoming Janet's first #1 hit, the song is a fun-filled jam with upbeat lyrics and Janet's usual charming singing.-4.5/5 stars
   
   He Doesn't Know I'm Alive-Probably the best non-single song on the album, Janet's impressive vocal range and her sweet lyrics are a perfect blend of excellence.-5/5 stars
   
   Let's Wait Awhile-Who says Ms. Jackson can't sing a ballad? A song with a very significant message about waiting for your first, Janet shows that she is an artist with class and her vocals are sweet.-5/5 stars
   
   Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)-A very sensual yet mysterious ballad that has Janet speaking some well spoken french and expressing sadness as her fun has just ended. One of the first indications of Janet's sexy side, this is solid ender to this album.-4/5 stars
   
   "Control" is unforgettable statement of independence that jump started Janet's amazing career. Hard to believe this is only the beginning of the incredible music this women would release to the masses.



4. Look before she did a stunt at the Superbowl, she broke through the ranks of pop selling music star with this album entitled Control. I love the songs but I love Let's Wait a While because it's my favorite of hers. In all honesty, I prefer Janet over Michael. She has a great range in music, she sings about love, relationships, and being a woman of the 1980s and of the modern age. I hope she still sings these songs at concerts. She is equally talented as Michael and maybe more so because she is also a talented dancer as well.



5. This album is Janet Jackson's "Thriller" and is undeniably the absolute essential JJ album any hardcore or even more casual fan must own.
   
   CHART-TOPPING HITS
   Nine tracks on the entire album and six were breakout hits!
   
   REPLAY VALUE
   It's 22 years later and this album has retained a timeless quality -- something few albums of any genre of music have done. I still love this album and so does my seven-year-old brother who can get into this despite being enundated by the flavor of the month pop/hiphop/R&B songstresses of the day.
   
   GENRE-DEFINING INFLUENCE
   Give equal credit to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for creating a (at the time) new sound by laying Janet's gentle, soothing vocals over their high energy beats, producing a cutting edge combination at the time. Janet broke out at a time when all the best singers of the time had flair and five octave voices (Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Patti LaBelle, Anita Baker, Stephanie Mills, Teena Marie) though decidedly more refined styles. Janet couldn't compete vocally with any of these fine ladies, yet she outsold all of them and gained invaluable radioplay -- two factors that made the industry take notice and crank out cheap knockoffs with the same formulaic approach for the next 20 years (and counting).
   
   "Control" is Janet's masterpiece. It remains as refreshing and exciting as feel-good music goes.
   
   Pleasure Principle, Control, Nasty, When I Think of You, Let's Wait Awhile, What Have You Done For Me Lately. Fantastics songs and fantastic videos, each and every one! Love, love, love!
   
   This album makes me feel like a kid again.
   
   Paula Abdul, Jody Watley, Tiffany, Debi Gibson, Shanice, Aaliyah, Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, Ashanti, Ciara, Rihanna--did I miss anyone? They all should thank Janet for opening the lane that gave them careers!
   
   It all goes back to this album. Period.

5 comments about Live at Carnegie Hall.

1. Live At Carnegie Hall was recorded on October 4, 1984 (one day after Stevie's thirtieth birthday), and is a highlight of Stevie's early days with his band, Double Trouble. There are also guest appearances by John Hammond, Jimmie Vaughan, Dr. John, vocalist Angela Strehli (who sings an enthusiastic lead vocal on C.O.D.), and the Roomful Of Blues horn section. The performance is an intimate, but rousing, blues celebration of Stevie's birthday. At the end of the night, Stevie says, "Thank you very much for making this my best birthday ever...forever!". Musically, you couldn't ask for better. The sound and production are smart, and the performances are clean and inspired (that's an understatement on some of the songs!). The absolute best recording ever of Cold Shot is here, Testifyin' sounds great, and Lenny is simply AMAZING. It really makes you wonder why Stevie doesn't get even more recognition as a guitar god than he already has. Things That I Used To Do and Dirty Pool are both jaw-dropping, Stevie at his blues guitar best. Pride And Joy and Iced Over both sound as good as ever and the horn section adds to the sound instead of hampering it, and it gives the songs new life. More than just really good blues, Live At Carnegie Hall is an intimate documentary of a very special night in the life of Sevie Ray Vaughan, his friends, and his family. There's a lot of love, warmth, and personality on this one, and some really fine electric guitar fueled blues music, too.



2. Of all his CD's, this feautures some of Stevie's best playing, and it's LIVE! The acoustics of Carnegie Hall add tremendous depth to his soulful playing here, and he just rips and rips away without holding anything back. As an added bonus, this was right near the end of his career when he had his head on straight and his chops were peaking. You are really missing out if your collection doesn't include this one.



3. There is such history in this venue, and for Stevie to play there it was quite an extraordinary event. The recording is fabulous in your face guitar,
   like they had the mic inside his cabinets, protected by a noise gate. Great, great live performance here.



4. Live at Carnegie Hall is a must-have for the diehard SRV fan who wants to get a taste of the guitar master's live perfomance electricity. I purchased his Live Alive CD prior to this one and was somewhat disappointed (Live Alive was recorded at the depths of SRV's drug and alcohol addiction and lacked the luster and originality of his previous works).
   
   This, however, was a real treat. His torrential solo on Dirty Pool and collaboration with his brother, Jimmie, on Things that I Used to Do were flawlessly executed and super-charged. I am always amazed at how he could bend and twist notes in ways unheard of, but these two songs were absolutely mind-boggling.
   
   The second half of the CD, where SRV adds the Room Full of Blues horns and Dr. John on keyboards, was a pleasant surprise. Initially, I was skeptical, thinking it would be like "gilding the lilly, but it's a great R&B sound that every SRV fan should experience. In addition, Angela Strehli was outstanding on her fiery vocal on C.O.D.
   
   The only issue that prevented me from giving this a five-star rating, is the muddy sound on the first two or three songs (Carnegie Hall was originally designed for acoustic performances). Don't let this stop you from adding this one to your collection, though.



5. SRV and friends play up a storm. Herein are arguably the definitive recorded versions of "Cold Shot", "Pride and Joy" and "Things That I Used To Do". The horns really add warmth to the sound, but Stevie Ray is front and center. Eric Clapton has said he was in awe of Stevie Ray Vaughan for his flow; the way solos just poured out of him, and there are some blazing examples on this recording.
   Yes, the man was a great guitar play, an absolute master of the form, but something that is rarely mentioned is that his singing was as emotive as his playing. He was in great voice on this night too.

5 comments about Ultimate Collection.

1. This Cd is really good. Every song is a classic! Try it! You'll go back to the past and have a blast!! There is a song on this cd for every mood!!



2. Have been a fan forever... no one puts it down vocally like Mr. Osborne we need more artist like him today... Great voice and a Great collection CD to have...



3. Great cd contains all the hits you know and love from Jeffrey. Great collector's cd



4. My favorite song is "Only Human".................That song gave a good sprit to me. I really do also loved "She's on the left", "Plane Love", "Stay with me tonight", "You should be mine(The woo woo song)", and "The Boarderlines". Those 6 songs are cool, but I don't know about the rest of this album. Thank You.



5. This is the best collection of songs from Jeffrey Osborne. I wish he had a boxed set, but this will have to do for now. Great voice and great music on this cd.

5 comments about 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Jets.

1. The Jets were one of the Teen Pop bands who churned out dance pop hits in the mid 80's with a fun, innocent dance vibe. The first tune I remember was "Curiosity"(1985)... That was followed by "Crush on You"(1986)...both of these were extremely popular on the Dancefloors of the mid 80's. This is a very good compilation Album with only 1 of my favorites missing ( the remake of the Del-Fonics great, "La,La means I love you"). I am not a big fan of the 20th Centary Masters collections but this one represents the Jets very nicely with other hits 'You've got it all", "Cross My broken Heart" and Sending my love showing a few different sides to the group. This group of Tongen-German brothers and sisters are still somewhat active on the music scene mostly performing in Christian Groups involving younger siblings...but in the 80's the cute, cool, colorful group, The Jets, were hot on the Dance charts...Music was so much better back then...thanks for the memories!



2. This collection is awesome. I loved this group when they hit the scene back in the early to mid eighties. All the songs on this cd are classic Jet singing/dance songs.



3. I never heard of them until I saw their video on VH1 classic a few years, they are not bad at all. Especially like Rocket 2U, Make It Real, Cross My Broken Hearts. Unfortunately they only have 3 albums for the entire music career, so this collection is short, all the songs are good though.



4. This CD is outstanding. I LOVE every song. I play this CD at least once a week.



5. If you miss the fun of 80s pop, this CD is good enough for you. A couple of the ballads really struck me with memories - "You Got It All" brought me back to watching its video, and "Make It Real" put me at my 8th grade dance. All the dance tracks are upbeat and fun and i had memories of some of them - hearing " crush on you" on the way to the beach. "Cross my broken heart" placed me at the pool in 1987. Fun and upbeat describes what the 80s were about. Maybe that's whats been missing from America for the past 16 years anyway.

5 comments about Ultimate Collection.

1. I love Aaron Neville's voice and the song choices on this album take me back to the old days. Can't listen without cranking it up for those fantastic runs.



2. I'm listening to this CD right now, and I'm so entranced by all the tunes on this CD! Just one beautiful song after the other, full of gorgeous harmony and soulful expression!
   I think this is my favorite Aaron Neville CD - I've got five, so I guess I'll just have to order the rest of them to be sure! :)



3. This was a must have addition to my husband's collection. You won't be disappointed with this CD.



4. I have heard Aaron Neville in concert with his brothers in the past. I must say I would rather hear just him with his brothers in the background. He must have a six octave voice. Just glorius pipes. Duets with Ronstat are great! He needs to be on break out on his own more. He is truly a superstar. Thank you Aaron!



5. I can honestly say this is the best CD I have ever listened to. If you love the voice of Aaron Neville and love music that speaks from the heart, buy this CD-- You won't regret it.

5 comments about Motown Two.

1. I adore Michael McDonald's voice so I really want to like his albums because I want to listen to him. But after having listened to all of his latest stuff, I have to say that even though his voice is still fantastic, the cheesy studio music and mediocre production of the tracks makes them for me, unlistenable (don't know if that's a word, but you get the point.) Just when his voice begins to soar, I'll hear the cheesy drum machine, or some musak sounding backup singers. It destroys it for me. Michael needs to find himself a real rock & soul band to put him on top. Musicians who could match what he can do vocally, with a really great producer, is what's needed to make that most of that voice. I'm still waiting.



2. While it lacks the keyboard and piano playing of Michael he does well especially in the Toni Braxton duet "Stop Look and Listen". His SOUL SPEAK album is much better.



3. Motown Two (2004) picks up where Michael McDonald's first Motown album ended, and that's not a bad thing. Like it's predecessor, Motown Two features an excellent song selection, close as possible to Motown song arrangements, and expressive and soulful singing from McDonald. There's really not a lot to complain about here, and there's no false advertising. It is what it says. As I was listening to this tonight, I turned on the television, hit the mute button, and watched while I listened to the music. The evening news featured a story about families of fallen American servicemen killed in the war in Iraq. Young widows and their children mostly, but also the parents of these brave soldiers. One image showed a young black widow comforting a young white widow, both with tears in their eyes. McDonald's version of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On was playing. At that moment, it dawned on me just how American the sound and the story of Motown really is. How it belongs to all of us. How much it helped to define the 1960s and 70s. The war, the riots, the assassinations, civil rights, landing on the moon. Michael McDonald's Motown and Motown Two are both really Baby Boomer albums by a Baby Boomer (but to be enjoyed by everyone), a chance to go back to those days, only with a new twist and an updated sound. The production here is completely Motown, and Michael McDonald's credible and expressive interpretations are all right on the money. This isn't ground breaking or anything, it's just a tribute to an important part of American popular music history by a guy who happens to be a damn good American singer. Enjoy both.



4. Once I heard Michael say that he was too senile to write his own songs anymore. And so now he has relegated himself to being a cover artist? To me that sounds like a slow death sentence - a putting out to pasture to wait to die! This should not be, he needs to hang it up and enjoy his life doing something new (it's not like he needs money). Such would not be a bad thing, but milking what is left of him in his music career in this way is.
   
   I cannot stand these Motown covers, they make me cringe. I really enjoyed McDonald's original work. It is unfortunate that his last album Blink of an Eye did not fair well but I really enjoyed it. If Michael loves doing music still, there are other ways to pursue it than being a has-been-gone-cover-artist!
   
   To me, for Michael to continue trashing Motown songs and doing covers is bringing down his legacy as far as I am concerned. Perhaps not, but it seems that he is saying that his glory days are gone an now he is too old to write his own stuff and so he must do covers. He is now a shadow of his former self. To me, McDonald's continuing his music career in this manner is like watching a once glorious race horse wither away. Either he should retire or seek to record original material written by others - there ain't no shame in that. As for these Motown covers, my ears have had it!



5. .....but not as good as Mowtown 1. Still his voice is one of the greatest thing I've ever heard.

5 comments about Songs We Sing.

1. now in the tradition of Island Kool . Not bad for a 4 weeler with talent and a nack for pop ... Songs we Sang ...



2. This cd is perfect for driving down the highway (preferably in a convertible) or for lounging in the backyard, having a barbeque. The sweet strumming of the guitar just makes me happy. It also makes me want to dance around and run through meadows. Some of my favorites: "Cold December" and "Yellow Taxi."



3. I saw Matt Costa opening for Jack Johnson a few years ago and was impressed. My friend bought his independent release of this album (with Whiskey and Wine on it!) and I heard him playing it in his car a few times. I liked his music but wasn't totally enthralled until I bought the CD myself (mostly just because my friends all had it) and as I listened multiple times to it, I fell in LOVE. Every song is so interesting and different. Astair is my favorite song, then Sweet Rose, then Sunshine. At first I didn't like Ballad of Miss Kate but now I do. I can sing along with "I Tried" and so that is why I enjoy that one. I have a terrible singing voice but for reason beyond me I can sing this song! "Behind the Moon" is also quite addictive. This is a wonderful cd, better than Unfamiliar Faces, in my opinion. The first is usually the best for many artists. But I hope Matt continues sending us happy music to brighten our days!



4. I bought this album based solely on the fact that I have yet to hear an artist signed by Brushfire that I don't like. I listened to it once in passing and thought it mediocre at best. I popped it in my CD player in my car on a roadtrip open to giving it another try and now I am ABSOLUTELY HOOKED! The songs are catchy and beautiful. Everytime I take it out and/or play the radio I end up popping it back in. I've got over 200 CDs in my car and I've been playing this and only this for over a week now....



5. superb acoustic album which you would not want to leave without on the road
   makes you jolly
   as simple as that

5 comments about Embrya.

1. I don't even get what some of these songs are about. The single stood out most and there were maybe 2 other tolerable songs but the others left me lost.
   
   I've been meaning to write this review forever but never got around to it. Forgot about it even. But then I started listening to Maxwell's "Til The Cops Come Knocking", came here to see the actual name for the CD it was on (couldn't remember) and kinda saw this CD right after his debut..
   
   I was like, "OK. Time to speak my mind."
   
   The sounds are very different and it will take you forever to understand what he's talking about on some of these songs.
   
   I bought it for less than 7 bucks used but hey, that's cause I'm a fan of some of the songs he's done in the past (Til The Cops...Lifetime, This Woman's Work, etc...) and will always be a fan of his smooth vocal delivery.
   
   Should have just purchased Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite...^_^
   
   1.8 stars.
   
   End Note: I like different, original music but this was like a Rubik's cube; impossible for me to solve and figure out!!



2. I didn't get into Maxwell or buy this CD until 2006. After enjoying his videos on VH1Soul I decided I wanted to hear more. I knew I wanted Urban Hang Suite and Now but I hesitated about buying Embrya. I'd read some negative reviews and it never got much airplay. I'm so glad I decided to hear it for myself. I believe that 99% of the negative reviews are because of the weird song titles and because it is not as funky as his debut. Play the entire CD once or twice and you will get past all of that and discover it for the lush romantic jewel that it is. The singles Luxury and Matrimony are feel good midtempo songs. Drowndeep is sensuous and sweet. Those are my favorite songs but this album has so much more to offer.



3. sensual, passionate, deep, dreamy, bubbly, exotic and sexy is what i can describe this album....( is that the reason why they call this neo soul ? )



4. After his much hailed debut album, "Urban Hang Suite", Maxwell followed up with the less critically acclaimed "Embrya". Like its predeccesor, "Embrya" is a concept album, built around a theme or idea where each song is like a chapter in a novel. Essentially, this album is about birth/rebirth-the beginning of something new (the album cover illustrates this, as Maxwell appears as though he is in the womb). It continues where "Urban Hang Suite" ended and it's almost as if it is a sequel. Where "Urban Hang Suite" had Maxwell lamenting over lost love, "Embrya" finds him moving forward and finding new love. Many people just couldn't conceptualize this album-with its odd titled songs and varying music styles. Some critics dismissed it as self-indulgent. Therefore, album sales were a bit sluggish. In my opinion, I feel this album is superior to "Urban Hang Suite" and it is where my preference lies. The genre of music on his debut album pretty much stuck to the same format-there were elements of Funk, R&B and Soul, whereas, "Embrya" is more mellow and experimental branching off into different directions. There is a bit of reggae, hawaiian and what some refer to as "New Age" or "World Music". Being a fan of Sade, I enjoy the blending of varying music styles. Maxwell is no philosopher; many of the lyrics deal with love and eroticism (topics he seems to have pretty much mastered) and there is an element of spirituality ('Submerge: Til We Become The Sun'). The album begins with 'Gestation: Mythos/Everwanting To Want You To Want' and ends with 'Embrya' (a play on the word "embryo") which sounds almost like an ultrasound. I really can't pick a favorite song on this album, as I love them all. Some highlights include, 'Know These Things: Shouldn't You', 'Drowndeep: Hula' and 'Submerge: Til We Become The Sun'. While this album may not have been the darling of critics, it is an overlooked and undervalued album. Admittedly, it may be an acquired taste for some, but given a chance it will be appreciated as the lost gem that it is.



5. Once in a great while, an absolutely sensational musical person comes along and changes the face of music as we know it. Maxwell is one of those people.
   
   I cannot adequately describe what his music can do to a person - words really do fail me here. He is one of the select few favorite artists I have and all his albums reside in my music collection and have for a very long time. I cannot wait until his new album comes out - for goodness sakes, Maxwell, you have your fans chomping on bits here (I suppose you know that though...) - release the album before they all die of heart failure!
   
   On a more analytical, serious note, the musical theory in every single track is unparalleled in today's mish mash pop culture. His technical know-how (whether he reads music or not, I don't know - I don't too much: I make my music completely by ear) is exemplary and the way he puts a track together is best described as a gardener with very green fingers gently nurturing a plant from seed. I'm not surprised this latest album (Black Summer) has taken this long to come up with because he must have been emotionally drained after creating the last one. It can take a while for the creative juices to re-fill sometimes. It's actually nice that an artist can still say "hey - wait a second - I'm not ready yet" instead of being pureed to pieces by a recording company!
   
   Embrya is a collection of songs that will leave you breathless and open up parts of your mind you didn't even know you had. I seriously recommend those that "didn't get it" just continue listening, because I guarantee the will "get it" much sooner than they think. In a lot of ways, I think some of the tracks on this album are Maxwell's masterpieces.
   
   Bravo for a wonderful album - I am looking forward to the next one with bright-eyed 9and eared!) anticipation.