It’s been a while since we’ve heard new music from Maxwell. The R&B crooner released his last album, “BLACKsummers’night,” in 2009 as the first installment of his trilogy. We’ve finally uncovered more details about his highly anticipated “SUMMERS” (blackSUMMERS’night) album.
“The album’s pretty much about the last day of summer, so I felt like it was a good idea to release it at the end of the summer,” says Maxwell. “It has that bittersweet feel to it. I don’t like things to be too happy. It’s when you go back to school, summer’s over then you kind of have that wonderful week where you get crazy. That’s what the essence of the record is.”
Earlier this year, Maxwell released a snippet of a track called “Gods,” which will appear on his upcoming album. He also performed the song over the weekend at the 2013 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans.
In a recent interview with Billboard, Maxwell talked about his direction on his new album and his duets EP with Alicia Keys. Read excerpts below.
So that does that mean this next album is going in a different music direction?
There are definitely some differences, but within the whole context of what I do, which is soul music really at its pure core. But you know, it’s gonna be more hi-fi. Do you know Sam Smith? That “Latch” song, man. Not that we’re doing full Disclosure, but for me one of the ways God has been so good is I work with the people who are the best on some level. I know a lot of people weren’t expecting “BLACKSummers’Night” to be what it was, just like a lot of people weren’t expecting “Embrya” to be what it was. People will listen to what I’ve been a part of and see what I’ve done. And even though some people go, “oh yeah I wish you’d done another ‘Urban Hang Suite,’ I’d rather that than, “oh you did another ‘Urban Hang Suite.’ It sounds like it, feels just like it.” To me that’s boring and that’s career suicide. So if you lose a few and you gain some new, it’s better than just doing what other people wanted you to do… Wow, “lose a few and gain some new.” I actually rhymed that. I should write songs, right? [laughs]And you’ve recently indicated that “Fire We Make” might not be the last duet between you two. What else might we expect?
We’re definitely working on an EP that’s sort of Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrrell. We got a thing musically. That’s like my little sister. What’s funny is Swizz [Beatz, Keys’ husband] is the champion of all of it. He’s like, “You guys have a thing when you make music together. We had a really successful tour together when she first came on the scene and she’s like family. She’s someone that I trust. I’m like that, by the way. Most of the people you see me working for me are actually with me. And I’m proud to say that I’ve known them for 20 years almost. I’ve written songs with, produced songs with them a lot of times. I don’t deviate form my comfort zone. I feel like when God brings people to you it’s good to keep ‘em around. Not to say I haven’t cut a few fools off [laughs], but for the essential I keep it close.
Listen to the snippet of Maxwell’s new song titled “Gods.”
