• R&B

MAXWELL

BLACKsummers'night

Columbia

*** ½

Maxwell's long-anticipated new release contains nine songs -- and one of them is instrumental. Yet the outstanding collection, BLACKsummers'night, speaks volumes about the reason for the Brooklyn-born singer's enduring appeal: a distinctive voice.

It is not only Maxwell's vocal talent -- ranging from a cool falsetto to a slow-burn baritone -- that propels his sensual music, but also his willingness to share a perspective on life and love that exposes flaws, self-doubt and pain. Opening with chimes, the single Pretty Wings explores the regret of meeting the person of your dreams at the wrong time and finding the courage to let that person go.

A 10-piece band backs Maxwell for his fourth studio album and his first in eight years. The lack of synthesizers lends immediacy and creates a sense of emotional connection, giving the recording the ambience of a live concert.

He delivers with vigor on the simmering, soulful Stop the World. On Fistful of Tears, guided by an incessant piano, he expresses the desperation of a faltering relationship: ``I go insane, crazy sometimes, Trying to keep you from losing your mind.''

Longtime collaborator and friend Hod David served as co-producer and co-writer of the album, which is heavy on the timeless reflections of hope and heartbreak that Maxwell has made his trademark.

It is the first installment in what is planned to be a trilogy. The gospel-influenced blackSUMMERS'night is set for 2010 release, followed by the slow-jams-filled blacksummers'NIGHT in 2011.

-- WILLIAM T. McGEE

BROOKE WHITE

High Hopes & Heartbreak

June Baby

***

American Idol judge Randy Jackson has never executive produced an album for any of the myriad contestants in the eight-year history of the popular program. Until now.

It's surprising to see his name attached to Brooke White's first post-Idol release (she'd issued Songs From the Attic, a promising indie album, pre-Idol). The gifted singer-songwriter played guitar and piano and sang well, but always seemed an anachronism on the teen-driven program when she somehow managed to make it into Season Seven's Top 5.

Her musical heroes, she had said, were '70s icons like Carole King, Fleetwood Mac and Carly Simon, and her goal was to create an album for today that had the song-to-song flow of the oldies she cherished.

High Hopes & Heartbreak doesn't have the import or musical heft of a Tapestry or Rumours. Some of the tracks, like the single Radio Radio, feel lightweight by comparison. Still, it's thankful that Jackson allows White to continue in her easygoing '70s vibe and doesn't push her to be overly contemporary, even when she pulls out a credible Kings of Leon cover (Use Somebody).

White is best in thoughtful singer-songwriter mode, as on this CD's melancholic Out of the Ashes, a ballad that could easily have been plucked from a Carly Simon album, or the breezy California Song in which she name-drops America, the Mamas & the Papas, and Joni Mitchell's early-period LP, Ladies of the Canyon. White ably evokes the sunny spirit of all of these icons without slavishly quoting them.

The disco-lite title track is the closest to modernity Jackson prods White toward. But, even here, the infectious melody and reliance on timeless instrumentation -- as opposed to trendy hardware -- makes White's engaging High Hopes a peaceful easy feeling to take on the road.

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@