I have to admit at first listen I was skeptical. Me, a true Maxwell fan; who still has hopes of marrying him, or someone like him … I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the album since it was so different than “Now,” which I’ve been playing for years. But different is always good, because that means I haven’t heard the sounds he is jamming with, and I needed to retrain me ear to the tune of him. There’s more rawness, a more unfinished sound through out the album, with the exception of the first single “Pretty Wings.”

The smooth soulfulness of Maxwell’s voice is just oh so satisfying… You believe him on “Love You,” when he belts, “Let me be anything you want me to be; Honey let me show you; let me love you now.”

Please do!

Take “World Stops,” one of my favorites… Maxwell’s falsetto floats above the jazzy bass and simple guitar melody. He’s careful not to overpower his words. You hear very clearly those Maxwell harmonies, giving off a tripling effect with his voice. He does the same on “Bad Habits.” Hmmm, what kinda bad habits you got Max?

Break us off a little sumthin sumthin …

Maxwell goes through many emotions, bouncing between his throaty voice and falsetto. So expertly done on several tracks; reminiscent of how he sang on the “Now” album. I want to repeat “World Stops” so I can really feel what he feels and believe in what he believes; the thought that when you’re with the one you love you can stop the world from spinning. Sounds a little Beatles-esque, I mean, all you  need is love, right?

He keeps the uptempo feel, grooving with more prominent instrumentation that reminds me of the first time I saw Maxwell on stage at HardRock Live, Orlando… He only slows down long enough to let his love go on “Pretty Wings.”

If you can catch him live, do it. You won’t be disappointed! But if not, the album will suffice.

http://www.myspace.com/maxwell

Quintessential Jonny Lang

It was cold, gray and a little windy, but at least it didn’t rain! Chesapeake Blues Festival rocked the shores of Sandy Point Park Sunday; oh wait! That was all thanks to Shemekia Copeland and headliner, Jonny Lang, www.jonnylang.com

I’d like to thank Shemekia for her boisterous performance, 30 years young and sounding like an old school pro… I also wanna thank her for the wonderful lyrical content of her songs; “I ain’t gonna drink your dirty water now more, you can serve fiery water from a golden tongue. Ouch! Or “Why would you bring a new love around so soon, why rub salt in my wounds?” Sing it sister! You’re a ghetto child, no doubt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDjT4sk-Fd0&feature=related). She sang this with no mic, and could still be heard from at least 30 yards back!

Too bad she wasn’t given more time, replacing the whack “Blood Sweat 7 Tears.” The  sad excuse for a jam blue band. Basically a watered down variation of Blue Traveler. For some reason they kept doing Neil Diamond-style ballads. I thought I was at a blues concert, not in Caesar’s Palace in Vegas.

Shemekia Copeland

Thank goodness I had something to look forward to, Jonny “too hot to handle” Lang. No introduction, just straight into his set, kicking off with a medley of “On The Otherside Of The Fence,” “Don’t Stop for Anything” off his most recent album “Turn Around (2006)”and “Get What You Give” off  his 2003 release “Red Light.”

Looking much older than the last time I saw him live at Tampa Theater, more filled out like man (but still lean), unlike the scrawny Jonny of five years ago… But still has that distinct soulful voice born to a kid who was Grammy-nominated by age 15! I mean, he’s only around 28 now; been in the game for a minute …

Seriously, how does he sound so pained and aching?

Leaving To Stay

Jonny makes a rather seamless transition from “Red Light” to a Bob Marley’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” making me think I must have heard this rendition before.  He shreds like no other on “Anything Is Possible,” with such intensity without loosing himself, although I’m convinced when he goes into this other state, he’s possessed by that guitar.

Mostly blending one song into another, not much talk, except to graciously thank his fans who stayed out in the cold (till dark) of mid-May (?) to see him.

A moving “Leaving To Stay,” that made me wanna float away, “I’ve heard a lot of stories, but my prayers have been ignored … I’ve been waiting in the wings between the ocean and the shore, but this time I’m leaving to stay…” - beautiful.

Eventhough he did an encore, it wasn’t enough… 90 minutes just the beginning when someone so talented is leading a band of funky, bluesy-ness.

Jonny B Oh So Good!

Till next time Jonny, come and get me if it’s the last thing you do.

crowd, bundled and ready and waiting for Jonny... Bay Bridge backdrop

Can’t beat that scenery, if only the sun could have cracked the sky.

The mp3s on the site don’t seem to resonate with my memory of the show, hmm? These must be new songs.

This was indeed an odd gathering of friends out partying with the ladies, dancing and winking into the camera while Foxx and T-Pain sang about blaming clubbing behavior on the alcohol! 

So who will Mr. Howard blame it on? I guess it’s never too late to be a playa… If you didn’t know, now you know… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mRhMIzyhRE

Where has his been exactly? Not sure, but can’t wait to hear the rest of the forth-coming album “Black Summer’s Night.”  Having seen this beautiful specimen on stage at Hard Rock Live – Orlando and most recently on his last tour stop in Richmond, Va., I can attest that “Black Summer’s Night” will be more like a “Midnight Summer’s Dream,” from which I will not want to awake.  Check it out! http://www.musze.com/

That Caleb Followill (could he be anymore sexy?), what a voice! More intoxicating live than through my iPod earbuds … Caleb vocals bellow over top heavy electric guitar rifts, numbing bass lines, sounding haunting, wrenching and endearing all at once. Something about his tone, just stays with you … makes you wonder how does he feel after releasing such intense melodies?

Matthew Followill’s lingering end to KOL’s “Cold Desert,” evoked Prince’s ”Purple Rain,” solo; odd, I know, but true… Any essence of pop is extinguished and flat out trampled on when the band of brother’s (Nashville-natives) soulful, Southern rock influences shine through when they barrelled through a set from their earlier albums of which are more dark and brooding than “Only By The Night.” Of course, the band’s stand-out tracks from that album, “Sex on Fire” and “Closer,” drew lengthy cheers and singing-a-longs from the audience.

Returning for a 30-minute encore, if you could call it that. Really, it was the second set after a 5-minute break, but who’s counting? KOL was steaming and loose, so they let it all hang out for a bit, launching a spiraling series of songs that thrashed with hypnotic, trance like splendor. The amazing technicolor light show, definitely played a part in creating that wonderland.

The witching hour arrived and KOL retired from the stage as unassuming upon which they arrived; single file into the dark.

Stay tuned – Mary**