Album: Maxwell

Now, Columbia

Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was quite the sexiest record of 1996, a guiltless fumble in the closet where R&B stows its silkiest retro pleasures (Marvin, Prince, Rance Allen and Curtis). The second album didn't live up to such a precedent. Now marks a partial return to form. There is still no recovery of Maxwell's best songwriting faculties but his high tenor, not to mention his groove, are down. This is domestic soul of great passion and modest compromise, but you should be aware that the best song here, by a cool urban mile, is Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work".