Maxwell

K Mchelle's first Abum

 In the news this week...K. Michelle is set to make a big splash on the coveted Billboard charts, including the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip Hop Album charts. Based on first day sales totals, the "V.S.O.P" singer and "Love & Hip Hop" star's debut album is projected to move between 65,000 and 70,000 copies, giving her a solid and impressive debut. Led by the single "V.S.O.P.," K. Michelle's "Rebellious Soul" comes after years of mixtape and single releases, a failed record deal and a visible come up of sorts via her appearance and affiliation with the hit VH1 reality series "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta."  The album has been well promoted as well, with K. Michelle making very good use of her platform on "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta" and connection with VH1, utilizing VH1.com to talk about the album and perform songs in a series of videos. Official sales figures and chart positions will be revealed next week."Rebellious Soul" is available in stores and digital retailers now. (singersroom)

Will Preston has formed quite a following over the years with his smooth brand of soul, but it's been a few years since we've heard new music from him on record. He has ended that drought with his new album #reacquainted, and he's coming out of the box with a romantic, soulful ballad called "Candy Coated Raindrops" that's climbing charts around the world. It's our newest First Listen and a nice way to get reacquainted with this talented singer. Check out "Candy Coated Raindrops" below and tell us what you think! (soultracks)

The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Robin Thicke, whose #1 hit "Blurred Lines" bears more than a passing resemblance to Marvin Gaye's 1977 smash "Got To Give It Up," is per-emptively suing the deceased singer's estate, as Thicke attempts to avoid claims of copyright violation with regard to the song, apparently being leveled by the Gaye camp. The lawsuit states:

"Plaintiffs, who have the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies, reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists. Defendants continue to insist that plaintiffs' massively successful composition, 'Blurred Lines,' copies 'their' compositions."

The case should be an interesting discussion of where "inspiration" by a previous song may cross over into misappropriation without attribution. There is no doubt that "Blurred Lines," including the party sounds and the beat, is heavily influenced by "Got to Give It Up," but is it enough that Gaye should be credited as a co-writer?

This weeks playlist for Sunday 18th. August 2013


Hour One
Gene Dunlap - Before You Break My Heart
Anita Baker - Angel
Gabor Szabo - Breazin'
Shirley Brown -I Caught You With Your Pants Down
Jon B - Isn't It Scary
Joe - More & More
Charlie Wilson - I Still Have You
Al Green - What A Wonderful Thing Love Is
Margi Coleman - I Need
Tim Owens - Smile
Sylvia Striplin - You Can't Turn Away
Gweneth Paltrow/Babyface - Just My Imagination

Hour Two
'Three-Inna-Row': Maxwell
1 Ever-wanting You, To Want You To Want
2 Pretty Wings
3 Dance With Me

Curtis Hairston - Chilin' Out
Winans/Phase 2 - It's Alright (Send Me)
Leroy Hutson - Lovers Holiday
Candy Brown - Since I Found You
Plush - We Got The Love
Gary Bartz - Music Is My Sanctuary
Coke Escovedo - Runaway
Zhane - Request Line

Maxwell's Biography:

Born 23 May 1973, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Of mixed West Indian and Puerto Rican parentage, soul singer Maxwell (his middle name) had to suffer the ignominy of his record company sitting on his debut album for a year, ignoring his traditional soul style in favour of the hip-hop-influenced singers dominating the R&B charts. Finally released in April 1996, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was a concept album about monogamy that eschewed male braggadocio to explore old-fashioned, romantic love. Featuring a collaboration with Leon Ware, co-writer of Marvin Gaye's I Want You, the album proved to be an unexpected critical and commercial success. Maxwell was voted Best R&B Artist by Rolling Stone magazine, and Urban Hang Suite was nominated for a Grammy. At the 11th Annual Soul Train Awards in March 1997, Maxwell won both Best Male R&B/Soul Album and Single (for "Ascension"), and Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist. The same month, Urban Hang Suite went platinum. Maxwell collaborated with guitarist Stuart Matthewman again for the 1998 follow-up, Embrya, slowing the pace down to create a wonderfully sensual and dreamlike record. The album debuted at US number 3 in July. The following year Maxwell enjoyed a huge US hit single with "Fortunate", taken from the soundtrack of Life. His third album, Now, provided the singer with his first US chart-topper in August 2001.

Discography:
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (Columbia 1996)****, Embrya (Columbia 1998)****, Now (Columbia 2001)***.