Maxwell - Black Summers' Night

Rating:

* * *

Once considered the great hope of R&B - heir to Al Green's long empty throne - Maxwell returns after an eight-year absence. His voice as smooth and shimmering as ever.

The first in a trilogy of albums,

Black Summer's Night

is a collection of slick, pleading songs of forgiveness - and about as alluring as satin sheets on a bed.

Maxwell croons on

Playing Possum

: "I'm begging you sugar, have some leniency/ Call the President and ask him baby, to pardon me." But it's going to take more than a little leniency to swallow this schmultz.

If you're into R&B in its purest form,

Black Summers' Night

could be the record you've been waiting all decade for. But those who have learnt to love the pop-infused R&B styles of Ne-Yo or Chris Brown will find this record hard slog, wading through its slow sentimentality.

With the help of a synthesised drum machine and the grit of Maxwell's lower register,

Love You

is the only song that sounds like it is from this century. The rest could be remnants from Maxwell's mid-90s debut.

It's not old enough to be retro but not fresh enough to feel contemporary. At best, it may serve up some new wedding songs for the coming season.

Joanna Hunkin