Top tracks — play these first
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This Woman's Work — This cover transforms Kate Bush's original into a heart-wrenching exploration of love and sacrifice, showcasing Maxwell's emotional range and interpretive skill.
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Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) — With its lush harmonies and intricate arrangement, this track exemplifies Maxwell's ability to merge traditional soul with modern sensibilities while remaining deeply personal.
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Whenever Wherever Whatever — This song highlights Maxwell's smooth falsetto against a minimalist backdrop, encapsulating the essence of longing and desire prevalent throughout the EP.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Maxwell's EP showcases intimate arrangements and strong vocal performances, creating a cohesive and engaging listening experience.
What we noticed
- The first track is an instrumental introduction that sets a mellow tone, followed by three tracks featuring Maxwell's vocals layered over minimalistic instrumentation.
- The arrangement of 'This Woman's Work' features a gradual build-up, with strings and piano enhancing the emotional weight of the performance.
- The EP concludes with 'Gotta Get: Closer', which shifts to a more upbeat tempo, providing a contrast to the preceding introspective tracks.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- intimate live performance atmosphere
- steady emotional resonance throughout
- reflective moments of vulnerability
- for late-night relaxation
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy tracks
- prefer standalone singles
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This EP solidified Maxwell's prominence in the neo-soul genre after his debut.
- Career context
- Released on July 15, 1997, the MTV Unplugged EP came at a pivotal moment in Maxwell's career as he was rising to prominence in the neo-soul movement following his acclaimed debut album, Urban Hang Suite. This live performance showcased his artistry and vocal prowess, solidifying his place as an essential voice in contemporary soul music.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Erykah Badu· Anthony Hamilton· John Legend
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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This Woman's Work
The narrative shifts from a general observation about love to an intimate plea for understanding and connection.
This progression deepens the emotional impact by transforming the abstract into a direct appeal, enhancing the listener's engagement with the subject matter.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 The Suite Urban Theme (The Hush) 5:18
- 2 Mello: Sumthin (The Hush) 3:05
- 3 The Lady Suite 4:20
- 4 This Woman's Work 4:25
- 5 Whenever Wherever Whatever 4:45
- 6 Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) 5:10
- 7 Gotta Get: Closer 7:16
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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