DATE: Wednesday, July 16, 1997              TAG: 9707160116

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Music Review 

SOURCE: Candy McCrary, Staff writer 

                                            LENGTH:   28 lines

MAXWELL'S "MTV UNPLUGGED" BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO SOME OLD SONGS

THE MOST AMAZING thing about this seven-track EP is that it was recorded live. Even the most trained ear would be hard-pressed to find a flaw on this superb collection of feel-good, mellow soul songs.

Five of the tracks are remixes from the platinum ``Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite,'' but maybe ``remix'' isn't the right word. They are almost remade - into tunes that contain the jazzy, mellifluous sounds for which Maxwell is praised.

The seductive wail of a saxophone on the opening ``The Suite Urban Theme (The Hush)'' paints a picture of a romantic rendezvous. A sudden but smooth tempo change launches listeners into ``Mello: Sumthin (The Hush).'' The new version doesn't beckon as much as the original, as it makes more room for the guitar and horns, but it's still a jam.

A remake of Kate Bush's ``This Woman's Work'' combines Maxwell's falsetto with piano and strings. The emotion in his voice is enough to bring tears to your eyes. When he sings, ``I should be crying but I just can't let it go,'' you can hear the regret.

The only near-miss is ``Gotta Get: Closer,'' a remake of Nine Inch Nails' ``Closer.'' It's a forgettable tune that's just too long.

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