Mayer Hawthorne, the frontman for the soul revival group Mayer Hawthorne and the County has just released their debut album "A Strange Arrangement" on Peanut Butter Wolf's acclaimed label Stones Throw, which sees the likes of other notable artists on its roster such as Mad Villain, Breakestra, Guilty Simpson and so on... Prior to the likes of donning the Swooning Man's Cap as the Soulful Mr. Hawthorne, Andrew Cohen, the Ann Arbor Native cut his chops as a Rapper / DJ for the LA based Hip Hop Outfit Now On. (www.myspace.com/nowon) Haircut, as he is known in the world of rap and breakbeats, paved the way for Hawthorne to emerge, proving himself as a Master of the Hook, notable on many such as the track "The Willows" off of Now On's most recent album "Tomorrow Already," which you can download online.
I also had the pleasure of directing a music video for the Pittsburgh/Detroit Hip Hop Duo Past Due (www.myspace.com/wearepastdue) who enlisted Haircut's craftsmanship for the catchy track "All Mine," Produced by Mike Samm and VPK Solutions. You can check out the video here:
Last week I went to check out Mayer Hawthorne and the County at the Darkroom in Chicago to a sold out show for the group's international kick off "Lonely Hearts Club Tour." The notably talented local Chicago Act J.C. Brooks and the Uptown Sound warmed up the crowd with a mindblowing remake of "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" by Wilco in a way likened to Jimi Hendrix covering Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watch Tower." It didn't touch the original, but it made it into such a ridiculously awesome upbeat dance-jam that everyone in the building went nuts. Buff1 (also from Ann Arbor) got up to rock the mic right before Hawthorne and the County and rocked the set finishing with a hype delivery of his song "Beat the Speakers Up." You can check out the video here:
By the time Mayer Hawthorne took the stage, the Darkroom was packed, hot and sweaty. The county carried the crowd through a soulful 45 minute set and left everyone asking for more. I've heard a lot of people who questioned what the deal was with this Retro-Motown Soul Revival Act, and some people that just don't get it. Others have said that Hawthorne hasn't brought anything new to what is essentially a genre that ended well over 20 years ago. I beg to differ. While the formula may remain very similar to the territory it was born from, I would ask you to look at how masterfully it was done, give it a listen for yourself. My guess is that once "A Strange Arrangment" runs its course and gets the attention and radio play it deserves, Hawthorne's Sophomore Album will be more than a force to be reckoned with.
I just hope I'm lucky enough to get a call to do another video for this cat!
So long and Farewell. And I hope you Feel the Love!
