Last Thursday, Mayer Hawthorne made a stop in New York City for a concert at Webster Hall. The singer, who hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan, was joined by The Country, whose four members wore matching crimson v-neck sweaters and button-down shirts. Mayer Hawthorne (real name: Andrew Mayer Cohen) stepped up to the microphone dressed in a gray three-piece suit paired with custom-made red Nike Dunks. This geek-chic look is just the surface of the infusions that make Mayer Hawthorne’s style interesting.
Hawthorne engaged the audience at Webster Hall with his unique play on revival soul and jazz. When he sang “Green Eyed Love,” he sparked a mellow sensation that inspired a collective shimmy and sway. The boys held on to their girls, listened and sang along is if the performance were just for them. With guitar, drum and key solos, his show is built on progressive transitions for an audience that is familiar with his songs and words. Hawthorne’s sound breaks the expected format with surprises that included covers of N.E.R.D’s “Fly or Die” and Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend”. The band stopped abruptly during “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” which prompted Hawthorne to ask the audience if they wanted to hear a remix. And just like that, he flipped a switch to falsetto over reggae to the audience’s surprise and delight. Hawthorne’s encore came with a tease of a Doctor Pepper jingle before the quirky singer closed with the song “When I Said Good Bye”.
The singer/producer brings new meaning to old-school classics. With a richness in song that can be pulled from a library of records from the 1960’s, Hawthorne can swing his vocals and beats to a melody that may serve as a harmonious soundtrack for couples – his debut single, “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” was released on a red heart-shaped 7″ vinyl in 2008. While he may be a newcomer to an old genre, he demonstrates a refreshing youthful grasp on soul and translates it into ‘retro’ fashion that is beyond charming on the stage. Mayer Hawthorne is clearly an intelligent musician who takes his music seriously – citing Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry and Barry White among his influences. The audience could relate to what was saying and felt it in how he said it. It takes talent and showmanship to convey these qualities and character on a stage. (Especially to demonstrate and teach the audience the Errol Flynn dance from Detroit)
In collaboration with Converse and Wax Poetics, Mayer Hawthorne and James Pants will release a 7” vinyl, in which Mayer Hawthorne covers the James Pants track “Thin Moon” and James Pants covers Hawthorne’s “Green Eyed Love”. If you’ll be in Austin for SXSW, Mayer Hawthorne will appear at 45 Live on March 17, where Stones Throw will be giving away limited edition copies of the record (you can grab the early digital release here).
CLICK HERE to view photos of Mayer Hawthorne’s performance at Webster Hall. Be sure to listen to Mayer Hawthorne’s cover of James Pants’ “Thin Moon” below and click through for his latest video for “I Wish it Would Rain”.
For the curious: Mayer also goes by the moniker Haircut. Check out some of his hip hop infusions on his MySpace page.
Mayer Hawthorne – Thin Moon
