Mayer Hawthorne: corny soul

Soul is back in town. Well, it's back in all around the world, actually. Over the last couple of years, artists like Amy Winehouse & Duffy (both from the UK), Raphael Saadiq & The Roots (both from the USA) have arranged their latest works into that marvelous genre that experienced it golden age in the 60's and 70's. Mayer Hawthorne is the most recent revelation among this trendy soul comeback. And it has become in one of my most beloved discoveries since I first learned of him thanks to the girl that collects cachivaches. The idea of recording "silly romantic soul tunes" started as a joke, according to Hawthorne. He showed his songs to his friends and they suggested him that he'd better start taking that music seriously, because it was too good to end up like a mere inside joke among buddies. He took that advice, recorded some other tracks and finished the record. Finally Stones Throw Records signed him, and A strange arrangement was edited. This is the kind of music that plays in the background when you fall in love like a fool. (It is also pretty good for dancing like a fool, as a matter of fact.) A strange arrangement's got to be the sweetest record I've listened to this year.

This is the video for Just ain't gonna work out