Customer Reviews

A Strange Arrangement

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The evolution of "neo-soul" and the reinvention of funk and R & B has been the unspoken blessing of the past decade. The slow mutation from Jill Scott to the British throwback queens of Duffy and Amy Winehouse have shown you don't have to reinvent the wheel, just take the old one and paint it a different color. Mayer Hawthorne's debut on Stones Throw Records, thankfully, finds an untapped niche in this genre with great results.

"A Strange Arrangement" isn't your older brothers booty-shaking R & B, your uncle's old Earth Wind and Fire records, or your dad's collection of Al Green. This record has a lot more in common with the Temptations and Otis Redding. Combining Motown soul and funk breaks and instrumentation, Mayer Hawthorne's music owes a lot to the classics and the easy listening sound of the early 60s and their favorite topic: love won and lost. Hawthorne plays every instrument on the record and has been quoted as having to learn how to sing for this record. It is easy to hear why: the melody lines frequently dip into falsetto and sometimes he executes it, sometimes he doesn't. No matter. The effort he pours into it makes up for the lack of training. The title track oozes along with vocal harmonies to create the lushest arrangement (no pun intended) on the record, first single "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out," despite its sparseness of arrangement or melody, just feels great. The horns of the cover "Maybe So or Maybe No" jump out of the record as well.

As a whole, A Strange Arrangement feels familiar and nostalgic in a good way. Of course there are drawbacks to his approach and style. I can't help but wishing Burt Bacharach or Hal Mooney (if he was alive) could toss their arrangements onto these sparse compositions and make them really fly. Very few multi-instrumentalists (Beck, Jon Brion, or Prince are excluded) can really put a session musician's technique on each instrument and careful listeners can hear this lack of polish. But for most listeners, "A Strange Arrangement" is an intimate, informal collection of love songs that goes down easier than your favorite nightcap. Recommended

I had read the reviews, seen the pictures, saw that he was on Stones Throw and all I could think was, great...another ironic artist copping a classic musical genre so he can be funny. I was wrong. Mayer, regardless of his initial motivations, has made a picture perfect piece of undeniable pop music that shines as a reminder of how sorely we need real music back on the radio. I would personally send my "hit" local radio station a dozen roses if they replaced the repetition of things like "Do the Stanky Leg" or the new Lady GaGa single with "Your easy lovin' aint pleasin' nothin" or "Make Her Mine". Also, this album is a great example of proper song constraint. I'd much rather have a 40 minute long album that I listen to on repeat without skipping a song rather than having to cut out half the album to listen to the 3 good songs. Kudos to Mayer Hawthorne and PBW for noticing the possibilities in Mayer's early singles and ponying up the cash for a full album.

As a singer/songwriter/bass player in a pretty popular local RnB band I'm always being deluged with albums of "neo-soul" artists that some today think are pretty good, or "the real deal". Having grown up the "golden age of Soul Music" as a kid in New York City I saw and heard every Motown Review, Stax Volt Review and Independent show that came in town to the Brooklyn Apollo, the RKO Alden in Queens and of course, THE Apollo Theatre in Harlem. So I'm just a wee bit skeptical when someone say "this guy's the new Smokey" or "that guy sounds just like Curtis". Pheh...

When I was handed a copy of Mr. Hawthorne's debut album "A Strange Arrangement" I was pretty skeptical. How ever after keeping it in heavy rotation in my various listeneing spaces for a month I paid him the ultimate compliment I can in this age of ripping and running, I came here and bought his album!!! Meyer Hawthorne "gets it"! He understands how to pair a hook with a beat and keep it short. There's not a tune on this albume over 3.5 minutes in length. And while reminiscent of Curtom and Motown his tunes manage to be bright, upbight and soulfull. At times you hear Curtis, especially on "The Ills of the World", other times you hear the Moments on "I Wish It Would Rain", but never ever does it descend into blaten rip off. I enjoy this album immensely, enough to buy it and review it. You could do a lot worse.

Worf

If it weren't for the message board I was visiting, Mayer Hawthorne's debut album, "A Strange Arrangement" would of went unnoticed by me(at least for awhile). Maybe if I had saw it in a year end recap of best albums of 2009, it would pique my curiosity. Luckily for me I didn't have to wait 'til such a time and discovered the album on my own(somewhat).

Prior to the release of the album, I heard samples of the album and was very interested and impressed with the album. Finally once I got my hands on the actual album, I couldn't stop playing it and virtually have not but I have given it a slight rest so I won't wear it out as fast.

The album is very good and in a very surprising way. I love the "Prelude" and the harmonies and how it goes right into the lush title track which is ever so dreamy and nostalgic. I actually like every song but some more than others such as "Shiny and New", "I Wish It Would Rain" and "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out". I strongly recommend this album and it would be a shame if this album gets ignored(which I'm sure it might but hopefully not).

I will even go as far as to say that this is like the male version of Amy Winehouses' "Back To Black" but not quite as dark.

Man, all I can say is, "What a bargain."
I purchased this some time ago and I haven't been disappointed. I pull it up on my iPod time and time again, and I never get sick of the soul this guy puts forth.
I'll spare you all the music jargon and just tell you, if you love good pop music, with just a strain of modern beats and sparse arrangements, this album's for you.
And at 2.99? That's less than the moca-frappa-chino that you would have dropped that money on anyway.

I just bought this album. Like... 15 minutes ago. Thing is, I was using this application on my toolbar called "StumbleUpon". As I was doing my boring usual stumble across the internet, this video on Mayer popped up. The music playing in the background absolutely caught my attention.
You see, I'm addicted to different types of music. Lately it's been things such as Bright Eyes and The Arctic Monkeys. But even they have their roots set in some sort of soul background. As I watched this little video, I fell in love with the soul version of Rivers Cuomo. So, maybe my bias of loving thick framed boys with musical talents took over, but my first instinct was to buy this album.

So about 3 seconds later I was here buying the album. Instantly I've listened to the album, and I find nothing wrong with it. I'm astounded by how "on the dot" the music is.... Without the grittiness of a record playing, it's absolutely well constructed and simple.
Simple is what we need in life and music right now. Simple lyrics, straightforward and classy, simple notes, not intricate like the screamo bands we see with their guitar solos, and simplicity in emotion, very optimistic and uplifting.

I see lots of things happening for Mayer. I absolutely love it. And maybe it's not authentically "soul" because Mo-town isn't what's all hot right now, but honestly, its something I can just dance around my living room too. Even if you're not in love in real life, this album makes you fall in love with being a daydreamer all over again. :)

Sorry Teach but what had happened was that it was an accident on the highway and uh...the dog ate my homework...and I tried to scan the homework but for some reason the server was down....


Talk about being late? Man..... who IS this guy?!?!?

I literally had never heard of Mayer Hawthorne until a few months back or so when the legendary Erykah Badu tweeted she wanted to do songs with him. I still dismissed it because I was too lazy to google him (sad yes I know) and I thought it was just a screen name for John Mayer. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago I was somewhere and heard the song "Just Aint Gonna Work Out" and man was it jammin! Long story short, googled him, youtubed him, and finally got the album.


One thing is for sure, the man has the soul and an easily recognizable voice. While there have been many "Blue Eyed Soul" artists to come along in the past decade or so (including but not limited to Robin Thicke, Justin Timberlake, Remy Shand, John Mayer, Jon B) this album is better than any album I've heard from them. Each song is different yet feels right in place on the album. The content and lyrics are poignant and refreshing. The instrumentation and production is highly skilled, soulful, and has the groove. The man (and the band) are extremely talented and creative. Even his videos are unique.

I Don't think there is anything corny about Mayer Hawthorne's Strange Arrangement. This is AUTHENTIC...THE REAL DEAL. This is one of the best debuts I've heard in a while and the music has made me a fan. If you like soul & R&B music then I guarantee this album won't disappoint. Strange Arrangement is a classic record with classic songs on it. Five Stars and my stamp of approval! A must buy.

Put this album on and play it... again & again
Amazing how fresh it sounds, whilst paying homage to the past
Feeling down... play it
Feeling happy... play it
Just play it
I am now

Having been raised on 60s A.M. radio and also digging indie rock (Guided By Voices, Apples In Stereo, etc.)
Hawthorne's "A Strange Arrangement" recording is a great combo of what excites me in music:
good songwriting, an indie rock spirit, and great performances caught on record. It sounds like he was
having a good time recording this CD.
I'm tired of over-produced, slick recordings geared for MTV! I'm tired of drum looped
"songs" being "written" by producers and 5-6 other so called "writers" (which usually include the star wanting her/his name on the song).
Mayer writes good, catchy melodies, good bass lines with cool beats. I like his sparse arrangements;
he doesn't need to cover up a badly written song with more and more vocals, beats, gimmicks, etc. Why? Because every song on this recording is well crafted and can stand on their own. Get this CD if you want to experience an indie dude who embraces the '60s Motown genre.

the quality was great.The style of music is something that is missing with a lot of the new artist.I look forward to more from theis guy.