Albums: Mayer Hawthorne Hawthorne Rides Again

Mayer Hawthorne first came to prominence in Europe when he supported Bruno Mars on tour in 2013. With a mix of influences that were as diverse as Steely Dan, Curtis Mayfield, and the Isley Brothers, Hawthorne impressed many with his third album, Where Does This Door Go?

Releasing his fifth solo studio album, Hawthorne has delivered a soulful set of songs that hack back to early seventies soul acts like The Delfonics, The Stylistics, and, latterly, a touch of Barry White.

All the songs on the album flow and give a good energy. Like a gentle conversation with the listener, the tracks are easy to consume but they still have depth with Hawthorne bringing character to the album, using his influences to bring a melting pot of soul, sophistication and subtlety.

Stand out tracks include For All Time, a tender ballad and Deeper Vibration, a modern pop/soul song where it is really is a case of Hawthorne rides again. Whilst the album is short on fast paced numbers Hawthorne makes up for this omission with Eyes of Love, a disco throwback that even mentions eighties soul act Shalamar.

While he may not have covered their hit, A Night to Remember, Hawthorne has delivered an album that is full of songs that, once heard, are hard to forget.