Once again the Stones Throw label has provided Headz with a dose of much needed nostalgia. While industry standards have reduced rap music into an efficient mechanism for reproducing monotonous 60’s soul samples played at 45rpm and Dr Sues/ Mother Goose rhymes, Stones Throw returns to a simpler time.  The label that gave us the Jazz revision with a Hip-Hop twist, Yesterday’s New Quintet, and artists like Madlib and Quasimoto, once again appeals to our broader tastes.

With it’s 2009 release of Mayer Hawthorne’s “A Strange Arrangement,” the L.A. independent label crosses the generational divide. Reminiscent of artists like the Delfonics, Bloodstone, Impressions, and young Stevie Wonder, Hawthorne’s soulful strut transports listeners into time’s past.  With the simplicity of a meat and potatoes analog recording, Hawthorne is the quintessential oldie but goodie.  His voice navigates the warm bass and trademark live drum breaks like a true pro.  But wait don’t be alarmed!  He is a hippster white-boy from Ann Arbor Michigan.  Regardless of what his crappy indie rock Silverlake/ Echo Park attire might imply, Hawthorne is a wonderful addition to the Stones Throw catalog.  After signing with DJ Peanut Butter Wolf’s Stone Throw label, Hawthorne moved to the City of Angels and has quickly become a personal favorite.

In these times of technological advancement where CDJ’s, Serato and Traktor Scratch Pro have predicted the death of vinyl culture, Hawthorne’s Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out single was released on a blood red heart shaped vinyl as a classy way of paying homage to the True-School DJ’s. The Youtube video aint bad either. The song is a compelling break-up song that seemingly leaves the door open for a future friendship complete with benefits.  For the die hard vinyl lovers the heart shaped single is a must have and fairly obtainable at the few record stores still in operation (Ameoba).

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Electronic Frequencies

Wed. 10pm-2am