Formerly a DJ and beatmaker, Mayer Hawthorne crafted a comfortable niche for himself when he began his singing career. Hawthorne quickly built a solid resume with his blue-eyed soul vibes. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to highlight his 2016 EP Party Of One. Featuring only three songs (the last three are instrumentals), it’s a joyous listen.
The album begins smoothly with the ’80s-styled R&B-infused “Someone Like You.” Hawthorne croons about the search for companionship and the desire to find someone special to share life’s experiences with. The singer expresses his longing to find the right person to make their relationship work while acknowledging that they can’t guarantee it will work out. The song is a plea to have someone share all the different places they have seen. This includes the good times they have had and the bad times they have gone through. It is a heartfelt message of hope and longing for true partnership and love.
Up next is “A New Love,” the song that will take you back to the days of doo-wop. In this song, Hawthorne embarks on a musical journey about letting go of an old love and discovering a fresh one. Authentically, Hawthorne sings about how everywhere the singer looks, he sees reminders of their past relationship, yet despite this, he knows he must move on.
The song conveys desperation, loneliness, and introspection as he searches for a way to discover another love and let the previous one go. Ultimately, he knows it is time to bid his old love goodbye and find another to fill the void. The song’s hook serves as an anthem, reiterating that he must discover new love to move on with his life. The dance floor-ready “Time For Love” closes the EP.
A soulful, catchy love song and a celebration of the power of love, it had me tapping my toes. The lyrics explore the idea of spending time with the one you love. Expressing the joy and thrill of being with and showing affection to the person you love. The song takes this joyful narrative to another level as it celebrates the power of connection in the night, with the chorus proclaiming that “nighttime’s the right time for love.” The song’s upbeat rhythm and vibrant production evoke feelings of romantic, passionate love, and the lyrics remind us that time spent with the one we cherish is always precious.
Hawthorne’s musical ability allows him to transport listeners on a captivating journey through various musical eras, creating an EP far from mere throwaway material. In the simplest of terms, it stands out as a collection of original, high-quality music.
Final Grade: A-
Party of One is available on all streaming platforms.
Songstress Ashanti was experiencing significant success with two platinum albums at the time of the release of her inaugural holiday project, “Ashanti’s Christmas,” on November 18, 2003. Her label head, Irv Gotti, produced most of the album. This project comprises four original songs co-written by Ashanti, in addition to six cover versions of traditional Christmas standards and carols.
Vocal quartet A Few Good Man contributed two songs to the project: a cover of “Silver Bells” and the ballad “Merry Christmas My Dear,” both of which were produced by Daryl Simmons. Demail Burks, David Morris, Aaron Hilliard, and Tony Amey were the members of the group, and after introducing themselves in the festive video for “Silver Bells,” it was only fitting that they delivered a ballad on the album.
R&B legend Luther Vandross had already solidified his place in R&B when he released his first holiday album, “This Is Christmas. Arriving in stores on October 24, 1995, “This Is Christmas” validates Vandross’s ability to sing anything.