Bros, Jon Brion, ELO, etc).
Download the EP here:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/exclusive-download-neo-soul-singer-mayer-hawthornes-new-covers-ep-20110511
TRACKLISTING
Work To Do - Isley Bros
Don't Turn the Lights On - Chromeo
You Got The Makings Of A Lover - The Festivals
Fantasy Girl - Steve Salazar
Little Person - Jon Brion
Mr Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra
STORY BEHIND THE SONGS:
1. Work To Do- Isley Bros
This one features my live band, The County: Quentin Joseph on drums, Topher
Mohr on guitar, Quincy McCrary on piano, and Joe Abrams on bass. It was
recorded live in a radio station studio somewhere during our Winter 2010 US
tour. The tapes recently surfaced, but nobody can remember exactly where we
were. The song is originally by The Isley Brothers, and that's the only
version I was familiar with until we started playing it in our live shows
and people would come up to us and say "hey, loved your cover of Average
White Band!".
2. Don't Turn The Lights On- Chromeo
My favorite track from Chromeo's latest LP. On the surface it's an
electro-funk, dance floor filler, but underneath is a brilliant love ballad
with lyrics that reminded me of something from Tyrone Davis. Dave1 (of
Chromeo) told me the song is about a guy who falls in love with a ghost, so
I wanted my version to have an eerie, ghostly feel to it. Quincy McCrary
played the creepy piano solo at the end.
3. You've Got The Makings Of A Lover- The Festivals
Textbook Northern Soul from a little known Dallas, Texas group called The
Festivals. I was digging for records in NY with my homey DJ Kurse, and the
shopkeeper played the 45 in the store. Both of us immediately ran up to the
counter and said "yo! what is THAT?!". The original version was recorded in
the late 60s, and the mix isn't very good. I wanted a version that I could
bump. Quentin Joseph played the drums and we recorded them at Sam Beaubien's
studio in Detroit. That's Sam playing the trumpet as well.
4. Fantasy Girl - Steve Salazar
This song was written and composed by an amazing man from Pasadena named
Steve Salazar. He was born with a heart condition and passed away at the
young age of 27. Before he died he recorded one incredible album of demos in
the mid-70s with a band called Shorty's Portion. Peanut Butter Wolf found a
copy of the album and I loved it so much that he gave it to me (thanks
Wolf!). The vinyl had a handwritten note tucked in the sleeve that was
addressed to anyone who could help the band with management, a record deal,
radio airplay, etc. I'd estimate there were less than 300 copies pressed.
That's my Dad playing pedal steel guitar on my version.
5. Little Person- Jon Brion
Jon Brion is not from this planet. He penned this song for the soundtrack to
Charlie Kaufman's film "Synecdoche, NY". I didn't get the film at all, but I
really got the soundtrack. The original has only female vocal and piano, but
I always heard a larger arrangement. Hubert Alexander played some of the
piano and I did everything else.
6. Mr. Blue Sky- ELO
This one also features my band, The County, and was recorded live, in one
take, in a tiny makeshift tent, at a festival in Dour, Belgium.