What We're Listening To: Rita

A Strange Arrangement by Mayer Hawthorne

Mayer Hawthorne is actually Ann Arbor native Andrew Cohen, but when you listen to this debut album, you'll swear you're hearing 60's and 70's soul favorites like the Temptations, Smokey Robinson and Curtis Mayfield. Hawthorne recorded all the instrumental and vocal tracks, then mixed them with a light hand and a modern sensibility into an appealing neo-soul concoction. All but one of the songs is original, and each one is delightful; you'll be singing or humming these long after you turn off the stereo. This unique disc is well worth a listen (but you're sure to want more than one.)