Photo by Doug Coombe

Hello My Name Is…
Mayer Hawthorne - how do you do?

I was raised in…
Ann Arbor, MI – just outside of Detroit.

The reason that you’re reading about me is…
I’m sensational and I’m also the newest signing to Stones Throw Records.

Right now I’m working on…
My debut album A Strange Arrangement – it drops 09.09.09!

But I rather be…
In bed with Megan Fox.

My most prized possessions are…
Besides my record collection…my bass guitar, and my skateboard.

But I’d give it all away for…
Maybe for Peanut Butter Wolf’s record collection.

The First Thing I do in the morning is…
Eat a balanced breakfast. Most important meal of the day!

The last thing I do at night is…
“I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death!”

My momma always said…
“Oy veh! Why do you spend all your money on records?”

I love it when people…
Invent something new.

I hate it when people…
Mixup their homonyms. (not there, or they’re)

If you ever see me walking down the street…
Don’t ask me if I want to “collab” on anything.

My most notable run in with the law…
I was recently arrested in Baltimore, on the Stones Throw US Tour, for urinating on a police station. They didn’t think it was nearly as funny as I did.

If I had to say sorry it would be because…
It Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out!

I get real “aggro” when…
I’m stuck in LA traffic…which is pretty much all the time.

The last time i swore I’d never drink was after a night of…
Jail in Baltimore.

Future projects and Plans…
I’m working on a few top secret new projects. But mainly I’ll be touring to support my new album.

And before I leave I’d like to give a shout out to…
Stones Throw, A-Side Worldwide, and Houston’s Knife and Fork Ribs. Check out my twitter – twitter.com/mayerhawthorne.

How do you begin to describe Koushik? His music is an intersection of the most unlikely influences, yet when they’re just right, that shit can bang. Koushik was born in Canada, resides in Vermont, has a classical Indian singing background and has been releasing genre-defying music with Stones Throw for a minute now. His latest release, Out My Window, continues his exploration of taking the rhythm of hip-hop into his music without necessarily making hip-hop music per se. The record sounds as if Koushik locked himself in a cabin in the mountains with a few instruments and a beat machine. It draws from folk and funk alike, and is always garnished with the signature soft, hazy vocals of Koushik himself.

James Pants

Welcome

Stones Throw Records

Ratings: 3.5/4

I need a pair of roller skates because James is blessing us with his fohnnnnnk! Ever since I bought the single “Ka$h,” he’s been added to my props list. His style of music makes me think of the cartoon “Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?”.  For those unfamiliar with Pants, you can expect a mix of electro, post-punk, hip-hop breaks, funk synths and low volume vocals throughout this album which features 16 tracks of cosmic beats. The production style stays on the Stones Throw, à la bedroom production; that won’t disappoint.  Each tune gives you a taste of nostalgia while moving future forward. If one were to ask how to describe the album Welcome, I would say birthday parties, roller rinks, ice cream trucks, outdoor barbecues and smoking a spliff in the park in 1986.  Most of the tracks run from two to three minutes, so your attention span will never go into la-la land but…you’ll find yourself there anyway! Trust— it’s a good thing!  Tracks I most enjoyed were “My Tree,” “Theme from Paris,” “Good Things,” “Ka$H” and “Crystal Lite”—the last two featuring the soulful vocals of Deon Davis.  Welcome is as delicious as an order of Wing Stop fries. Seasoned heavily and sticks to you.