I’m not that big of a fan of Peanut Butter Wolf but I’m thankful for his discovery of Mayer Hawthorne‘s sweet falsetto talent after all these years in the indie underground scene in Ann Arbor. Besides the fact that he’s from my home state, there is a wholesome factor to the singer that oddly makes me feel proud in a general sense. Just because he’s a dude looking dapper in a suit all the time does not mean his music is anything like Michael Bublé’s. Although they both do have a throwback sound – Bublé with jazz standards and Hawthorne with soul and R&B – the crooning done by Snoop Dogg’s new favorite white boy adds some flavor that is reminiscent of the melodic dynamics from The Supremes and the current soul swagger of Raphael Saadiq.

I’ve been listening to his debut album, Strange Arrangements, quite a lot this past month. It may be because I’ve had the opportunity to see him at both Outside Lands and Sunset Junction this year. The charm he provides with his dancing “Mayer-ettes” and his band The County may also be factors, but when it comes down to the basics, his strange arrangements give me a nice solid foundation from back in the day that I can dig as new music today.

Check his latest video for “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin'” out below. It’s one of his many videos made for this album and since this one came out over a month ago, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out if a new one is on deck to premiere very soon. I wish the clarity were better but it’s still a fun watch especially since summer is just winding down. Also, check out his collaboration with Snoop Dogg on “Gangsta Luv” where he remixes the track into a “g-mix.”

Mp3: Snoop Dogg – “Gangsta Luv” (Mayer Hawthrone G-mix)