Track of the Day: 'A Long Time'

Mayer Hawthorne is back with a new single from his forthcoming second album, and if that name isn't familiar, well, it's time to get you up to speed on a seriously talented singer/songwriter/arranger. His style would be best described as contemporary R&B, classic division. As such, this track features layered harmonies, smooth falsetto vocals, and some guitar work that is seriously indebted to the tone of Walter Becker in Steely Dan's prime. (Of course, it would be a version of the Dan with a thing for funk rather than jazz.) The video is built from 1980s local cable show footage, specifically a Detroit-area dance show from the era, so the styles are pretty priceless. But don't let those threads (and dance moves!) distract you from Mayer's tale. It's an ode to past golden ages of Detroit, and if I were the current mayor of the Motor City, I'd quickly name this track the official anthem of the city.

On iTunes: Mayer Hawthorn / "A Long Time"