R&B is alive and well, folks. And guess what, it's not the sexploited soft jams that suffocated the charts in the 90s. Nor was the best R&B this year attached to names like "Justin" or "Thicke." This album has so much soul mixed into poppy dance floor jams, it will have even the whitest old white man in a suit, tapping a foot in rhythm. Mayer Hawethorne's falsetto's are Timberlake-esque, but just stands strong in his normal vocal range where JT falls back to talk-singing until the next falsetto chorus. Popmatters.com's Zachary Houle reviewed the albums as such:
"With Where Does This Door Go, Hawthorne offers a set that’s more cohesive and fulfilling than How Do You Do [his previous album]. Even with the thematic of sex being awkward and mean-spirited, the LP is a joy to listen to and fans of Steely Dan will find much to admire here. The album builds with track after track of awesomeness that offers a heralded look at a genre of music that often goes overlooked, unless, of course, you’re a regular reader of Mojo or Rolling Stone. Mayer Hawthorne might be asking Where Does This Door Go, despite the fact that it’s more of a command than a question, and the obvious answer is wherever he wants to lead us down. Whether the sex vibes are good or bad, Hawthorne has the “it” sound that’s a favourite of coffee shop baristas everywhere. Where Does This Door Go improves over his last effort, which was already pretty good to begin with, and may go down as one of the year’s most exceptional releases. Where Does This Door Go is as refreshing as a tropical breeze, if not a good cup of joe at your favorite hangout." - Zachary Houle
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