Mayer Hawthorne & The County have brought Motown mod to the new millennium. Sporting signature thick-rimmed glasses and a red hot cardigan, with his groovy crew in matching black, Mayer Hawthorne got us all singing in three part harmony. Hawthorne, a seasoned producer whose background ranges from country to rap, writes arrangements akin to the great Smokey Robinson, but delivered with an edgy, contemporary sound. At Dig For Fire we revere musicians who defy genre, and The Decemberists' side project Black Prairie is a new favourite. Imagine the SXSW Lawn Partiers in a campfire circle, lulled by this bittersweet bluegrass, with Eastern European overtones and melodies so lyrical they don't need words, powered only by the setting sun. For more in the series go to www.babelgum.com/sxsw