Topher Mohr

Topher Mohr is an L.A.-based singer/songwriter that has spent the past few years as a member of Mayer Hawthorne's band.

He is now stepping out on his own and he is quite a talent.

His new single "Red Line Express" is the first of a series of singles coming out throughout the next year and is a perfect introduction to the singer's vintage-tinged and thoughtful songwriting.

"Red Line Express" is a soulful, '70s funk style rock ode to New York with a modern twist and vocals reminiscent of Paul Simon.

Who doesn't heart NYC? Mohr certainly did and does!

"I first fell in love with New York City in the winter of 2001," the singer said. "I arrived alone to audition for a rock and roll band, to escape the Midwest and to see what I was really capable of. I found a magical, electric city united and hardened in the crucible of devastation. It took about 24 hours of hard drinking and subway arguments to be granted New Yorker status. I would stumble from one Manhattan adventure to the next for the remainder of my '20s before succumbing to the pull of the west in 2007."

He continued, "I've now lived in Los Angeles longer than I lived in NYC, but I'm still a New Yorker at heart. Time has yielded perspective and "Red Line Express" is a reduction of my early experiences as a naïve Midwestern kid learning to be a jaded man – the hard way."

Ah, so Mohr is a citizen of the world's best cities – NYC and L.A. Now, with all that in mind, get on the "Red Line Express." - Artist Direct

In this edition of Neighborhood Watch: LA, Matt Kivel releases new video, Soft Swells embark on a nationwide tour, and we have an exclusive interview with Topher Mohr.

~ Topher Mohr has just premiered his latest single “Red Line Express,” a slinky, soulful funk jam that brings back the late 70s blue-eyed soul of well-renowned artists like Hall and Oates, and Al Stewart. The singer-songwriter gives an ode to New York in the song, a story-based account loosely emphasizing his personal experience from when he was a young man discovering the Big Apple.

Mohr may be a rising musician in the making, but his resume is anything but lacking. The prolific artist has spent the last few years traveling as a working musician for Mayor Hawthorne, and he’s released both an EP and a full-length in the last two years. But “Red Line Express" is a perfect introduction to Mohr’s grounded pop-soul, whose sounds are stylized yet never swaggering with overconfidence.

~ In this exclusive interview with Topher Mohr, we discuss his musical upbringing in his hometown of Michigan, the story behind his latest track, and the key to being a prolific writer.

Arena: You've mentioned your hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan being a cultural hub that informed your current influences as a songwriter. What was so special about that time, and how does it still resonate for you since you've moved on to bigger cities?

Mohr: Ann Arbor was a great place to come up for several reasons. For one, it was a college town, so it attracted intelligent people from all walks of life. The university, and the city, of Ann Arbor had great performance venues that attracted the best national and international acts from every genre. Pop, rock, blues, jazz, soul, funk, world music, you name it. We were also in close proximity to Detroit, with its rich history in Motown as well as classic rock bands like the Stooges and the MC5.

This all trickled down to the local rock clubs and even the high school bands. We were well versed in the classics from an early age, and there was an emphasis on content and artistry as opposed to New York and L.A., where I found the focus to be more on industry and the business of music.

Arena: The track "Red Line Express" is something of an abridged reflection on your early days. What inspired you to follow a more personal, story-based approach?

Mohr: I grew up listening to Paul Simon and James Taylor, and always loved how the classic songwriters could paint a vivid picture of a scene and a relationship or an emotion with just a few words. That's what I aspire to do when I write lyrics, though I find it very difficult, especially when I'm trying to be funky at the same time. With "Red Line Express" specifically, seven or eight years removed from my baptism by fire in New York allowed me to look back with some perspective and maybe even some safety.

Arena: You've been on a rather prolific streak ever since you released your breakthrough full-length last year. Is it a matter of maintaining that momentum, of documenting ever nugget of inspiration while it's still there?

Mohr: I think I'm just catching my stride as a writer and as a singer. I feel like I've finally found my voice and my style, and I'm having a great time making music with great people. - Arena

Topher Mohr has spent the past few years playing in Mayer Hawthorne’s band, but last year he decided to break away for his own solo career, releasing his first EP. Now the singer/songwriter is back with a funky new song, “Red Line Express”, echoing ’70s funk with elements of Paul Simon. Hear the new song FIRST on Earbuddy via our PREMIERE of “Red Line Express” below.

The good word from Topher Mohr:

I first fell in love with New York City in the winter of 2001. I arrived alone to audition for a rock and roll band, to escape the Midwest and to see what I was really capable of. I found a magical, electric city united and hardened in the crucible of devastation. It took about 24 hours of hard drinking and subway arguments to be granted New Yorker status. I would stumble from one Manhattan adventure to the next for the remainder of my 20’s before succumbing to the pull of the west in 2007.

I’ve now lived in Los Angeles longer than I lived in NYC, but I’m still a New Yorker at heart. Time has yielded perspective and Red Line Express is a reduction of my early experiences as a naïve Midwestern kid learning to be a jaded man – the hard way. - Earbuddy