With love sick lyrics and a provocative blend of country rock, pop, blues and indie rock, the 21-year-old singer-songwriter's new album Tell Me could easily be the soundtrack to a summer love fling.
The Kent, Ohio native was born into music, traveling and performing with her family's bluegrass band, One Way Rider when she was only eight years old. After a break up with her first boyfriend at age 15, heartbroken Mayfield began writing her first solo album.
Two years later, the White Lies EP was released and caught the attention of Black Keys singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach. Since then, Auerbach has pushed Mayfield's career forward, inviting her to perform at Black Keys' shows, helping her in the studio and producing her last two albums.
In both lyrics and music, Tell Me is a raw depiction of what a young lover's mind endures with feelings of inadequacy, torment and selfishness matched with elation, arousal and wonderment.
The track "Somewhere in Your Heart" is a dark and hair-raising portrayal of love-crazed rejection with heavy drum patterns, throbbing piano and eerie, screeching waterphone.
"Blue Skies Again" is a stark contrast with a pop-infused sound, cheerful melody and uplifting, layered chorus that creates an image of winter melting away into the clear sky of spring. "Nervous Lonely Night" is equally bright with swirling extraterrestrial-like flutters and light-hearted vocals while Mayfield sings satirically about going crazy.
In "I'll Be the One You Want Someday" Mayfield's bluegrass roots are revealed with twangy, echoing guitar, stacked vocals and tormented lyrics about self perfection.
Although Mayfield's voice is front and center throughout the album, Tell Me's dynamic music breathes new life -- and love -- into the singer-songwriter genre.
Jessica Lea Mayfield performs at Off Broadway on May 13.
Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Our Hearts Are Wrong" by Nonesuch Records
