Matthew Mayfield
Wild Eyes

At the risk of repeating myself and coming across as annoyingly self-referential, I feel compelled to say it once again: musically, this 2015, to date, is the most beautiful year of my life. It could be a coincidence, perhaps it's because I'm increasingly inclined to explore the present rather than the past, but when I manage to find new "loves" even in Alabama; I mean, in Alabama, if you know what I mean, then it means there's really something special. "Danny, you're quite strange, you've praised unknown Tajik minstrels, and you're surprised to have found someone from Alabama you like!?" Well, yes, for me, this piece of the Bible Belt, deep in the southern States, is one of the most unlikely places where I would have thought I could find something musically to my liking: Scarlett O'Hara, General Lee, Uncle Tom, George Wallace... okay, okay, I'll stop: if Matthew Mayfield ever reads this introduction and gets the urge to punch me, he'd have every right.

Matthew Mayfield, born in 1983, was the founder and frontman of a rock band, Moses Mayfield, an experience that seemed to be on the right track, given their record deal with Columbia Records, but something didn't work out, and in 2008 the band broke up after just one album and a couple of EPs: disagreements with management, apparently, and considering what followed, it seems our artist didn't at all like the excessive and inevitable interferences to which a young artist under contract with a major label is inevitably subjected. Today, Matthew Mayfield is an independent artist in the most literal, unequivocal, and authentic sense of the term, meaning he is not signed to any record label; he started again from the bottom, with some acoustic gigs in local venues in his hometown (Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama's heartland), and gradually, he's built an honest and solid career, which with "Wild Eyes" has reached its third album, along with several EPs.

Yes, but what is this Matthew Mayfield like? Well, he doesn't do country or southern rock, and despite his past, I wouldn't call him a rocker, at least not in the most traditional sense of the term, nor a classic folksinger, despite tending to express himself better with semi-acoustic sounds. He is simply a great singer-songwriter, not without a certain elegance and, above all, widely equipped with immediacy and personality. Ten songs, warm voice, introspective and well-crafted lyrics, a general feeling of honesty and "rural" simplicity, but combined with considerable variety and stylistic openness; Matthew Mayfield isn't afraid to use electronics when needed, for example. A fortunate combination of elements and craftsmanship that makes "Wild Eyes" a record that works. Despite the prevalence of ballads, it never descends into pathetic or sentimental; depth, the right amount of verve, a positive attitude, characteristics that never get lost and, combined with a distinct penchant for vibrant and catchy choruses and a beautiful voice, create a sound perfect within its genre, giving life to great songs like "Better Off Forgiven" and "Ride Away", which vaguely echoes Black's famous "Wonderful Life," but evolves in a more carefree and positive direction; but also "Why We Try", a beautiful semi-acoustic performance enhanced by the duet with someone named Chelsea Lankes (whom I'll absolutely need to learn more about), a singer with a wonderful tone, or also "Quiet Lies", more strictly folk, shadowy, echoing, anguished, and introspective in terms of songwriting, yet never losing that compelling, almost "epic" touch that is the common stylistic denominator of "Wild Eyes".

But I could mention all ten songs, there are no bad songs in here, among the most characteristic and significant, the opening and the closing tracks deserve special mention: "Wild Eyes", the title track, which stands proudly, beautiful, vital, with its electronic framework and a drumming rhythm that marks a peaceful, joyous, compelling battle march, and then "Settle Down", a crescendo with gospel connotations, deep, majestic, a final triumph of heart and soul, sealing a triumph that was unexpected for me and all the more beautiful because of it. "Wild Eyes" is a record from the heart and made with heart; it demonstrates, in the most convincing way possible, that independent doesn't necessarily mean elitist, intellectual, for a few pundits. This is a highly radio-friendly album, American in sound, down to earth, and it's an independent album by an independent artist, one who said to himself, "if you want something done right, do it yourself" and succeeded.