Jessica Lea Mayfield turns 19 next week. You’d never figure that from listening to her: a smoky, soothing croon that’ll instantly recall Lucinda, Jolie, Gillian and Hope (that’s Williams, Holland, Welch, and Sandoval, respectively). She’s a little bit country, a little bit indie. Doc Martens with a dress. Blend it all together for her debut With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, and it should instantly put the Kent, Ohio, native near the top of everyone’s “hot” list.

The record was produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and recorded over a two-year period at his home studio in nearby Akron after she appeared on the Keys’ “Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be” from Attack & Release. Still, it’s not like that was her first exposure to the music biz, having performed with her family band One Way Rider since age 8. She plays guitar, bass, and banjo and composed all 12 of the songs on With Blasphemy So Heartfelt with the exception of one co-written by brother David, who plays bass on both the record and in her backing band. Auerbach plays a variety of instruments on the disc, too, and two members of Dr. Dog lend backing vocals on a track.

Perhaps not surprising then, she’ll open for The Black Keys on a string of dates in late September and rejoin them in November for their UK tour, which includes a date at London’s Brixton Academy along with My Morning Jacket on November 12.

Mayfield’s simple arrangements and arresting voice are best exhibited on “Kiss Me Again”, the song that kicks off With Blasphemy So Heartfelt. Take a listen to who Scott Avett of The Avett Brothers says is “the most exciting new artist on the scene today”.

With Blasphemy So Heartfelt by Jessica Lea Mayfield hits stores September 16th via Polymer Sounds.

Jessica Lea Mayfield - Kiss Me Again

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 at 3:37 pm and is filed under MP3's, Music, This Just In. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.