Mayfield’s latest offering opens with a tune titled “I’ll Be the One That You Want Someday,” and you believe it. This sexy opener is delightfully playful; Mayfield pulls the listener in with her original, off-key voice and jarring twangs. The raw emotion in her lyrics and consistently stirring instrumentation produce an instantly likeable and hum-able concoction. “Our Hearts Are Wrong,” the second track, is smoother. This is what would happen if K.T. Tunstall dropped the one-woman orchestra business and just sang her soul out. The only time I miss you is every single day, she sings, and we feel for her. The album gets even more catchy and immediate as it progresses. “Blue Skies Again” is reminiscent of girl-band anthems from youthful summer days; you’ll be toe-tapping and head-bopping before you know it. Mayfield’s voice isn’t going to bring the house down, but that’s not the point. Her voice is playful, easy and poignant, like the songs she wrote for this release.
This article appears in February 9, 2011.