Jessica Lea Mayfield is no stranger to Champaign-Urbana. Having performed here a few times before, she makes her return to the area for Mariposa Music Festival, which is happening in Downtown Champaign this Saturday evening.
Her grunge rock roots shine on her latest album, Make My Head Sing. Ahead of her performance, I spoke with her about the album and how playing these songs has made her happier than ever.
Smile Politely: I wanted to start by talking about the album you put out this year, Make My Head Sing. As I was reading about I saw that you said the song “Party Drugs” really kick-started your writing process.
Jessica Lea Mayfield: Yeah, yeah.
SP: There’s a lot more mature themes in that song and through the album, and the music is much different than your previous work. What I took from the album was that you’re trying to get away from what you’ve been doing since you played in your parents’ bluegrass band as a very young girl, is that fair?
Mayfield: Well, I think that the last two records were different from each other. They weren’t bluegrass or country by any means, so I don’t know. All that stuff kind of confuses me because everyone has a different opinion of what they think music is. I don’t know if I’m trying to get away from anything; if anything I’m not trying to let anything pin me down.
SP: There’s more grunge and ‘90s rock coming through in the sound on this album, is that you and what you like coming through more?
Mayfield: Definitely. I think I’ve always liked a lot of the alternative stuff, and it’s just for me what has been accessible. I’m glad that it became more accessible for me to make this record at this time in my life when the subject matter has been the most meaningful. At any point in my life I’ve had the means and I may have attempted a record like this, but I think this was just the perfect timing for it.
SP: You also got to work on this one with your now-husband (Jesse Newport), correct?
Mayfield: Yeah, yeah, we actually met three years ago today. The album, a lot of the songs are about me and him starting, you know, sharing our space and starting our lives together. And its also about all the turmoil and confusion that come with the connection of two people. It was also really intimate to work on this record with him because it was so personal for the both of us. I was worried, I think we were both worried, about it because we wanted so badly to be able to work together in the studio since everything else worked so well and we both love recording so much. It would have been a shame had we not be able to make the record together, but it worked and it worked really well.
SP: You’ve now worked with Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), who is not only famous, but also really great at what he does, and also working with someone intensely close to you. What’s the biggest difference between those two?
Mayfield: My brother, David Mayfield, is also a record producer, and I spent a lot of time growing up recording with him. I guess there’s a comfortableness with that, which I got used to. Then when I started working with Dan there was a lot more structure and also at the same time I wanted to play and work hard, but sometimes when you’re in someone else’s space you have to go by their time frame. With that its like, “Its five o’clock, wife’s gonna make dinner and everyone’s gotta go now,” but you’re like “I just came up with this part, oh no!” And I think with this record, and it just being me and Jesse, it was endless. We spent all day and night in the studio if we wanted, just any hours we wanted just working on the album and hearing every idea I had and satisfying that progression.
SP: Based on that, would you say this is the most fully conceived, most thought-out album you’ve made?
Mayfield: Definitely, I gave myself the right amount of time to make something that was… I feel like with other things I’ve worked on it’s the same thing, I just wanted a little time to see where things would go and see where I could go. I wanted to see what’s the best I could do, I wanted to satisfy that and say, “Let me try my hardest.”
SP: I was lucky enough to see you after “Tell Me” came out, playing solo in a coffeehouse, but based on your new album I imagine you’ll be doing things a little differently for Mariposa?
Mayfield Yeah, I’ll have a full band with me. Me on guitar and vocals, my husband Jesse on bass, and a Matt Martin on drums.
SP: With the songs from Make My Heart Sing there’s a lot more noise and energy. How do you translate that sound to songs you wrote for previous albums?
Mayfield: I feel like the all the songs, when I played with a full band, from With Blasphemy So Heartfelt and Tell Me, were translated heavier live and easier to play. So I feel like those songs and the new songs go really well together and I play a good mix of new songs and old songs. When people see the live show they’re always like, afterwards they come up to me and say “I was wondering how everything was going to go together.” But they’re all my songs and people forget how similar they are because they’re all written by me.
SP: When you’re on stage is it more fun to have others with you sharing the spotlight?
Mayfield: Definitely, I think that I can always play solo and do that for however long; it’s not a problem. But I get bored and lonely without other people up there to share the stage with me. When I get up there with Jesse and Matt we’re having fun, when I’m up there by myself its like, “OK I’m going to stand up here by myself and say really personal stuff while people look at me.” It can get a little isolating.
SP: So, is this tour you’re on supporting your latest album more enjoyable than others to you? Obviously having your husband around helps, too.
Mayfield: Its great to get to travel the country with my husband and its definitely more enjoyable to have people up there with me. I have more fun playing shows, playing songs off this record than I’ve ever had playing shows in my life.
Catch Jessica Lea Mayfield at the Mariposa Music Festival in Downtown Champaign on Saturday evening. The festival starts at 6 p.m., and you can see the whole lineup complete with Braid, PHOX, Cornmeal, Common Loon and many more.