Cheyenne Marie Mize released an eclectic and enjoyable EP We Don't Need that we music fans absolutely do need. Don't miss this one!
Cheyenne Marie Mize – Wishing Well
I have been eagerly anticipating this release since I first had the pleasure of hearing the incredible lead track "Wishing Well," a few months ago. I liked it so much I named it my favorite track of 2011. Honestly, the song alone would make me like Cheyenne's new EP, but I'm happy that the other five songs are all great too. It is testament to the creativity and skill of Cheyenne as an artist that each one is quite a bit different than the others. Sometimes cohesion is good, but it is also impressive to be taken on a journey of styles and approaches and end up loving each stop along the way.
I couldn't believe anything would touch "Wishing Well" for its sheer catchiness, but the rollicking, piano-driven song "Going Under" comes close. There are also slower, moodier pieces such as "Call Me Beautiful," which sounds like a haunting old jazz song, sung by a siren on the pier of a dark harbor, and "It Lingers," which, with its cavernous, languid rock tones, calls to mind another of my favorites, Wye Oak. Cheyenne's voice is the initial draw for me. It's inviting and adventurous and every word and phrase is emotionally charged. It has the same irrevocable hold on my ears as Jenny Lewis' does, but like every great singer, Cheyenne's is wholly unique. It takes a lot of confidence to set aside a voice like this to make an instrumental track, but closer "Back Around" has no words and still is amazing, a sort of drone-y, ambient piece that feels like a film score.
Altogether, it proves that Cheyenne is a monumental talent. I am excited about what 2012 and beyond holds for her. You can buy this record on vinyl or digital formats from Yep Roc and be sure to keep an eye on her website for tour dates. There are a few Midwestern scheduled currently, but I am sure there will be plenty more to come.