In the past three years Matthew Mayfield has both redefined himself and red… Read Full Bio ↴In the past three years Matthew Mayfield has both redefined himself and redefined how a musician can record and release music. When Matthew’s previous band, Moses Mayfield, which signed with Epic when he was only 21, disbanded at the close of 2007, the Birmingham-based musician was forced to decide how to proceed with his life. A working musician since the age of 18, he only knew songwriting, recording, and touring. “All I ever wanted to be was a rock 'n roll star,” Matthew says. “When the band broke up, I knew I had to keep pushing."
Matthew’s career as a solo artist has evolved naturally over the past few years, his fanbase growing organically and his songwriting skills growing exponentially. But it has not just been the quality of Matthew’s songs that sets him apart. The prolific musician has self-released eight EPs since 2008, offering his fans a consistent stream of new music. In September of 2008, Matthew recorded his debut solo EP, The Fire EP, for $1000 in a Birmingham basement. This disc spawned “First In Line,” which appeared in the 100th episode of Grey’s Anatomy.
Matthew’s second EP followed in July 2009. Five Chances Remain Hers, produced by Paul Moak, which landed another track, “Better,” on Grey’s Anatomy. The single skyrocketed to No. 1 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart and in December of 2009 Matthew offered fans a third EP-- Maybe Next Christmas. The reaction to these releases and to Matthew’s songwriting was so strong it just made sense for him to keep doing it.
“The response was pretty overwhelming and caught me a bit off guard,” Matthew explains. “It reset something inside me and got my wheels turning for the EP series. I wanted to try something that no one else was trying. I knew I had the songs, and I knew that if I worked hard, I could put out records that people wanted to hear month after month. I've had plenty of issues over the years as an artist, but there's never been a shortage of songs.”
Since Maybe Next Christmas, Matthew has written, recorded, and released five more EPs--regularly putting them out every month from January 2010 through May 2010. Each disc has showcased a different facet of the musician, revealing his depth and versatility. Funded by his fans— who were also involved in selecting the tracklists and cover art via Pledge Music--each EP has also reached the top of the iTunes singer/songwriter charts. The whirlwind process has taught Matthew, who toured in the midst of this with Needtobreathe, Pete Yorn, Switchfoot, Blue October and The Civil Wars, an immense amount about both himself and about creating music.
“Each EP is a different chapter for me,” he says. “Essentially, it was an exercise in storytelling.Late '08 into early '09 was by far the hardest period of my life. There was a lot of grief to process, and it was tough to file it down into song form. The ideas spilled out night after night, morning after
morning. I learned to keep a voice recorder close by at all times for that reason. Most of the melodies came to me in the car, the airport, the shower— pretty much the most inconvenient places for making noise.”
Riding on the momentum of this succession of music, Matthew is currently preparing to release his debut album, Now You’re Free, a record that was completely funded by his fans via Pledge Music. Recorded over the course of three weeks with producer Paul Moak in Nashville in June, the disc pairs five songs pulled from Matthew’s past EPs and five brand new tracks. The ten songs walk a fine line between Matthew’s acoustic singer-songwriter tendencies and the group-driven rock ‘n roll he loves making, in the end creating a cohesive, narrative-driven collection of spirited rock songs.
"I want to write songs that people can sing back at me the way I sing back at my favorite artists,” he says. “I'm excited about attempting to change something with a song. It could be someone's mood for four minutes, the temperature in their room or the way they watch the sun set driving down the interstate. Music has changed everything for me. I want to be a part of that for other people.”
Matthew’s career as a solo artist has evolved naturally over the past few years, his fanbase growing organically and his songwriting skills growing exponentially. But it has not just been the quality of Matthew’s songs that sets him apart. The prolific musician has self-released eight EPs since 2008, offering his fans a consistent stream of new music. In September of 2008, Matthew recorded his debut solo EP, The Fire EP, for $1000 in a Birmingham basement. This disc spawned “First In Line,” which appeared in the 100th episode of Grey’s Anatomy.
Matthew’s second EP followed in July 2009. Five Chances Remain Hers, produced by Paul Moak, which landed another track, “Better,” on Grey’s Anatomy. The single skyrocketed to No. 1 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart and in December of 2009 Matthew offered fans a third EP-- Maybe Next Christmas. The reaction to these releases and to Matthew’s songwriting was so strong it just made sense for him to keep doing it.
“The response was pretty overwhelming and caught me a bit off guard,” Matthew explains. “It reset something inside me and got my wheels turning for the EP series. I wanted to try something that no one else was trying. I knew I had the songs, and I knew that if I worked hard, I could put out records that people wanted to hear month after month. I've had plenty of issues over the years as an artist, but there's never been a shortage of songs.”
Since Maybe Next Christmas, Matthew has written, recorded, and released five more EPs--regularly putting them out every month from January 2010 through May 2010. Each disc has showcased a different facet of the musician, revealing his depth and versatility. Funded by his fans— who were also involved in selecting the tracklists and cover art via Pledge Music--each EP has also reached the top of the iTunes singer/songwriter charts. The whirlwind process has taught Matthew, who toured in the midst of this with Needtobreathe, Pete Yorn, Switchfoot, Blue October and The Civil Wars, an immense amount about both himself and about creating music.
“Each EP is a different chapter for me,” he says. “Essentially, it was an exercise in storytelling.Late '08 into early '09 was by far the hardest period of my life. There was a lot of grief to process, and it was tough to file it down into song form. The ideas spilled out night after night, morning after
morning. I learned to keep a voice recorder close by at all times for that reason. Most of the melodies came to me in the car, the airport, the shower— pretty much the most inconvenient places for making noise.”
Riding on the momentum of this succession of music, Matthew is currently preparing to release his debut album, Now You’re Free, a record that was completely funded by his fans via Pledge Music. Recorded over the course of three weeks with producer Paul Moak in Nashville in June, the disc pairs five songs pulled from Matthew’s past EPs and five brand new tracks. The ten songs walk a fine line between Matthew’s acoustic singer-songwriter tendencies and the group-driven rock ‘n roll he loves making, in the end creating a cohesive, narrative-driven collection of spirited rock songs.
"I want to write songs that people can sing back at me the way I sing back at my favorite artists,” he says. “I'm excited about attempting to change something with a song. It could be someone's mood for four minutes, the temperature in their room or the way they watch the sun set driving down the interstate. Music has changed everything for me. I want to be a part of that for other people.”
A Banquet for Ghosts
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'A Banquet for Ghosts' by these artists:
Arktau Eos Try to harness the river of gods Spirits of the moors…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Matthew Mayfield:
A Cycle Baby would you love it if I could recover it…
Ain't Much More to Say Came back again Come knocking down your door With a fist ful…
Always Be You This stream that passes me by No dreams, no spirits run…
Beautiful Will you receive That I believe You're beautiful Will you…
Better Two fires, they're breathing Running out of air Two hearts, …
Better Off Forgiven Weightless in the silence, the only thing you hear. It came …
Can One more day left of summer We’re still chasing the numbers…
Can't Change My Mind One more day left of summer We’re still chasing the numbers …
Can’t Change My Mind One more day left of summer We’re still chasing the numbers…
Carry Me Pony up and meet me Where the ocean meets the sand Relieve…
Cold Winds Do you remember me Do you remember me? Do you remember what…
Come Back Home Another morning And I’m still holding onto you to you I’ll w…
Dead to You Chances we had when we were young held as ransom by Future'…
Element I'm waiting Wish I was watching you In the daylight A perfec…
Fire Escape I see you bite your bottom lip Can you feel my…
First in Line I'll run my fingers through your hair tonight There's no one…
Follow You Down First time to meet you, I couldn't be wrong. I swear…
Ghost I’m giving up my ghost today I wonder why it ends…
Golden Opportunity Waiting for the waves to take you in Frozen by sea…
Grow Old With You My hands at your sides Your hands wrapped closely around a…
Heart in Wire This ain't right, this ain't right, this ain't right This a…
Heartbeat Lost the night I met you long ago and no exchange was…
Her Name Was December I can feel you hesitating As your breath begins to shake T…
I Don't Know You At All Do you feel different Now that you spit me out? Do you…
I Don’t Know You At All Do you feel different Now that you spit me out Do you…
In Or Out Wake up my heart dear and shake back the feen She…
Lives Entwined Inside her garden lies the secret and the light And I'd…
Look Me in the Eye Baby look me in the eye please. When you talk, I…
Man-Made Machines I’ve got my heart set on the way This world, it…
Man‐Made Machines I’ve got my heart set on the way This world, it…
Maybe Next Christmas 'Maybe next Christmas,' she used to say 'We'll find a new…
Mess of a Man Mess of a Man I use to find a feeling when…
Miles & Miles Open it up and let me inside, show me all…
Missed Me Rise up from the city like the fire that ate…
Now You The girl said forever, But she still may never be sold…
Old Friend My heart laid against the sand Carved by the ocean's hand Th…
Open Road Lay me down on Shores of the whitest sand Soft like that…
Razorblade A sunrise, a black tide's rolling in from a cutter's night a…
Revelation The sunlight is stationed high to her right With marks of…
Ride Away Somber the city lights Praise and shadow lines inside of you…
Ring Of Fire (One, two, three, four) (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh) Love is a bur…
Safe & Sound I hear you breathing Your heartbeat small but strong A chi…
Seasons In Our Dreams As I came up from the dark You met me there…
So Long So Long Sunrise show me the way I'm the first chaser today New fire,…
Still Alive Birmingham 1963 Blue eyed boy on safe ground just like me Ca…
Take What I Can Get If finders were keepers, I'd still be at home Take it…
The Devil Within Children watch the flames… as the ashes rise against the rai…
The Last Ride Lately you seem disenchanted by false truth Illuminated "I d…
Thief Charm me, disarm me But don't let me down Don't let me…
Timeless Art Take, take nothing, babe And give, give yourself away The t…
Tonight Where am I headed? Got my back against the wall Can’t move…
Tonight (remaster) Where am I headed? Got my back against the wall Can't go…
Track You Down Sweet lavender on an overcoat That scent you left on all…
Wild Eyes Young and wild and free and full of fantasy we search…
Wrapped In Rain I'm tired Of faux desires Of makeshift men And their wires …
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Tejas Jain
We all wish that this song was longer! This is the best song off the album.
Dune
this song is something special... I totally love it.
Rusty Nailz
Seems like his version of "bookends". Love the darkness about it.
mahrgt
I wish this song was longer.
jittersaunt
I agree. Funny that it's his least favorite song and it almost didn't make it on the album!!!