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Unlike many artists these days, Matthew Mayfield is a song writer at heart. His focus on the song over the album is evident in his early discography; it's all EPs. Mayfield's tried the LP game with 2011's Now You're Free being his strongest effort and 2012's A Banquet for Ghosts being his most intimate. In 2015 we find a more mature song writer, not afraid to try something a little different while still holding onto what made us fall in love with him in the first place. Wild Eyes is just that, a journey into new, yet familiar, territory.

 Take "Mess of a Man" for example. It stands out sonically from its neighbors and captures the same southern-grit sound that "Track You Down" did from Ghosts. Then comes "Better Off Forgiven" which would have sat nicely with Irons in The Fire; it sits right in the middle of Mayfield's sonic range, not in your face but packing plenty of emotion.

 We see Mayfield venturing out for "On Your Knees" which features a synth-laden chorus and bridge. The synths, something we haven't seen very often from Mayfield, make a continued appearance throughout the record on tracks like "Better Off Forgiven" and "Ride Away." The added instrumentation is a welcome addition.

 Mayfield's voice has always been a strong point of his music. We see him exercising his lower register in songs like "Why We Try" and "Tidal Wave" the latter of which is a slow burner that grew into one of the most memorable tracks of the second half. 

 Part of the album's diversity is in its inclusion of two guest spots, which push two already solid tracks into excellent territory. The first, "Why We Try," features Chelsea Lankes whose soulful delivery creates a chilling second verse. Lankes is a wonderful compliment to Mayfield. The latter, closing track "Settle Down," features Amy Stroup and just might overshadow anything Mayfield has ever done. The song is immensely powerful, especially in its final moments; Mayfield taps a part of his vocal register that I'm dying to hear more of. 

 The opening title track takes on a pro forma role by roping you in immediately. Normally, there wouldn't be anything wrong with that, but no other song on the record matches its melody or energy. The bridge is a highlight of the record, and I'm glad to see that Mayfield plays the solo during his live performances. "Ride Away" could feature the bounciest chorus from Mayfield to date, but it doesn't carry the same steam as the opener. The song does feature a truly memorable mid-section making it a staple of the album's first half.

 When it comes down to it, Wild Eyes is a tough record to pin down. It's not abundantly strong overall, but it has sweeping, career progressing moments that sit well for Mayfield's career. He's adding some great songs to a discography that's already overflowing with great music. I wouldn't say that Wild Eyes would serve better as an EP; there are definitely enough songs here to make an album.

 Mayfield's love of songwriting became evident between his last release and this one. He released two separate stand alone songs, "Heartbeat" in 2013 and "Desire" in 2014. These are two great songs and would have made Wild Eyes much stronger. It doesn't matter how Mayfield releases music, because he's churning out great songs every year, and I hope he continues.

 P.S. Don't forget that we still have a full band record from Mayfield later this year. If Wild Eyes isn't your cup of tea, stay tuned for The Blue Cut Robbery, Mayfield's full band. I'm hoping to hear a much louder and fiercer voice from Matthew Mayfield.
Tracklist:
 01 – Wild Eyes
 02 – Mess of a Man
 03 – Better Off Forgiven
 04 – Ride Away
 05 – On Your Knees
 06 – Why We Try (feat. Chelsea Lankes)
 07 – Tidal Wave
 08 – Quiet Lies
 09 – How to Breathe
 10 – Settle Down (feat. Amy Stroup)