Jessica Lea Mayfield Comes Back Strong at The Basement East

Even though she’s an East Nashville resident, Jessica Lea Mayfield had to come a long way to get to the stage of The Basement East on Friday night. In September, the Ohio-born rocker released Sorry Is Gone, her fourth album and first in three years, written and recorded in the wake of an abusive relationship. She was set to start touring behind the album in October, but injuries sustained in a car accident forced her to cancel a month of dates, and this show was her first since the LP’s release. From what The Spin could tell, the struggles Mayfield has faced down have only made her stronger, and everyone else in the packed house seemed to agree.

The crowd was still sparse for opener Frances Cone, a group of Brooklyn transplants whose gentle acoustic-guitar-and-keyboard-oriented sound gave off a bit of a worship-music vibe at first. As their set progressed through songs like “Unraveling” and “Arizona” (the latter of which is the first single from the group’s forthcoming album Late Riser), they channeled more adventurous influences, like, say, Amber Coffman-era Dirty Projectors. Leader Christina Cone’s distinctive vocal style, a soft and supple approach that made us think fondly of Natalie Prass, carried the band through a performance that was well-rehearsed — to the point of being stale, if we’re honest. Their cover of Neil Young’s “Unknown Legend,” which took cues from Shovels & Rope’s version, got the biggest crowd response. That made sense, considering Francis Cone is a relatively new band, though a recent appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts might help raise their profile a bit.

As Idle Bloom ran through a quick sound check, the Beast filled in as if by magic. The quartet, a key player in Nashville’s DIY rock community, was fresh from recording sessions for their sophomore LP (with All Them Witches’ Ben McLeod engineering) and bursting with energy that drew the headbanging crowd ever closer to the stage. Their superior chemistry and high energy never disappoint — if anything, older favorites like “Hive” and “Dust” were tighter and more athletic than ever, with the interplay between Olivia Scibelli and Gavin Schriver’s guitars reaching new levels of awesome. Two new songs stood out, as much for their sweet blend of grunge and psych pop as for their deftness in dealing with complicated issues and feelings. One delightfully rumbling tune was dedicated to much-missed Those Darlins co-founder Jessi Zazu, who died in September, while another was dedicated to Mayfield. “It’s really important to see women speaking up against the bullshit that is forced upon us,” said Scibelli as the band dug in.

Then, Mayfield took the stage in a tunic-like rainbow-striped dress and oversized sunglasses, echoing the aesthetic she created in recent music videos. Backed by a trio consisting of producer Patrick Damphier on guitar and Blank Range’s Grant Gustafson and Matt Novotny on bass and drums, respectively, Mayfield ripped into Sorry Is Gone opener “Wish You Could See Me Now,” with wailing guitars and an effortless, confident vocal delivery. One of Mayfield’s greatest strengths is her way of conveying subtle shades of emotion even in the loudest songs, keeping her songwriting in the spotlight even while she rocks out. Her stage presence throughout the set leaned toward melancholy but was bolstered by a stoic resolve, and the force of her conviction added weight to other Sorry tracks like “Meadow” and “WTF.” Those songs struck a fine balance between the nimble garage-mericana of Mayfield’s first two albums — the Dan Auerbach-produced With Blasphemy So Heartfelt and Tell Me — and the ominous grunginess of her third, Make My Head Sing. 

The set pulled from all across Mayfield’s remarkable catalog. It’s hard to believe her first record has been out for nine years: Cuts like “Kiss Me Again” from Blasphemy feel fresh every time we hear them, and the audience hung onto her every syllable. While the band portion of the evening was rich and affecting, Mayfield’s solo performances were just as magnetic, and they magnified her abilities. You could just about hear the proverbial pin drop during “Safe 2 Connect 2,” a song that confronts the painful difficulty of trusting others, especially in the wake of domestic violence. 

Mayfield may have a superb facility for dealing with things that are dark and heavy — “I Wanna Love You” is an excellent example — but the night wasn’t about giving in to the gloom. The main set ended on the one-two punch of the uplifting “Blue Skies Again” and the self-assured “Our Hearts Are Wrong” from Tell Me, followed by a one-song encore consisting of “With Blasphemy So Heartfelt.” The inner strength that’s helped keep Mayfield moving forward shines through her songs and her show, and it’s a thrill to have such a dynamic musician back in the game.

See our slideshow for more photos.

In The Spin — the Scene's live review column — staffers and freelance contributors review concerts under a collective byline.