Quality Americana

A distant guitar rings out like a dancing wind chime as we hear sounds by herons in the opening track.

Daniel Mayfield put together an experimental EP that connects you with nature. The Heron and the Changing Seasons was released earlier this month, and it reveals layered sounds with every listen. 

“It kind of just came together accidentally I think,” Mayfield said. The project was loosely inspired by Hayden Pedigo, an avant-garde musician based in the Texas Panhandle.

Surf Rock Roots

Mayfield grew up playing surf rock as a teenager, and naturally gravitated towards instrumental music throughout the years. He first picked up music from his grandmother.

“Honestly without her I probably would have never started playing music,” Mayfield said. “She would play the piano with me as a kid, and she gave me her guitar.”

Mayfield said that he remembers her playing flute around the house too, one he still keeps today, and his father playing guitar. 

“He taught me the three chords he knew,” Mayfield said about his first memories on the instrument. 

Mayfield jumped into the Dallas music and arts scene early, and he performs on guitar and bass with multiple bands including a recent South by Southwest spot with Daikaiju.

“There’s a whole world with ambient and Americana sounds going around right now,” Mayfield said, “that’s usually kind of based around a lot of the American primitive guitar playing like John Fahey and stuff like that. It’s really beautiful.”

Building A Song

Mayfield likes to let a song form itself over time, not remembering exactly where the ideas start or finish. The Heron and the Changing Seasons was recorded DIY style in various rooms. There are beautiful vocal layers by Palefire, who also plays cello on “A Different Type of Love.”

“Honestly she’s the one that brought that whole song together,” Mayfield said. “All I had was this little guitar picking part and she sent me back a vocal idea, and it stopped me in my tracks. It directed exactly where the song needed to go.”

Emory Smith plays horns. Zack Wiggs plays pedal steel guitar and Landon Headstream plays electric guitar. The album was mixed and mastered by Andrew Jones.

Support the artist by streaming and purchasing The Heron and the Changing Seasons on Bandcamp.

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