REVIEW: Cheyenne Mize - Among the Grey

Cheyenne Mize - Among the Grey


“Impatience asks for the impossible, wants to reach the goal without the means of getting there.”
-Hegel

The beauty of life is how it unfolds, and you could say the same of Louisville songwriter Cheyenne Mize’s sophomore album, Among the Grey. It’s not a slow, dramatic climb over 45 minutes to an grand conclusion, but rather a natural progression of highs and lows, darkness and light. It’s a soaring, expansive folk rock set dashed with Americana’s rustic heart, chamber pop’s understated elegance, and even occasional, subtle psychedelic and electronic notes. And it’s this studied fusion that lends itself to making Among the Grey both sonically and thematically compelling.

The album’s title originates from the idea that life is spent more in those in-between places as opposed to the destinations – life is what happens as we move through the days, experiences building our character and teaching us the types of lessons one would never find in a classroom. “Fortunately the good stuff is in the middle, in the process,” says Mize. “In that grey area is where you find those little sparks or dashes of color that make it all interesting and worthwhile. The record is like that; it’s dark at times, but has a lot of sparkle to it.” And in many ways, Among the Grey, while filled with 11 wonderful standalone tracks, is best enjoyed as a whole, with Mize sharing her experiences, her lessons, with the listener.

Crafted during a period of explosive creativity marked by crippling self-doubt, Among the Grey is Mize’s grand artistic statement, built on the success and growth shown in her 2010 debut, Before Lately, and 2011 extended-player We Don’t Need. Where the former was a ruminative, relaxed acoustic-based effort and the latter demonstrated her foray into heavier, more electric territory, Among the Grey is a marriage of that hushed reflection and expansive, rousing flair. The title track sets the tone for Mize’s new direction, with guitar chords crashing like thunder and organ falling like rain and twisting like storm clouds. The heart-wrenchingly gorgeous “Whole Heart” is a golden cut of folk that blooms into a sort of sly empowerment to rise above as it leads to “Heart Hole.” The synth-filled “Have You Seen” recalls the blissful chill of Denali’s self-titled album and is utterly enchanting as Mize layers her voice to create a heavenly choir. And the brass-infused “As It Comes” is one of Mize’s best as she borrows a little bit of jazz heat for that Americana heart.

Among the Grey finds Cheyenne Mize at the top of her game, proving once again that she’s one of the best modern songwriters working today. She may never have #1 singles or be all over the radio, but her songs have a timeless quality to them, one that puts experience over hooks. Mize’s music can certainly be catchy, but it’s successful because of how compelling she is with her arrangements and storytelling – never too much, never too little. The greatest reward of Among the Grey is what lies between the string arrangements, fingerpicking, guitar chords, organ, horns, bass, synthesizer, and percussion: the grey area containing those sparks and dashes of color. Because, lest we forget, it's not about the outcome, it's about the process. And a journey through each minute of this 11-track release is more rewarding than the last.

Among the Grey was released yesterday on Yep Roc. Grab it here.