Of all Will Oldham’s many duet partners of late, Cheyenne Mize’s performance on their turn of the century covers EP, Among the Gold, made her one of my favorites (save for Johnny Cash perhaps). Not only is that record, which remained somewhat under the radar last year, now available to stream and/or purchase, but Mize has also dropped her last name and released an equally estimable solo EP: Before Lately.
Sparse production suits Mize’s voice beautifully, as her songs manage to achieve the oft-daunting goal of many a singer/songwriter: to be at once timeless and modern. Sure, it’s a cliché, but screw it. This 7-song EP leaves me — as Among the Gold’s closing track, “Silver Threads Among the Gold,” did — hungry for a full-length album. Not to mention I couldn’t write this post with it streaming because her soft voice cuts through the internet glut in a way that I’ll bet many up-and-comers would envy.
Let’s quit dancing about architecture, though: Stream and buy Before Lately here.