As the countdown to Christmas ticks down to its final hours, Matthew Mayfield has posted a free EP, Maybe Next Christmas. The Birmingham, Alabama singer-songwriter describes the release “a mixed bag of 3 AM living room demos and a couple studio cuts for the holidays.”

Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar for the title track, “Maybe Next Christmast,” Mayfield serves up a series of two-sided sentiments (“Maybe next Christmas we’ll be by a fire / Maybe next Christmas you won’t be a liar”). He wraps things up in a bitter bow with a resigned, “I gave you everything, and you gave me away.” Get set for a midnight blue Christmas in Mayfield’s home.

On “Her Name Was December,” another lyrical look back (with only the titular month suggesting a tie to the season), Mayfield is in shambolic rock-mode. The fuller sound doesn’t disappoint, even during its quieter moments, and Mayfield’s weathered and worn vocals have visions of Pete Yorn, Peter Gabriel, and even a dash of Dinosaur Jr.’s Jay Mascis dancing in my head. Hear here:

On the basis of “Her Name Is December” alone, Mayfield deserves bigger exposure, but there’s a lot to like on the EP’s remaining five tracks. Hopefully there’s a wise film or TV music supervisor out there, hearing what I’m hearing. Because it’s not too late to wish that Christmas comes early in 2010 for Matthew Mayfield.

For now, get your stocking rocking with a free download of Matthew Mayfield’s Maybe Next Christmas EP.