The resolutely iconoclastic music of Mary Timony finally feels like it's reaching a wider audience than just confirmed indie-heads and DC post-punks. With her work in Hammered Hulls and Ex Hex, Timony's star was certainly moving in new orbits, but it's her new solo record that should appeal to those looking for a fix of Mary's unique gifts. Untame the Tiger, out this week on Merge Records, is a collection of bracing, charged freak-folk, to use a term from the Helium leader's own press. It almost doesn't matter what label you attach to this, as it's hypnotic outside the many genres the record skips through.
The Sonic Youth-y opener "No Thirds" crashes around the room atop drummer Dave Mattacks' drums. While this is a long way from the folk rock he anchored in Fairport Convention, Mary Timony's vocals are no less captivating than Sandy Denny's. Timony shines on "Dominoes", needing little more than the stripped-down backing used on the track, even as the down-tempo pleasures of "Looking for the Sun" suggest portions of her older releases, such as The Magic City by Helium. The slide guitar of "The Guest" pushes things towards a faint suggestion of The Blues, even as the title cut hints that Mary may have taken a cue or two from mid-Seventies Fleetwood Mac.
Untame the Tiger works as a collection of highlights at Mary Timony's skills at navigating styles. Always one of the most inventive (if underappreciated) guitarists of the last few decades, this record lets Timony venture into new areas, while retaining the kind of vibe that made so many of us fans of her work in the first place. Ruminative in spots, and wildly expressive in others, Timony's guitar unfurls distinctive lines, as her vocals chart a languid path around them. There's really no one that sounds quite like this, and, thankfully, Untame the Tiger is one of the best records from Mary Timony in years.
Untame the Tiger by Mary Timony is out this week on Merge Records.
[Photo: Chris Grady]