For her first solo album in almost 15 years, Mary Timoney worked through the pain of losing both parents and the ending of a long-term relationship, conjuring a mix of freak folk, art rock, and a touch of pop on the excellently mysterious Untame The Tiger.
Timoney’s successful outings with Ex Hex and Wild Flag were out-and-out rockers that focused on her blazing guitar work, this time more nuance was required for her songs. The are lots of layers of sounds that unfold over multiple listens, nothing is black or white here, like life. Timony is supported by Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention) on drums and that 70’s, British, slightly twisted, folk sound is at the foundation of these songs.
The opening “No Thirds” is a clear album highlight as Timony’s guitars ring out in Sonic Youth or Richard Thompson-like fashion to start. Her earthy acoustic strums and clanging electric lines get layered on top of heaps of vocals (Timony on lead with backing from Betsy Wright and Melissa Quinley) as the track swells to a cosmic midsection that spirals off blissfully, melodically, before an echoey guitar solo pulls things back into orbit, a winner. “Summer” goes in a sleeker direction and is the most direct effort here with Kinks-like strutting guitar rock.
Timony embraces freak folk ideas at the heart of the record as “Dominoes” deals with giving yourself to the wrong person in a humorous and affecting fashion while sequestered in pulsing beats, and echoey vocals. “Looking for the Sun” crams in heavy drumming, shifting emotions, layers of sound, and hypnotic guitar runs while “Don’t Disappear” plays with pop, new wave, and a sense of fear from isolation.
Loneliness comes up often on the album, particularly during “The Guest” which displays weeping guitars, gorgeous vocals (complete with backing help from Wright and Dennis Kane), strong bass work from Brian Betancourt, and a motoring guitar finale that feels like it could roll forever. “The Dream” plays in these same waters but is a bit less successful as the slower, elongated tune, dabbles between reality and fantasy over dramatic strings and a big finale.
The record wraps up with two catchy efforts, each surrounded by wooly instrumentation to enhance their uniqueness. The title track starts with eastern-sounding strums and shimmering percussion before dropping all of that and plunging into an impressive pop song complete with ‘oohs and ahs’. Album closer “Not The Only One” combines acoustic picking, swirling sounds, and a gorgeous chorus, showing off Timony’s strength as a songwriter.
Throughout the nuanced Untame The Tiger, Mary Timony pushes and pulls with experimental wanderings and pop leanings, successfully delivering an engaging album that deals with grief, forlornness, and starting over with a blank slate.
