I consider it a massive oversight on my part that I was unaware of Mary Timony’s work until I read about her achieving a top 100 position in Rolling Stone Magazine’s ‘Best Guitarists of All Time’ listing. Although I always take lists like this with a pinch of salt, I was impressed enough with the write-up to check out her latest solo album.
If you want heavy rock, it isn’t here but don’t rush off, Mary has a skill on the guitar that warrants a listen whatever your chosen genre. She uses some alternate tunings I can’t quite get my ear around but they work and her picking style is mesmerising.
The cover of the new album, Untame the Tiger, gives a clue to the emotions and heartfelt content with a kind of mind map behind the tear-stained portrait. So this is a very personal album written while she is coping with caring for her ailing parents and coming out of a long-term relationship.
The first track, ‘No Thirds’ conveys her turmoil with a deft blend of catchiness and complex guitar patterns, as I said, not rock of our usual variety but instead, an acoustic-backed, almost Beatle-ish, style of gentle rock that packs a punch, especially with the clever solo.
‘Summer’ has a tantalising riff that is simple but hell to play and, with the punk/pop middle section and astute solo, it is a delight. ‘Looking for the Sun’ is a mix of Eastern themes at the beginning before going a bit prog/psyche… in a nice way.
Elsewhere, we get the Blondie-ish ‘Don’t Disappear’: then the genius of the title track, the intro of which would fit on Coverdale/Page quite neatly before turning into another catchy punk/pop masterclass.
It may not be heavy but I do urge you to listen to this gentle, atmospheric and exceedingly well-written and performed album. Mary may not have been on my radar before, but she is now.
Untame the Tiger is out now
