This Friday, February 23rd, singer/songwriter and guitar legend Mary Timony – famed member of Autoclave, Helium, Wild Flag, and Ex Hex, in addition to Lindsey Jordan/Snail Mail’s former guitar teacher, who Wild Flag bandmate and Sleater-Kinney co-founder Carrier Brownstein once called, “Mary Shelley with a guitar” – will release Untame the Tiger, her first solo album in 15 years and first-ever [solo effort] on Merge.
According to Timony (in her most recent press release), the two years recording Untame the Tiger – which coincided with Timony’s time as primary caregiver for her ailing parents, and included the end of a long-term relationship – allowed her to process the recent passing of her parents and dissolution of the relationship, amidst her own life and career.
“Because I was making impossible decisions on behalf of my parents, creative choices now seemed more manageable. Since I had to confront the reality of loss, I realized what was important to me about being alive, and I became less scared. The record became my anchor in a time when I was losing so much around me. It felt like all I had—a guide that helped me through, and gave me hope.”
The songs of Untame the Tiger echo Mary Timony’s first two solo records, which were released on Matador in the early aughts. “Summer,” the third single from the LP (following “Dominoes” and “The Guest”) dropped last month. “I wanted it to be a guitar stomper kind of in the vein of The Kinks, Jethro Tull or Elf and have simultaneous guitar solos at the end,” said Timony of the track upon its release, also adding, “I’m excited to play this one live. Betsy Wright of Ex Hex will be on guitar, and I can’t wait to rock those twin solos with her! I’ll also be joined by David Christian, Chad Molter, and Anna Wilson. They are all such totally killer musicians.”
You’ll have your chance to hear “Summer” live next Thursday, February 29th, when Mary Timony comes to Johnny Brenda’s on the second stop of her US tour, which kicks off the night before in Baltimore. Providing support for the show (and the first half of the tour) is trio Birthday Girl DC, whose self-titled debut LP dropped last summer, featuring “Ibuprofen,” a track recorded by Timony herself. The rest of the album was recorded and produced by Fugazi/Rites of Spring drummer Brendan Canty, whose daughter, Mabel Canty, is the band’s singer/songwriter. However, Birthday Girl DC’s sound is far more reminiscent of the best alt-rock of the early-mid ‘90s than any subgenre of hardcore. It will be the band’s first show in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, so we would not recommend missing their opening set.
*Get your tickets here.
