While Mary Timony has stayed busy since the late-’00s with Wild Flag and Ex Hex, new album Untame the Tiger, which is out this week via Merge, is her first record under her own name in nearly two decades. The album includes contributions from frequent collaborators and co-producers Joe Wong and David Kane with help from Ex Hex bandmate Betsy Wright, Steeleye Span / Fairport Convention’s Dave Mattacks, mixing engineer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips) and more. Made during the pandemic amid the death of her parents and a major romantic breakup, Mary works through it with insight, humor and serious guitar prowess.
Mary has cited the likes of Fairport Convention, Yes and other ’60s/’70s British folk and prog as an influence on her music, and now she’s made us a list of her favorite songs from those genres and eras. Her ‘Top 10 Prog & Brit Folk Jams’ list includes Shirley Collins, Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span, King Crimson, Richard & Linda Thompson, Gerry Rafferty, and more.
Listen to a playlist of all 10 songs and read Mary’s commentary below.
Mary Timony – Top 10 Brit Prog & Folk Jams
(in no order)
Jethro Tull – “Teacher”
The bass line from “Teacher” has been playing in my head for the last few months. It’s such a satisfying loop, so casual and groovy. I’ve become a real Tull head lately, and I could have chosen almost any song but this one in particular is such a hit. Ian Andersen’s voice and wild charisma are inspirational, and let’s face it Tull has sick riffs for days.
Shirley Collins – “All Things Are Quite Silent”
This is a traditional English folk song with an anonymous writer that was collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in the early 1900s. A few artists have recorded it, but I chose this version because Shirley Collins’ voice is so hypnotic and pure, and there’s an energy in the recording that makes me feel like I’m walking on a misty moor.
Gentle Giant – “3 Friends”
Once in about 1995 a man with long gray hair and baggy leather pants came up to me at a Helium show in Germany, looked me in the eye and said: “you should listen to Gentle Giant.” A little while later I found one of their albums in the dollar bin at the local used record store, brought it home, and realized that random stranger was right. I find GG both absolutely genius and at times unlistenable which are usually two of the qualities of my very favorite bands.
I listened to this track on repeat while recording Untame the Tiger. The melody played by the bass and guitar in unison is a glorious and mystical loop, it’s hard to tell where it stars and where it ends.
Steeleye Span – “One Night As I Lay on My Bed”
One of my all time favorites. I first heard of the song from my friend Amy Domingues when we covered it in her band Garland of Hours. It’s a traditional folk song with an anonymous writer that Steeleye translated into rock territory in such a beautiful and haunting way. The banjo and guitar drone is hypnotic. The drums are killer, played by the great Dave Mattacks, one of my favorite drummers. I love Ashley Hutchings’ bass playing and Maddy Prior’s vocals. Classic, timeless and gorgeous.
I was lucky enough to get Mattacks to play on my new record which was absolutely one of the best experiences of my life. He is a virtuoso, a joy to work with with, and also a lovely guy.
King Crimson – “I Talk to the Wind”
In around 2002 there was a CD of In the Court of the Crimson King that was basically stuck in my car stereo. Everywhere I drove it was the soundtrack. I love this song in particular. The drum sound, the guitar harmonics. I love the contrast between this song and the wild and frenetic track that comes before it, 21st Century Man.
Richard and Linda Thompson – “Calvary Cross”
Richard Thompson is one of my favorite guitar players and song writers, and this is a fave track. It pretty much has it all: great guitar playing, great lyrics, and it also really makes me feel something.
The instrumental guitar intro is killer, you can just physically feel the way the guitar sounds. The tone is so bright and crunchy and all those glorious bends and pull offs! I Love it.
Fairport Convention – “Tam Lin”
Sometime in the ’90s I got a copy of Liege and Lief and it never really left my stereo. There were so many different incarnations and offshoots of this band, and I’m onboard with it all, but the classic line up of Sandy Denny, Dave Mattacks, Ashley Hutchings and Richard Thompson is undeniable. Sandy’s voice is incredible. I chose “Tam Lin,” but could have picked any of the songs on this album. The recording is perfect. You really feel like you are there in the room with them, it’s so raw and real.
Gerry Rafferty – “The Long Way Round”
I really think that Gerry was one of the all time greats. He was truly touched, I love his albums both with Steelers Wheel and solo. I went on a real Gerry deep dive while I was recording Untame the Tiger. I love the first record Can I Have My Money Back, it’s a little more raw on off the cuff than the later ones. I like most of the songs, but this track in particular really goes straight to my heart. I like that there there are simultaneous solos on organ and guitar. It seems like a happy mistake, and made me wonder why people don’t do that more often. On my track “Summer,” I copped Gerry and layered two solos at the same time over the ending.
Strawbs – “Benedictus”
When my father was dying I listened to this song on repeat. It’s transcendent, and it helped me.
Yes – “Long Distance Runaround”
What can I even say. I’ve been listening to Yes’ Fragile since high school. Chris Squire, Bill Bruford, Jon Anderson and Steve Howe created massive epic sonic landscapes out of super detailed virtuosic parts. The musicianship is awe inspiring, and the vocals are so catchy and satifying. They have so much good stuff but Fragile is a masterpiece, and “Long Distance Run Around” is a fave track.
Yes, like Gentle Giant, also has albums that I find unlistenable. There are tracks even on the albums I love, like Fragile, that I skip over, but that just makes the good stuff so much more precious to me. I love the experimentation and willingness to challenge the listener. I love that they show off their chops and go down every rabbit hole imaginable, but in the end always deliver great songs.
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Mary will be on tour starting February 28 in Baltimore and hits NYC’s Bowery Ballroom on March 1 with Birthday Girl DC. All dates, including runs with Rosali and Youbet, are listed below.
Mary Timony 2024 Tour Dates:
Wed. Feb. 28 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar *
Thu. Feb. 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s *
Fri. Mar. 1 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
Sat. Mar. 2 – Somerville, MA @ Crystal Ballroom *
Sun. Mar. 3 – Amherst, MA @ The Drake ^
Tue. Mar. 5 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern ^
Wed. Mar. 6 – Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle ^
Fri. Mar. 8 – Cudahy, WI @ X-Ray Arcade ^
Sat. Mar. 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry ^
Mon. Mar. 11 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe ^
Tue. Mar. 12 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe ^
Wed. Mar. 13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Warhol Entrance Space ^
Thu. Mar. 14 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
Thu. Mar. 21 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Fest
Sat. Mar. 23 – Seattle, WA @ Clock-Out Lounge %
Sun. Mar. 24 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios %
Tue. Mar. 26 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop %
Wed. Mar. 27 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst Atrium %
Thu. Mar. 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room %
Fri. Mar. 29 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah %
Sat. Mar. 30 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room %
Tue. July 23 – Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club
Fri. July 26 – Nashville, TN @ Blue Room
Sat. July 27 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Sun. July 28 – Asheville, NC @ Eulogy
* w/ Birthday Girl DC
^ w/ Youbet
% w/ Rosali