Mary Timony - "The Hour Glass"
There was a time when I would listen to this song over and over again. Sometimes I would just listen to 1:00 to 1:44, scan back, listen again. I was working in the Canadian Coast Guard's policy unit (man overbored!), was heartbroken, and was looking for anything to focus on other than myself. Mary Timony's Mountains was a savior for me.
"Can't you hear the birds calling from inside the anxious forest of delight?"
Yes, weirdly enough, Mary, I can. I can hear that and more. Just between 1:00 and and 1:44, I hear the viola play ripples on a stream, the bass, like a zombie, push up from beneath the earth, the keyboard (or affected guitar?) throw lightning bolts, and the drums clap like thunder. I hear all this happen, as you say, from within the anxious forest of delight. How have you brought me to this forest? Merely by uniting the only two things worth their salt on the whole of this god-forsaken earth: indie rock and prog? In any case, thank you; I'd much rather be here in this forest than back in my office filing inconceivable amounts of paper, obsessing about my own disintegrating life. [Buy]
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And speaking of heartbreak: Roy Harper wakes up on a sunny day to find Francesca gone. He is able to move from being angry about Francesca's sudden betrayal to being thankful for the sunlight and, finally, for the time he did have with her. He sits up on his bed, takes his guitar, and writes an almost perfect 1:19 love song. [Buy]
Posted by Jordan at September 16, 2005 11:53 AMGood work posting this Roy Harper track. I would love to see him get the due he deserves. He is one Volkswagen commericial or Wes Anderson soundtrack away from it. For those that are hearing Roy Harper for the first time, check out roy harper's site (www.royharper.co.uk) and don't be scared to pick up any of his first six or seven albums. I pull these out more than anything by Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, Richard Thompson or Leonard Cohen. Lofty comparisons, but Roy Harper deserves it. He is unbelieveable. Good work Jordan/StG.
Posted by royharpersuperfan at September 16, 2005 12:37 PMthat's actually a viola, not a cello.
Posted by iliana at September 16, 2005 8:16 PMCorrected, thanks.
Posted by Jordan at September 16, 2005 8:32 PMholy SHIT that roy harper song is amazing. i just finished listening to a bbc radio doc on davy graham that my dad sent me, but this is like a million times- this is- like, wow. i go now, toute suite, to ebay or to fopp or something to see what i can buy.
Posted by Sean at September 17, 2005 9:30 AMHats off to Jordan!
Posted by Tuwa at September 17, 2005 11:59 AMThanks for posting that Timony track. I haven't followed her solo career that closely, but when Mountains came out I was obsessed with that track. I downloaded it w/o a title, named it "Old Viola", and at some point started taking it for the real title.
Posted by Bob at September 17, 2005 12:37 PMWOW. That Mary Timony track is f*cking amazing. Just utterly, utterly gorgeous. The viola, the percussion, the piano, the way it all comes together...I'm rendered preactially speechless with wonder.
The viola is highly underrated in this world, and I'm thrilled to hear it used so perfectly.
I am in heaven.
Thanks so much for posting this.
Nice to see Mary Timony up there. Mountains is a sadly overlooked gem of an album.
Posted by muruch at September 17, 2005 8:02 PMWow! The Mary Timony track is amazing.
Posted by Chris at September 18, 2005 11:32 AMI don't believe that Roy Harper one bit. He never really cared about Francesca at all and may not even really care about life. He sounds like he's singing on Prozac, all false happiness.
Posted by JKelly at September 19, 2005 12:34 PMI absolutely loved that Roy Harper song. Great acoustics.
Posted by Aunty debbie at September 19, 2005 3:55 PMRoy Harper ooooooohhhhhhhhhh unbelievable
Posted by s.o.a. at September 21, 2005 11:12 AMLovely Roy Harper song - but is the album it's on worth getting a hold off? I buy Valentine on the strength of hearing two excellent songs (the brilliant if lyrically dubious "Forbidden Fruit" and "(Girl of the) North Country") - excellent, but a couple of old clunkers on there too.
Posted by will mac at October 25, 2005 3:53 PM
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
