My Tiger My Timing
Hear them purr…
In 3 words: Jubilant alternative pop
My Tiger My Timing are a pop group you’re allowed to like, cos they’re an alternative indie pop group. A ‘cross-over’ act if you will. “Like La Roux?” I hear you cry. Well, no – they’re nothing like La Roux, apart from the fact that they make original, credible music that can be described as ‘pop’. They’re just super good! They’re a band that somehow manage to take the sweetest of our guilty pleasures and make them cool – really cool. All summery synths, happy-go-lucky bouncing basslines and pretty noises, they’re a big relief to the ten-a-penny, too-cool-for-school alternative dance / indie bands popping up like pesky moles with bowl haircuts and ripped jeans all over England’s green and pleasant lands. Most of these bands rely on the usual rules of ‘being in a cool band’: Name that sounds trendy? Check. Good look? Check. Decent music? Ah, two out of three ain’t bad, right? Not so with My Tiger My Timing; they’ve got the whole package sorted out.
What makes Anna (vox and keys), Gary (drums), James (guitar and bass), Jamie (guitar and bass) and Seb (keys) so good is that they’re entirely original. They take elements of so many things – a bit of 80s synth-pop, a dessert-spoonful of 80s Cure-esqueness, a slice of 90s manufactured band pop, a good deal of indie / nu rave, and even a pinch of things like brazilectro and nu-jazz – and come out with something completely their own. Now, that mix of things may not sound particularly tasty, and probably more confusing than anything, but it’ll all make sense upon a listen of one of their tracks like debut single ‘This Is Not The Fire’. Having featured on such respected fashionable indie / dance compilations as the ‘Sisters’ album and the latest ‘Modular’ instalment, this track’s cool-ometer is just about exploding.
Their production sound is always lovely, which may have something to do with the fact that ‘This Is Not The Fire’ was produced by Andy Spence of New Young Pony Club. The glossy production style is integral to their new wave pop tunes, but you can still hear that there’s inspiration from all sorts of musical sources and the production allows the individuality of their songs to shine through.
The band formed in January 2008, originally just with brother and sister duo Anna and James Vincent, Jamie Harrison and Gary Drain. They were joined by Sebastian Underhill in February 2009, who formerly played with thecocknbullkid. They have a new 6-track limited edition CD EP being released on the 19th October, ‘I Am The Sound’, the title track of which can be heard on their Myspace page, www.myspace.com/mytigermytiming. ‘I Am The Sound’ will also be released as a single in the near future, and it’s once again been produced by New Young Pony Club’s Andy Spence.
They’re playing live all over the place over the coming months, at various venues in London, Manchester, Leeds, Cambridge and Bristol, so make sure you get down to see them if you can. If you like your indie pop like Ladyhawke or New Young Pony Club then it’s pretty likely that you’ll love these guys. Or even if you’re into less poppy stuff and want to hear a band that are doing something a little bit different, making music that they want to make and doing it at exactly the right time, then try them out and see what you think.
The Hype:
Dummy Magazine – “Their debut single, This Is Not The Fire...sounds distilled, concentrated – it’s electro with its bones showing”
Drowned In Sound – “My Tiger My Timing slowly mess with expectations, tinkering with the trappings of 21st century post-punk and altering bits of their sound here and there with such a deft hand that it's barely noticeable. But it makes all the difference”
Artrocker - “…their musical modesty hides a cleverness and sexiness which is all the more irresistible for its refusal to announce itself”
Jon Hillcock, XFM - “...you can't deny that this is a magic pop song”
Where to catch them:
31st October – 93 Feet East, Brick Lane, London
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