Last March, we premiered “Faith Crisis,” the latest single from self-described “existential indie rock” outfit Royal Mill. In the year that has followed, vocalist Matty Timmons—who also plays in Wildered—says he’s “kind of stumbled into” another project with material that doesn’t fit into either of his other established and well-oiled endeavors. Ironically, Timmons’ solo turn was set into motion with the help of other Milwaukee songwriters.
Friend and fellow Milwaukee musician Zach Pietrini invited Timmons to be part of a songwriting community that also featured the likes of Paige Hargrove, Wildered’s Nate Bjorge, former Next Paperback Hero mastermind Nathan Honore, Ben Mulwana, Alyssia Dominguez.
“Everyone was so kind and helpful, and eventually I started to hone in on my own voice and get sharper and sharper,” Timmons says. “I looked up one day and had like 10 songs I was really proud of.”
Following some workshopping at area open mics and encouragement from collaborators, he decided to push forward with this new batch of solo material. While they’re his songs, Timmons also called upon some friends to help flesh out his song ideas and add some instrumental support. He says the process has been slow “but a rewarding one.” The first significant step came this past Friday, when Timmons released the first single under his own name.
“No Country” sidesteps his prior work, as the indie rocker takes a decidedly more pop-suited turn with a moody and melodic song about the ever-growing digital disconnect many of us face as a byproduct of social media and its many pitfalls. Beyond Timmons’ vocals, guitar, and other production flourishes, the track also features Pietrini on drums and Micah Humphries on synth, bass, and guitar. Timmons says he’ll take a “micro” approach and sporadically release additional singles in the coming months. As you wait for more from him, listen to “No Country” now.