Mean Mary - Woman Creature (Portrait of a Woman, Pt. 2) (2024)

Woman Creature (Portrait of a Woman, Part 2)’ is both a toe-tapping delight and a thought-provoking experience. Each track reflects the distinctive style that has become synonymous with Mean Mary’s music – melodious and masterfully crafted. Mainly recorded at Mary’s home studio, the album showcases her exceptional gifts as a songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer. No studio gimmickry is needed here.

This album, Mean Mary’s 19th studio release, demonstrates her remarkable evolution as an artist, beginning with her first album recorded at the age of six. On Woman Creature, Mary showcases her prowess on a variety of instruments, including the 5 and 6 string banjo, acoustic and electric guitar, violin, and castanets. Each song on the album stands out with its unique character, ranging from soulful ballads to energetic tracks, highlighting her versatile musical talents.

Mary is joined once again by her brother Frank James, who lends his 12-string guitar and vocals on multiple tracks, including the unique addition of jungle animal sounds on the infectious track ‘Tarzan’. Mary’s mother, author (and former Florida “snake-catcher”) Jean James, co-writes six of the tracks, adding a fresh creativity that highlights why this mother-daughter duo are award winners.

From the title track ‘Woman Creature’, which offers a darkly humorous critique of societal perception with Mary’s were-creature howls and a fast banjo ending, to ‘Murder Creek’, a riveting 20-verse murder ballad that encapsulates the essence of rural mystery, deep-rooted grudges, and the haunting aftermath of a chilling night in Alabama’s infamous Murder Creek, Mary masterfully blends the playful and the profound within the Americana folk genre.