When “Pirates” failed to appear on Mountains and The Golden Dove, it seemed obvious that we’d never hear a studio version of what was probably either a Helium leftover or a extremely early solo song. So imagine my surprise yesterday when I popped in Ex Hex for the first time and heard “Pirate”—in actual fact called “Return To Pirates.”

By the time of The Golden Dove, Timony’s angle had worn out its welcome. A lot of people were instantly turned off by what they believed was an unfortunate Dungeons and Dragons influence, or a renaissance faire atmosphere, and the fans left behind found little that truly satisfied. Some of us missed th innocence of the early days, when Timony was just a woman that liked to sing saucily about vampires and superballs. And while Ex Hex doesn’t see Timony return to the glory days of Helium, it’s definitely a step in the right direction. The “renaissance faire atmosphere” has been largely dropped, and Timony’s guitar playing is far more direct and visceral this time around. It’s as if a fog has been lifted.

The huge step forward Ex Hex represents is easily seen in these two songs alone; the 2005 version sounds far more brash and confident than the 1999 version. The guitars are louder and Timony sings with more verve. You can even imagine her facing a crowd while playing this while playing a show—perhaps the biggest sign yet that the Mary Timony of old has returned.