I am saddened that I will never be hearing new music from this artist. His music cut to the core of my heart. I certainly did not like all his recordings, some were too disturbing for me, but as a body of work they were fantastic. His ability to go where his heart sent him was one reason he never became the hit he could have been if he were more calculated but that is what made his music and him so special, he sang from his heart. His music depending on which phase he was in was different enough from the others to merit a name change, but then so much the same. He was always true to himself. I am curious which albums from the various groups he recorded and toured with you felt strongest about and which song or songs hit you the hardest. I realize the Pyramid Electric Company was one album but there are a number of tracks on that one album that must strike some chord within you. Those not familiar with his work, well I recommend you track him down and start with either Axxess & Ace or Magnolia Electric Company from the Songs: Ohia period. Here is my list of favorites albums from the Songs: Ohia period and some of my favorite tracks, as hard as that was to pick since the albums really play through as one emotional ride from start to end. Songs: Ohia Axxess & Ace - Hot Black Silk, Captain Badass & Come Back To Your Man Mi Sei Apparso Come un Fantasma - Recorded Live in Italy, have to say the entire album, not one bad song Didn't It Rain - Ring the Bell, Blue Factory Flame & Blue Chicago Moon Magnolia Electric Company - Farewell Transmission, I've Been Riding With the Ghost, Almost Was Good Enough & John Henry Split My Heart Not enough time right now to finish all phases will pick up later tonight with Pyramid Electric Company and Magnolia Electric Company.
Magnolia Electric Company is his magnum opus and one of my favorite albums of all time. My favorite song of his was from those sessions, but oddly not included on that LP: The Big Game is Every Night. I share your sentiment... and will add that he was criminally overlooked while alive.
I've been a fan since Magnolia Electric Co came out ten years ago (it's still my favorite of his). The first half of the album is just perfect. Four jaw-dropping songs in a row. On What Comes After the Blues, I especially like The Dark Don't Hide It, Leave the City, I Can Not Have Seen the Light (This last song is devastating, isn't it?) I found his earlier stuff much harder to get into. I listened to The Lioness, Didn't it Rain and Ghost Tropic a couple of times. The latter I found particularily opaque and difficult. I must try again someday. His passing was a great loss for music.
Pyramid Electric, Jason Molina's solo effort. It is stark, lonely, sad and yet beautiful. You have to be open and in the mood to listen to this all the way through but it is well worth the visit. Stand out tracks for me are the opener, Pyramid Electric Company with the cold chilling opening notes that cut right through you, Division St. Girl & Honey, Watch Your Ass. It's Jason alone with piano or guitar and worth a listen but certainly if you never heard his other albums do not judge them by this album. Magnolia Electric Company Hard to Love a Man EP - Stand out tracks are the title track, Hard to Love a Man, Doing Something Wrong & a great fun cover of Werewolves Of London. Again another Live Album, Trials and Errors, definitely worth finding. This is fantastic all the way through and shows that Jason can truly rock out. Starts out strong with Dark Don't Hide It and keeps going all the way to the end which closes out with The Big Beast. This is the tour that ended the Songs: Ohia era and ushered in Magnolia Electric Company. You have to love a song that has the lyrics, "And heaven needed some place to throw all the sh@t." The band "Magnolia Electric Company's" official album starts with What Comes After the Blues and again is another one worth owning. It has a country rock feel and has often been compared to Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" era of sound. Now I will not compare the two people because this will just divert the attention away from Jason's music but it is used as a reference, if you like that era of Neil Young then Magnolia Electric Company's first album will probably appeal to you also. Then there is Josephine, the album that should have been his break out album but wasn't. It has a strong Alt Country feel through out but with the Molina stamp. Why this album never caught on or more importantly why Jason Molina never caught on I can't figure, but maybe time is all that is required, another Nick Drake or Elliot Smith. If you haven't heard any of Jason Molina's albums then I suggest you give the ones I have listed above a try, they are worth finding and owning. Once you have listened to these then venture into his more somber, slow and stripped down albums.
I bought a used vinyl copy of fading trails in my local used vinyl shop about a month after he passed. The cover caught my eye (hehe) and then I remembered the band name, but couldn't recall why. I fell in love with the album on first spin, and was really bummed to find out why I recalled the band name when I googled them after it finished
Fading Trails is a beautiful album, not as upbeat or driving as the ones I mentioned above. His slower more introspective albums are definitely worth owning but I personally don't go to them as much as I do the ones mentioned above. If you liked that one then the others should definitely be on your radar. Yes the cover is an eye catcher.
I Can Not Have Seen the Light is a jaw dropper and when the chorus comes in with Jennie Benford it almost brings a tear. I also think Steve Albini must be given some recognition. The albums made with him as producer are pretty special. http://thequietus.com/articles/14205-steve-albini-interview-jason-molina-magnolia-electric-co
i've got much, much more to say in this thread, but for now i'll leave you with a favorite performance:
You have to tell me, is this from one of the concerts that led up to the making of Josephine or touring on the album? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jlCbQos0WQ
The reissue of Magnolia Electric Co. (with the owl on the front) has completely blown me away since receiving it last year as a Christmas gift. Where should I head from here, backwards to Songs: Ohia, or forward into the Magnolia catalog? Can anyone recommend a 'next step' purchase?
Do you want slower less band or more rocking with a band? Trials and Errors which is Jason with tight band is fantastic and rocks. Axxes & Aces is more stripped down and is darker. Didn't It Rain is great and falls between those two. Either direction will reward. What I found fun about this artist is he has three styles that are all really worth listening to. I tend not to listen to his solo work as much however there are gems in those albums that are a must to hear.
Good steering there - thanks! I'd say I do like either direction on MEC, favorite songs being the opening 2 plus the closing 2 numbers. When they get loud they can be so dramatic (John Henry Split My Heart) or even I've Been Riding with a Ghost which starts off sedate and then kinda explodes. Upon first few listens I'd told the friend who gave it to me that it "out-Neils Neil in a good way" and I'd stand by that description for this LP. The deluxe vinyl reissue sounds fantastic, by the way.
His music was probably my best discovery last year. As the night winds down and the turntable takes on a new attitude, I dim the lights to soften the room. I crack open the lp for Songs Ohia: Magnolia Electric Co. and gently place the disc on the turntable. I take a seat center stage and become engaged. A small glass of bourbon speaks to me as the music kicks in. An intense dark beauty dances in the living room for forty-five minutes while I sit still. This is how I listen to this album. It takes over the evening and many times is the closing curtain. I started off with Songs Ohia: Magnolia Electric Co. about this same time last year. I fell in love with it immediately. It struck me on so many levels and hit so many chords. It's rare that an album hits me this hard on first listen. I typically wake the following morning, with the words and melodies immediately maneuvering through my head. I've since purchased Didn't It Rain and currently What Comes After the Blues and Fading Trails are in route to my house as I write this message. The just reached Atlanta yesterday. I plan to sit down and take these albums in very soon. After these four lps, my plan was to move onto Josephine, The Lioness and Songs Ohia S/T. Any other suggestions are welcome. Also, any comments on Amalgamated Sons of the Rest? As mentioned before, Steve Albini is due some credit for letting some of these latter recordings be what they are and putting the truth straight to tape. I suspect many of the latter lps are all analog. The one's I have at least sound like it. They are cut by Paul Gold at Salt Mastering who has all analog capabilities and does excellent work. I too am sad that we lost such a great artist prematurely. The mention of Elliot Smith and Nick Drake might be spot on as a legacy comparison. I can see younger heads drifting towards this artist when they finally discover him. His music will certainly live on.
I only saw him live once, in Madrid. It was during the tour for What Comes After The Blues. Oh, he was sad. The show was beautiful, though. The band was incredible, and I don't remember the name of the drummer but he played just like Levon Helm... After the show, Jason signed some records and he struck me as the shiest person I'd greeted after seeing him playing live in front of an audience. It saddened me a lot to know of his death. Don't know if you've listened to Strand Of Oaks song JM. It's dedicated to Jason Molina.
One that almost slipped by me. Secretly Canadian are reissuing songs:Ohio's Didn't It Rain in a couple of weeks in deluxe formats. There's double cd and lp versions along with an option to get both formats and a large poster in a bundle rather like the previous magnolia electric co reissue. Available from secretly Canadian store or individually at Amazon etc.
Already ordered my copies, can't wait. The previous re-issue, Magnolia Electric Company was really well done, so I expect this to be just as good or even better. It's a darker and more stark album though.
My son bought this CD for me. It also tributes the Smashing Pumpkins, Molina was a heavy metal fan. Showalker was born in Indian and then moved to Wilkes-Barre PA. I believe this is very similar to how Jason grew up, but not an expert so I may be wrong. I think this common background is what draws Showalker to Molina. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpG8Te3WxJc
Right now, I would go with Black Ram by Magnolia Electric Co. from 2007. Jason Molina is responsible for at least three of my favorites of the 2000s, Didn't It Rain and Magnolia Electric Co being the other two, but this is the one that really haunts me since his death, strewn throughout with so many lines that read like an epitaph. Beautiful record. Sad as the day is long... What's broken will become better... if we can BTW, there are still flac soundboard downloads available from the tribute shows in Chicago at the beginning of this year and they are mostly very good to excellent performances ... http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...nolia-electric-co.312791/page-3#post-10238788
Thanks very much for the heads-up on Didn't It Rain. Last year a friend of mine gave me the Magnolia Electric Company reissue and I'm going to return the favor!
I've just received a copy of Songs Ohia's Ghost Tropic. Great stuff. Seems to have been mastered by Kevin Gray (KG@ATu in the deadwax, just like my Rhino Astral Weeks). Sounds very good indeed. No pressing plant listed, but the plastic inner sleeve looks like RTI's.
