Cross The Road, Molina

April 17, 2008 6:17 PM

If you don't know who Jason Molina is, get to know his music.

After retiring the Songs: Ohia moniker, Molina's new band Magnolia Electric Co. has tried to keep their spirits up after the recent death of bassist Evan Farrell.

Here's an entire solo show recorded somewhere. Many of these songs are on the recent and quickly out of print box set Sojourner :

_{[***=recommended]}

Destiny
Patience
Down The Wrong Road Both Ways
Texas 71
Marsh Fire
Hold On Magnolia
Memphis Moon
What Comes After The Blues
Leave The City***
Montgomery/Hammer Down***
Hard To Love A Man
Unknown
I've Been Riding With The Ghost***
Just Be Simple
Bowery
Astrabel
Oh Grace

posted by auralcoral (7 comments total)

_[previously]
posted by auralcoral at 6:20 PM on April 17, 2008

Any relation to Bengie Molina?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:34 PM on April 17, 2008

Jesus, this is the first I've heard of Evan Farrell's passing. Late to the game, but I wish all the best for his family.
posted by purephase at 6:59 PM on April 17, 2008

Man, I was just planning a post about them there is a huge live show archive of Magnolia Electric Company on their site. The format is FLAC, so the quality is superb.

And an all songs considered interview.
posted by bigmusic at 7:06 PM on April 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

Jason Molina is a sweetheart who makes good music, but that's not how Jason Molina taught me the True Meaning of Rock and Roll.

Jason Molina is a friend of a friend, and I once ended up in charge of the table at the back of the room on which his CDs and lovingly-pressed vinyl were spread out for sale to the adoring masses at the end of the gig. The adoring masses, somewhat to my disappointment, never made their way to the table; they did, however, make their way to Jason Molina, who was stationed a few feet away. At the time Jason Molina was a very short man with a very bad bowlcut and a tall, intimidating, self-possessed girlfriend who didn't leave his side. None of these factors discouraged hordes of indie women in bobby-sox and cat's-eye glasses from swarming around him at a respectful distance and winsomely telling him how much his music meant to them.

I also once went to see Requiem for a Dream with Jason Molina, but he failed to teach me the True Meaning of Requiem for a Dream. This was disappointing at the time, but I now realize that even rock gods have their failings.
posted by dyoneo at 7:33 PM on April 17, 2008 [3 favorites]

I've seen Molina a few times live. It is a great shame of America that he is not more widely known, adored, wealthy, and sought out for political and spiritual advice. What is fantastic is that when you listen to the music, you can (or at least I did) imagine some skinny, snap-shirted, sad-eyed, long-haired beauty like a cross between Jeff Buckley and Tweedy. Instead he is short and average and wears really bad clothes and has an awful haircut. Of all the things he looks like, indie rocker is not one of them. Yet amazingly it adds to his charm.

Seriously, one hell of a musician, and a rare American talent. Thanks for the links.
posted by billysumday at 5:50 AM on April 18, 2008

No mention of Molina would be complete without mentioning his best work - Songs:Ohia - Didn't it Rain.

Easily one of the few perfect albums ever made.
posted by OrangeDrink at 10:41 AM on April 19, 2008 [1 favorite]