Jason Molina - Pyramid Electric Co.

As I mentioned on my previous post, I discovered a number of great new music during my time as a DJ a local college station, WUAG to be exact. This is another discovery from that time, I picked up the yellow cardboard sleeve that the CD was in and read the short description on the back written by a fellow DJ as a review for others playing the music. I remember something along the lines of the recording was so clear and natural that you could hear the sound of the piano’s foot pedals as he played if you listen closely enough. This turned out to be quite true, the recording is very minimal and stripped down to its basics and I have a feeling these songs were recorded without overdubbing of any kind. While this does not hold quite the same the lo-fi aesthetic that other recordings I have mentioned up to now have it holds something unique in my mind in the way it was recorded. The recording itself feels transparent in a way which lets you feel that much closer to the music recorded. Jason’s voice rings out inside the room along with the guitar or piano, depending on the song, and you could close your eyes and get lost in the recording.

I love quiet albums such as this that allow you to feel somehow connected to the music in your own personal way like the music recorded exists only for you. It’s an idea sung about in a song that I’m sure I will write about here eventually by Clem Snide called Your Favorite Music, only in a lightly sarcastic way. Im getting off track here...

This album has been put on more times than I can remember and I love it for its ability to hold your attention so well while remaining so minimal in its approach. The lyrics are wonderfully written and performed and overall I cannot recommend this enough, as with most of the music I talk about here I suppose. I prefer hearing this on vinyl for some reason, something about the feeling of closing your eyes at home and hearing it crackle through makes it all the more warm and correct me if im wrong but I think this was released physically as a vinyl release that included a CD as well as a digital release. Sorry, this one ended up being a bit on the rambling side, close your eyes and enjoy.

iTunes Link • Artist link (also his full band project here)

Tags: Jason Molina