Jason Molina
You Disappear Radio Epidode 2
Filed in: Podcast
Otherwise, here is a link to the feed which you can put into iTunes or whichever reader you use for podcasts: http://www.youdisappear.net/files/blog.xml I don’t think I will be including direct links to the files in these posts simply because I am keeping this on the underground side of things and I want to keep things as simple as possible with them. Hopefully this will not alienate too may people. Let me know your thoughts should you have an opinion on the idea. I am always open to suggestions.
If you are an artist featured on this podcast and you wish to have your music removed please contact me directly at john-at-youdisappear.net and I will be more than happy to remove it for you. I completely understand, the intention of the site is to promote great music of a calm mindset, not capitalize on it. Its for the love of the music.
Let Me Go Let Me Go Let Me Go
Filed in: Albums
Jason Molina - Let Me Go Let Me Go Let Me Go
I mentioned Jason Molina’s other solo album previously here and I wanted to take some time to add this to the archives as well. After his first solo record overwhelmed me with its beautiful existence I was excited to discover he was releasing a new one with the same sort of approach as the first, a stripped down recording process that leaves the songwriting and singing upright and center. An approach that results in a wonderfully intimate record that you cant help but get lost in. This second solo effort took me longer to appreciate though, it did not grab me and hypnotize me like this one did. I think it was a case of letting my expectations get to high. The record sat on my shelf unheard for quite some time until one quiet day I decided to give it another go and I was hooked, simple as that. The song that did it is the second song on the album called Everything Should Try Again. Something hiding inside it spoke to me that day and the rest of the album sort of sunk into my subconscious as I listened more and more through time. I have included a streaming version of the song I just mentioned if you are curious as well as a couple links as usual so you can explore the music more if you like what you hear.
iTunes Link • Artist Site
Random update to this post, oddly enough I sat down and wrote another review of this release a month or two later not realizing it was already something I featured here. I liked what I wrote so why not include it here as well... here is my second collection of thoughts on the recording:
The first album posted on You Disappear was Jason Molina’s solo album called Pyramid Electric Co. and I am happy to add his other solo recording, Let Me Go. As with his first solo record the music here is sparse, gripping, and simply beautiful. While I have respect for his work with the bands he has been part of I find that this work he does on his own is simply brilliant. It is music slowed down and deconstructed to its most essential of elements. Each note sung and each instrument that introduces itself echoes out into the space where it was recorded. Subtle recording tricks and ambient sounds in the recording add a sense of being there with the music rather than simply hearing it played. It did take longer to get into this second recording form him but one day the second track on the record called Everything Should Try Again came on and took my attention and never let go. It has since seen a lot of play on my record player and elsewhere because of its honest songwriting and emotionally charged presence. An essential recording along with Pyramid and I really hope that he revisits this side of his music again in the future.
Pyramid Electric Co.
Filed in: Albums
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)