Jason Molina (Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co.) has been away for what seems like a very long time. At least for this Molina-fan. In 2009 he suddenly disappeared from the radar to venture on what we now know was a three year stint in rehab.
This May he showed signs of life in a note posted on his website, revealing that was doing better and was working on new music. This new music makes up his post-rehab album entitled Autumn Bird Songs, due for release September 25th on Graveface Records. The first song to be released is a somber number reminiscent of his Songs: Ohia days called Heart My Heart. The song, which sounds like it was recorded in a living room, bears all the understated elegance that Molina is famous for. There are a few moments in the song where his voice crackles which seems to reveal something about the trials of his three year absence. Jason Molina has never tried to cover those fragile moments and it’s this kind of brutal honesty that makes his songs so arresting.
Autumn Bird Songs is based on material that was especially recorded for a book called From Black Sheep Boys to Bill Collectors: The Music-Related Artwork of William Schaff. The book contains artwork by William Schaff and features contributions from the likes of comes Okkervil River’s Will Sheff, The Mountain Goat’s John Darnielle. In the book you can also find Schaff’s album artwork for artists like Songs: Ohia, Okkervil River, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, amongst others.
Tracklist:
1. Heart My Heart
2. The Harvest Law
3. Enough Of A Stranger
4. No Hand Was At The Wheel
5. Owl & Raven
6. Shore To Shore
7. First Footing
8. A Sad Hard Change
In Between Songs 