|
Main Los Angeles Houston NYC London Australia
|
Songs:OhiaThere was a time some years ago when Jason Molina, who is the core member of Songs:Ohia (now called Magnetic Electric Company), often got categorized as "that guy who sounds a lot like Will Oldham". It was a pretty easy call - mostly because he really DID sound an awful lot like the Bonnie Prince, but also because one of his early singles was released by Oldham's Palace Records. Since those early days, his sound has continued to evolve over time as he has worked with various folks as his backing band (not long ago with members of Scottish bands Arab Strap and Appendix Out, Will Oldham, and soon with the members of Low). While I love his album "The Lioness", it's not the sort of thing I can recommend heartily to a broad audience because while Molina's songwriting is exquisite, his passions are somewhat dark. Take, for example "Coxcomb Red", which begins simply enough: "I wanted that heat so bad / I could taste the fire on your breath / And I wanted in your storm so bad / I could taste the lightning on your breath". But then continues: "I watched you hold the sun in your arms while he bled to death / He grew so pale next to you / The world is so pale next to you". Not exactly party music. But there is a time and a place - and in this case, it's usually after dark, and preferably when it's raining. Links of note:
If you'd like, you can email me here: richard@hearingmusic.com. Oh, and all content on these pages is copyright Richard Lewis. |