Photograph by Matt Pence
Hey everyone,
Hope all’s good out there.
Time once more for a little roundup of some nice things we’ve encountered recently from all around the Molinaverse.
We hope you all enjoy reading and listening.
Until next time,
S&D x
Released 25 years ago today - Songs Ohia’s ‘Axxess & Ace’
25 years ago today on March 15th, 1999, Songs: Ohia released ‘Axxess & Ace’ via Secretly Canadian.
In Jason’s own words:
“There is no bullshit on this record. It’s a love song record, so I wrote as directly to the point as I could. There is nothing snarling or cynical anywhere on the record. It is not invented stuff either. It’s a desperate record, it’s a jealous record, it’s an imperfect record. It is also as incomplete as a man. This record wasn’t made to rid me of any doubts or to heal me. The end result should show a man, anxious to learn, anxious to share, anxious to curtail all that is selfish. A note about the record as physical fact: it was done almost entirely live and first take. None of us were paid and the musicians all heard these songs for the first time on the day we made the record. Needless to say we could never have predicted the range and the urgency of this record’s atmosphere. We are all very proud of this new Songs: Ohia record Axxess & Ace.”
Recorded by Michael Krassner at his Truckstop Studios in Chicago, alongside Jason the album features musical contributions from Geof Comings (Party Girls), Krassner (The Lofty Pillars, Boxhead Ensemble, Edith Frost Band), Joe Ferguson (Pinetop Seven), Dave Pavkovic (Boxhead Ensemble), Julie Liu (Rex) and Edith Frost.
Here’s ‘Captain Badass’ from the album:
A little heads up also with something we’re very excited about here - we currently have the brilliant Erin Osmon currently working on an oral history piece for Static & Distance, exploring the making of ‘Axxess & Ace’, which should arrive here later this month. One to keep an eye out for, for sure.
Axxess & Ace - 25th Anniversary Edition
In other A&A-related news, Secretly Canadian have recently announced a new limited pressing of the record. Repressed on clear pink vinyl, the release is limited to 200 copies and can be ordered via Secretly Store here:
https://www.secretlystore.com/axxess-and-ace-ss-exclusive
From the archives…
While we’re very much on an ‘Axxess & Ace’ theme, here’s some original concept art for the record we recently dug out of the archive, dated 1998.
Not related, but from a March Magnolia Electric Co. show - this excellent screen print below.
On March 19th, 2006, Magnolia Electric Co. performed at The Conservatory, Oklahoma with Pink Mountaintops and Two Gallants.
Poster by Mark Pedini / Lonestar Posters.
Recommended listening
We recently stumbled across this interesting Southwest Review interview with Mississippi-based musician and songwriter Andrew Bryant, in which Andrew describes Jason’s vast influence on his own writing:
“What I’ve discovered is that I’m finding out some of my natural tendencies seem to line up with his as well. Like collecting random things and having random ideas of songs floating around on tapes and other things that are just scattered everywhere. I’m like that too. My studio is full of those things. And I think for this record, I started rummaging through a lot of that stuff and it helped. I really don’t listen to Molina’s music as much as I used to. It can be so dark at times, and at this point in my life, I honestly just find that I don’t relate to it on most days. But I do find times to sit with his songs, when the time is right, and every time I am floored by the mythic-like world he created that spans albums, and that’s something I’m trying to tap into as well—that deep oral tradition of telling tales through song.”
We were already acquainted with Andrew’s previous band Water Liars, so naturally we were eager to check out his latest solo record ‘Prodigal’. Featuring bold, nostalgia-laced songwriting, it’s an enjoyable listen and an album well worth some of your time.
The whole interview is worth reading too, in which it was also nice to read that Andrew has been enjoying these Static & Distance updates - thanks for the kind words, Andrew.
You can find Andrew’s music here: https://andrewbryant.bandcamp.com/
Recommended reading
Lastly, we enjoyed reading this recent piece by British music writer Tom Williams, titled ‘The Battered Optimism of Jason Molina’.
“On some of his best songs, he stared into the darkness without being fully engulfed by it. On others, he made beauty sound terrifying by capturing the full-body terror that comes with realizing that you could screw up something perfect and beautiful and intrinsically ephemeral.”
Check out the full post here:
April, 1999
Photograph by Thomas Heath