Jason Molina

I've become fascinated lately by the music given to us by Jason Molina. Either under his own name or via the groups, "Magnolia Electric Co." and "Songs: Ohia." Just recently discovered and then thrilled to find a huge catalog of recordings to seek out.

I love it when that happens!!

Though I've never seen anything in record stores I frequent. Like I've said before …. the physical records and compact discs are preferred but there's also a place for iTunes and downloads.

He passed away in 2013 but was extremely prolific in his years releasing music. How do I describe his sound? Americana? Indie Folk-Rock? Singer/Songwriter? All of the above perhaps? There's one album that has an obvious Neil Young/Crazy Horse influence!! I mean that in a good way. Doesn't seem to have ever been an issue with writer's block. I can't help but wonder what may have been created had there been another ten or twenty years?

This darkly melodic and brooding stuff is what I love!! How is it that I was never exposed to this music years ago?

OPB Playlist

From OPB Music .... It seems like there's always a great amount of cool tunes played after midnight. Or maybe we're just better prepared for listening when away from the activity of the daylight hours.

• LUMP - Curse of the Contemporary
• The National - Secret Meeting ..... "I'm sorry I missed you, I had a secret meeting in the basement of my brain."
• John Doe & Kathleen Edwards - The Golden State
• The Rosebuds - Night of the Furies
• Petal - Better Than You
• Blind Pilot - One Red Thread
• Horse Feathers - Without Applause
• Courtney Barnett - Sunday Roast ..... The title taking me back years, reminding of my mom's Sunday meals. Usually something special.
• Yo La Tengo - Shades of Blue *****
• Elbow - Magnificent (She Says) *****
• Emma Pollock - Don't Make Me Wait
• Florence & The Machine - Dog Days Are Over ..... Actually being July 6th, this years dog days  haven't started yet.

Late night OPB Playlist, Part 2 .....................

• XTC - Earn Enough For Us ..... The mention of XTC always brings to mind their song, "Dear God."
• Horse Feathers - Faultline Wail
• Silver Jews - Suffering Jukebox
• Ramona Falls - In the Wake
• John Vanderslice - White Dove
• Yo La Tengo - Ohm ..... My favorite Yo La Tengo song, especially when the song melts into total electric fuzz and static.
• Paul Simon - Wristband ..... Seems odd to hear one of the all-time classic greats on this program. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just that it seems like he's from a different genre and period of time.
• Nurses - Caterpillar Playground
• No Kind Of Rider - Dark Ice
• Yeasayer - Sunrise 

Jazz Playlist

Heard in between making the rounds at work. From the Portland Jazz radio station, KMHD-fm's, overnight stream of sounds. New Jazz, Soul leanings, occasional Latin influences .....

• Christian Scott - Of A New Cool *****
• Abdullah Ibrahim - Did You Hear That Sound
• Fiction Trio - My Name Is *****
• Tribe - Livin' In A New Day
• Jukka Eskola - Martha's New Moment
• Ocote Soul Sounds - Primavera
• Blundetto - Final Goodbye *****
• Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Balboa Park
• DJ Cam Quartet - Raise Up *****
• Joe Cuba Sextet - Do You Feel It
• Roy Ayers - Red, Black and Green
• Donald Byrd - Places and Spaces
• Gary Bartz - Music Is My Sanctuary
• Menahan Street Band - Going The Distance

Several names I've never heard of previously. With Jazz especially, I'm very guilty of just paying attention to recordings from half a century ago. I don't know much (or anything actually) about the directions it's gone in the current century. So there's a huge learning curve involved. The selections marked with ***** are songs that I found particular interest in. Worthy of additional listening and research. Not that the others don't belong in that category. But I can't check out everything .... Or can I?