For the most part reissues of albums come and go for me, usually without much fanfare. Of course, sometimes it depends on the album, but generally I don't feel the need to get my hands on many. The 10-year anniversary reissue of Songs: Ohia's "Magnolia Electric Co." set for release on November 12th, is an exception, however. A big one. Coming some eight months after the untimely death of frontman Jason Molina, this reissue is as welcome as it is unfortunately timed. Besides making some of my all-time favorite records, Jason Molina holds a place in my heart because he's the only musician I admired that I had the chance to meet. I saw Magnolia Electric Company (as they were billed in 2005) at a tiny club in San Francisco. Before the show started, I saw Jason walking around in the small crowd and decided I would get the guts to introduce myself and ask him to sign my ticket. In my fandom, I was so unconvinced that he was just strolling through the crowd that I asked a guy at the merch table if it really was him. As expected, Jason was very nice, kindly signing my ticket and shaking my hand. He was the definition of approachable. I didn't say much to him, but it was a memorable exchange for me. And, also as expected, he and his bandmates put on an amazing show.
Even if the aforementioned exchange hadn't occurred, I would still be terribly saddened by the timing of this reissue. In spite of this, it marked an important transition for Jason Molina and what turned out to be a successful one. Despite adding a full band, Jason's lyrics were as affecting and resonant as ever, and the fuller sound complemented the songs perfectly. This album often gets compared to Neil Young's material with Crazy Horse, and such comparisons actually fit. As wonderful of an album as "Magnolia Electric Co." is, it still seems like the kind of album you either love or hate. Some people can't stand Jason Molina's voice, or find his songs overly depressing; and yet for me, his vocals and lyrics pull at all the right heartstrings and really resonate with me. Lawrence Peters and Scout Niblett (her work with Molina was how I discovered her initially) add additional depth with their respective lead vocal tracks.
Is this Jason Molina's best album? It's hard to say, at least for me. It's hard to top "Didn't It Rain" (my personal favorite) or "The Lioness", but "Magnolia Electric Co." comes damn close. It is certainly one of Molina's finest recordings. Making this particular reissue all the more painful for me is the inclusion of the song "The Big Game Is Every Night." This track and the previously released "31 Seasons In the Minor Leagues" remind me that Molina was a big baseball fan (the Indians in particular), which is yet another way I related to this incredibly talented man. The additional fact that both Molina and another favorite, Jason Isbell, both wrote songs (somewhat) about John Henry is not lost on me - especially since both songs are excellent. Both are stellar songwriters whose songs can reduce you to tears without necessarily knowing why at first.
All of the sadness surrounding Jason Molina's death aside, I can't say this reissue is a total negative, and there is no denying its necessity. Like with most other reissues, "Magnolia Electric Co." leaves us with previously unreleased material to comb through and appreciate. And as far as depressing albums go, this really isn't one for a Jason Molina release. But knowing that just before his death he had released one of his finest albums ("Autumn Bird Songs") makes all of it that much harder to take in the end. Perhaps the timing of this reissue is particularly bad for me because it comes on the heels of having lost two family friends within the last month. Between those losses, Jason Molina, Lou Reed and my cat Derek (all of which except the first have happened in the last 6-7 weeks), it's just a lot of death in a short period of time for me. Why would I put Jason Molina and Lou Reed in that mix? They were two musicians who really inspired me and who I deeply admired. And their deaths will be felt in the music world for a long time to come.
If nothing else, the reissue of "Magnolia Electric Co." will further cement Jason Molina's legacy as one of the finest songwriters and musicians of his time. He was undoubtedly one of the best. And more material from him is never a bad thing, only a gift.
