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Such awful news. Axxess and Ace will always be one of my favourite albums, and 'Being In Love' is still probably the most devastating song I've ever heard. Thanks to the Rough Trade Country compilation (best compilation I've ever listened to) for putting me on to them. This was the first song of his/theirs I ever heard, and was probably never bettered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSOCM64f_AY

I'll cry even more now when I listen to Didn't It Rain.

i had no idea things were so bad for him. only had a few of his albums but i really dug em. he was a talented guy.

a wonderful musician. Alexander Tudor's piece on him has always been one of my favourite pieces of writing on DiS or anywhere else, too:

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4132494

RIP Jason. It's difficult to talk about his songs or respective place in the songwriter canon now cos it just seems redundant, he was warm, self-deprecating and gracious when I had the pleasure of meeting him and its been painful to follow his battle with his demons over the last couple of years. Several of his songs helped me to conquer issues with depression more than anything else I can think of and for that I will forever be in the man's debt. Can only hope he's finally at peace now

the tone of his message last year was really hopeful. Such beautiful songs.

Saw him at the Dirty Three ATP (I think) and he was really great.

He'll be missed.

An amazing songwriter, with an amazing back catalogue.

It's obvious to anyone who was a fan of his work that he had serious issues but when you listened hard there was always an element of redemption, a sense that hey if I keep on fighting things'll end up getting better and, for him at least, they never seem to have.

I listened to Leave the City by Magnolia Electric Co. on my way into work this morning. I had no idea Jason had passed over the weekend.

I saw Magnolia Electric Co. at the Middle East in Boston shortly after I moved there. It was a great show. Jason will be sincerely missed.

when i die put my bones in an empty street to remind me of how it used to be
don't write my name on a stone bring a Coleman lantern and a radio
Cleveland game and two fishing poles and watch with me from the shore
ghostly steel and iron ore ships coming home
where i am paralyzed by the emptiness
clearly iron age beasts you can tell by the rust and the chains
and by the oil that they bleed the crew and crows fly the skulls and bones
they fly the colors of their homes i fly the cross of the blue factory flame
stitched with heavy sulpher thread/threat
they ain't proud colors but they're true colors of my home
where i am paralyzed by the emptiness
every mile for ten thousand miles and every year for a thousand years
every night for a thousand more i hear them calling
they never say to come home
where i am paralyzed by the emptiness

devastating news

A really great songwriter. Beautiful voice.

Rest in peace Jason.

after playing at bush hall, they all left the stage and emma 'scout' niblett was standing at the front of the crowd just shouting 'more', 'more' at the top of her voice...good, good times! ...that songs:ohia 'electric magnolia co' just a hell of a record, a hell of a record...indeed, remember putting one of the songs off it on a mixtape for a work buddy and he was 'it's kinda like neil young, but maybe better...'

He wasn't even supposed to play that night.

It was billed as a Chris Brokaw & Geoff Farina gig at the Luminaire to promote the record those two had just jointly recorded and released. Geoff Farina had to pull out the day before the show to return to the US for family reasons. As Jason was living in London at the time, he kindly offered to play instead, so that the show could still go ahead.

After Jason had cancelled a tour with Will Johnson the previous December due to illness, nobody was sure what to expect. He didn't play too for long, but he seemed to be happy to be on stage again, and his voice and guitar playing was as wonderful as ever.

Such a talented artist. Will be dearly missed.

I still remember the first time I heard Farewell Transmission as a teenager baked off my face with a couple of friends in the woods. It just totally blew my mind and still does today.

so so sad

as the guitars and vocals are sparse enough to do it. not sure whether it'd be a tribute to him to do so now or be a bit cheap.

properly gutted.

Never looked back :(

Didn't It Rain is such a beautiful record.

As if listening to Two Blue Lights wasn't devastating enough.

It feels somewhat inappropriate/bizarre to be listening to the new Timberlake album whilst reading a bout this.
Need to change it for something else.

RIP Jason, rest easy.

Really glad I got to see him live a few times, especially the Luminaire show just before christmas 2007. There are youtube videos for most of it and there's even a recording of the audio taken straight from the mixing desk kicking around. I recommend tracking that down, brilliant gig.

This is really sad news. I'm listening to the Lioness right now, beautiful songwriter, sounds like he poured himself out into his music. He'll be missed that's for sure. RIP Jason.

Through the static and distance

A farewell transmission

Listen

This is the worst one yet; Elliott smith gûided me through my angsty teenage years, mark linkous helped me cope through beautiful melancholy numbness, vic chesnutt was courageous and defiant but Jason Molina was the honest plain voice of my depression singing back to me, the power of his songs will never be lost to me. He was the only musician I ever really wanted to meet, ever wanted to say thank you to no matter how cliched and stupid that is, now he has gone there's really no one musically left to guide me.

Rest in pace Jason

RIP

Jason Molina of Songs:Ohia and
Magnolia Electric Co. Passed Away Saturday

"Hold On Magnolia" December 3, 2006 at Acme Comics in Columbia, South Carolina

We are deeply saddened to announce that Jason Andrew Molina passed away in his home in Indianapolis this past Saturday, March 16th of natural causes at age 39. Jason was a world class musician, songwriter & recording artist. He was also a beloved friend. He first caught international attention in 1996 when he began releasing albums under the name Songs: Ohia. In 2003 he started the band Magnolia Electric Co. Between those two bands he released over a dozen critically-acclaimed albums and — starting in 1997 — he toured the world every year until he had to stop in 2009 to deal with severe alcoholism. Jason was incredibly humbled by his fans' support through the years and said that the two most important words he could ever say are "Thank you."

This is especially hard for us to share. Jason is the cornerstone of Secretly Canadian. Without him there would be no us — plain and simple. His singular, stirring body of work is the foundation upon which all else has been constructed. After hearing and falling in love with the mysterious voice on his debut single "Soul" in early 1996, we approached him about releasing a single on our newly formed label. For some reason he said yes. We drove from Indiana to New York to meet him in person, and he handed us what would become the first of many JMo master tapes. And with the Songs: Ohia One Pronunciation of Glory 7" we were given a voice as a label. The subsequent self-titled debut was often referred to by fans as The Black Album. Each Songs: Ohia album to follow proved a new, haunting thesis statement from a prodigal songwriter whose voice and soul burned far beyond that of the average twenty-something. There was organ-laced, sepia-toned econimica (1998's Impala) and charred-hearted, free form balladry (1999's Axxess and Ace). There were the dark glacial make-out epics of 2000's The Lioness and the jungle incantations of 2000's Ghost Tropic. There was the career-defining agnostic's gospel of 2002's Didn't It Rain, an album about setting roots that also seemed to offer solace to a world that had recently seen its bar on terror raised. It was followed in 2003 by a thrilling about-face, the instant classic Magnolia Electric Co., which took Jason's songwriting to '70s classic rock heights. The move was such a powerful moment for Molina that Magnolia Electric Co. became the new moniker under which he would perform until 2009. With Magnolia Electric Co., Jason found a brotherhood in his bandmates, with whom he built an incredible live experience and made a truly classic album in Josephine (2009).

We're going to miss Jason. He was generous. He was a one of a kind. And he had a voice unlike any other.

Fans can contribute to Jason's medical fund as a memorial gift by sending money via PayPal: http://secretlycanadian.com/blog/2013/03/jason-molina-of-songs-ohia-and-magnolia-electric-co-passed-away-saturday/

Hold on, Magnolia, to that great highway moon
No one has to be that strong
But if you're stubborn like me
I know what you're trying to be

Hold on, Magnolia, I hear that station bell ring
You might be holding the last light I see
Before the dark finally gets a hold of me

Hold on, Magnolia, I know what a true friend you've been
In my life I have had my doubts
But tonight I think I've worked it out with all of them

Hold on, Magnolia, to the thunder and the rain
To the lightning that has just signed my name to the bottom line

Hold on, Magnolia, I hear that lonesome whistle whine
Hold on, Magnolia, I think its almost time

Great songwriter. His songs are as bleak as they come, but there's an undeniable beauty that many can't touch upon. Not ashamed to say he is the only musician to bring me to tears at a concert. This guy really was a powerful & captivating performer.

I used to absolutely hammmer my parents phone bill to chat to American girls all night on yahoo messenger on my 56k dial-up internet connection. One of them was a couple of years older than me and liked really cool music. I remember she sent me two Songs:Ohia tracks via email - took absolutely ages to download them. I hadn't heard anything quite like them before - they were awesome - this must have been before I got into Elliott Smith and the like, back in 1998 or so. My favourite album at the time was probably something like The Good Will Out by Embrace or something ridiculous. I probably even sent her an MP3 back of All You Good Good People.

I'm ashamed to say I never followed these two MP3s up, and to this day have not heard a full Jason Molina penned album and never saw him live, despite having ample opportunity. Which is stupid really because it is something I know I would have loved, and will no doubt listen to now and become a big fan.

So genuinely sad that an alcohol problem can lead to anyone's premature death at 39, but when it is someone this talented it is even worse. If there's one thing to take solace in for his fans, it's that he must have died knowing that he was hugely appreciated by all of them, and had affected a number of people's lives with his music. I sincerely regret not taking the time to be one of these people myself.

I really thought / hoped he'd have one of those comebacks that never happen to musicians I really love. The Magnolia Electic co. is my favourite album of all time.

Bam harks back to Vic and Elliott and it just pains me so much to think that another sensitive, poetic soul has fallen to his demons.

'Ghost Tropic' is like nothing else.

But I didn't know he was this ill.

This news is incredibly, incredibly sad. To drink himself to death before he was 40 shows that he was in the ravages of something truly hideous. The poor, poor man :(

I'm fortunate to have seen him live. I wanted to see him again but I never will now. Shame.

This is the closest thing to `the other side` that I've ever heard in recorded music I think: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OCQqAPTSGc. Devastating stuff.

They (Magnolia Electric Co) were the headlining band in a Church basement in Philadelphia , Clap Your Hands Say Yeah had opened up for them, the place was packed for Clap Your Hands and then half the crowd left for MEC ... it was the middle of July, it was hot as hell down there. Given all his money troubles, I thought it was so great that he got one of the staff's attention and said how much are bottles of water? I can't have everyone dehydrated out there! and he handed the staff guy $100 to spend on water to hand out to everybody. The show was so awesome. They seriously shredded and rocked that little basement. Jason Molina -- great dude.

if bill callahan ever met a similarly tragic end I would probably just quit life. it's distressing that the people I most identify with in music are the people who end up dead. Is there really not any hope for anybody?

Was listening to The Lioness in the car today, hard not to get emotional to The Black Crow. A truly gifted songwriter and singer; I can imagine Molina's work getting a lot of posthumous recognition, but it's tragic that it should have to come to that. So, so sad.