When The Lioness came out early in 2000, I was stunned by its beauty, darkness, and
raw animalistic imagery. Now, not even a year has gone by, and I am already
reviewing another Songs: Ohia album. I don't mean to imply that this is a bad thing,
I was extremely excited when I saw that Ghost Tropic, Jason Molina's new album, was
coming out, I just expected that after The Lioness, Molina would have to take off at
least a year just to unwind from the darkness of the last album. However, like me, it
seems like Molina hasn't been able to escape the haunting beauty of The Lioness.
Shadows and thick fog have surrounded him and engulfed him even more in the
blackness, and with the help of Shane Aspegren, Mike Mogis, and Alasdair Roberts (whom
Molina just released a split 7" with), Molina has written his most sparse and
beautiful album.
"The Body Burned Away," the second song of the album, starts off with Molina's frail,
intimate, but impassioned vocals singing "Death as it shook you... I am an empty page
to you, I am an empty page." Continuing with "Give me your hand, give me your blood,"
with minimal percussion and chimes, acoustic guitars, slow sliding bass parts thickly
emphasizing the root notes of each chord structure, and pulsating long-held piano
notes accentuating the bass guitar--the music is as stark, atmospheric, intimate, and
as beautiful as the lyrics.
The last five songs on Ghost Topic, "Ghost Tropic," "The Ocean's Nerves," "Not Just a
Ghost's Heart," "Ghost Tropic", and "Incantation" are all tied together with
recordings of wind, birds, and the sound of open space, drawing you further and
further down the path into the thick forest. This is Songs: Ohia's best work to
date and will appeal to any Black Heart Procession and Will Oldham fans.
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