Jason Molina Tribute Album Unveiled, Previewed by MJ Lenderman and Sun June Covers
Jason Molina passed away too soon in 2013, but his influence since has been profound and far-reaching. At the helm of Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co., Molina imbued his cutting and intimate indie rock with the tender pastoralism of Americana and embodied his soul-baring storytelling with his warm, worn tenor, clearing a path for manifold artists walking the line between heavier rock and alt-country.
Now, Run for Cover Records has announced I Will Swim to You: A Tribute to Jason Molina, a new compilation of covers from the devotees he left behind. To preview the set, they’ve shared M.J. Lenderman’s treatment of “Just Be Simple” from Song: Ohia’s The Magnolia Electric Co. and Sun June’s take on “Leave the City” from Magnolia Electric Co.’s 2005 debut, What Comes After the Blues. Both artists breathe their own styles into the standards, charting Molina’s vast and varied imprint on the voice of a new generation. The other artists included are Horse Jumper Of Love, Trace Mountains, Runnner, Sadurn, Advance Base, Hand Habits, Teen Suicide, Friendship, Lutalo and Another Michael.
The collection was assembled by Run for Cover founder Jeff Casazza with Christ and Ben Swanson of Secretly Canadian, the longtime home for Molina’s recording and publisher of his uncovered posthumous projects Eight Gates, Live at La Chapelle and Live: Vanquishers. “We had the blessing of people who were very close to Jason,” Casazza says, “and I knew we could do something really cool with an important body of work.”
I Will Swim To You: A Tribute To Jason Molina will arrive on Sept. 5 via Run For Cover, alongside a limited edition 7” with Molina’s unreleased demo of “The Last 3 Human Words” backed by Lenderman’s “Just Be Simple.” 10% of all record sales will go to MusiCares, the Recording Academy’s nonprofit organization that helped Molina as he was struggling with addiction. Pre-order the album here, and listen to Lenderman and Sun June’s covers below.
Read on for the full tracklist.
I Will Swim To You: A Tribute To Jason Molina:
01 “Just Be Simple” (MJ Lenderman)
02 “Blue Factory Flame” (Horse Jumper Of Love)
03 “The Dark Don’t Hide It” (Trace Mountains)
04 “Leave The City” (Sun June)
05 “When Your Love Has Gone” (Runnner)
06 “The Old Black Hen” (Sadurn)
07 “Everything Should Try Again” (Advance Base)
08 “Lioness” (Hand Habits)
09 “Whip Poor Will” (Teen Suicide)
10 “Hard To Love A Man” (Friendship)
11 “Shadow Answers The Wall” (Lutalo)
12 “Farewell Transmission” (Another Michael)
