https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acYkDTiQMRQ
Last year, Kevin Morby and Waxahatchee have teamed up for covers of The Velvet Underground and Everclear, and now the touring partners are bringing that collaborative spirit into 2018 with a new pair of musical tributes. Today, the duo has shared a digital 7″ featuring two covers of songs from the late Jason Molina: Songs: Ohia’s “Farewell Transmission” and Magnolia Electric Co.’s “The Dark Don’t Hide It.”
Proceeds from the songs will go to benefit MusiCares. In a note announcing the release, Morby describes recording the songs at a farm in upstate New York and says that “there’s no other songwriter or vocalist quite like” Molina. He also expresses gratitude to MusiCares, which he says “paid to have a polyp removed from [his] vocal chords in 2014.
Listen to the songs above, and read Morby’s full note below.
“My love for Jason Molina began only a few years ago. I had overlooked him for years, too overwhelmed by his many monikers and sprawling catalogue. Then, on a European tour in 2016, our driver put on Magnolia Electric Company and my mind was blown — and so began my obsession with the man and his music. A few months after hearing him, I was on tour with Waxahatchee, where Katie and I bonded over our mutual love for Molina, and we got the idea to record two of our favorite Songs: Ohia songs — which is what you have here today: ‘Farewell Transmission’ b/w ‘The Dark Don’t Hide It.’
These were recorded in Upstate New York with my live band at my drummer’s studio, The Chicken Shack, with both Katie and I splitting vocals duties. We would record all day, eating eggs from all the chickens running around, taking breaks to read old articles and watch live footage of Jason and his band. He’s a true inspiration and there’s no other songwriter or vocalist quite like him. We are deeply honored to be able to sing his songs, and we do hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed creating them. The cover art was done by William Schaff, who is responsible for the iconic Magnolia Electric Co. album art. All proceeds of the digital sales will go to MusiCares – an organization that provides support and community services to musicians in need of medical, personal & financial assistance – and also helped Jason in his struggle with addiction, as well as paid to have a polyp removed from my vocal chords in 2014. A truly wonderful cause.”
