So many artists are joining together for a new record that honors Jason Molina, and it’s coming out September 5.
On I Will Swim to You: A Tribute to Jason Molina, you’ll hear MJ Lenderman, Sun June, Hand Habits, Advance Base, Friendship, Horse Jumper of Love, Runnner, and more, all playing their own versions of songs from Jason’s past bands and projects. Lenderman takes on “Just Be Simple” from The Magnolia Electric Co., while Sun June covers “Leave the City” off Trials & Errors—and you can actually listen to both of those covers below if you’re curious. The album’s name comes from a lyric in “Lioness,” which Hand Habits also covered for this project.
Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy shared, “Many try to walk the line between melancholic honesty and poetic affluence and fall short, but Jason Molina’s raw articulate devastation goes unparalleled.” That’s a pretty powerful thing to say.
We really hope more tribute albums like this happen, because it’s cool to hear different voices on old songs.
Some of the money made from this album will go to MusiCares, which is a nonprofit that helps musicians.
Here’s the song list for I Will Swim to You: A Tribute to Jason Molina:
01 MJ Lenderman: “Just Be Simple”
02 Horse Jumper of Love: “Blue Factory Flame”
03 Trace Mountains: “The Dark Don’t Hide It”
04 Sun June: “Leave the City”
05 Runnner: “When Your Love Has Gone”
06 Sadurn: “The Old Black Hen”
07 Advance Base: “Everything Should Try Again”
08 Hand Habits: “Lioness”
09 Teen Suicide: “Whip Poor Will”
10 Friendship: “Hard to Love a Man”
11 Lutalo: “Shadow Answers the Wall”
12 Another Michael: “Farewell Transmission”
Sometimes, tribute albums like this make people want to learn guitar, or at least pick up a harmonica for five minutes before giving up.
