The Green Mossy Banks of the Lea b/w Ten Thousand Miles

It was July ’99. Songs: Ohia was at the tail-end of a seven week European tour that lead the group to — as many things these days seem to lead to — the UK’s most musically fertile city, Glasgow, Scotland. It was there that Jason Molina and his bandmates hunkered down for five days of rest & relaxation with their old friend Alasdair Roberts. For the last five years, Roberts’ Appendix Out has been re-defining the face of modern Scottish folk with his two full-lengths (THE RYE BEARS A POISON and DAYLIGHT SAVING) and several 7″ and compilation appearances. During the week stay, Molina and Roberts recorded a couple of traditional songs they learned from the singing of English folksinger Nic Jones. Recorded on a slow evening in Roberts’ flat on Hotspur Street, “The Green Mossy Banks of the Lea” and “Ten Thousand Miles” are two songs that feature Molina’s and Roberts’ beautiful voices traversing through the ancient melodies with a subdued acoustic guitar acting as the foundation. These sparse recordings will fill the needy little niche that is never quite full enough in the hearts of fans of the classic folk rockers Fairport Convention, Pentangle and Incredible String Band, as well as more modern new folksters such as Damien Jurado, Richard Buckner and Lullaby For The Working Class.

The upcoming Songs: Ohia full-length GHOST TROPIC (release date: 11/13/00) features Molina and Roberts paired together again alongside Shane Aspegren of Lullaby for the Working Class. And in the new year Secretly Canadian will release Roberts’ debut solo album entitled THE CROOK OF MY ARM, an album comprised of traditional English folk songs.