Out today, August 8th, from Secretly Canadian is a landmark vinyl reissue of Impala, the fabled second full-length album from Songs: Ohia. Originally released in 1998 and long out-of-print, the record stands as a crucial early testament to the profound songwriting talents of the late Jason Molina.
This remastered edition offers fans a renewed opportunity to experience the album’s raw power. It includes the addition of a previously unreleased demo of ‘Tess,’ captured during the original sessions (listen below). Steeped in the blue-collar melancholy of Molina’s hometown of Lorain, Ohio, Impala is a haunting exploration of life, loss, and subsistence in a post-industrial landscape.
Recorded solely by Molina and collaborator Geof Comings, the album’s arrangements are simultaneously the sparsest and most textured of the band’s early work. The tracks offer an unflinching glimpse into the soul of a man burdened by his surroundings, crafting timeless, aching anthems from the grit of a forgotten city. Impala remains one of the most honest and potent releases in Molina’s revered discography.
Bandcamp: https://songsohia.bandcamp.com/album/impala-reissue