Record Store Day brought a welcome treat in the form of a new Magnolia Electric Co. 7″, but that was just a tiny tributary to the relative flood of awesomeness that Jason Molina has cooked up with Josephine, his band’s first album in three years. It’s out this July. Which is such good news. This morning Pitchfork posted a lengthy Q&A with the Songs: Ohia/Magnolia great, discussing details and touch points for the forthcoming Secretly Canadian release: inspired by the tragic Oakland-fire death of touring bassist Evan Farrell, recorded once again by Steve Albini, “sonically more on the minimalist side,” although “heavier” in that there’s a “gravity to the playing.” Read it. As for the listens, today we get a snatch at “Josephine,” the set’s title track. It sounds like a Jason Molina song, which is to say it sounds great. There’s Jason’s reedy, bleeding quaver delivering a heart-aching confessional, cathartically castigating himself “a fool” while the chords pull him up. It’s spare, dense, and to the point — try not to love it. And it’s just the start with this album.

• Magnolia Electric Co. – “Josephine”Download

Josephine is out 7/21 on Secretly Canadian. Mark your calendar and own this thing. Tracklist:

01 “O! Grace”
02 “The Rock Of Ages”
03 “Josephine”
04 “Shenandoah”
05 “Whip-poor-will”
06 “Song For Willie”
07 “Hope Dies Last”
08 “The Handing Down”
09 “Map Of The Falling Sky”
10 “Little Sad Eyes”
11 “Heartbreak At Ten Paces”
12 “Little Knoxville Girl”
13 “Shiloh”
14 “An Arrow In The Gale”

If news of new Molina makes you happy, get ready to be ecstatic; there’s a lot more where these songs came from. From that P4K interview:

Actually, I recorded about six records since I finished the box set. It’s just that we have to stagger the releases, or else you’ll have a Bob Pollard situation where I can’t even afford to keep up with the guy. So there’s a complete solo record I have finished. There’s an eight-song 10” that I did that’s going to be in a coffee table book of the art of Will Schaff, and I have finished another record of just me and acoustic guitar. On the one solo record that’s finished, there’s side musicians on it; it’s not the Magnolia crew. And so I’ve finished dozens and dozens of songs and several projects. It’s just that they have to sit on the shelf because Josephine takes precedence, and then all this other stuff can come out. I also just finished a collaboration with Will Johnson [of Centro-Matic], and that’s also a full-length record. I haven’t taken any time off; it’s just that you don’t see the stuff for sale yet.

Yay.

The tour:
07/10 – Bloomington, IN @ Russian Recording *
07/11 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas *
07/12 – Chicago, IL @ The Hideout *
07/14 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House *
07/15 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum *
07/16 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk *
07/17 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East *
07/18 – Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse *
07/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Pool Party *
07/20 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
07/21 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 *
07/22 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club *
07/23 – Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone *
07/24 – Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves *
07/25 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk *
07/27 – Tucson, AZ @ Solar Culture *
07/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echo *
07/29 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill *
07/31 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir *
08/01 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile *
08/03 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *
08/04 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive *
08/05 – Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar *
08/06 – Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room *
08/07 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
08/08 – Dubuque, IA @ Busted Lift *
* w/ The Donkeys