On This Day

Tony Molinas records can be full of huge guitar riffs and power pop energy, but just as often the Bay Area singer/songwriter can be found at the crossroads of the 60s beat boom and the folk-rock explosion, with a little Baroque pop thrown in for good measure. On This Day falls into the latter category. 21 brief and beautiful songs that breeze by in less than 25 minutes but leave a warm glow that will last for hours, the record is Molina at his most melodic and lyrical. He and a small cast of friends concoct a sound thats tiny enough to fit in a briefcase but expansive enough to fill a heart to bursting. Molinas sweetly sad vocals are the center, all sorts of strings both 6 and 12, electric and acoustic surround him, along with warmly humming organs, soft vocal harmonies, and the occasional trumpet courtesy of Gary Olson, on loan from the Ladybug Transistor. Some of the album feels like miniature versions of that bands sound, both are descendants of groups like the Left Banke and both have relaxed, pastoral souls despite living in the city. Molinas determination to keep things focused only giving each song the exact amount of care and feeding it needs and not an ounce more, keeps the album on an even keel, even as the moods shift ever so slightly. The few tracks that raise their voice above a tender whisper fit in perfectly with the rest of the record; "Living Wrong" is pure 12-string heaven that sounds like a lost Byrds classic, "Have Your Way" crashes into the frame like a Who album track, and the rippling cover of Eric Andersens "Violets of Dawn" would have made Molina a hero of the Paisley Underground. He probably already would have been anyway, since this album captures the spirit of the moody, almost painfully introspective side of 60s pop music and turns it into songs that may be slight but have all the impact of a giant asteroid striking the surface of the earth. Hearing a Tony Molina record for the first time can cause just such a seismic shift in the musical worldview of the listener, hes just that unique and the music is just that mind blowing. Even if one has been a fan for a while, its still easy to be struck to the core by his music, especially when its as impressively crafted and powerfully delivered as the music here. On This Day may or may not be the best record Molina has made to date, but it is in the running and that makes it something truly special. ~ Tim Sendra