The Ghost was originally only available on Jason Molina’s 1999 tour. It was recorded on a boombox at home on a single February afternoon and released as a limited edition of 500 copies. Tape hiss is pronounced throughout, and Molina accompanies himself only with guitar. Much like the stirring isolation heard on albums like Didn’t It Rain and Ghost Tropic, the songs on The Ghost come to life with a minimum of chords. While the format might seem designed to push listeners away, fans of the late Molina’s various projects—from the Songs: Ohia albums, the Magnolia Electric Co. albums, and the ones baring just his name—won't be surprised by the lo-fi quality or the mournful simplicity that drives this work. In a sense, the 39 minutes and 10 songs here are all of one grand piece. It’s hard to imagine a listener falling under the spell of “The Dark Wrong Turn” and then not following through to songs such as “At Certain Hours It All Breaks Down” and “One Harrowing Night.”