''The Magnolia Electric Co.'' is the seventh and final album by Songs: Ohia. It was recorded by

Steve Albini Steven Frank Albini (; July 22, 1962 – May 7, 2024) was an American musician and audio engineer. He founded and fronted the influential post-hardcore and noise rock bands Big Black (1981–1987), Rapeman (1987–1989) and Shellac (band), ...

Electrical Audio Electrical Audio is a recording facility founded in Chicago, Illinois by musician and recording engineer Steve Albini in 1997. Hundreds of independent music projects have been recorded there. Unlike most producers, Albini refused to take any roya ...

in Chicago and released by Secretly Canadian on March 4, 2003.

Title

The title of the album and comments by

Jason Molina Jason Andrew Molina (December 30, 1973 – March 16, 2013) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. Raised in northern Ohio, he came to prominence performing and recording as Songs: Ohia, both in solo projects and with a rotating cast o ...

have led to discussions whether it is not simultaneously, in fact, the debut album by Molina's new band, also named Magnolia Electric Co. The artwork for the album does not contain the name Songs: Ohia anywhere, though its hype sticker and the center label on later pressings of the vinyl record do say "Songs: Ohia." On the other hand, the album was recorded with different musicians than the later members of Magnolia Electric Co., and the decision to take on the new name was not announced until the tour following the release in the spring of 2003. Molina later declared '' Didn't It Rain'' to be the final Songs: Ohia album.Magnolia Electric Co. , Beta Music Interview
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Composition

''Magnolia'' digs into

alt-country Alternative country (commonly abbreviated to alt-country; also known as alternative country rock, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative) is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that diffe ...

and "red-blood, full-throated"

country rock Country rock is a music genre that fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal sty ...

, as well as seeing the band draw from both “orthodox” Americana and “otherworldly atmosphere”. It also works in

roots rock Roots rock is a genre of rock music that looks back to rock's origins in contemporary folk music, folk, blues, and country music. First emerging in the late 1960s, it is seen as a response to the perceived excesses of the then dominant psychedel ...

, while the arrangements and songwriting echo 70s outlaw country.

Track listing

;Original release All songs written by Jason Molina. # "Farewell Transmission" – 7:22 # "I've Been Riding with the Ghost" – 3:20 # "Just Be Simple" – 4:20 # "Almost Was Good Enough" – 4:28 # "The Old Black Hen" – 5:48 # "Peoria Lunch Box Blues" – 5:48 # "John Henry Split My Heart" – 6:09 # "Hold on Magnolia" – 7:51

Personnel

– voice, guitar * Jennie Benford – voice, mandolin * Mike Brenner – lap steel guitar * "Three Nickel" Jim Grabowski – piano, organ,

wurlitzer The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

* Dan Macadam – guitar, voice, violin * Dan Sullivan – guitar * Rob Sullivan – bass * Jeff Panall – drums * Lawrence Peters – voice (on "The Old Black Hen") * Scout Niblett – voice (on "Peoria Lunchbox Blues") *

–

recording engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproducti ...

References

External links

Secretly Canadian press release

Reviews at metacritic.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magnolia Electric Co 2003 albums Jason Molina albums Secretly Canadian albums Albums produced by Steve Albini