Songs:Ohia - The Magnolia Electric Co.

Again, this band has been hiding all around me. I finally got a copy of this album, which i believe is their best one. The common debate is whether or not this is a Songs:Ohia record, or a Magnolia Electric Co. one. I'll try to crack down what i believe.

From all i have heard from Songs:Ohia, the songs follow a basic mood or atmosphere to them: lo-fi, moody, bare, and sullen. Ghost Tropic is a good example of this, though darker than the other albums, but for the most part they stay the same. Magnolia Electric Co., however is more country-inspired and bluesy, not to mention that it is an actual band, not just Jason Molina. And here, with The Magnolia Electric Co., the full band is used and that southern twang pulls through. Slide guitars, honky-tonk pianos, and even a number sang by a local country singer appear. Molina's singing sounds more mature than in past albums. This is also a factor in deciphering between the two bands. Magnolia's What Comes After the Blues and Fading Trails emphasize on the deeper tones of his voice, i think. And this cd is no different.

But don't be fooled too much by the country-inspired comment. This is still very much a rockin' album. Things get pretty heavy at times. Ultimately, this has become one of my favorites albums of all time, simply for the style of music and of the messages put out in it. I suppose it doesn't really matter which band is truly put forth here, but what does matter is that it shows a good composite of two genres in a way most people haven't heard before.