MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. Featured On NPR’s Song Of The Day

Our good friends at NPR are currently loving MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO.’s latest longplayer Josephine (released July 21), most recently featuring a fine tune from the album as NPR’s Song of the Day. In the post, NPR said of lead electrician Jason Molina’s songwriting prowess: “His repetition of themes and imagery never comes off as lazy; it’s creating a new kind of format for the blues, like haiku or cinquain or something.”

And they had these fine words to say regarding featured track “Whip-poor-will”: “It helps that “Whip-poor-will” is as achingly pretty and strangely catchy as anything Molina has written with Magnolia Electric Co. Propelled by a slide-guitar line that’s somehow both sunny and sad, “Whip-poor-will” finds Molina’s sad-sack narrator feeling small and looking helplessly skyward: “So all of you folks in heaven not too busy ringin’ the bell / Some of us down here ain’t doin’ very well.” Of course, that’s a bit of a poetic understatement right there: Molina and pain make an inseparable pair. Fortunately, beauty is always hanging out nearby.”

To see the entire story and listen to “Whip-poor-will,” visit the NPR Song of the Day page HERE.

MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. Preps Exclusive Record Store Day 7-inch, Tours West Coast With The Avett Brothers

Quite often, times of dormancy only seem so to those of us on the outside. The wheels never really stop turning. Such is the case for MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC Co., which has a string of items lined up over the next months, including its first official release since 2007′s Sojourner box set.

First for the band is an exclusive 7″ titled It’s Made Me Cry, which will be available first on April 18 as part of Record Store Day, an international event celebrating independently-owned record stores. Side A of the 7″ features a tuplet of songs recorded over a weekend in October 2008 at Bloomington’s Russian Recording. The songs serve as a lesson in the power of brevity – each a flaming arrow to the heart of some heavy emotions. Side B of It’s Made Me Cry is the moody, instrumental “Protection Spell,” recorded at Russian Recordings almost exactly a year prior to the other songs and featuring late bassist Evan Farrell. The band’s proceeds from the 7″ will benefit The Evan Farrell Memorial Fund.

A list of businesses participating in Record Store Day can be found HERE.

It’s Made Me Cry will also be available digitally worldwide on May 19.

In May, Magnolia Electric Co. will tour the western U.S., sharing a string of West Coast dates with North Carolina’s The Avett Brothers, who are confessed fans of Magnolia Electric Co. Scott Avett was recently quoted in American Songwriter singing the praises of the band: “Shit, man, that Magnolia (Electric) Co. EP a few years ago moved me, and most of the world hasn’t heard it. That’s ridiculous. But I know those things happen.”

May will also bring a Magnolia Electric Co. appearance at Spain’s Primavera Sound Festival.

See a full listing of Magnolia tour dates HERE.

Stay tuned for more news coming from the Magnolia camp.

MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. Team Up With Insound And Designer Jason Munn

Insound and Jason Munn of The Small Stakes have teamed up with MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. to give us “The Insound 20.” Magnolia, along with 19 other bands, have limited edition designs, courtesy of Mr. Munn, up for sale now.

Check them out here!

New live footage of MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO surfaces

Not too long ago Magnolia Electric Co played in Washington DC. John Francis was there with his crew and captured some great live footage, featuring the late great Evan Farrell on bass. Enjoy.

“Leave The City” from the album What Comes After The Blues

“Talk To Me Devil Again” from the album Fading Trails

“Shiloh Temple Bell” from the Sojourner Box

What’s up with the MAGNOLIA boxset?

We realize that many of you who are wanting the MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. boxset, Sojourner, are having a difficult time getting one. Here’s the scoop. The band are on a massive coast to coast tour of the United States and they took a lot of the boxes with them. A lot! When the band returns we will be able to re-allot the boxes and hopefully everyone who wants one will be able to get one.