Magnolia Electric Co.

"Magnolia Electric Co." by Songs: Ohia is one of my favorite americana/indie albums ever. These alt-country folky indie singer songwriter songs are beautifully instrumented and the overall mood is a bit depressing, but there is so much beauty to be found in fantastic compositions. Several tracks start quietly and then slowly erupt into guitar heavy indie rock. Another album produced by Steve Albini, so you know it must be something special.

A lot of things I could say about this one that doesn’t come to mind. Thanks for the music Jason

Never stop like boring white man shit, male internet!

This is the second Songs: Ohia album I've had on the post - list (the first being The Lioness). This is the better of the two. Both were good, but this one in particular was fantastic! Sound was better, more polished. The only song I didn't like on the album wasn't because of anything Jason Molina did. It was Scout Niblett's voice in Peoria Lunch Box Blues. It was God awful. The rest of the album was stellar! Favorite songs: Farewell Transmission, The Old Black Hen, I've Been Riding With the Ghost, Just Be Simple, Hold on Magnolia Least favorite songs: Peoria Lunch Box Blues 5/5

Spectacularly unimaginative music for bored drummers.

Damn, I should really check out his whole discography - I've dipped in here and there and generally really dug what I've heard. So cheers, picker, for prompting me to do that! I love the portentous slowcore country sound. Many of these tracks have a similar vibe to Richard & Linda Thompson's "The Calvary Cross" which is one of my all time fave tunes. Pretty heartbreaking to learn he drank himself to death at 39. 😞 Fave tracks - "Farewell Transmission" is probably the number 1 - really nails that "Calvary Cross" energy. "Almost Was Good Enough" and "John Henry Split My Heart" were great too....

A top-to-bottom beautiful album. Jason Molina was the greatest songwriter alive, and you can count on that. He understood country in its truest, most resonant form. Every song is filled with a tender sorrow that makes me think there's a piece of every musicians soul that was recorded. Hard to find an album as good as this these days. Longgg daarrkkk bluuuueeeesssss. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: In my eyes, yes. Just too good.

Country haters ain’t never heard this one, 10/10 masterpiece

The gold standard of country, alt country, and neighboring genres. I say that despite liking only about four of the eight original tracks—when the thing's hot, it's really hot

oh shit! I was genuinely contemplating adding this one myself, one of my favorite indie rock albums ever words don’t do justice to how good this one is I’ll often just play Farewell Transmission and leave it running on loop all day

Exceptional music, exceptional lyrics!

This is a record that many folks have been telling me to listen to for year, given how much Jason Molina and his sound align with what I am interesting in. Despite all of that I have never actually sat down and listened to it until now. What a record. Everything about it. I should have given this a listen years ago.

I absolutely love this album. Heavy Ditch Trilogy era Neil Young vibes all over it. Fantastic pick!

One of the best albums of all time. Rest in peace, Jason Molina and Steve Albini. "Farewell Transmission" in particular is an absolute opus. The more you read about the backstory behind its recording, the more it seems like it was a genuine divine miracle. And not to undersell the rest of the songs, because they're all hauntingly beautiful. 5/5.

Really solid, I enjoyed the extended version with bonus tracks and demos too. Not quite as good as The Lioness, which I had a few weeks ago, but still a cracking voice and beautiful songs, and still easily five stars for me. Thanks for the pointer!

Never heard of but yet brilliant.

jason molina soaring over stars, clouds and lands of ghosts weeping 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5 9.5/10 for more general purposes. ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 63 (including this one). Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 81 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 148 ---- Emile... Ma propre balise temporelle... Tu trouveras mes trois dernières réponses sous les albums d'Eric B. & Rakim, Shpongle et Ookla The Mok

Damn this is awesome. I've heard the names before but never given them a shot and now I'm kicking myself. Alt country is so good, I'm glad I've finally figured out that not all country is garbage about trucks and beer.

This was a surprising one given the genre and I think some of the subject matter. It was a pleasant album to listen to. The vocal style were probably my favorite part.

Farewell Transmission has long been a favourite of mine and it was nice to finally hear it in album context. The bonus tracks on the deluxe edition I listened to were a bit much, so I trimmed them for my second playthrough to keep things to the tight original 8. *Peoria Lunch Box Blues* was another highlight. FT is still the standout — not in a rush to revisit, but happy to when the mood strikes.

This is one of those albums that I feel like I'd need to listen to multiple times and really hone in to get if it's truly awesome. As is I enjoyed it but it didn't blow me away musically.

May 5, 2026 HL: "Just Be Simple", "Almost Was Good Enough", "The Old Black Hen", "Hold On Magnolia" The way people talk about this album I expected it to change my whole life It is pretty good country rock tho

Couple of duff tracks broke the spell but overall a rather enjoyable slice of mellow loveliness

I feel like I should listen to this album while riding a horse or sipping whiskey on a porch overlooking a grand vista.

Really like this one. Can't believe I hadn't heard it

Solid, solid slowcore-meets-Americana-meets-indie-folk, amplified by Molina's vocal style, which can sound like borderline desperation. Other vocalists aren't as effective. Opening track is best. MMJ is the bigger oversight relative to list proper, though this would be slightly preferred to The Lionness. Stil, good choice, recommender.

Hold On Magnolia is one of my favorite songs

I've had this album on another 'Best album' chart and it is good. It has integrity that is difficult to manufacture and pin down. Not my normal listening but this is very good.

A nice one. Maybe a bit too vague/poetic in the lyrics, but still sounds really good. 7/10

Outside of Black Hen, this was a really good listen. Solid folk/country album.

I'm a little torn on this one. I think it's pretty good, and would be a solid 4 if it wasn't for The Old Black Hen. I think I'll leave it as 4, but a little bit reluctantly.

Pretty sure there's been another album by this band, or at least its principle artist. I don't recall how it struck me, but I think I mused then too on how I'm often struck by the jaw dropping physiological destruction a catastrophic alcohol addiction can inflict. The strength of will to produce like this under the weight of that must be prodigious indeed. A double tragedy. Anyway I liked this very much. Slightly marred by some jarring shifts in tone. But in its parts and mostly in its totality very good.

I love this a lot. Refreshing production. The vocals feel untouched. Just raw and full of emotion. Instrumentation feels the same way. Lyrics too. Songwriting doesn’t contain the most range on this eight track album, but it’s overall different enough from most other things that it never gets boring for a second. At forty five minutes, this is a nice dive into a relatively unknown band and a great album. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. 4/5

Another Americana, alt-country highlight

I love Neil Young!

Sounds very much like a Neil Young project and I mean that in the best way possible

I was already quite familiar with this album, and already loved it. I need to check out more of their work. 4 stars.

I liked The Lioness, the Songs: Ohia album on the original list. I didn’t get to spend as much time with this one but I liked it. Reminded me a bit of Neil Young.

i dig this album! like a 4. reminds me of a bluesier weepies.

Ihan taitavasti tehtyä amerikanmusiikkia, mutta liian pitkä.

I would listen to them at a festival. I would not go just to listen to them

I never heard of this band so imagine my surprise when I liked it and looked up to see if this modern band had anything new or was touring… 3/5

Alternative country, Americana, country rock, outlaw country, roots rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Country: Slowcore, Country Rock, Southern Rock. Repetitivo. Sin enganche para mí.

Magnolia Electric Co. is a nice listen, fairly stripped back but not without nuance, delivers some calming melodies and vocals and plenty of emotion even if there's not a lot of difference in tone or tempo throughout. 3/5, I liked The Old Black Hen most.

This was good, but I don't get the hype.

If possible, I would give it 3,5.

I was indifferent to the other album from this band on the list and this isn't much better. It's meandering with songs that go on way too long, even though it's only 45 minutes. It's like a discount Neil Young at times and way less interesting. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Almost was good enough

Instrumentation: Innovative Mood: Folksy Songs: Ohia

okayish country album

Nice

A pretty solid indie songwriter album. Kind of like a younger more raw Jason Isbell with storytelling lyrics and impactful sounds of life. This is something where certain songs resonate more depending on the listeners mood. This is an underrated album for sure. 7.6/10

The sonic equivalent of a comforting, warm hug – this is my second time around listening to this LP, and I was in a more receptive mood for Molina’s thoughtful indie take on country. The lyricism is inspired without being melodramatic, and the fuller production and instrumentals make this singer-songwriter effort feel like it has some real meat on its bones. This LP is all over the other best of lists, and I would say its inclusion here is well-warranted.

Too long, but what I heard was all right

Det börjar bra men sen går det mer och mer utför. Plattan är alldeles för lång.

Not a country guy but I appreciated the tracks.

One or two songs every now and then. Not a whole album, or the mournful vocals and spare instrumentation leave the listener unsatisfied.

Alternative country, Americana, country rock, outlaw country, roots rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Don’t get the hype

Too long.

Nah. As in Americanah.

I didn't enjoy this as much as the other Songs: Ohia record - felt a bit drawn out and darker than I was hoping for.

Didn't click for me. For context, I also don't like Neil Young.

It's just a bog standard country rock album.

Like other people I don’t get the hype. There was nothing stand out here for me, quite generic.

2.5. Some were ok, some were excruciating.

Listen to this morose motherfucker right here. Two things almost guaranteed to get a negative reaction from me on this list. Sad white boy music, and country music. This is sad white boy country music. It can get in the sea.

This want's to be a Neal Young with Crazy Horse record sooooo badly. Holy cow. It's like a Weird Al parody it's so close.

Had enough Neil Young type nonsense on the list. Music to suck the joy out of life