Magnolia Electric Co.'s Molina and Centro-matic's Johnson Team Up

e-stone · **Posted:** Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:32 pm

pitchfork Wrote:

Jason Molina is having a busy year. Back in May, we talked to the Magnolia Electric Co. frontman about Josephine, that band's new album, and he mentioned a whole litany of projects he had in the works. Now, we're just about a month away from the release of the next one, a full-length team-up with his peer in dusty confessionals, Centro-matic's Will Johnson. (Johnson himself has a whole lot going on, too; he's drumming for Monsters of Folk on tour right now.)

The new duo have taken the totally left-field name of Molina & Johnson, and their self-titled debut drops November 3 on Secretly Canadian. According to a press release, the two met when Johnson came to a 2007 Magnolia show in Austin, and they got to talking about hats and pumpkins. They recorded the album together in 2008 in Texas.

That's the cover above, and the tracklist is below, as are the duo's first tour dates. Also below: Stream and download of "Twenty Circles to the Ground", the first track from the album.

Molina & Johnson:

01 Twenty Circles to the Ground
02 All Falls Together
03 All Gone, All Gone
04 Almost Let You In
05 In the Avalon/Little Killer
06 Don't Take My Night From Me
07 Each Star Marks a Day
08 Lenore's Lullaby
09 The Lily and the Brakeman
10 Now, Divide
11 What You Reckon, What You Breathe
12 For as Long as It Will Matter
13 34 Blues
14 Wooden Heart

just judging from that one song, but this might could be much better than josephine (i hope anyways). i'm only familiar with Johnson/Centro-matic by name. i need to check some out soon...

Elvis Fu · **Posted:** Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:38 pm

Awesome. I dig both these dudes.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:46 pm

Yeah, this song is pretty good. They sound good together.

Here's hoping this is much, much better than Josephine.

harry · **Posted:** Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:34 pm

Drinky Wrote:

Yeah, this song is pretty good. They sound good together.

Here's hoping this is much, much better than Josephine.

Yeah, I really wanted to like Josephine, but it got very tired for me after a couple listens... the opposite of a grower, it was a shrinker.

seafoam · **Posted:** Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:30 am

I agree, this project on the other hand shows a little promise. The sample track seems to be channeling Johnson's South san Gabriel side, an easy match up with Molina's folkier edge. I hope this follows through as redemption for Josephine.

e-stone · **Posted:** Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:43 am

is there a consensus album to start with will johnson/centro-matic/south san gabriel? there are a lot out there....

harry · **Posted:** Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:48 am

e-stone Wrote:

is there a consensus album to start with will johnson/centro-matic/south san gabriel? there are a lot out there....

The one that was all about a cat. Best album made about a cat. Carlton Chronicles.

e-stone · **Posted:** Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:06 pm

i'll check it out, thanks harry. i think i remember when that one came out actually.

Elvis Fu · **Posted:** Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:26 pm

harry Wrote:

e-stone Wrote:

is there a consensus album to start with will johnson/centro-matic/south san gabriel? there are a lot out there....

The one that was all about a cat. Best album made about a cat. Carlton Chronicles.

Absolutely.

I would up it, but I fried my HD.

mcaputo · **Posted:** Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:21 pm

The best record about a dying cat.

"There's this black cat that's taken up residence in our sporadically mowed back yard, pretending to be a lion in the more jungle-like parts, but mostly taking refuge from the pit bulls next door. It's this fella that takes center stage in The Carlton Chronicles. Will Johnson penned his latest South San Gabriel outing from the POV of an ailing cat, and while the concept is obscure at points, thanks to the Centro-Matic frontman's oft-mangled warble, even if one stripped away the vocal tracks, The Carlton Chronicles would remain a lovely work. Take "Affection's the Pay," for example. Drummer Matt Pence marries the cadence of the most sensual Dirty Three reverie to Johnson's sweet harmonies, which are reminiscent of Low. "I Feel Too Young to Die" is the true bellwether of the album: The guitars are sweetly smoky, chugging gently and underscoring Johnson's oblique lyrics ("I live in magnolia, I am in your paintbrush"). Johnson scores a direct hit to the solar plexus in articulating the anxiety faced in shuffling off our mortal coil, dreaming of the "new home" that waits on the other side. Like a big back yard safe from snapping pit bulls and the tax collector. It's a beautiful dream, one you won't want to end." (austin chronicle)

Code:

http://rapidshare.com/files/143578147/Carlton.zip

You may want to check out All The Falsest Hearts Can Try as well

e-stone · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:10 pm

thanks for the link.

i actually found it yesterday and took a listen and was really impressed. kinda upset it took me this long to finally check him out...it's right up my alley. i also grabbed welcome, convalescence along with one of his solo albums, vultures await. gonna take a listen just as soon as i get back from this dead show....

Fryxell · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:03 am

Code:

http://hotfile.com/dl/16127995/b0c5cd4/Molina_And_Johnson-Molina_And_Johnson-2009-FNT.rar.html

ptrck · **Joined:** Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:55 pm **Posts:** 5568

ft to thread

also the centromatic/ssg double release from last year "dual hawks" was my #1 of 08, it has slipped a little with age but still a very good rekkid

pollysix · **Joined:** Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:56 am **Posts:** 5174

nice. was just thinking about Molina.
thks

e-stone · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:53 pm

listenend to this last night. very very good, and redeems molina a little bit for me after josephine.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:02 pm

Officially out on Tuesday, right? Can't wait.*

*Meaning I can. I'm gonna buy it, probably.

discostu · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:42 pm

ÃœBER MEH

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:23 pm

Are you a fan of either of these guys, stu? I don't remember.

rogneeb · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:07 pm **Posts:** 12618

two artists I feel like I should like, but rarely do.

e-stone · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:45 pm

disco stu don't like the molina. he'd rather listen to neil young.

Magnolia Electric Co.'s Molina and Centro-matic's Johnson Team Up

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