Sojourner [BOX SET]

Magnolia Electric Co.

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 7, 2007)
• Original Release Date: August 7, 2007
• Number of Discs: 5
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Secretly Canadian
• ASIN: B000QUCPTS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,273 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Lonesome Valley

2. Montgomery

3. Don't Fade On Me

4. Hammer Down

5. No Moon On The Water

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. In The Human World

2. Black Ram, The

3. What's Broken Becomes Better

4. Will-O-The-Wisp

5. Kanawha

See all 9 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Talk To Me Devil, Again

2. Memphis Moon

3. Hold On Magnolia

4. Trouble In Mind

Disc: 4

1. Steady Now

2. Spanish Moon Fall And Rise

3. Night Country

4. Shiloh Temple Bell

5. Spell, The

See all 8 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This box set includes four CDs, a DVD, a poster, postcards, and a medallion. The CDs are from four distinct recording sessions following the release of the group's debut studio album, "What Comes After The Blues". "Nashville Moon" was recorded by Steve Albini, "Sun Session" was recorded at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis, the "Black Ram" session was recorded by David Lowery, and the "Shohola" session was recorded by Jason Molina alone, with a guitar and microphone. "The Road Becomes What You Leave" is a documentary film that follows the band as they tour the prairie provinces of Canada, and it shows the loneliness one can feel even when traveling in a pack. Together, these make for the most ambitious and robust Magnolia Electric Co. release to date.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous, August 14, 2007

By	Shamus Macgillicuddy (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

SOJOURNER is Magnolia Electric Company's best release since the final Songs Ohia / first Magnolia CD.

Some songs will be familiar to fans of the earlier albums, but there's lots of all-new material here, as well as some wonderful alternate versions of Magnolia 'classics'. The way all the tracks are organized (on four separate CDs, each representing a different recording session) helps to highlight the different moods and modes of the band, letting listeners enjoy the new songs for what they are, and hear favorite songs in an entirely new light.

What's more, there are numerous studio versions on the NASHVILLE MOON disc of tunes you've (until now) only been able to hear live, or in live versions. WHAT COMES AFTER THE BLUES (conspicuously absent from the album of the same name) is a standout favorite of mine, currently playing on obsessive repeat from every available audio output device within arm's reach. However, of the four CDs, BLACK RAM, with its dense sound and foreboding energy, really stands out as the superstar.

All in all, SOJOURNER is awesome, and I mean that both in the sense of its being awe-inspiring, and in the "Magnolia fan geek out" sense. If you've wanted to catch-up with Molina's work since Songs Ohia, this is a perfect crash course. For fans it's even more--filling in the blanks between former releases, and enhancing his band's considerable collective achievements.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically Moody Documentary, August 9, 2007

By	John P. Marsh (North Las Vegas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The extensive Sojourner box set is very good (in-and-out/familiar at times.) I tend to like different MEC songs at different times of the day. The mood here swings wildly, something here always to connect to. This set has a lot to mull over.

Some of it feels like out-takes or discards. That is not a complaint as hearing musical process, for me, is always better than hearing over-produced material. Molina's revisiting songs previously heard on other albums is great.

What is terrific, however, is the short (20min) DVD accompanying the box set which captures the ambiance of road life well. This wonderfully shot (DP compositions are very evocative) and elliptical statement (things are hinted at, never really presented on the nose) about road life is really compelling and meditative. This film is a mood piece not unlike MEC's best songs. Having seen lots of 'road' docs and rockumentaries, this one is simple, unique and a real delight. What's great, also, is that Molina is presented as part of the fabric. The film stays away from focusing on 'hero-guitarist' to concentrate on mood-location and road-tone.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice box for fans, September 28, 2007

By	cooksferry (new zealand) - See all my reviews

First, for the reviewer earlier who couldn't get a disc to play, one is a DVD, not a cd, is this the problem?
I'm a fan of interesting packaging of boxed sets and a fan of Magnolia Electric Co so this item was a double dip for me.
The box its self is quite well made, somewhat along the line of the Great Goodbye Babylon set from Dust-to-Digital a few years back.
The music is typical Magnolia fare, you either love it or leave it,maybe not as immediate as some of their other releases but a definite grower and keeper.
My only real gripe is with the inner disc packing, it would be nice to have the tracklisting on the cd paper cover rather than have to hunt through the box to find the relevant card.Not much to complain about really.