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Label Review: Secretly Canadian

Classic Albums: Shudder To Think – Pony Express »

By: Rustycat | in: Music |

I’ll chime in with a “haven’t you people ever heard of an independent music label called Secretly Canadian?”
Secretly Canadian has a large catalog including Jason Molina (Magnolia Electric Co., Songs:Ohia), Damien Jurado, Antony and the Johnsons, Nikki Sudden, Catfish Haven, The Earlies, Windsor For The Derby and my favorite named band of the year: I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness.
With a large repertoire of singer/songwriters, indie rock, mellow pop bands and some cool rocking bands, Secretly Canadian is nothing close to being a secret anymore. Here’s a true trivia fact: Secretly Canadian has nothing to do with Canada. You know, it sounds cool, underground, indie Neil Youngish like, but it’s not even close, they’re ‘Totally American’.
I can’t review all the bands on the label but I guess my favorite has to be Magnolia Electric Co. Come to think of it, Magnolia is probably one of my favorite bands from any label around.  Their new album, Fading Trials, hit stores last month and it’s just nothing short of being brilliant. A good ol’ rock n’ roll album full of bittersweet guitar melodies dodgy vocals and great lyrics; another gem from Jason Molina and his band. I was introduced to this band with their second album, Trials & Errors, which is a live compilation made up of their first album and a songs:ohia albums. Great stuff, a must have in every home.

Magnolia Electric - Fading Trials   Jason Molina

On the subject, Jason Molina has also released a new album two months ago named Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go. Molina’s solo albums are quieter, mellower with rugged vocals and soft acoustic guitars as opposed to Magnolia Electric Co.

I think it’s safe to say that Secretly Canadian have discovered some of music’s leading ‘folk’ like singer/songwriters, artists like Jason Molina and Damien Jurado define to me what Dylan and Neil Young did back in the day.  But read an article about American songwriters and the name Damien Jurado  or Jason Molina probably won’t appear. Why are they still lost among the lists of names? I dunno.
 

Downloads:
Damien Jurado - What Were The Chances
Magnolia Electric Co. - Lonesome Valley
Jason Molina - Get Out Get Out Get Out
Catfish Haven - Crazy For Leaving
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness - According To Plan
Frida Hyvonen  - You Never Got Me Right
David Vandervelde - Jacket  (recommended)


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Posted on October 16, 2006

Comments

One Response to “Label Review: Secretly Canadian”

  1. Sam on October 17th, 2006 11:20 am

    Great label you’re right.


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