I’d like to focus a bit on our local boys here in Indiana. Secretly Canadian is a label that started in a dorm cafeteria at the University of Indiana (just south of where I live) in 1996, and now have their own office and currently work with over 26 artists from across the world. Their musicians range from the “chamber cabaret” of Antony and the Johnsons to the slow, rootsy rock of Songs:Ohia and Early Day Miners.

Magnolia Electric Co. / mp3

I heard about Jason Molina (not to be confused with Juana Molina) through an interview with Mark Eitzel. At the time, Eitzel stated that the band he was most into was Songs: Ohia. Songs: Ohia is just one of the monkiers Jason Molina plays under. Besides using his given name, he also appears as Magnolia Electric Co. Amid these three personae/collectives he has churned out an impressive sixteen releases through Secretly Canadian alone.

Comparisons arise between the lo-fi recordings of Will Oldham and Edith Frost, but Jason also knows how to work an amplifier. Because Jason can swing so easily between rock, country, and roots-folk his instrumentation can be reminiscent of Neil Young’s from the early 70’s. His low, smooth voice comes across like he’s talking to you in a booth at a bar near the farmers’ co-op.

Recommended tracks:

• The Dark Don’t Hide It
• Steve Albini’s blues
• Tigress

Early Day Miners / mp3

Early Day Miners are from Bloomington, IN and are as old as Secretly Canadian itself. Their brand of slow paced music is akin to Dianogah, Codeine, and Seam. They aren’t afraid of drawn-out instrumentals, but when the vocals appear as raspy whispers they are usually mixed down with the instruments instead of floating on the top.

Some might say that the music is influenced by the flattened, Indiana landscape, but I live here and their music is much more interesting than that. Actually, I would say it is closer to the Indiana landscape at night when things have quieted down and you can only hear where you are.

Recommended tracks:

• Errance
• Longwall
• Placer Found