Magnolia Electric Co. Hard to Love a Man

Celebrating twenty years since it's release, MagnoliaElectric Co.'s Hard to Love a Man will be expanded and availablefor the first time on vinyl in February 2026. This anniversaryrelease of the band's first EP includes three additional tracks:remastered demos of "31 Seasons in the Minor Leagues,"previously titled as "Tonight I'm So Down," and "LonesomeValley," recorded at Echo Park Studios in Indiana during theHard to Love a Man sessions, as well as "One Thin Dime,"recorded during the Black Ram sessions at Sound of MusicRecording Studios in Richmond, Virginia."'Working class rock' is a phrase used frequently todescribe The Magnolia Electric Co. Categorically, the band hassecured their place amongst like-minded icons such as BobSeger, CCR, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, but it's notmerely an aesthetic description. Magnolia backs it up with theirwork ethic. Amazingly, The Magnolia Electric Co. Will have beenon the road eight months by the end of 2005. This fact is mostapparent to the band members themselves having been awayfrom their homes and their loved ones for such extendedperiods of time. Hence the significance of the title track. WhenJason Molina assumes the perspective of the one he left behindon "Hard To Love A Man" and sings: "It was hard to love a manlike you / Goodbye was half the words you knew / While youwere waiting for me not to call / I sent my love," the lonelinessand guilt of separation is painfully obvious. The woundedfeminine voice of Jennie Benford, coupled with Jason Groth'ssweeping guitar and Mike Kapinus' mournful organ dramaticallyreiterate this sentiment. Mark Rice and Pete Schreiner delivertheir signature tight and tasteful rhythm and Nicole Evans addsa new and dynamic voice.While "Hard To Love A Man" and live set favorite,"Werewolves Of London" were recorded with Steve Albini at hisElectrical Audio Studios, the rest of the tracks were recordedduring a brief five day visit home in Indiana at Echo Park Studioswith Paul Mahern, whose engineering resume includes TheBlake Babies, Lisa Germano and John Mellencamp. As we watchMagnolia grow, Jason Molina doesn't have to coach us throughanother one, letting the inmates run the asylum. The MagnoliaElectric Co. #cast no doubt by putting their business in thestreet."