The Magnolia Janes Premiere Their Vibrant Album ‘The Light Years’

The value of feel-good music is vastly underrated, but this is where The Magnolia Janes answer the call. The duo today reveal their debut album The Light Years, ahead of its July 12th release via Be A Jane Records. Composed of two veteran musicians with enough musical experience for more than one lifetime, the album is built around poise and positivity.

The Magnolia Janes features friends and songwriters Sarah Bonsignore and Ashley Riley. They have each had their musical successes, writing for films and television. They’ve also performed together previously, backing up each other in their solo endeavours. The enjoyment they gathered from these experiences was instrumental in The Magnolia Janes forming.

Commenting on their chemistry together and how it’s reflected in The Light Years, Riley states:

“Our duo, The Magnolia Janes was born out of years of songwriting and friendship, and I think our debut album reflects that. We have so much fun working together, and our music is infused with that spirit as well. We are glass-half-full kind of girls. Yes, there’s heartbreak, tragedy, and hurt, and we both can’t help but love a song that rips your heart out, but there are also so many reasons to celebrate, to connect with each other, to seek joy, and to share it. We wanted to highlight that with this collection of songs.”

Bonsignore adds:

“Creative projects like this can seem daunting, but it was really fun and rewarding to work with someone who was just as invested in the outcome as I was. Both of our artistic styles are reflected in the album, and the process of recording it felt really organic over the years. Each song seemed to lead to the next one until we knew we had a full album we were truly proud of. We both built out our home studios during the pandemic and were able to record many of the songs ourselves. We called on the services of our talented musician friends James Treichler and John Willis to help us create our full band sound.”

The Light Years is a packaging of songs championing strength and unity. It’s presented as a more classic-sounding record that you would have picked up in the ’60s. This was an era where there was more of a focus on melody, and folk music had reached the mainstream. Riley and Bonsignore successfully conjure up that spirit and nostalgia with songs that are more story-like, touching on the everyday moments that often pass us by. They view music as an avenue for everyone to connect and feel less alone. Their songs paint emotional, lush soundscapes that sort through the highs and lows of life. There’s medicine within music, and The Light Years offers plenty to make you feel good.

The Magnolia Janes ‘The Light Years’ album artwork