In our recent feature that explored the 50 Finest Albums of the 21st Century, yours truly described Over the Rhine’s Ohio as “a double album that pulls off the rare trick (and treat) of containing nary a throwaway song, [offering] sophisticated songcraft of the highest, most life-enriching caliber.” I also confided, “now if I could only track down a vinyl copy, my life would be complete.”

Well, I’m thrilled to report that my wish has been granted, as the dynamic husband-and-wife duo of Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist have re-released ‘Ohio’ on deluxe gatefold vinyl today, January 13th. Originally released in 2003 and long out-of-print on vinyl, the expansive 21-track double-album is the group’s seventh studio effort and arguably one of their most indispensable recordings across their prolific recorded repertoire.

“I know at times we went far out of our way to downplay our deep deep roots in this place called Ohio, Detweiler confided in a 2003 interview. “But I was born here and Karin and I were both raised here. A lot of our formative years were spent in Ohio. Karin was born in California but moved to Ohio when she was about 7 and grew up in Ohio. We met at a small college in Ohio. There’s a liberal arts and literary thing in Ohio that is part of the mix—like Oberlin and Kenyon. I think the Kenyon Review was the first literary magazine to publish Flannery O’Connor. So there’s a strange mix of the church, the Midwest, literature… To me it feels like this music is connected pretty deeply to where I come from and the ground we’ve covered.”

Now if only Linford and Karin would also reissue Good Dog Bad Dog (1996) on vinyl, my life would really be complete.

BUY Over the Rhine’s Ohio vinyl reissue via Official Store

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