Bands/Artists You Should Be Listening to Right Now - Strand of Oaks
- Michael La Torre, Founder and Editor in Chief
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen
In an era of information overload, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. We have access to so much music, it can be difficult to appreciate (or find) artists that we connect with. With that in mind, we thought it would be a cool idea to give you some periodic recommendations of bands/artists you simply need to be listening to! Let’s get started!
Strand of Oaks is the project of songwriter/producer Timothy Showalter, an Indiana naitive who now resides in Austin, TX. Showalter has released eight studio albums under the Strand of Oaks name, including: Leave Ruin (2009), Pope Killdragon (2010), Dark Shores (2012), Heal (2014), Hard Love (2017), Eraserland (2019), In Heaven (2021) and Miracle Focus (2024). Showalter’s sound has been described as a mix of rock and folk, though he’s been known to push the envelope genre-wise, including the use of synth on his sophomore release, Pope Killdragon.
Strand of Oaks has long collaborated and toured with alternative greatness including Jason Isbell and members of My Morning Jacket. Additionally, Showalter is known as a painter and actor, including credits on the FX TV series Mayans MC. It was these creative outlets, along with continued collaboration with producer Kevin Ratterman, that helped inspire Showalter’s latest effort, 2024’s Miracle Focus.
I will admit, I was a little late hopping on the Strand of Oaks bandwagon. I started listening prior to the release of Eraserland in 2019 through a review. It was the single “Weird Ways” on the record that immediately floored us.
The understated intro, along with the pounding hooks and breakdowns on “Weird Ways” made me immediately start digging through Showalter’s discography. I was also pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of Eraserland on vinyl as a birthday present from the older brother in 2019.
Another track off of Eraserland that we have to touch on is the epic capstone track, “Forever Chords”. This one clocks in at just over nine minutes. “Forever Chords” features musical movements throughout and includes piano and guitar work throughout. In our original review, I noted that the song reminded us of a long lost track off Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Showalter does such a great job of moving through his progressions on this one and the piano and guitar throughout pair perfectly with Showalter’s vocals.
I also had the chance to review Strand of Oaks’ 2021 record, In Heaven. On this release, Showalter was quoted as saying “'In Heaven' was created with so much love and my greatest hope is that it connects with people and provides a momentary space for reflection, joy, catharsis and whatever else someone might be looking for in their life. Music is magic and I feel like the luckiest person in the world that I'm allowed to share it.” via press release.
Showalter effortlessly plays with scale in his sound, especially on In Heaven. On “Hurry”, Showalter creates a sonic landscape that feels vast, especially when paired with the guitar and percussion throughout. In particular, Showalter’s use of falsetto is another bright spot on this one. The track clocks in around six and a half minutes. We would be remiss if we also didn’t mention singles “Galacticana” and “Jimi & Stan” as well.
Showalter has shown flexibility in his sound, especially with the more rock-tinged “Goshen ‘97”, which appears on 2014’s Heal. This one features driving guitars that wail, similarly the solo work found in Dinosaur Jr.
I feel we have to touch on 2024’s Miracle Focus. This one is a thematic departure from some of Showalter’s earlier work. This record is a bit more uplifting in its tone. On “Party At Monster Lake”, Showalter highlights the electronic sounds that persist throughout the rest of the record. Thematically and sonically, Showalter made it an aim to uplift with this track and this record.
Showalter has demonstrated an ability throughout his run as Strand of Oaks to be able to effectively weave in introspection and trauma musically in a combination that just can’t be duplicated. Not to be shown as a one trick pony, Showalter regularly experiments with sound, especially on Miracle Focus and Pope Killdragon, eschewing more traditional folk and rock sensibility in favor of synth and electronic tones. In short, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in Showalter’s expansive discography. I hope you’ll check out his work!
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