{"title":"Strand Of Oaks","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"darker-shores-strand-of-oaks","title":"Darker Shores","description":"\u003cp\u003eDarker Shores is a collection of songs that continues to reveal itself. Its path leads back to the vintage synthesizers used to create a unique journey into the human experience. Beyond the bleak and uncertain lies a solace and comfort that comes when songs achieve their highest possible potential. These songs represent both a definite ending and an undeniable new beginning. Hope you enjoy the journey. The Darker Shores EP comes as a welcomed follow-up to last year's LP, Dark Shores. After long spells supporting both The Tallest Man On Earth and Phosphorescent, Strand of Oaks takes his newly informed sound to Europe for a headlining tour, plus London and Nijmegen dates with Damien Jurado and a stop at End of the Road Festival on September 1. Plan to see this powerful two-piece live.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strand of Oaks","offers":[{"title":"12\"","offer_id":44536163664035,"sku":"DOCSPEC011lp","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"CDEP","offer_id":44536163696803,"sku":"DOCSPEC011cd","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/6703\/2483\/files\/darker-shores-dead-oceans-docspec011lp.jpg?v=1776690307"},{"product_id":"harder-love-strand-of-oaks","title":"Harder Love","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarder Love is the latest release from Strand of Oaks, a collection of Tim Showalter’s original recordings for the album Hard Love. Pairing the earliest versions Hard Love tracks with previously-unreleased material (including some songs deemed “too weird” for the official release), Harder Love feels like Hard Love in an alternate dimension. A whole lot stranger and even more raw, it’s like the tripped out, spiritual brother to its predecessor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the winter of 2016, Showalter spent a week recording with Ben Vehorn at Tangerine Studios in Akron, Ohio, the two having previously collaborated on Pope Killdragon (2010) and HEAL (2014). A few of the songs captured during that initial studio session went on to be rerecorded, but much of Harder Love is hazy, unknown territory, offering additional perspective on Showalter’s Hard Love vision, as well as exciting new material to add to the Strand of Oaks discography. “These songs are me unedited…I just want people to have them. I’m sick of overthinking and talking too much about the process and the narrative.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd it’s Showalter’s desire for a wholly unfiltered approach that defines Harder Love, a listening experience that often feels like scrolling through the FM dial, not quite getting the station, and listening through the static anyway. So when Harder Love begins, it’s no surprise that the title track feels like the doppelgänger to its Hard Love counterpart, but the pulsating beat and jangly organ of this alternate version deliver a fresh take on a notable track. And from then on, Harder Love continues to take form in its own parallel universe. The Westerberg-esque beauty “Passing Out” offers the first peek at some solid, previously-unreleased Strand of Oaks material, and subsequent new tracks (e.g., Sober, Dream Brother, Rain Won’t Come) not only make Harder Love a dynamic listen, but also speak to Showalter’s songwriting versatility.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYet in many ways, it’s the original version of “On the Hill” that epitomizes the wild and uninhibited spirit at the core of the Hard Love concept with its scrambled, rambling vocal take and dancey, trancey vibe. And weirdness prevails on “Wicked Water,” a thoroughly bizarre jam that sounds unlike anything ever, cultivating Showalter’s dub love into an ambitious jaunt into the deepest corners of his musical mind. So by the time we reach the “Chill Tent,” in keeping with Showalter’s vision, we need it. A gorgeous electronic track that begs us to “come down, take it easy,” it’s the perfect comedown from an intense and visceral listening experience.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd once we have a chance to take a breath and move back into reality, it becomes apparent that perhaps it’s this companion piece—or the Hard Love versus Harder Love dichotomy—that has enabled Showalter to fulfill his original vision, recreating his own weird and wonderful experiences via a trippy juxtaposition of familiar Hard Love tracks and totally new, totally strange, thoroughly enjoyable Strand of Oaks material. “Life is short and more fucked up by the day…and I don’t want to waste any more time being afraid to be weird and let all my songs out there.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strand of Oaks","offers":[{"title":"LP Black Vinyl","offer_id":44536174870691,"sku":"DOC151lp","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/6703\/2483\/files\/doc151lp-380.jpg?v=1776690067"},{"product_id":"heal-strand-of-oaks","title":"HEAL","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the first bars of HEAL, the exhilarating melodic stomp of 'Goshen '97' puts you right into Tim Showalter's fervent teenage mindset. We find him in his family's basement den in Goshen, IN, feeling alienated but even at 15 years old, believing in the alchemy and power of music to heal your troubles. \"The record is called HEAL, but it's not a soft, gentle healing, it's like scream therapy, a command, because I ripped out my subconscious, looked through it, and saw the worst parts. And that's how I got better.\" HEAL embodies that feeling of catharsis and rebirth, desperation and euphoria, confusion and clarity. It is deeply personal and unwittingly anthemic. Showalter was on tour, walking home on a mild autumn night in Malmo, Sweden, when he first felt the weight of the personal crisis that would ignite him to write HEAL. \"It was a culmination of pressure,\" Showalter recalls. \"My marriage was suffering, I'd released a record I was disappointed in, I didn't like how I looked or acted…so I'd gone on tour, I was gone about two years! I didn't take time to think about failure, but I knew I was going deeper and deeper…I was thinking, I have this life, but it's not my life, I haven't done it right…\" When Showalter returned, he wrote 30 songs in three weeks, a process that proved difficult, but cathartic and at times invigorating. Previous Strand Of Oaks records were more skeletal, raw examples of folk-rooted Americana with occasional rock and electronic currents, that have now come to the fore. HEAL is a bold new beginning, with a thrilling full-tilt sound that draws on Showalter's love of '70s, '80s and '90s rock and pop, with the singer and guitarist playing the intense valedictory confessor. Crucial to HEAL's sound was the man who Showalter chose to mix the record, the stellar alt-rock icon John Congleton. Showalter also re-connected with Ben Vehorn, synth expert and studio engineer extraordinaire, and drummer Steve Clements, who provides HEAL's thunderous, sinewy drive. Songs such as 'Shut In', 'Plymouth' and 'Woke Up To The Light' have a classic construction and mood, recalling '70s power-pop\/ballads and the yearning ache of Big Star's late, great Chris Bell. Many of the songs on HEAL reveal an electronic undercarriage and towering drums that push the album's wired dynamic to its stretching point, especially on 'For Me', which expertly bridges the album's twin decades of influences. And if 'Goshen '97' recalls the molten energy of Dinosaur Jr, that actually is J Mascis on lead guitar. Despite the initials, the album's smouldering 7-minute epic 'JM' is not a Mascis tribute, but to the late Jason Molina, about having his music as comfort no matter how bad things get. Which brings us to another crisis, this time much more serious and immediate. HEAL was scheduled for mixing on Dec. 26, 2013. Driving on the freeway Christmas Day, Showalter and his wife were involved in a car accident with a semi-truck, and were fortunate to walk away with their lives. Showalter suffered a, \"pretty severe,\" head trauma, \"which affected me much more than I realized at the time.\" Fearing delays, Showalter didn't let Congelton know about it, so the mixing session went ahead. \"Being on the verge of death, and my thoughts being so closely tied to that, changed the album's direction,\" Showalter claims. \"Together, we pushed it toward a much more cathartic sound that forces the listener to where I was at that exact moment, somewhere between almost dying and being absolutely fearless.\"   HEAL is not just a saviour for its creator, but for anyone who needs reminding of music's ability to heal, or just thrill. Showalter is taking out a full band to play, and finally, the kid who wanted to be a rock star at 15 might get his chance. Finally, he and Strand Of Oaks have much to celebrate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strand of Oaks","offers":[{"title":"LP Black Vinyl","offer_id":44536175296675,"sku":"DOC086lp","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44536175329443,"sku":"DOC086cd","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/6703\/2483\/files\/heal-dead-oceans-doc086.jpg?v=1776690067"},{"product_id":"eraserland-strand-of-oaks","title":"Eraserland","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“When I was writing these songs, every day I would walk on the beach and I was completely alone and overwhelmed by fear...but then I realized how there really aren’t any rules for who you are, who you’ll become, or who you think you need to be. Eraserland is just that. It’s death to ego, and rebirth to anything or anyone you want to be.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn December 2017, Tim Showalter was uncertain about his next record and the shape it would eventually take. With no new songs written and lacking any clear vision, he was unprepared for the message he would receive from his friend Carl Broemel, the conversation that would follow, and the album that would become Eraserland. Leading off with standout track “Weird Ways” and his powerful declaration of “I don’t feel it anymore,” Eraserland traces Showalter’s evolution from apprehension to creative awakening, carving out a new and compelling future for Strand of Oaks.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"This project seemed to just fall together naturally,” said Broemel, guitarist for My Morning Jacket. “I felt drawn to Tim’s positive energy and his albums...I threw it out there that I’d be happy to help in any way I could with the record.\" Broemel quickly reignited Showalter's interest in what would become Strand of Oaks’ sixth full-length studio release, and within 24 hours, My Morning Jacket members Patrick Hallahan (drums), Bo Koster (keys), and Tom Blankenship (bass) were also on board.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRevived by the support of Broemel and his bandmates, Showalter felt the pressure to deliver songs worthy of musicians he had admired long before and after a 2015 Oaks\/MMJ tour. So in February 2018, he spent two weeks alone in Wildwood, New Jersey writing and demoing all of the songs that would eventually comprise Eraserland. And in April, he went into the studio to record with Kevin Ratterman at La La Land Studios in Louisville, Kentucky, and with Broemel, Hallahan, Koster, and Blankenship as his band. Jason Isbell also contributed his Hendrix-esque guitar work to Eraserland, while singer\/songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle provided gorgeous vocals. Every song was recorded live, with all musicians playing together in one room and working to bring Showalter’s ideas to fruition. “I remember sitting next to Tim and Kevin listening to the final mixes with tears rolling down my cheeks,” said Hallahan. “From start to finish, this one came from the heart.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEach song on Eraserland sustains an openness and sensitivity that is enthralling, bolstered by the exceptional musicians there to realize it and rekindle Showalter’s passion for music-making. The album finds Showalter successfully channeling the full spectrum of sounds within the Strand of Oaks discography, from fast, synthy tracks like “Hyperspace Blues” to epic burner “Visions, the gorgeous ballad “Keys,” and his devastating acoustic performance on “Wild and Willing.” But Eraserland also has moments of pure, upbeat exuberance, most notably on “Ruby,” a rollicking, understated anthem driven by buoyant piano and one of Showalter’s most infectious melodies to date. Isbell’s magnificent shredding is showcased on “Moon Landing,” Eraserland’s preeminent off-the-wall groove, while the album’s title track finds Showalter resurrecting his long-dormant alter ego Pope Killdragon for a striking, synth-laden duet with Rundle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut in many ways, “Forever Chords” is the definitive track on Showalter’s magnum opus, and the manifestation of everything he hoped to achieve on this record and for Strand of Oaks as a whole. “When I finished writing ‘Forever Chords,’ I felt like this is either the last song I ever need to write, or the rebirth of Strand of Oaks.” Poignant and heart-rending, “Forever Chords” gradually builds toward an emotional release rooted in our own universal fears about mortality, personal legacy, and music as a saving force.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut it’s that first Eraserland line, “I don’t feel it anymore,” that sets a stunning precedent for the most affecting and fully-formed album Strand of Oaks has ever released. Because despite whatever doubts or reservations Showalter had going into the process, he crafted a series of songs so perfectly matched to the musicians supporting it, and so emboldened by his own doubts and insecurities, that the result is glittering, powerful, and impassioned, a moving rock and roll saga that feels substantial and deeply satisfying, vulnerable and self-assured.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strand of Oaks","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44673908474019,"sku":"DOC171cd","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2xLP Black Vinyl","offer_id":44673908506787,"sku":"DOC171lp","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2xLP Blue and White Swirl Vinyl","offer_id":44673908670627,"sku":"DOC171lp-C2","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/6703\/2483\/files\/0015288546_10.jpg?v=1776688987"},{"product_id":"hard-love-strand-of-oaks","title":"Hard Love","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'Hard Love', Tim Showalter’s latest release as Strand of Oaks, is a record that explores the balancing act between overindulgence and accountability. Recounting Showalter’s decadent tour experiences, his struggling marriage, and the near death of his younger brother, Hard Love emanates an unabashed, raw, and manic energy that embodies both the songs and the songwriter behind them. “For me, there are always two forces at work: the side that’s constantly on the hunt for the perfect song, and the side that’s naked in the desert screaming at the moon. It’s about finding a place where neither side is compromised, only elevated.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring some much-needed downtime following the release of his previous album, 'HEAL', Showalter began writing 'Hard Love' and found himself in a now familiar pattern of tour exhaustion, chemically-induced flashbacks, and ongoing domestic turmoil. Drawing from his love of Creation Records, Trojan dub compilations, and Jane’s Addiction, and informed by a particularly wild time at Australia’s Boogie Festival, he sought to create a record that would merge all of these influences while evoking something new and visceral. Showalter’s first attempt at recording the album led to an unsatisfying result—a fully recorded version of Hard Love that didn’t fully achieve the ambitious sounds he heard in his head. He realized that his vision for the album demanded collaboration, and enlisted producer Nicolas Vernhes, who helped push him into making the most fearless album of his career.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThroughout the recording process, both Showalter and Vernhes maintained an environment that paired musical experimentation with a mindset that defied Showalter’s previous studio endeavors: the atmosphere had to be loose, a celebration of the creative process and a reinforcement of the record’s core themes. “In a time of calculation and overthinking, I wanted to bring back the raw, impulsive nature that is the DNA of so many records I love.” And in keeping with that loose, hedonistic vibe that encompasses so much of Hard Love, Showalter looked to his best friend, Jason Anderson, whose musical prowess and expert shredding augmented the unrelenting energy that would become the record’s backbone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis uninhibited and collaborative studio experience led to the most dynamic album in Strand of Oaks discography, moving beyond Showalter’s original concept for a singularly feel-good record to something more complex and real. For as much as Showalter wants this record to seem like a party, it’s more than that. It feels like living. “You went away…you went searching…came back tired of looking” is how Showalter begins the title track, a sentiment that epitomizes Showalter’s own mentality in beginning Hard Love. And as the record progresses, so do the themes of dissatisfaction and frustration with love, and family, and success, and aging, both in personal experience and songwriting.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Radio Kids,” Showalter’s infectious, synth-driven ode to youth and a time when music represented something pure and uncomplicated, perfectly encapsulates his desire for escapism from both his adult responsibilities and a world he no longer recognizes. But if there’s a sun in the Hard Love solar system, it’s “On the Hill,” a psychedelic, celebratory homage to three days in the excesses of that mind-altering Boogie Festival. “On the Hill” captures the true zeitgeist of how Showalter wants this record to feel. “It’s like I had to fly across the world to find out who I was…it was all about getting loose, and connecting with people on a primordial level…letting go of all the bad things, losing your inhibitions, and figuring out what it means to be alive.” The accumulating intensity that Showalter crafts throughout this flagship track seems to effortlessly achieve an almost hallucinogenic ambiance, with images of lighters being lifted, concert-goers embracing, and the magnitude of the moment eliciting nothing less than mass euphoria.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd then, there’s “Cry.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Eventually there’s this crushing reality of what it means to hurt someone, what you did to hurt someone…you’re not the victim anymore, it’s not romantic, it’s not a narrative…you just realize you’re the cause of problems.” This noticeable shift in the tone of Hard Love—a heartbreaking, piano-laden ballad with the chorus “Hey…you’re making me cry”—is a sobering reality check in Showalter’s universe. And as Showalter struggles to reconcile his youthful desires with the realities of adulthood, we’re eventually led into the final death rattle of his pervasive partying, “Rest of It.” With its loud, raucous arrangement of sing-along vocals and searing guitars solos, “Rest of It” emerges as Hard Love’s flawless manifestation of an exceedingly fun, belligerently drunk night where you try to forego life’s responsibilities and have one more good time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMuch of Hard Love was either written or conceptualized during Showalter’s post-tour break, as he reveled in the memory of what he considered to be life-changing experiences. But it was during this period that he received devastating news: his younger brother, Jon, had suffered massive cardiac failure. “He was 27 years old at the time…it happened out of nowhere. I flew out [to Indiana] and stayed in the hospital for almost two weeks. They said he had a 10% chance of surviving and they had to induce a coma to prevent brain damage. Sometimes he would start to wake up and look me in the eyes…it was the worst thing that ever happened to me. But he got better. That’s all that matters.” In so many ways, it only seems fitting that Showalter’s psychedelic journey, his awakening to drug-fueled excess, the loss of inhibitions, the inevitable reality check, and his subsequent last hurrah be capped with his darkest, most life-affirming experience yet. The title of the record’s final track, “Taking Acid and Talking With my Brother,” represents Showalter’s last-ditch attempt at reconciling his personal life and his impulsions, crafting a clear connection between what were previously considered trippy experiences and the now extraordinary surrealism of witnessing his younger brother’s medical emergency.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd as Hard Love comes to its conclusion, it becomes that much more obvious that the singer\/songwriter has grown to something larger and more momentous, crafting a passionate, brazen, and fully realized rock and roll record that captures the escapism of sex and drugs while offering an equally sincere perspective on the responsibilities, complications, and traumas that punctuate our lives and force us to evolve. “Some records are built like monuments, set in stone…I want this record to be burned in effigy, I want it to be burned in celebration of the limited time we have on this Earth.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strand of Oaks","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44673912307875,"sku":"DOC117cd","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP Black Vinyl","offer_id":44673912373411,"sku":"DOC117lp","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cassette","offer_id":44673912406179,"sku":"DOC117cass","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP Green \u0026 White Stoner Swirl","offer_id":44673912438947,"sku":"DOC117lp-C1","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Secretly Society Pink Vinyl","offer_id":44673912471715,"sku":"DOC117lp-C2","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/6703\/2483\/files\/doc117-380.jpg?v=1776688986"},{"product_id":"eraserland-bundle","title":"Eraserland Bundle","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBundle Contains:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEraserland on cloudy white vinyl\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEraserland on CD\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Welcome to Eraserland' postcard\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrand of Oaks ‘Eraserland' Tee Shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrand of Oaks ‘Eraserland’ patch\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“When I was writing these songs, every day I would walk on the beach and I was completely alone and overwhelmed by fear...but then I realized how there really aren’t any rules for who you are, who you’ll become, or who you think you need to be. Eraserland is just that. It’s death to ego, and rebirth to anything or anyone you want to be.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn December 2017, Tim Showalter was uncertain about his next record and the shape it would eventually take. With no new songs written and lacking any clear vision, he was unprepared for the message he would receive from his friend Carl Broemel, the conversation that would follow, and the album that would become Eraserland. Leading off with standout track “Weird Ways” and his powerful declaration of “I don’t feel it anymore,” Eraserland traces Showalter’s evolution from apprehension to creative awakening, carving out a new and compelling future for Strand of Oaks.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"This project seemed to just fall together naturally,” said Broemel, guitarist for My Morning Jacket. “I felt drawn to Tim’s positive energy and his albums...I threw it out there that I’d be happy to help in any way I could with the record.\" Broemel quickly reignited Showalter's interest in what would become Strand of Oaks’ sixth full-length studio release, and within 24 hours, My Morning Jacket members Patrick Hallahan (drums), Bo Koster (keys), and Tom Blankenship (bass) were also on board.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRevived by the support of Broemel and his bandmates, Showalter felt the pressure to deliver songs worthy of musicians he had admired long before and after a 2015 Oaks\/MMJ tour. So in February 2018, he spent two weeks alone in Wildwood, New Jersey writing and demoing all of the songs that would eventually comprise Eraserland. And in April, he went into the studio to record with Kevin Ratterman at La La Land Studios in Louisville, Kentucky, and with Broemel, Hallahan, Koster, and Blankenship as his band. Jason Isbell also contributed his Hendrix-esque guitar work to Eraserland, while singer\/songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle provided gorgeous vocals. Every song was recorded live, with all musicians playing together in one room and working to bring Showalter’s ideas to fruition. “I remember sitting next to Tim and Kevin listening to the final mixes with tears rolling down my cheeks,” said Hallahan. “From start to finish, this one came from the heart.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEach song on Eraserland sustains an openness and sensitivity that is enthralling, bolstered by the exceptional musicians there to realize it and rekindle Showalter’s passion for music-making. The album finds Showalter successfully channeling the full spectrum of sounds within the Strand of Oaks discography, from fast, synthy tracks like “Hyperspace Blues” to epic burner “Visions, the gorgeous ballad “Keys,” and his devastating acoustic performance on “Wild and Willing.” But Eraserland also has moments of pure, upbeat exuberance, most notably on “Ruby,” a rollicking, understated anthem driven by buoyant piano and one of Showalter’s most infectious melodies to date. Isbell’s magnificent shredding is showcased on “Moon Landing,” Eraserland’s preeminent off-the-wall groove, while the album’s title track finds Showalter resurrecting his long-dormant alter ego Pope Killdragon for a striking, synth-laden duet with Rundle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut in many ways, “Forever Chords” is the definitive track on Showalter’s magnum opus, and the manifestation of everything he hoped to achieve on this record and for Strand of Oaks as a whole. “When I finished writing ‘Forever Chords,’ I felt like this is either the last song I ever need to write, or the rebirth of Strand of Oaks.” Poignant and heart-rending, “Forever Chords” gradually builds toward an emotional release rooted in our own universal fears about mortality, personal legacy, and music as a saving force.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut it’s that first Eraserland line, “I don’t feel it anymore,” that sets a stunning precedent for the most affecting and fully-formed album Strand of Oaks has ever released. Because despite whatever doubts or reservations Showalter had going into the process, he crafted a series of songs so perfectly matched to the musicians supporting it, and so emboldened by his own doubts and insecurities, that the result is glittering, powerful, and impassioned, a moving rock and roll saga that feels substantial and deeply satisfying, vulnerable and self-assured.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strand of Oaks","offers":[{"title":"Bundle S T-SHIRT","offer_id":46219415814307,"sku":"DOC171xbnd01-USM","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bundle M T-SHIRT","offer_id":46219415847075,"sku":"DOC171xbnd01-UMD","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bundle L T-SHIRT","offer_id":46219415879843,"sku":"DOC171xbnd01-ULG","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bundle XL T-SHIRT","offer_id":46219415912611,"sku":"DOC171xbnd01-UXL","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/6703\/2483\/files\/0015288566_10.jpg?v=1776688447"}],"url":"https:\/\/secretlystore.com\/collections\/strand-of-oaks.oembed","provider":"Secretly Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}