Strand of Oaks
Leave Ruin
LSE 012
Strand of Oaks is Timothy Showalter, an Indiana Mennonite turned
Pennsylvania Hebrew Dayschool teacher who even drives the school
bus for extra cash (and has sing-alongs with the pupils as they
ease on down the road). It's like a scene from "Behind the
Music" if the weed-soaked Tom Petty was your busdriver, and
in this case the metaphors, spread throughout nine tracks, are to
be taken quite literally.
Leave Ruin is Strand of Oaks' hometown deathbed-confession
hymnal, the soundtrack of an Exodus. It's been back roads and parenthetical
side streets for Showalter since he left his ruin of small town
America. As a Hoosier transplant, he landed in the fertile musical
soil of Northeastern Pennsylvania with a few key twists of fate
that would turn his tragedy into trajectory.
While escaping a relationship gone worse, Showalter returned home
to a house burned down, leaving all of his earthly possessions charred
in flames. Spending nights in downtown hotels and on park benches
with a borrowed guitar, he began to face the proverbial demons.
Like any good roller coaster ride there came an upside, as inspiration
grew like weeds within the rubble; songs led to shows, which led
to tours of the US and UK with Jason Anderson and Kimya Dawson.
Leave Ruin took shape shortly thereafter while touring
and collaborating with Lou Rogai (Lewis & Clarke).
Taking cues from such luminaries as Neil Young (On the Beach
era) and a burgeoning Springsteen, Showalter extends his musical
gesture and searches to find modesty in the midst of confusion,
addressing insecurities and settling existential debt with a simple
and beautiful delivery. The personification of a Midwestern Grandfather's
advice, his songs smack with hard truth and poignant severity, from
child-like naivete to heart worn wisdom... sparse guitar, hammond,
rhodes and wooden instruments
support an atmosphere that is tender and raw, at times
uncomfortable, shockingly candid, and unforgettable.
*Recorded by Dan McKinney at Dan's House Studio in Bethlehem, PA
and Tom Asselin at One Forest in Mountainhome, PA
*Mixed by Lou Rogai and Tom Asselin
*Produced by Lou Rogai
*Mastered at Maja in Philadelphia, PA by John Baker
|
