The Strand of Oaks moniker sounds rural and, on the album cover, Tim Showalter could easily pass for a archetypal bearded folky of the Iron & Wine variety. But now he has reached his early 30s and after three albums of primarily acoustic tunes, Showalter has concluded "life is too fucking short to make another folk record". Watch him in any recent video - heavily tattooed and dressed in black - there's no mistaking him for a shy retiring backwoods singer-songwriter.
On his acoustic orientated albums Showalter has built a reputation for addressing personal issues in his songs but with Heal the confessional content reaches new heights, or should that be plumbs new depths?
The ten tracks are likened to "scream therapy" as he looks back on his life through spectacles which are most definitely not rose-tinted declaring "I was an abomination" on Wait For Love and on the title track HEAL (note the all caps) he recalls "I spent 10 long years feeling so fucking bad".
Mirage Year deals in no uncertain terms with a marital crisis in which a cry of anguish and cacophonous finale seems to denote the moment when the shit hit the fan.
The opening song takes him back to Goshen '97 where he grew up, a journey into the past to open old wounds but also to affirm a desire to begin afresh: "I want to start all over again". This track features J.Mascis on guitar, a contribution that reflects the overall pre-grunge atmosphere of the record.
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The album's centrepiece is JM which is not a tribute to Mascis but to the late Jason Molina. The guitar solos on this are highly reminiscent of Neil Young's Cortez The Killer, and a link to Young's darker period (particularly the 'ditch trilogy') would seem to be a good summation of Showater's state of mind when writing the songs for this album. Same Emotions and Shut In are other songs that delve deep into negative feelings.
The frank and forthright manner in which Showalter confronts his demons, combined with the strident rock sound, point to a cathartic release of energy rather than wallowing in self-pity. It is as impressive as it is raw.
One of Showalter's tattoos has the word 'SURVIVE' inscribed on his right arm - an affirmation that the healing has begun with a vengeance.
Strand of Oaks online
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