New Music from Strand of Oak
Welcome to the real school of rock.
Timothy Showalter doesn’t have the glamorous story most musicians start off with. There was no magical day where he found the guitar, no one show that sparked him to practice day in and day out. Showalter started as a second-grade teacher at Pennsylvania Hebrew Dayschool, making some extra cash by driving the local school bus and leading sing-alongs with his students to old cassette tapes. From leaving his small hometown in Indiana, moving to Wilkes-Barre to teach and enduring long school days, Showalter somehow found time to write his own songs ended up becoming the leader of Strand of Oak, putting his love for singing to professional use (sans children). Strand of Oak’s debut album Leave Ruin chronicles Showalter’s journey to self-discovery and awareness. Personal experience alone gave him enough material to make his first album. After moving to Northern Pennsylvania, Showalter ended a bad relationship and had his house and everything he owned burn down. He then became a vagabond of sorts, hopping from shitty hotels to an occasional park bench before picking up a borrowed guitar and writing music. His hard work and optimism over several years lead to the formation of Strand of Oak and a national tour with Jason Anderson (Wolf Colonel) and Kimya Dawson (The Moldy Peaches). The band started recording Leave Ruin when they returned to the states in Showalter’s transplant home of Pennsylvania. Leave Ruin is a compilation of Showalter’s exorcised demons, tumbling past hard times with a warm Midwest flair. The first track off of Strand of Oak’s recorded autobiography “End in Flames” is the start of an emotional emigration. My heart dropped when I first put on this song, and even though that feeling isn’t necessarily the best feeling I hope it happens to everyone who listens to this track. Showalter’s pain has not been in vain, as it’s created a beautiful song about seeing your world crash down. His words and music are simple, but the feeling behind it is deep and true. I would probably write a song just like this if my house burnt down, although I’m sure with less talent and musicianship. Scratch that, I would probably just cry on the sidewalk in lieu of a jingle.
Posted by Amy Dittmeier on Feb 25, 2009 @ 12:00 am
