{"product_id":"strand-of-oaks-in-heaven-lp","title":"Strand Of Oaks - In Heaven [LP]","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo say \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Heaven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eis about conquering grief would be oversimplifying everything Tim Showalter has achieved on the eighth studio album from Strand of Oaks. A stunning, hopeful reflection on love, loss, and enlightenment, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Heaven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eis a triumph in music making, and a preeminent addition to the Strand of Oaks discography.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn late 2018, Showalter’s wife, Sue, lost her mother in a car accident. Soon after, Stan, the cat they both adored, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Showalter quit drinking so he could take better care of his wife and help rebuild the life they shared. And within months, they decided to pack up and move across the country from Philadelphia to Austin, Texas. It was an irrational decision made at the height of a terrible time, but it’s one that shaped so much of what \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Heaven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eis about.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Heaven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewas recorded in October 2020 with Kevin Ratterman at Invisible Creature in Los Angeles. Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket) is featured on guitar throughout the record, while James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins) contributed vocals and guitar for “Easter.” Bo Koster (MMJ, Roger Waters) provided keyboards, Cedric LeMoyne (Alanis Morrissette, Remy Zero) bass, Scott Moore violin, and Ratterman monstrous drums. Showalter also played a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elot\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eof synth on this record, which he hasn’t done since 2014’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHEAL\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith clean sounds, Jeff Lynne-esque acoustics, and sophisticated songwriting, he approached \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Heaven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ein a more poised and pop-leaning way than his past releases.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“I wanted to strive for something greater than what I thought I was capable of.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe result is something extraordinary, as Showalter has crafted a poignant narrative that transcends his personal experiences and achieves a universality rooted not only in loss but joy, celebration, and newfound strength. The gorgeous opener “Galacticana” finds him telling us “I don’t want to drag you down,” a reassurance that his intentions lie in uplifting. But there’s a duality present throughout \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Heaven \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethat is palpable, as felt on “Easter,” an exuberant pop anthem featuring jaunty guitar and ethereal vocals courtesy of Iha, that both celebrates Showalter’s new life and references his efforts to “stop the boat from sinking.” It’s a powerful sentiment echoed in slow burner “Hurry,” which showcases some exceptional shredding by Broemel, and beyond, as Showalter explores mortality and a heightened sense of his own existence, intensified by a world where he no longer uses alcohol to cope.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePairing smart, imaginative lyrics and striking arrangements, tracks like “Carbon” and its magnificent violin stand out, as does “Sister Saturn” with its funky, sinuous groove, and the sublime “Horses at Night,” which features one of Showalter’s most exquisite melodies to date. There’s also a discernible current running through \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Heaven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eof homage to some notable losses in music—John Prine, Jeff Buckley, and Jimi Hendrix all play a part—for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Heaven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eis about moving beyond sadness or anger to a state of gratitude that we ever had these people to begin with. And while every song provides some clue to Showalter’s personal heaven, the jubilant “Jimi and Stan” says it all, wherein Hendrix and his beloved cat Stan are hanging out, going to shows, and looking at stars together.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd as our musical odyssey ends in the warm embrace of “Under Heaven,” the weight of everything Showalter has manifested—the beauty, and the sadness, and the immensity of it all—hits with tremendous impact. But any sense of hopelessness or melancholy yields to a different feeling entirely, just as he intended. Perhaps we’re feeling stronger, more prepared for something. Or maybe it’s just a reminder: call your parents, text your friends, hug your pets. Listen to your favorite records. And think about what it means to be alive. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cdiv data-bt-autogen\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGalacticana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEaster\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHurry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHorses at Night\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomewhere in Chicago\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJimi \u0026amp;amp; Stan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSunbathers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCarbon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSister Saturn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSlipstream\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnder Heaven\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUPC:\u003c\/strong\u003e 787790340751\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLabel:\u003c\/strong\u003e Galacticana Records\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelease Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10.1.21\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Vinyl\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Vinyl Revival Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53234770935968,"sku":"787790340751","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0526\/5899\/5360\/files\/3997689-3166923.jpg?v=1770368438","url":"https:\/\/vinylrevivalrecordstore.com\/products\/strand-of-oaks-in-heaven-lp","provider":"Vinyl Revival Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}