Vine(yl) Club #1 - Strand of Oaks
File this one under the “better late than never” category, but we finally did it! Our very first installment of the Sleight of Hand Cellars VINE(YL) Club is here! And like everything these days, the supply chain and distribution backup caused us to move our 2nd release into the number 1 spot, because we are still waiting on the pressing plant to deliver what was SUPPOSED to be our number 1 slot! Regardless of the delays and changes, I know that you are going to love this inaugural release! Folks, let me introduce you to the band Strand of Oaks!
Strand of Oaks is not really your traditional band, it’s more like a one man show with a rotating cast of amazing musicians (Jason Isbell, James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins, to name a few) around the star of the show, Timothy Showalter. Tim has been making music for most of his life, and his earlier albums were a glimpse into his tortured soul. Every heartbreak that Tim endured found its way into his albums, in a bare and naked way. Themes of regret and loves lost were a common thread on some of his earlier work. His last album, (and one of Trey’s favorites from 2019) “Eraserland”, may have been Tim at rock-bottom, coming off an album and tour that did not live up to his expectations. That inner turmoil starts to eat away at an artist. Tim took that turmoil and, like a canvas for painters, threw everything at it, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Musically, these songs soar into the ether, with gorgeous guitars, and hook-filled melodies. You catch glimpses of Portishead, Tom Petty, Neil Young, and My Morning Jacket at times while listening to Eraserland. The music can be at odds with his lyrics…much like Tim is at odds with himself. By the end of that album, he seems to see some light and optimism. “If you believe you can be loved, you’ll outlive your past” …poignant and hopeful, finally. And that same theme propels itself forward into this brand-new album, “In Heaven”.
With “In Heaven”, Tim seems to have a different viewpoint on love and enlightenment. Hope has a place with Tim on this album, even with life continuing to throw punches at him. He lost his mother-in-law in a car accident, and his cat was diagnosed with terminal cancer during the writing of this album. Throw the pandemic on top and it was a recipe for another Strand of Oaks album burdened by the sadness of loss and the sheer weight of not knowing what the world has in store for us. But he quit drinking, and he and his wife moved to Austin, TX from Philadelphia, where he had called home for the last 15 years or so. This new beginning is akin to shedding the skin that he was living in, and finding optimism whereas in the past, Tim would wear the weight of his burdens. He even throws in a nod to John Prine, Jimi Hendrix, and his beloved cat Stan to the mix. “In Heaven is about moving beyond sadness or anger to a state of gratitude that we ever had these people to begin with”, Tim explains in an interview about the new album. “In Heaven” is at once both weightless and heavy, with Tim shedding his past and accepting his existence in all of its different manifestations. A mix of beauty and sadness…just like life.
We hope you enjoy this first installment of our VINE(YL) Club, and we are looking forward to adding more music and more joy into your lives. On the back is a note from Tim to all of you!
Sincerely,
Trey, Jerry, Keith, and our entire team
Dear Sleight of Hand Cellars Vine(yl) Club:
First off, AMAZING name and concept and thank you for your support. I'm humbled that you chose my new album In Heaven. This album means so many things to my life but it ultimately is based around a very simple concept. Enjoying existence. Someone once told me that you can only make two decisions in life, one based out of fear and one based out of love. I have tried to make great efforts in my life to focus on love. This does not mean everything will be happy go lucky all the time, rather your perspective on the peaks and valleys can be navigated much more productively.
I had so much fun making this album and gained so much insight into the healing and rejuvenating power of music. I really hope that you can all experience this when listening. I made this record to be an album that hopefully allows the listening a moment of respite and reflection (and maybe a little headbanging too!). Thank you for supporting my band and the tangible wondrous experience of listening to music on vinyl. It’s my favorite way to hear music as well.
Sending love,
Tim
