For Strand of Oaks’ Timothy Showalter, a formulaic approach to making music doesn’t cut it. His breakthrough project, HEAL, was a biting and honest document* of his life just as it was at the time – he wrote openly about hurt, betrayal, and forgiveness and sang them over thunderous power chords. It worked for that album, but while creating its follow-up, 2017’s Hard Love, Showalter felt he needed to shift gears – and in doing so, shed the sensitive singer-songwriter persona and pushed Strand of Oaks over into full-blown rock band territory. And last January, Strand of Oaks released a companion piece to to Hard Love, called Harder Love, which included a collection of unreleased B-sides from its predecessor.
It’s only natural, then, that Strand of Oaks is keeping up that momentum. Today, Showalter is announcing his sixth album Eraserland, set for release March 22 via Dead Oceans. The reveal comes with powerful lead single, “Weird Ways” and its accompanying video, which you can watch above. The record, according to Showalter, is the product of the upswing after a bout of depression – it showcases his musings from the Jersey Shore, where he took a spiritual pilgrimage, and is backed by the members of The Morning Jacket. It also features Jason Isbell.
About Eraserland, Showalter said:
“When I was writing these songs, every day I would walk on the beach and I was completely alone and overwhelmed by fear… but then I realized how there really aren’t any rules for who you are, who you’ll become, or who you think you need to be. Eraserland is just that. It’s death to ego, and rebirth to anything or anyone you want to be.”
Listen to “Weird Ways” above. Eraserland is out March 22 via Dead Oceans. Pre-order it here.
