Between 2014 album Heal that marked a breakthrough on the scene, and 2017 Hard Love, Timothy Showalter, aka Strand Of Oaks went through some personal professional crisis. Heal was an extremely personal, confessional album with the result that was rather self-destructive than therapeutic. After three years, Hard Lovebrought love and irony, without any private and hectic moments.
This year's Harder Love has no clear relations with its predecessor. It certainly does not represent its sequel. Maybe it's the best to observe it as a collection of songs that were too big of a mess to find their place on Hard Love, songs that were raw and stripped and confessional, which was not a concept of a predecessor. Messy songs were left to be messy, the producer Ben Vehorn's intervention was minimal.
Harder Love is an unfinished record, both intimately and musically. Nine songs serve as a proof for it, although the quality does not fall behind Showalter's previous releases. It is spas straightforward and raw as any of its predecessors, which gives it a Strand Of Oaks signature. It seems like the chaos is only on the surface, while singer knows how to utilize it for the creativity.
On this record, Showalter sings with confidence and freedom. On the opening title track, the singer's sensibility permeates, whether he wants to show it or not. The songs is equally melancholic, mirthful and nervous. Following Passing Out continues in the same manner - mixed emotions and unpolished sound. Cry (Alt.Version) and On The Hill (Alt.Version) are the only songs from the previous releases, with minimal technical intervention. Album's most personal moments are Dream Brother and Sober, not only due to their themes, but also due to the fact that Strand Of Oaks return to his confessional mode, with full candor on.
Harder Love is a good process, whether therapeutic or not.
