HEAL, Indiana native Tim Showalter’s emotionally gripping 2014 release, was the sound of trying times. Writing and recording the appropriately titled album was a means for Showalter to exorcise personal demons. A near-death car accident, a house fire and marital problems all served as source material for the record, which showcases the Hoosier-turned-Philadelphian’s songwriting versatility, with ballads (“Wait For Love”), shredding (“Goshen ‘97,” featuring J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.) and plenty of synth-y forays (“Same Emotions,” “Woke Up To The Light” and “Plymouth”). Local songwriter Tedo Stone and his band open with their own take on rudimentary rock.
Strand of Oaks