10 Most Haunting Songs In Rock
8. JM - Strand Of Oaks (2014)
Musical project Strand of Oaks is the brain child of musician Timothy Showalter and although this guy has received a good degree of critical recognition over the years, he's flown under the radar in terms of chart success.
The record Heal came out in 2014. The entire album is an exercise in self examination with the 7:45 minute track JM representing its emotional core.
Showalter almost whispers the initial verses to softly strummed chords. He shares the alienation and anger he felt as a teenager, unable to find a partner and lashing out at friends and family, with his only solace being cigarettes and the "Sweet Tunes" of JM (Jason Molina).
The atmosphere suddenly steps up a gear as crashing guitars and pounding drums hail in the chorus. It's an incredible back and forth between the heavy guitar driven chorus and the softly sung verses, all contributing to a sense of boiling momentum. The culmination to the tracks comes as an outburst of desperately frantic guitars solos. The crescendo perfectly captures the sensation of emotional release after all of Showalter's vulnerable ruminations.
This is one to be played loud, and on a VERY good sound system.