[mp3] Strand of Oaks - "End In Flames"

Props to Muzzle of Bees for pointing the way toward the lovely, aching “End In Flames” from Strand of Oaks. The song’s quiet mix of pianos, acoustic guitars, and hushed vocals remind me a lot of Neil Halstead‘s “Hi-Lo and Inbetween” from his 2002 record Sleeping On Roads, which is one of my favorite all-but-forgotten folk songs of decade. “End In Flames” sounds all pretty and calm and peaceful, but there’s some pretty heavy feeling-like-the-end-of-the-world-shit going on in the lyrics. It’s available on Strand of Oaks’ debut, 2008’s Leave Ruin, which was released by La Société Expéditionnaire (they put out last year’s solid You’re No Dream by Soltero as well) and is available at eMusic. I haven’t had the chance to download the whole thing yet because my subscription resets at the end of the month, but I fully intend to check it out when I can. Until then:

MP3 :: End In Flames
(from Leave Ruin. Buy here)
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(Update :: Muzzle of Bees followed up their original post with an interview with Timothy Showalter - the voice and songwriter behind Strand of Oaks. Check it out here)
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