Tim Showalter has announced a new Strand of Oaks album, Miracle Focus, due June 7 via Western Vinyl (pre-order). According to a press release, the album was “written following Showalter’s transformative embrace of meditation,” and its wide range of influences include Ram Dass, yoga, Freddie Mercury, Alice Coltrane, and the Beastie Boys. The album also follows Tim making his acting debut as a biker on two seasons of FX’s Mayans M.C., and developing a newfound love and knack for painting, as shown on the album cover. It was made with frequent producer Kevin Ratterman and features backing vocals from Lacey Guthrie.
“This is my love letter to bliss,” Tim said on social media this morning. “A love letter to meditation. A love letter to my wife. A love letter to my best friend Kevin. A love letter to Alice Coltrane and Ram Dass. A love letter to synthesizers. A love letter to art. A love letter to dancing your ass off. A love letter to this beautiful and complex existence that we are sharing together. This is Miracle Focus, my newest record.”
“Every moment on Miracle Focus is a piece of the architecture that fits together to form a temple of peace in my life,” he adds via press release. “Acceptance of who you are, gratitude of being part of a connected universe, and ultimately I hope it creates one hell of a dance party.”
The first single is “More You,” which finds Tim abandoning his usual folk rock vibes (and abandoning guitar entirely) and instead singing over swirling ambient synths. It comes with a video and you can check it out below.
Tracklist
1. More You
2. Communication
3. Ananda
4. Future Temple
5. Party at Monster Lake
6. Switched On
7. Navigator
8. Ascend You
9. Fantasy Wranglers
10. Miracle Focus