Author Archives: Joel Oliphint

Strand of Oaks aka Timothy Showalter recorded a new song with the folks at Shaking Through in Philadelphia. It’s a simple song with a big sound, building on the wall of synths Showalter was developing on Pope Killdragon. In fact, there’s no guitar whatsoever on “Spacestations,” which features Shaking Through’s guest curator Chris Ward (Pattern is Movement) on drums and Eliza Jones (Buried Bed) on vocals and keys.

Shaking Through is a partnership of Weathervane Music and WXPN. Here’s the premise:

Shaking Through is a documentary series about bringing a song to life. Each year we give 10 of the most exciting young minds in music a challenge: One Song in two days. From first take to final mix. No extensions. No safety net. We bring in the best filmmakers around so we can share the band’s experience with you. We want tell you about the stories behind the songs, the techniques we used to produce it, and help you witness the sacred places where artists bare their souls. Every song, every take.

In an industry that leaves young acts to fend for themselves, Shaking Through can be a game changer. For these select artists, it is often their first experience in a real studio and in front of a camera. We’ve seen remarkable growth in the brief 48 hours we’re with them. The kind that can set these artists on a path to remarkable careers. It’s already started to happen…

I’m embedding the mini documentary above, but you should really head over to the full Strand of Oaks session on Shaking Through — which includes a free download of “Spacestations” — to get the full web-doc experience, including an acoustic version of the song on the banks of the Wissahickon (my old stomping grounds). The videos are top-notch, and the layout is artful and user-friendly. Give it a look.