The OaKs Songs For Waiting by: Liam Tracey Mon:14-Apr-08 Label: Independent Year: 2008 WB rating 68 out of 100

The Oaks have come a long way in a short period of time. Their second album in a period of months, Songs for Waiting, is, at its core, drawn from the same musical and thematic elements as the first – simplistic, acoustic driven folk with ideas of humanitarianism and heroism. However, while there are similarities, those who dismissed Our Fathers and the Songs They Left Behind should definitely give the new arrival a listen – the recorded full band adding depth and intensity to the more minimalist sound of the band’s debut.

The essence of Songs for Waiting still remains rooted in the band’s live feel; duo Ryan Costello and Matthew Antolick, both skilled multi-instrumentalists, obviously recruited to perform the intricacies of Our Fathers live. Carrying these additions into the recorded sphere the band’s four new musicians have furthered the already impressive instrumentation of the first album. Jeremy Siegel, a classically trained bassist and trombonist; Tim Cocking, a pianist and trumpeter; Greg Wilson, a guitarist, mandolinist and saxophonist; and Melissa Reyes, an additional vocalist, add the sonic depth that was needed to escape the curse of similarity that plagues guitar-centric folk music.

Moving beyond fingerpicking, Songs for Waiting has also developed a continuity that was noticeably absent from its predecessor – the horn section on ‘Old Bones’ a clear stand out and reference point for The Oaks’ growth. Likewise, the instrumental tracks ‘After the Fires’ and ‘Song for Waiting’ are wiser interludes than the “village chatter” that intersected Our Fathers. In losing the experimentalism of field noises and sound art, the vocals have thankfully amped up their eccentricity. Costello, often employing massive volume peaks and falsetto experimentation, has moved past the standard sing-song folk delivery that contributed to the tired feel of Our Fathers. Additionally, the flourishing backing vocals, mainly provided by Reyes, are of substantial benefit. At points these harmonies are genuinely uplifting, ‘The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter’s climax-to-release being the pinnacle of these moments.

Not all is new though, the thematic elements that made Our Fathers a thought-provoking record, and seem to be the band’s raison d’être, are still apparent here. Yet while Costello continues to primarily draw from his experiences in Afghanistan, this album again improves upon his earlier model. Whereas songs like ‘Masood’ – in which Costello portrays an Afghan friend and war hero killed in 2002 – still succeed in highlighting the plight of those caught in war torn nations, Costello’s songwriting advancement comes in the form of more personal themes. The marriage of these issues in the questioning ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’ and ‘Here I Am Again’, a song dealing with spirituality and failure, ensure the album a depth and commonality that was only partially achieved on the last album.

Yes, the Oaks have come a long way in a short time. And while there are still some doubts as to how they can musically separate themselves from the rest of the folk-rock pack, Songs for Waiting suggests that such feats may not be beyond them