james iha

Welcome to the latest edition of The Offramp! Each month, rock writer Corbin Reiff will highlight some of the most dynamic artists and projects going on in music today. Throw on the turn signal, crank up the stereo and enjoy the ride! Heaven means many things to many people. To some, it’s a physical plane; the ultimate reward for a life well-lived. Others think of heaven as a state of mind or a place deep within us that we can tap into and visit, even if only for a little while. Then there are those who find pieces of heaven in the small glimmers of happiness that enrich our lives on a daily basis. For Tim Showalter, the chief creative mind behind Strand of Oaks, heaven is all of those things and then some. “I like to be alive,” Showalter says through a slight laugh over the phone. “I like...