The Oaks.. debut album, Our Fathers and the Things They Left Behind is a thought-provoking recording of several songs that have their roots in the soil of Afghanistan. Songwriter Ryan Costello spent two years there on a humanitarian mission living with recently returned refugees, learning from them, and helping teach them nutrition development and agriculture. He was incredibly moved by the experience and expressed these emotions through his guitar. These musical expressions became the seeds for the songs featured on his first full-length album.

After returning from the Middle East, Ryan joined with his best friend and long-time musical partner, Matt Antolick, to expand these songs and refine them for recording. Over the next eight months, they worked together to produce their first album, recording it entirely in their living room with the help of several friends.

The album begins with beautiful, fluttery acoustic guitar, a prelude to their musical homage to Hugh Thompson, Jr., one of the heroes of the Mai Lai massacre in Vietnam who saved a village of wounded civilians from being massacred by US troops. The song, ..For Hugh Thompson, Who Stood Alone. My Lai Massacre, Vietnam, 1968.. is quite possibly the best on the album, with flowing guitar, fluid drums, bells, horns and back-up vocals that frame the inspiring lyrics, ..In the line of fire you raised your hands / as the silence slowly descended / between infamy and fame your name was on the lips / of both angels and demons...

Another song, ..Hugh Thompson, the aftermath.. laments the result of the My Lai incident, in which Officer Thompson was punished by the military and rejected by who he thought were his close friends. ..The silence still remained as you lay in your bunk that night / as your friends prepared to make of you a sacrifice...

..Message from the Moon.. is another great song, with beautiful rhythms and a full sound created by layers of guitars, vocals, and marimba. The lyrics, ..my light won..t shine forever / so lift up your head and look around at the cave you..re in.. urges the listener to live life now because, ..all our days are numbered / until we stand before our maker...

All of the songs on the album are very well written, and they are as inspiring as they are introspective. You can hear their influences including Guided By Voices, Sigur Ros, Paul Simon, Radiohead and Donovan, with a fluid mingling of sounds that creates a musical atmosphere well suited to their poetic lyrics. This album is worth a listen, and with 50% of all profits going to aid Afghan refugees, you can feel even better about purchasing the CD.

-Alicia Olivant
10/30/06