Oakland Rain “Twin Flames Part 1: The Evergreen”
Oakland Rain is Norwegian twin sisters Maren and Charlotte Wallevik, who have worked the Ibsen Theatre and toured extensively in the US and are now releasing two albums this year as a double album project they call their Twin Flames. The first of these releases is considered the “green” side, and focuses on “realism and grounded Americana. Twin Flames Part 1: The Evergreen, just recently available. The second half of the project, Heavenly Blue, is due out later this year and will be more of a Nordic alt-pop exploration of escapism themes.
In Twin Flames Part 1: The Evergreen, “Sister Hymn” starts out with an R & B hand jive style rhythm and the “sister, sister, sing along with me, my voice without yours is out of harmony.” The song itself is a quiet protest song, a song of comfort to generations of women past and future and a hushed power.
“I’m Scared of Everything” addresses things that might make us more comfortable, things we don’t know, and anxiety of crowds and intimacy. A relatable confessional song. Oakland Rain will also reach out and grab your attention with strong opening lines, like in “If You Were A Song,” which starts out “If you were a song, I’d play you from my ’67 Mustang.” We’re listening.
Parts of the album push into experimental territory: “Snow Globe” is more contemporary with electronic ambience. “Diamonds Are Diamonds” cries confessionally “mama there’s a dark spot in my head, I don’t know where it came from” and there are hums and “diamonds are diamonds and I’m just a flower.” This song waxes experimental as it touches on fears, war, and the pains of self-reflection.
Oakland Rain writes powerful reflective dreamy songs without being forceful or dramatic. There’s a subtlety to their work, and they aren’t sugary or frivolous by any measure, although their arrangements walk the line between gentleness and resolution. Catch more details and information here: https://www.oaklandrain.com/
Twin Flames vol 1: the Evergreen was produced by Freddy Holm and Anders Engen (with Charlotte and Maren Wallevik are producing “Little Evergreen” and “Would You Love Me More?”) Arrangements were courtesy of Freddy Holm, Anders Engen, Charlotte Wallevik Hansen, and Maren Wallevik Hansen. It was mixed by Michael Scott Hartung and Freddy Holm, and mastered by Frederic Kevorkian.
Musicians on the album are Anders Engen on drums, percussion and keys; Charlotte Wallevik Hansen on guitar “Would You Love Me More?”; Charlotte Wallevik Hansen and Maren Wallevik Hansen on vocals; and Freddy Holm on everything else. Katherine DePaul and Kathrine Wallevik were co-executive producers.
