With an appetizing mix of experimental and classic rock that fits into the current summer vibe, Cincinnati-based rock group the Matthew Shadley Band has released their fifth album, Shaka, on May 24th.
The band first formed in 2003 by Matthew Shadley Brauer, an established multi-instrumentalist who also took part in several Cincy-area musical groups. Brauer joined fellow guitarist and former college bandmate Jason Scherrer, where they made their debut in October 2003, playing an acoustic set at the 5th Annual Harvest Moon Festival held at the historic Southgate House in Newport, Kentucky. The band has drawn comparisons to acts like Buffalo Springfield, The Jayhawks, The Black Crowes, Traffic, The Wallflowers and others.
MSB’s new album opens with “Morpheus Rising,” an eight-minute guitar ballad that alternates between cycles of slow, experimental sounds and heavy riffing guitar solos. The song adopts a stream-of-consciousness feel, as if taking the listener through the creative mind of Brauer himself. This sets the tone for an album that is entirely unexpected and unpredictable, but takes the listener by pleasant surprise track after track.
The opening track is followed by “Heroes,” the band’s rendition of David Bowie’s iconic track.
This heavily differs from “Morpheus Rising” in style, adding a classic rock feel to the album, effectively balancing its drastically different stylistic influences. Brauer’s voice interprets Bowie’s original vocals in a unique way, creating a fresh take on the tune. The highlight of this song are the background harmonies, which add a retro and almost camp-like element to a track that may otherwise take itself too seriously. The Matthew Shadley Band is no stranger to covering 70s tunes, as they’ve also covered Big Star’s “In the Street” on their fourth album, 1970 Something.
“Slipping Away,” the album’s third track and lone single, employs a much more easy-flowing and upbeat sound.
Using elements like prominent wind instruments, the song is reflective of 70s folk-rock. Its lyrics, such as that of the song’s opening line, “I caught a glimpse of you on a stolen summer breeze,” creates a similar feeling to songs like George Harrison’s “Blow Away” and Chad and Jeremy’s “The Summer Song.” The first three tracks on the album are very distinct from each other, but rather than feeling disjointed, they all compliment each other to showcase the band’s dynamic range and artistic talents.
Two other standout tracks include “The Dawn Patrol” which comes in at track number five, with “Journey of the Whales” following. The former maintains the theme of mellower vintage classic rock, opening with a retro keys progression and resonating guitar chords that build into the groove. The song is written from the point of view of a surfer getting up early with the intent of joining the “dawn patrol” where “chasing dreams and riding waves are free.”
“Journey of the Whales” opens with a more pensive and lighter groove before a roaring electric guitar greets listeners ears, truly leading them on a journey of changes throughout the song. This and the previous track both have semi-psychedelic energies, with this instrumental track leaning that way a touch more, offering a very Pink Floyd-esque vibe.
The last individual track on the album is “Northern Lights,” which is arranged to sound like a light show with its early 70s disco-techno flow. The track is short, sweet, and completely instrumental, acting as somewhat of a musical coda for the songs before it. It ends the album with an easy and relaxing feeling, perfectly rounding out the atmospheric experience of listening to Shaka.
The Matthew Shadley Band has become known for continuing to take risks and push the boundaries of their music, and this album takes that challenge to new heights, displaying the perseverance of Shadley and his relentless desire to make music.
