The Matthew Shadley Band is an American indie and alternative rock project led by songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Matthew Shadley Brauer. Drawing on influences ranging from classic ’70s album rock and roots music to ’90s alternative, psychedelia, and progressive rock, the band's music combines melodic songwriting, inventive arrangements, and atmospheric production.
Formed in Cincinnati in 2003, the original band developed a loyal regional following through regular club performances, headlining shows, and festival appearances. Its early sound blended roots rock, alt-country, and classic rock, documented on the EP Five Easy Pieces (2004), the live album Underneath the Red Light (2005), and Summer Stone (2008). Following an extended hiatus, Brauer relocated to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where he eventually revived the project as a studio-based endeavor.
Beginning with Emerald (2022), the band entered a prolific new chapter, releasing 1970 Something (2023), Shaka (2024), Preternatural Dreams (2025), and The Great Divide (2026). Featuring contributions from former bandmates and guest musicians from across the country, these recordings reflect an increasingly expansive musical approach, moving beyond the band's roots-rock beginnings into alternative, progressive, and atmospheric territory.
The band's latest album, Satellite Sky (2026), takes that evolution further. Across nine tracks, the record explores the intersection of post-rock, psychedelia, dream pop, and cinematic art rock, incorporating vintage synthesizers, Mellotron, layered guitars, and expansive instrumental passages. With a greater emphasis on atmosphere, texture, and instrumental exploration, Satellite Sky represents a new creative direction while retaining the melodic sensibility at the heart of the band's music.
Press / Reviews
"The album achieves an infectious fusing of power-pop and enthusiastic rock. The opener is a riveting table-setting with patience and intrigue, setting the stage for the frenzied rock songwriting that follows." Mike Mineo - Obscure Sound
"Overall, the album is very relatable and fun. The Matthew Shadley Band is astonishing and Brauer’s playing and writing will make listeners want to return to this album again and again. It combines all the best qualities of 70s music, from trippy instrumentals, personal inspirations, and well thought out lyrics. Go listen to 1970 Something from front to back!" Katie Power - Music & Fashion
“Matthew Shadley Band’s 1970 Something is a testament to Brauer’s musical vision and his ability to capture the spirit of an iconic era. With its diverse sonic palette and expertly crafted compositions, the album stands as a testament to the band’s enduring talent and creativity. Whether you’re a fan of classic rock or an aficionado of inventive soundscapes, 1970 Something promises an exhilarating and immersive musical experience that will leave you yearning for more.” Stuart Daley - The Pentatonic
“…strong songwriting and catchy rock melodies that are great to listen to.” Jay Freeman – Pitch Perfect Music
"These guys remind me of the Wallflowers and have that sort of straight-up-rock-on-the-verge-of-being-country sound." Jason Jump" - Randomville.com
"Throughout 1970 Something, the band’s passion for classic rock in its purest form shines through. The use of tube amplifiers, iconic guitar solos, vintage keyboards and layered harmony vocals creates a nostalgic atmosphere that delights listeners. The intricate instrumentation, infectious songwriting and slick lead guitar licks captivate the listener’s attention, showcasing the band’s undeniable talent and dedication to their craft." Rob Pringle - Plastic Magazine (U.K.)
"They play it pretty loose, but it really works for them. The MSB are good." Juliana Salinas-Jump - Randomville.com
"Cincinnati's live show specialists" Jan Perry - Cincinnati Post
“This band has a really unique sound (and) they bring a great variety of tastes and styles to their music…” Bored City/Right Chord Music
"This is the gem I'm always looking for, but rarely find. I was not disappointed Saturday evening at RBC...a little Black Crowes swagger and some of the sweetest flow and rhythm since Traffic!" Cincymusic.com
"Harmony-laden, acoustic-based Pop/Rock that takes its cue from The Beatles, The Jayhawks and Buffalo Springfield, the five-song Five Easy Pieces is the first release from the group, which is fronted by Matthew Shadley Brauer, formerly of Staring at the Sea." Mike Breen - CityBeat Magazine
INTERVIEW
Pitch Perfect
Matt Shadley Interview
Q: Can you talk about your musical history? What got you interested in music?
A: I started playing guitar when I was ten years old. My parents had a vinyl collection that mainly consisted of ‘60s and ‘70s classic rock and I would spend a great deal of time trying to learn the songs by ear. I always enjoyed the dynamics of playing in bands and became more dedicated to songwriting after college. The Matthew Shadley Band was formed as an outlet for original music that didn't fit into the other bands I played in. We played a lot of shows, went through some lineup changes and eventually, I was drawn more toward studio engineering and production.
Q: What are some differences between 1970 Something and your previous release Emerald? Did you approach the making of the album in a different way? the recording, etc?
A: I think that my approach was more focused on 1970 Something. Emerald was my first major musical effort in 12 years and it required a massive investment in my studio. During the pandemic lockdowns I had the time to sit down and avail myself of the technological changes in digital recording. It was like being a kid in a candy store (VSTs, MIDI, plug-ins and the ability to collaborate with other musicians all over the country). There was a pretty steep learning curve and I didn't have the typical backlog of material I had on previous projects. Long story short, it took about two years to complete Emerald and I worked with a lot of different musicians to record the individual tracks.
1970 Something was intended to be a collection of songs that reflected my nostalgia for 1970s rock and pop culture. The songs were written very methodically and I used more baritone guitar and piano in the writing process. It was more self-contained and I played most of the instruments myself. As a result, I was able to complete the project in a few months. Both albums were mixed and produced using Cubase and mastered with iZotope.
Q: What are some topics and themes you explore with your music?
A: Most of the songs are kind of introspective. "I'm Alright" is about accepting your life as it is and holding on to a youthful idealism. "Long Ride,""Don't Need a Reason" and "Heavy Traffic" deal with the complexity of human relationships. The usage of social media and the herd-like mentality it fosters has always fascinated me, so there is some amount of social commentary in "Hashtag World" and also on some of the songs from Emerald ("Oh, Karen" and "Anime Girl"). Sometimes I like to focus on dynamic instrumental soundscapes ("Panorama" and "Intrigue at the Disco") or simple straight-up classic hard rock ("Believe," and "In the Street").
Q: How do you approach songwriting?
A: I usually start with a chord progression and/or a melody, then I work on the structure of the song. I like to have a complete instrumental demo before I work on lyrics. I have a fairly acute sense of synesthesia in that I perceive very distinct images and colors when I listen to instrumental music. I don't know how common that is, but I think that's why this writing method works for me.
Q: Have you played this music live and if so how does it translate with an audience?
A: In the early days, we were a hard-working live band. Some of the more recent songs come from this period and were well-received as a full-band presentation, as well as solo-acoustic. In the studio, I don't give any thought to how the songs will be presented in a live setting, which sometimes leads to creating works that are very cumbersome and difficult to pull off as a four or five-piece band. I don't have any immediate plans to put a group together and tour, but I haven't ruled it out either.
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: The music can be found on every streaming platform (Spotify, Apple, iTunes, YouTube, Deezer, Pandora, etc...). If you prefer to have something physical (as I do), you can purchase a CD or Vinyl LP on the website and through various retail outlets. You can go to the website at www.matthewshadleyband.com for videos, news, unreleased music and reviews.
I am currently working on a blues project with my daughter Alex (who plays one of the guitars on "Don't Need a Reason Why"), as well as a prog-rock project with my daughter Maggie (who is a classically trained cellist and one hell of a bass player). The blues project is being mixed and produced by one of my old bandmates with whom I've collaborated off and on over the years and will likely be released as an EP before the end of the year. The prog-rock album will likely be released in 2024.
