Shiny Shiny Black
Goshen, Indiana, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | INDIE
Music
Press
On their debut LP, “Travelers,” Shiny Shiny Black, an up-and-coming band from Goshen, combine the sort of road weary Americana of the Drive-By Truckers with the hookey melodic sensibilities of the Eagles. Frontman Nathan Butler has been backing up regional acts as a drummer for many years, but he’s breaking out in a big way with this album.
Listen to the single “Lights On” and you’ll hear what I’m talking about. This song is a lesson on repetition. A three chord rhythm guitar riff anchors the entire song, and the only line in the chorus is “I’ll leave the light on.”
However, much like the Eagles did with “Take It Easy” and “Life in the Fast Lane,” the repetition is endearing, encouraging listeners to join in and sing along. I’d bet this track goes over well live. - Stacey Page Online
GOSHEN — “Travelers” is the name of the album. Musically speaking, the principal songwriter behind it has been on a journey himself.
This year marks Nathan Butler’s 25th playing music. He started out in churches. At age 15, he was the drummer in a thrash-metal outfit, and from there proceeded to play more thrash. Then he played with singer-songwriter Jonathan Reuel, and was a member of the Americana/roots music group The Steel Wheels for about a year. His stints also included a Nine Inch Nails-styled pop-industrial band.
“I’ve been all over the place, genre-wise,” said the Goshen-based musician.
These days, the place is Shiny Shiny Black.
Broadly speaking, “Travelers” is muscular Americana/indie rock, with shades of Wilco, Tom Petty, Neil Young & Crazy Horse and a hint of The Decemberists. It boasts an enviable big-room, expansive sound.
Going into the “Travelers” project, Butler had an idea for its sound/feel/aesthetic framework.
“I basically wanted to make a bunch of songs that could end up in a Quentin Tarantino film, was my initial premise,” he said. (Listener’s note: The spaghetti Western soundtrack by way of Neil Young intro to lead-off track “Look Me in the Eyes” is an example of hitting that mark.) - The Goshen News
Hold that call to a drummer.
Nathan Butler, Anna Pasquarello Sherck and bassist Bryan Chris stand side-by-side, guitars in hand, microphones at their mouths, running through an impromptu rehearsal of “Simple Love,” an original penned by Butler that recalls a dark, alternative, indie throwback to the flow REM blew out of Athens, Ga., in the early 1990s.... - The Sound Bend Tribune
Music fans came to the rescue by supporting a successful crowdfunding campaign behind the Goshen trio’s new album, “Travelers.”
GOSHEN — Goshen’s own Shiny Shiny Black is celebrating Record Store Day the right way – with the release of its first full-length studio album.
“Travelers” arrives Saturday, April 19, and the band will having an in-store signing from 9 to 11 a.m. at Ignition Music Garage, 120 E. Washington St.
“We may also play a couple of acoustic numbers,” frontman Nathan Butler said.
“Travelers” is the result of a successful crowdfunding campaign that helped cover the cost of recording. The band set a goal of raising $3,900, and months later, fans came up with $4,690 for the record.
“People just blew our minds,” Butler said. “We ended up being funded at 121 percent, which blew right past our target. That was a pretty incredible experience to be supported that way.”
The band recorded the album at T. Bush Recording in Syracuse but tracked the drums on stage at downtown’s Goshen Theater.
“We really like the way that space sounds,” said Butler, who has played in an eclectic mix of music over the past 25 years ranging from Americana to hardcore thrash and industrial.
Echoing the music of Whitehorse and The Black Keys, Shiny Shiny Black’s new release packs a lot of punch with songs like “Look Me in the Eyes,” “Love Like That” and the first single released in August, “Lights On.” - The Elkhart Truth
It’ll be a New Year’s Eve bash to remember. Ignition Music, a record shop and music venue in downtown Goshen, will welcome Andru Bemis, Von Strantz and Shiny Shiny Black for a 7:30 p.m. show on Tuesday, Dec. 31. - Stacy Page Online
GOSHEN - What transforms good music into great music? Collaboration, in the view of Ignition Garage owner Steve Martin.
That spirit of coming together will be on display Saturday at Martin’s Goshen concert venue, Ignition Garage, 120 E. Washington St. Nashville-based artists Phil Madeira, Will Kimbrough and Brigitte DeMeyer will perform starting at 7:30 p.m. The second part of the show will also include songwriters Nate Butler of Goshen and Andrew Kreider and Zach Dubois of Elkhart. In the rhythm section Saturday will be local musicians Joel Jimenez (bass) and Jeff Sanders (drums). - The Goshen News
Discography
Travelers (debut full length album) - April 19, 2014
Lights On (Single + Music video) - Aug 2013
Some Dreams EP - March 2013 (Compilation - songs from Nathan Butler and Jonathan Reuel)
The Backstage Session EP Recorded live at The Goshen Theater - May 2012
Photos
Bio
Shiny Shiny Black gropes in the dark, hands out, searching for the lyric and tone to shed light on thoughts that haunt. Their musical grip holds you in place while words find the vulnerable target of your heart. The talent of this Americana roots music with lyrical poetry is hard at work to launch it from a regional act to a must-see national performance.
Travelers, Shiny Shiny Black's debut album, launches on April 19, 2014, National Record Store Day. The new album takes aim at classic guitar tones (Brian Setzer, Luke Doucet, Tom Petty) and indie rock sensibilities (Wilco, The Black Keys). Travelers is the bands first full-length studio recording after a busy year at work in the studio and on the road. The band kicked into high gear in 2013 with the release of the single, Lights On, and then played more than 65 shows throughout the Midwest.
Fronting the band is Nathan Butler, who carries the songwriting torch. This veteran musician spent many seasons backing great songwriters like Jonathan Reuel and Trent Wagler (The Steel Wheels) before grabbing a guitar and stepping up to the microphone. Lessons learned from working with these great artists (among many others) shaped his melodic sense, lyrical qualities and arrangement chops. Anna Pasquarello Sherck handles the second guitar and backing vocal duties. When she is not carrying rhythm on guitar, Anna also jumps in with a more lighthearted flute. Ably handling low-end duties is bass guitarist Bryan Chris, who previously hailed from Four and Twenty Elders, and Lovetruck.
From the skills, creativity, and Midwestern work ethic of these three people emerge the sounds and soul of Shiny Shiny Black. You can expect carefully crafted songs, high energy performances, plenty of on-stage banter, and an experience that is simultaneously fun and transcendent.
SSB has been honored to share the stage with Alan Rhody, Phil Madeira, Will Kimbrough & Brigitte DeMeyer, The Cloak Ox, Von Strantz, The Accidentals, Andru Bemis, Jonathan Reuel, The Traveling Suitcase, The Bergamot, Faeroplane, Kansas Bible Company, Analecta, The Rutabega, The Tumbleweed Jumpers, Andrew Kreider, Zach DuBois, Carrie McFerrin, Allison Ann, Jason Ropp and Kimberly Glick.
Band Members
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