The Nightbirds

By Taylor Bratches

Photo by Tony Galluchi

The Nightbirds are poetic. Clear and concise while projecting from a sound that fits gently alongside the likes of legends such as Neil Young, early Bob Dylan, and Jeff Buckley, like it or not, it’s true. Except that the band does not strive for these lofty aspirations. The Nightbirds are effortlessly themselves, and while one may attempt to classify them, it is as though these comparisons set out only to draw people to them, helping them to be heard, because really, they should be heard.

The origins of the band can be traced back to when vocalist/guitarist Brenden Shinosky and guitarist Jimmy Clapp began playing together in Vermont basements. What began as kind of a loose, nonchalant collaboration slowly ballooned into an all-acoustic band accompanied by a mandolin player. After a series of trial-and-error directions and members, the acoustic sound grew into the current lineup of The Nightbirds - an electric-tinged, emotionally charged band who is one of Burlington’s most promising talents.

It is not surprising that the band began as an all-acoustic group, as their music retains the mood evoked by an acoustic set - powerful, intimate and essentially very real. And this power does not stream solely from electric additions, but rather from the balance between Shinosky’s vocals, Jimmy’s melody, Seth Gunderson’s drumming and Josh Cleave’s bass and vocal strengths. Shinosky’s voice embodies the vibrato howl at its best, persuasive in its authenticity, unlike the neo-folk Devendra regurgitations spawning across the indie map. His croon may naturally waver, as though his soul consists of ocean tides, yet the passion delivered by his voice is demanding and unwavering. While Shinosky’s vocals are compelling, they are not meant to be the focal point of the band’s sound. During the live performance, the band makes absolutely sure every member is heard clearly, mirroring the cooperative nature of his or her writing process.

What pours from their intrinsically shared talent is something like an alchemical mix of elements. Melt down a frozen river in bleak New England winter, California psychedelia (think Jefferson Airplane) and the score to a grim, dusty Western into a boiling, swirling musical fluidity and you have The Nightbirds. Yet, the chemistry between band mates is what truly blends, and it is a completely collaborative process and acceptance of ideas that allows the music to breathe through them.

“We inspire each other. No one tells each other what to write, everyone brings what they like to the table and that makes the sound what it is. Some say it’s one thing or another and some say it’s dark or mellow, but I think our music is [comprised of] a lot of different sounds,” muses Shinosky.

Despite their acoustic roots and coffeehouse-set authenticity, the one thing The Nightbirds may not mesh effortlessly with is the jam-band mecca that is Burlington, as the prominence of punk, metal, and obvious Phish-offshoots make it a tad more difficult for indie bands to get booked. Yet, with the November ‘07 release of a well-received EP, and their debut full-length in the making, the band is doing pretty well for themselves. Not to mention they have their first national tour coming up, which will undoubtedly help them expand beyond the familiar confines of Burlington.
“Everyone in this band loves to tour. We see a lot of great bands on tour that inspire us to work harder and make more music,” explains Clapp.

The future of The Nightbirds, ironically, looks bright. While the band may never relinquish the haunting darkness of their sound, they are definitely open to change. Shinosky elaborates - “The recordings we are doing now are going to be different and more electric. It’s always changing [for us] in a way, like in the beginning, going from acoustic to electric. We try to keep it fresh and different.” No matter how far from acoustic they stray, it is the collaboration and soul that are the staples of their music, and for that reason The Nightbirds are worth following.

www.myspace.com/nightbirds