"It’s Monday morning and I’m sitting in front of a man who is evidence that anything before noon is too early for a musician. It’s April, yet the blue sky and manic conversation of the birds outside of the window are the only things I can say represent spring. However it’s warm inside James Cashman’s apartment and there is more than enough alcohol for the both us. I begin to set up a tape recorder when the front man for Altamonte opens up for the first time since greeting me at the door.
"Would you like a drink?" he asks, casually lifting a bottle of wine with his right hand while reaching with the other to turn off a lamp, which had been left on after an all night writing session. I took notice of the array of instruments scattered around the apartment, one glance around the room revealed his love for creating music, which he does often and usually by himself, writing and recording demos, fielding every instrument on his own. I politely decline the early morning alcoholic beverage and proceed to ask him about the band’s brand new single "Cut Her From The Wreck" and how he went about recording it.
"I was having such a hard time finding a producer who wanted to work with my ideas and compromise on a way to go about things. A lot of big name producers are set in their methods and won’t compromise… I decided that if I wanted this song to sound the way I wanted it to, that I would have to do it myself". Cashman takes another sip of wine before revealing a pleased grin. "And it worked so well… I wrote this song on my own in one night and just felt a strong conviction on how it should go. There are times when I believe the artist knows best and should step up and take control of the song from start to finish. I do believe that an outside source is good to keep you in check (laugh)… Guys like Nic Hard and David Pollack are great producers who also allow the artist to call shots from time to time".
A half hour or so has passed since I had arrived and I finally give in to the mountain of bottles that separate the two of us. As I take a sip of scotch I attempt to ask James about his opinion on living in New York City, but instead choke as the small amount of Johnny Walker has rendered me to coughs while my throat stings with what feels like a river of thumb tacks. After a short spell I proceed to ask my question, while Cashman beams at me with false admiration as he places my glass to the side of the table. "Brooklyn is an open canvas full of art and creativity" Cashman says after taking the top off of a 10 am glass of Merlot. "I haven’t found a place anywhere that offers so much for the creative process". This coming from a writer who has admitted to finding the perfect drum beat from a girl walking past his apartment on metal grating in high heels. Cashman is indeed a writer who finds inspiration anywhere at anytime. I could’ve been interrupted at least five times during our meeting while he stopped to write down an idea only to toss it into a sea of paper scraps overflowing from an abandoned guitar case.
While James is the main writer for Altamonte, he also makes a point to remind me that the band is not a one man team. "My Brother Sean, is an amazing bassist and I’m a big fan of his playing". Cashman peers over at a bass that is perhaps a few feet too far to reach. He then looks back at his glass of wine. "He’s a wonderful writer, and comes through with a great track. He doesn’t write all the time, perhaps you could say he writes on a John Deacon schedule. Whenever he comes to rehearsal with a song it’s usually a keeper. He also goes about things much like I do, and he’ll usually give me a CD with every instrument already recorded . It’s very rare that we’ll call each other up and say ‘check out this riff’. Every guy in this band plays a vital role, and we are very much a team".
After a few moments Cashman polishes off his wine and offers to show me the new tracks for the upcoming record. The first track that he shows me is entitled "Cut Her from The Wreck". The opening bass riff is rather post punk-ish and gives me a false sense of "I know where this is going". My prediction was barely placed when the song opens up and blooms into a beautiful, ambient ride that steers clear of the modern pretentious bullshit I had braced for. Cashman shows me an effect that he had created for his vocals using a slight delay to add depth. After the very energetic chorus fades into the next verse I remark over the beauty of the track. "That’s not just us (Altamonte)". Cashman answers. "I took this song to David Pollack because he sees the art in sound more than anyone I know. He also allows me to really produce the sound that I want. Along the way he comes up with a great idea and then we end up with a great track that emphasizes the song and the perspective rather than how great the equipment sounds. What kid buys a record and says ‘wow that pre amp sounds awesome? I do believe that you should care about how you go about recording, but in the end it matters more about the song. Sometimes romance occurs on the floor or in an elevator instead of a bed of roses". In twenty minutes I was floored by the overall beauty of the five tracks that I was able to hear. It’s very rare that a band can have so much depth and overall beauty while maintaining a popish glow. Though the band used more pop aspiration in their first E.P, I noticed that the band has indeed grown from their 2007 debut, but rather than tossing aside their original sound, they have now learned to use elements of pop which has now translated into growth rather than clearing away and rebuilding. As we sit back down I remind Cashman of the Altamonte’s first single "This Girl" and ask him if the band’s evolution would see the gradual fade of their much loved pop sound. "We won’t shed our pop music aspirations". States Cashman "We are your guilty pleasure, the way we make the tough guys talk shit when their girlfriends play our record only to download it later once the coast is clear, we go about being catchy, not by planning every song to be less than three minutes in length with repeating chorus’ and lame self conscious imagery. Our sound appeals to a broad audience, though some of the self conscious people try to hide it, they can’t. You can't plan the perfect record, but you should always aim to make every track sound amazing. We set out to make records that are played from start to finish. There’s too much to pass up".
Altamonte will be releasing ‘Cut Her From The Wreck’, May 8th.
Check them out at Myspace.com/altamonte
