Conquering the dreaded sophomore slump, Caveman’s self-titled second album is ripe with an ambitious indie rock sound that’s as experimental as it is retro. Following the 2011 release of their first album, Coco Beware, the five-person, Brooklyn-based collective toured together for two years straight, improving their on and off stage chemistry along the way. It also doesn’t hurt that Matthew Iwanusa (lead vocals/multi-instrumentalist), Jimmy Carbonetti (guitarist), Sam Hopkins (keyboardist), Jeff Berrall (bassist), and Stefan Marolachakis (drummer) have friendships with one another that span longer than their time as bandmates, giving them an iron-clad bond that many other groups can’t match.
In anticipation of Caveman’s upcoming show on Monday, July 1 at High Noon Saloon, Jonk Music was able to chat via-email with lead singer Matthew Iwanusa (who has a love for his NYC stomping grounds that rivals Jay-Z’s) about the band’s most recent album.
I read in an interview you did with Lifestyle Mirror that the band sometimes records in the dark. What’s the reasoning behind this?
“Yeah we do. I think it’s extremely important to feel great in the environment you’re recording in. If something looks nice or has the right vibe it’s going to inspire you to try things out that fit that mood. I think it helped a lot with our record.”
With lyrics like “Where’s the time to waste on someone else’s life?,” your self-titled sophomore album seems to have fuller, more nostalgic, and somewhat darker qualities than your first. What life experiences would you cite as inspiration for this change in tone?
“I had a lot of growing up to do between the first and second record. Focusing on becoming a better person while realizing I was dealing with other people’s situations that I didn’t necessarily need to deal with. I wanted to speak as honestly as possible.”
Can you explain a little bit about the writing process for your most recent album? You began writing it in the attic of Jimmy’s grandmother’s New Hampshire barn, correct?
“I actually wrote a lot of it on my iPad… sometimes in the van, sometimes at home. We did go up to Jimmy’s grandmother’s house. We have some really cool demos from up there. But that was really early on. The album really molded together on the road. We’d practice these new songs and then play them for months on tour. By the time we recorded we were so familiar with a lot of the songs. We were able to focus on getting really creative with them and recording different versions.”
Hailing from New York City seems to be a crucial part of your identities as a band and individuals. What impact has the city had on you? Are there certain spots (restaurants, bars, concert venues, parks, etc.) around NYC you’re particularly fond of?
“Totally! I am N.Y.! Well, not really, but I’m not really anything else… Prospect Park is a big part of my life. I grew up by there and have always lived in different places really close to it. Any time of the year is great to be there. I used to go there at night when I was in my teens. You’d always meet up with your friends and party. It felt like a cool secret at times.” ”
My heart melted after I saw the beyond-adorable interview you did with a fourth grader (“CooLeo”). Have you had any other endearing fan experiences such as this one?
“I take it back. CooLeo is NY! He’s awesome. We know his parents. They’re great. They run a show called Kidrockers where you play in the afternoon for tons of kids. After two songs you invite them on the stage and they go crazy — all over the place. It’s really fun… even if you were up until 5 a.m. the night before. Jimmy always jokes about how great it would be if you could see adults laying on the floor and dancing the way the kids do. That might get weird, though.“