Photo credit Cameron Cyr @nocturnalresearch
Phatt James-A Conversation
By Samantha Garcia Nuñez
Coming off the release of their debut album, “Just Begun”, Phatt James, which was released in 2023 and was celebrated with a fantastic show in front of more than 200 fans, we were given the opportunity to meet with the band’s singer/guitarist, Matt James. If you didn’t know, Phatt James is an alternative pop-rock band from Connecticut, whose music showcases their broad spectrum of thoughts and emotions, from love to heartbreak.
Are there any forms of art – apart from music- that you pull inspiration from or that help feed ideas for new songs?
Matt James: I think time in nature and maybe the art of fly fishing. I also used to be quite into drawing and specifically using charcoal. Additionally, film inspires me and evokes emotion necessary in my songwriting, so I should use it as inspiration more. I think the time spent being mindful as a part of other art or just witnessing it is really beneficial to songwriting.
How would you say the music you’re making has changed over the years, hearing your music from older singles posted on Spotify and Soundcloud to the sound that you have now?
MJ: Though our latest album has songs written around the same time as our “Circle Bent” EP, I would say our music has just become more and more authentic in terms of a timeline of songwriting. In the beginning, there is definitely pressure put on yourself to try and write a song. Now it’s just like what we do.
How did you incorporate the sound of your EP from 2019 “Circle Bent” into your now newest album “Just Begun”?- Reading your press release you mention how “Seven Days” is about letting someone go and realizing it was a mistake, I’m wondering what specifically inspired this or if you have a personal connection to the piece.
MJ: So, this latest album, “Just Begun,” is really just an extension of “Circle Bent.” At 28, these songs were written on the other side of my 20s. They definitely have some themes throughout like heartbreak. My heartbreak, yes. All of these songs are special to me because they represent a certain time in songwriting and my life. I suppose it is because we have been focusing on the album so much that new ideas took a bit of a back seat. It is exciting to have the time to entertain them now in addition to a few other tracks that got lost along the way.
I loved the song “Baby Blue” and I really think it highlights your range with music, do you plan on making more songs with just you and your guitar?
MJ: Thank you very much. I love that song as well. That definitely filled me up writing a song like that. I would love to do more like it, but we’ll see. That’s a special song. I can think of another fingerpicking song that we have, so, I think we will do something like it again.
Photo credit Cameron Cyr @nocturnalresearch
I appreciate that themes such as heartbreak and love are being depicted in your album “Just Begun” and I’m wondering how the process of being so vulnerable within your music has been over the past three years. And if you will focus on other topics in future albums?
MJ: It’s not so hard to be vulnerable with it because sometimes the music seems to ask for a certain topic and that will present itself somewhere in your lyrical exploration. I can’t imagine our songs being written about anything else. I think in the future I will just continue to write about my own ideas and experiences in life as I have been. I feel different than back then so I’m sure my lyrics will reflect that. That being said, I do want to tell more stories and start thinking more outside the box.
With the band returning to Park City Music Hall in a couple of days to open for “Consider The Source”, what are you most excited for your fans to be able to hear live for the first time?
MJ: Well, to be honest, a song we haven’t released! It’s called, “Step Taken.” From the album, I always love playing “Ahead of Line.”
Your sound brings up bands such as 3 Doors Down, Pearl Jam, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Do you get inspiration from any of these, and what other bands have inspired – not only your sound but your band’s style and music videos?
MJ: Oh yes, love those bands. 3 doors down I can appreciate for sure, but I am way more familiar with Pearl Jam and RHCP, so I’m glad you hear that. I love Alice In Chains, Incubus, and John Butler Trio as well. Our music videos are definitely reminiscent of ‘90s or 2000s MTV, and some of our style is as well. I look forward to our evolution from that, but so far, it’s what the songs have called for.
With you working on more music now that you’ve released your music video “Seven Days”, what should we expect with future singles/albums?
MJ: We are going to catch up with where we’re at now as musicians and songwriters. We will also entertain a number of songs from the Just Begun/Circle Bent writing time period and maybe release those as singles or another EP. I think there will be a noticeable difference in the songs from more recently and now in a lot of ways. One thing, our bassist Matty C (Matt Christoforo) says he’s making us heavier and we’re on board, so I think we’re going to get a little less balladry in our songs and more vibe. We’ll see what happens!
EightBallMag 