Thursday, May 2, 2019

CAAMP

One Liner: Folksy Americana with a bunch o' banjo.
Wikipedia Genre: No wikipedia, but I'll say Americana, roots, folk, new bluegrass
Home: Athens, Ohio

Poster Position: 10


Both Weekends.

Thoughts: Not a fan of the weird spellings for band names.  Chvches and Hovvdy and this.  Interestingly, if you try searching for CAAMP in Wikipedia, you get the Canadian trade association for mortgage professionals.  Which seems like a mistake to pick a name that ends up directing people to a buncha nerdy lenders.  Also, I guess that means they don't have a Wikipedia page...

Their website says that they are aficionados of both denim and light beer.  Which is not very helpful, but I will say that their music is damn fine.  Whichever one of the three guys plays the banjo is legit.  I read an interview saying that these guys have been opening for Rainbow Kitten Surprise, which would be a fun double-bill.  And in fact, the newer music has kind of a RKS tilt - looking at "Strawberries" or "Books."

Just one album - 2016's Caamp - and then two 2018 EPs both named Boys (Side A and Side B).  The new stuff is a little more folk-rocky, and a little less bluegrassy.  But its all very enjoyable - I've run through their whole catalog twice now at work and its all tasty.  The top song is from their album, "Vagabond" has just over 25 million streams.  
Got that Lumineers/The Head and the Heart start, all quiet build up with the quick banjo picking, and singing about sneaking whiskey sips by the river, before the action kicks in with a little "YIP!"  Oh, or Avett Brothers!  This has an Avett Bros. flavor as well, but with a much raspier voice.

From the new material, the top track is called "So Cool," with 8.8 million streams.
Another that starts off quiet and chill, with banjo, and then gets a few more layers added on.

The band claims the extra "a" was added to the name to make for easier internet searches.  They met in high school and started playing together back then.  After reading four different interviews/articles about these guys, I feel like I don't know much more than I did before, so not much more for background.  Just know that they make solid banjo music.  I might go see this stuff live.

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