In 2018 the folk group Caamp issued a pair of EPs — Boys: Side-A and Boys: Side-B — as if they were each one half of a vinyl LP. Together, these releases constitute a complete 12-track album and thus a proper successor to their masterful 2016 debut Caamp. It has been a spectacular rise for the trio from Columbus, Ohio, who, at one point, needed a Go Fund Me campaign to continue recording. Now, they are touring Europe and can even boast a “This Is Caamp” playlist on Spotify.
Their success, however, is no accident. Much like early-period Avett Brothers, Caamp fuses bluegrass, pop, and rock sensibilities, punctuated by lead singer Taylor Meier’s raspy and heartfelt vocals. There is lyrical depth as well. The best track on Boys is “Send the Fisherman,” a four-minute song about being adrift at sea. “The ship is gone and I think it’s time we swam,” Meier pleads over the interplay of guitar and banjo, “Somebody save us somebody get here quick / Send the coast guard, the navy, and the fisherman.” Is this a parable about the current political landscape in America? Or is it a cry for divine intervention, for the “fisher of men” (Matthew 4:19) who comes to rescue lost souls? Meier seems uncertain, but, as is the band’s wont, he is not going to give up: “Kicking is what these feet are for,” he sings, as the song fades to the sound of rushing water.
THEOLOGY + CULTURE 