Founded by two college students living in Ohio, Caamp is a successful folk band that has always been growing in its music and members. Originally a duo, Caamp now has five members, and with each new release, it is clear the band's style and sound are developing even further from the amazing place they started. They have released three full albums, with the fourth set to debut on June 6.
Caamp and Ohio
The two founding members of Caamp are Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall. Both of them were born and raised in Ohio and crossed paths early in their lives, meeting in high school.
Meier and Westfall both attended Ohio University, where Caamp would eventually be founded when the pair "bonded over a shared love of music and a shared love of home, specifically the inspiration they culled from the Midwest lives they grew up in. The two began writing and performing and quickly grew a rabid fan base. A self-titled 2016 debut album took flight, quickly gaining over 170 million streams," according to Ohio University's Music Industry Summit.
On their debut album, the ninth track was titled "Ohio." In this song, they sing about the state they have called home for their entire lives. While it is never safe to assume that an artist's songs are about their lives, it is clear that they chose their own home state for the sake of the song's message.
"You know, when I grow up, I'm gonna look back at the place I left," the song begins. Despite this, Meier and Westfall never truly did leave.
Now, Caamp is based in Columbus, Ohio, with three additional members: Matt Vinson, Joseph Kavalec and Nick Falk. Their musical minds have added to the band's mix, creating an even richer sound for the band.
Earlier in their career, in an interview with Atwood Magazine, Westfall was asked about the wide variety of instruments he has played their albums, from percussion to banjo, and how he had enjoyed switching between them.
"I take great pride in the fact that when we were in the studio for the first three albums, it was just Tay and I playin’. Just us. We’re not the best at any of our instruments. We could have studio players come in and they could make for a nice, polished record, but we realized early on that people were looking for something authentic. That’s the good [stuff]. We always just try to keep it to whoever’s in the band is playing on the record," Westfall said.
With Vinson, Kavalec and Falk all added into the band, Caamp maintains that authenticity while sounding a little more polished due to having more musicians with specialized areas. Westfall now focuses on the guitar and vocals, along with Meier.
Copper Changes Color
Caamp has picked up more traction as time has gone on, having opened for popular folk band The Lumineers in 2022, which helped launch them to further success.
On June 6, Caamp will release their newest album, titled "Copper Changes Color," for which they have already released three lead singles from.
On bandcamp.com, links are provided to listen to the songs or pre-order the album. There is some additional information about the upcoming release and the band's members listed as well.
"The album features a collection of songs written, performed and produced by the band, with recording and co-production by Beatriz Artola and Tucker Martine. The album was recorded over the course of two years in various locations, including Sonic Ranch and Sear Sound," the Copper Changes Color description reads.
Despite the members residing in Ohio, Sonic Ranch is located in Tornillo, Texas, and Sear Sound is located in New York City, New York.
The website also shares a quote by Meier, which is a cryptic message meant to excite fans. Meier said, “Take your rings off and wash your hands. Wrap something tightly in newspaper; give it away. Water is running, and Copper Changes Color.”
Make sure to visit Caamp's official bandcamp page for more information, and prepare for the album's release on June 6.
