Two for the Road is a series in which two artists touring together chat about playing shows, life backstage, and more. In the latest installment of the series, The Lumineers’ frontman Wesley Schultz and Caamp’s Taylor Meier chat about their new albums and their current US tour.
The Lumineers have just kicked off their tour in support of their 2021 LP, Brightside, but for Caamp, their new album cycle has just begun. The Ohio folk rockers announced their upcoming album, Lavender Days, back in March and are gearing up for their busiest year yet: Around this month’s album release, they’re set to play numerous festivals and headlining shows, as well as joining The Lumineers on their extensive US tour.
There are a few things that both of these bands have in common. For one, they’re both folk-leaning indie acts with frontmen that can conjure a great deal of emotion in one raspy breath. But perhaps more importantly, they’re both incredibly grounded, down-to-earth humans, coming from humble beginnings and celebrated for their classic, uniquely American songwriting.
Though they’re separated in age by only a few years, Meier is eager to learn from some of Schultz’s wisdoms and experiences on the road. They talk plenty about writing lyrics, with Schultz referencing Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey” and Meier breaking down what the word “lavender” means to him. Throughout their conversation, however, one thing is clear: both songwriters strive to tap in to a vulnerable, intimate space when writing and recording, and their respective outputs are brimming with soul and openness.
What’s even more fascinating about Schultz and Meier’s conversation is the emphasis on what it means to be the primary vocalist and songwriter of a band. “I think a lot of singers who also write, you’re on an island at times,” says Schultz, “because the buck stops with you, the writing, even going stage… they can’t do it without you.”
Meier agrees, sharing the difficulties that Caamp overcame when adding members to the band having started as a duo. “It’s a constant tending of the garden,” he says, but assuring that egos aside, “things are pretty fucking peachy right now.”
