MUSICAL ANALYSIS # 1 - Lavender Days - "The Otter" by CAAMP
One song that I like that was introduced to me by my daughter (who also attends UAF!) is "The Otter" from Caamp. Caamp is a band from Athens, Ohio that was started by two friends, Evan Westfall and Taylor Meier, in 2012 that had known each other while growing up and eventually added two other musicians Matt Vinson and Joseph Kavalec to join them. They sing Folk music- a mix of West Coast folk, Midwestern Americana, and cathartic indie rock- and have rapidly grown in popularity first through the Midwest U. S. and now all over the world. I just couldn't help but jump on the Caamp bandwagon after hearing their latest album Lavender Days!
"The Otter" was released in June 2022 and it has a sweet summer vibe with kind of a melancholic undertone. Its catchy, rapid melody of the banjo, played by Evan, brings the folksy feel. I am just learning to recognize different musical elements in songs so when I read about the components of this song, it was quite fun to listen for the different patterns and form.
The song is played with 4 chords - D, G, A and Em at 103 beats/minute with "mild rhythmic syncopation and subtle vocal harmony". Here is what the Caamp says about the song:
Now the arrangement is so fun, and it compliments the quirkiness of the lyrics themselves and name of the song. After the first two verses, there is a pre-chorus:
Hope you don't mind, love
But I wrote you a song
Standin' in time, love
I hope you'll sing along
I really love the end of the chorus when it says "How will it end? Will it end?" Isn't that just what we all wonder about everything, especially relationships? These are those feelings that are expressed so well in a song.
And I don't understand
How it all began
And I don't understand
How it'll end
How will it end?
Will it end?
There is a bridge right before the outro:
Will it end?
Will it end?
and then the outro:
I am floating in deep water
Like the unfamiliar otter
In love with someone's daughter
I'm going to lose float
Caamp and Lavender Days has had much success with even former President Barack Obama adding one of the album's songs to his 2022 Summer Playlist . What an honor for Caamp!
And, "The Otter" was added to Apple Music's Indie Folk playlist just days after its release.
Caamp also performed at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer this year!
Hope you enjoyed learning a little more about this great song as I did!
This is such a cute song!!! Gotta love a quick, sweet, indie-folk love song. Also the cover of the album makes the song so much more vibrant. The vibes, if you will. The guitar, banjo and tambourine are amazing friends, and in this song, they go so so well together. The melody is so sweet with simple rhythms and words. Which goes well with the mess of emotions and doubt that come with being in love with someone. Ahh I cannot get over the banjo with the polyphonic melody. It's like the woman he is singing to! They are singing together, but differently and "How will it end"" "Will it end?" and the song ends and we, the listeners are left wondering. What a great song. I am glad that you and your daughter get to enjoy this together. Thank you for sharing it with us Lisa!!
I WAS WAITING to see if you wrote about them attending the state fair because if you didn't, I would rub it in your face that I did see them at the fair!!! I love Caamp! The style of music is one of my favorites. It is so smooth but almost scratchy and rugged. It's hard to explain, but you did it so amazingly during this analysis! Brilliant song choice! My favorite... which is a lot of people's favorite, sadly, is "All the Debts I Owe." It's a hard-hitting, beautiful, and sad song. If you like Caamp, check out Matt Maeson and Noah Kahan. Both have similar vibes. Noah performed at the state fair this year, and "Northern Attitude" is a must... because we all have a northern attitude. XD
What a lovely song. I agree with what you said about the melody of the banjo bringing a folksy feeling. I really like the pleasant feeling that it gives. I feel like it has a sort of soft tone and upbeat mood. The harmonies they include go well with the other components.
This is such a cute song!!! Gotta love a quick, sweet, indie-folk love song. Also the cover of the album makes the song so much more vibrant. The vibes, if you will. The guitar, banjo and tambourine are amazing friends, and in this song, they go so so well together. The melody is so sweet with simple rhythms and words. Which goes well with the mess of emotions and doubt that come with being in love with someone. Ahh I cannot get over the banjo with the polyphonic melody. It's like the woman he is singing to! They are singing together, but differently and "How will it end"" "Will it end?" and the song ends and we, the listeners are left wondering. What a great song. I am glad that you and your daughter get to enjoy this together. Thank you for sharing it with us Lisa!!
ReplyDeleteI WAS WAITING to see if you wrote about them attending the state fair because if you didn't, I would rub it in your face that I did see them at the fair!!! I love Caamp! The style of music is one of my favorites. It is so smooth but almost scratchy and rugged. It's hard to explain, but you did it so amazingly during this analysis! Brilliant song choice! My favorite... which is a lot of people's favorite, sadly, is "All the Debts I Owe." It's a hard-hitting, beautiful, and sad song. If you like Caamp, check out Matt Maeson and Noah Kahan. Both have similar vibes. Noah performed at the state fair this year, and "Northern Attitude" is a must... because we all have a northern attitude. XD
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely song. I agree with what you said about the melody of the banjo bringing a folksy feeling. I really like the pleasant feeling that it gives. I feel like it has a sort of soft tone and upbeat mood. The harmonies they include go well with the other components.
ReplyDelete