A small, independent band called The Lumineers has just released a new album named “III.” This group is well known for their hit song “Ophelia” and is an American Folk band based in Denver, Colorado. 

The group began their journey by playing house shows, which is when bands play in someone’s house for a small group of people. The band is not big by any means and a lot of people do not know their material. However, for the band members and some of their audience, this makes their music more intimate.

The newly released album stepped into a deeper and more personal tone for two of the founding band members, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites. Schultz enlightened his audience during an interview on stage with iHeartRadio about how the album started. He told the audience he was moving houses and packing things away when he found an old journal of his from 2007, where it explored the journey he had with a family member who was struggling with addiction. 

Schultz went to Fraites with the material and the two of them realized the significance of their own stories and histories of their families dealing with addiction. The album is just that — a story about addiction and the effects it has on loved ones. 

“I think we are lucky as musicians to take something that’s painful and that can be cathartic for someone else,” Schultz said in a CBC interview.

He also talks about how this album can be a source of release for someone going through the same experience. “III” is heavy with the theme but the music is not dull nor does it have a slow tempo. The music is upbeat and shares the same tone as the popular song “Ophelia.” 

The Lumineers album is a story and to enhance the importance of that story, the band released videos on YouTube that connect with each other. You get invested in a family and how addiction impacts them. Overall, “III” is very personal, intimate and pleasurable to listen to.