First Aid Kit – The Lions Roar

First Aid Kit are a swedish folk-rock duo, the two members are sisters Johanna Söderberg and Klara Söderberg. They released their debut album in 2010 and received fairly good reviews, mainly for the vocals and harmonies used, which have not been left out of their new album, ‘The Lions Roar’, which was released this week.

The album starts off with acclaimed single ‘The Lions Roar’. The track begins in a deceivingly gentle way and then with a hit of a tom glides into the most upbeat chorus of the record which features, as always, a great harmony from Klara which just takes the song to the next level. The rest of the album doesn’t follow suit, as most of the songs are relaxed folk’ish tracks like ‘I Found A Way’, ‘Blue’, and ‘This Old Routine’. The second track on the album, ‘Emmylou’, has an almost country feel to it especially with the slide guitar that appears throughout, and the vocal melody in the chorus. Unlike some folk records this one does not feel like you’re listening to the same track over and over again, I think this is because they have taken influences from Fleet Foxes who seem to be masters of making a great folk album. Another reason why this doesn’t get too same’y is because of the range of melodies and harmonies that this dynamic duo can pull off.

Overall, I think this album is great. The Swedish sisters, for the second time, have offered up an intimate affair that has fused Swedish folk and a new brand of Americana.

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