9. July 2015 By Walter Price 0

Yes First Aid Kit

These shackles I’ve made in an attempt to be free…

I’m not one to claim a proficient expert in Swedish pop music. I dig the sounds of Icona Pop (mostly), Niki and the Dove hit at times, I always had a soft spot for Ace of Base, Vacuum, The Royal Concept can get the asses movin’ in near youthy-pop anthem style and the timeless legends that are ABBA could do no-wrong.

The newer crop of popsters (or electro artists) like the before mentioned Icona Pop are interesting and rock trio Heavy Tiger are tons Ramones-esq fun but there are two Swedish names that seem to have set up realistic homesteads in my cranial cavity. José González and First Aid Kit. Both are grounded, wildly popular and I even recommended the latter’s 2014 smash international hit collection Stay Gold some time back.

And it is First Aid Kit (Klara & Johanna Söderberg) I need to say something about before it drives me insane. After the initial few thorough listens of Stay Gold I shelved it and moved on to other pastures. Now, as if you hadn’t noticed, their track “My Silver Lining” (Not the Mickey Gilley one) has been running amok in the latest ads campaign for Renault. Driving and driving its slightly haunting and sincerely beautiful delicacies into anyone who has the need to surf YouTube.

The Scandinavian sister act’s track like the richly layered album itself is a calming in its reassuring this if folk today vibe and brings memories of a modern polished version of late 60’s AM radio. But you know this. The commercial and its well placed soundtrack brought the urge the check into what is FAK once again.

I think it still tricks my mind that these two have vocal twang and down home ranges that bring some thoughts of The Judds and Emmylou Harris as Allison Krauss. Interesting as that may sound the duo have built a remarkable career and see no end in sight garnering award nominations, killer international TV slots and reviews that would send any artist over the moon and by the sound of their personalities in interviews seem pretty down to Earth to boot. And no, I’m not late to the party I just stopped off at the bar.

Good. Now here are some gems I discovered and you probably already have entrenched into your collection but I had to hear everything in hopes to get this recently ever-present shirt tug to become a fan to rest. Now, where did I put that Church Sisters album…

Thank you.

First Aid Kit Facebook / Website