First Aid Kit has been gunning for America for quite some time. A few years back Swedish Sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg found their first glimmers of fame here from miles away, riding a lovely YouTube stream from the forest to transatlantic desktops everywhere. Though a tribute ("Tiger Mountain Peasant Song") meant as a self-professed gift for the Fleet Foxes, the girls' joyful swoon and impeccable harmonies naturally found other eager recipients. A poignant collection of melody and lyrics in
The Big Black and the Blue soon followed, and a slice of America's rich folk tradition was theirs for the taking. The girls' new offering
The Lion's Roar suggests they prefer the whole pie this time around.
Recorded in Omaha, Nebraska by perennial country folk producer Mike Mogis, The Lion's Roar paints the kind of impeccable, classic imagery Johnny Cash, June Carter, and Gram Parsons would be proud of. "The Lion's Roar," "In The Hearts of Men," and "I Found A Way" neatly stamp visions of wide open spaces, dusty one lane roads, big skies, and an endless horizons upon their character. With "Emmylou," they directly name check their idols. All and all, this collection reads like a gushing love letter to 60s Americana, sincerely signed by Johanna, Klara and likeminded musicians like Conor Oberst and The Felice Brothers. They all hitch a ride on the peppy, mariachi flavored closer, "King of the World." It all sounds a long way from the fjords of their homeland, but that's probably what First Aid Kit have always wanted. These girls have Swedish blood running through their veins, but
The Lion's Roar is undoubtedly the result of a determined set of American hearts.
Check out the girls performance for us at Rockwood Music Hall.
