SOUNDTRACK: FIRST AID KIT-The Big Black and the Blue (2010).
Following their debut EP, Johanna and Klara Söderberg recorded a full length album, this one also produced by their dad.
This album feels a little bigger, a little fuller, overall. I’m sure the drums help, but also the guitar feels enveloping. The biggest development is how terrific the sisters’s voices sound together. They have really gotten their harmonies (including falsetto) totally in sync.
“In the Morning” has nearly one minute of gorgeous a capella harmony until a simple but interesting guitar motif comes in–and the powerful harmonies continue. “Hard Believer” is acoustic guitar and Klara’s solo voice until the chorus when Johanna’s harmony adds heft to the song. More instruments follow as well–mandolin shows up here and there.
“Sailor Song” opens with an autoharp, normally a jokey kind of instrument, but it works very well with their voices. When the song launches into a 1-2 stomp, a nod to some of their country love, it really takes off. “Waltz for Richard” is, indeed, a waltz with knock-out harmonies in the chorus.
“Heavy Storm” has some great music–a slight departure form the standard strum, and it’s quite engaging with their voices. “Shot Down” opens with a harmonium (or accordion). It turns into a pretty, slow piece with spare piano. It mind-boggling to think that these two songwriters were just 19 and 17 when they were writing lyrics like
And I remember how you told me
All that you wanted to do
The dream of Paris in the morning
Or a New York window view
And I can see it now you’re married
And your wife is with a child
And you’re all laughing in the garden
And I’m lost somewhere in your mind
“Josefin” is a pretty song with layered harmonies over a simple one-two bass rhythm. “A Window Opens” has a great waltz rhythm and a cool guitar melody. And “Winter Is All Over You” has s lovely spare guitar melody with Klara’s voice soaring over it. (I love the aaaaahh section, it is really gorgeous). “I Met Up With A King” is one of my favorite songs on the disc. The delicate flute and their close harmonies are just beautiful in this spritely song. I also love the way they sing “Thank Gawwwwwwd” in an almost aggressive style with the rough note that they hold a lot longer than expected.
The disc ends with a delicate pastoral “Wild of the River” a delightful folk song.
While it’s true that each successful album gets bigger and better, this is a wonderful debut full length, especially if you like their folkier style.
[READ: January 9, 2018] “Foreign-Returned”
Hassan works in Connecticut. He and his wife had moved from Pakistan when he had gotten a job in Manhattan. But he was let go and before his Visa coul run out, he quickly got a new job in Stamford. It was quite a come down. And despite the huge savings in rent, the place they lived was nothing compared to Manhattan.
He had been in Stamford for eight weeks, with his own desk and everything, when a young woman, early 20s, was introduced at his workstation. She would be sharing space with him. Her name was Hina and she was also Pakistani.
She had computer manuals, a velvet-covered Quran and wore a scarf. He found her rather annoying. (more…)
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