First Aid Kit:

Emily Zemler on June 25, 2014

Stay Gold is Swedish duo First Aid Kit’s third album and first for major label Columbia, a career move that will hopefully bring the pair’s engaging folk pop to a broader audience. The group’s past two albums exemplified their dulcet, emotionally driven folk, connected by minimalistic orchestration and the surge of the Söderberg sisters’ evocative voices. This one often finds itself in the same vein—particularly on the lovely “Shattered & Hollow”—but it also transitions to a more raucous country tone. Opener and first single “My Silver Lining” has a swinging stomp and amiable twang embedded in the melody, and the rollicking, banjo-tinged “Heaven Knows” could be the backdrop to a barn dance. It’s an incredibly likeable experience to listen to two Swedish girls head down South.

Artist: First Aid Kit
Album: Stay Gold
Label: Columbia