“The Lion’s Roar” Roars

You would never guess that the country-twanged harmonies that make First Aid Kit unique come from the mouths of two Swedish sisters. Their articulation is unmistakably Nashville, and each song is partly reminiscent of Johnny Cash, partly akin to Fleet Foxes. Yet this Scandinavian folk duo effortlessly pulls off vintage folk chic as if they were played in old broadcasts of A Prairie Home Companion – it’s immediately sensed on their sophomore album “The Lion’s Roar,” which was released to the U.S. on Jan. 24 via RedEye Label.

Joanna and Klara Söderberg are only 21 and 18 years old, respectively, but you’d swear they’ve lived before. You can’t deny that they have old souls, and those souls are bared with just the right amount of poetic hyperbole and folky finesse. “The Lion’s Roar,” the first track and the album’s namesake, leads the 10-song album with a kind of intensity that hits you at each note. It was a not-so-obvious choice as a first single when you get to the next track and coincidental second single, “Emmylou,” an ode to country’s late and great. Despite the blithe melody of “Emmylou,” it is still haunted with lovelorn lyrics and slightly melancholy undertones.

This marriage of bliss and sorrow are continual themes for the remainder of the album, but each track has its own quirky flavor. Though the album can move a bit slowly at times, it has those key, golden tracks that maintain interest. And, compared to their debut album, “The Big Black and The Blue,” which was released just two years ago, “The Lion’s Roar” is miles ahead in coherency and sound. Plus, “The Lion’s Roar” can boast a majority of positive reviews, and a shout out in a recent issue of “Rolling Stone.” First Aid Kit’s magnificent efforts on this album will prove to further launch their already impressive careers, which began as most music careers do these days – on YouTube. Where it takes them may surprise us all.