New First Aid Kit

I've streamed the new First Aid Kit album three times, and I'm really loving it. Their lilting harmonies is both soothing though yearning, and it's very catchy, too. Great album.

The music is lighter on its feet and less haunting, but the lyrics have picked up some additional heft along the way: "I'd rather be broken than empty / I'd rather be shattered than hollow," the Söderbergs sing in a particularly barren moment from "Shattered & Hollow." Their vocals still ring out sweetly, but there's a welcome edge to their delivery throughout the record that digs deep. Even when a song like "The Bell" never accelerates beyond a lightly lilting amble, there's potency to it.

First Aid Kit could have easily gotten stuck in a sullen rut, opting for stately beauty over the versatility showcased here. But Stay Gold is a statement of staying power; a collection of bright, smart, substantial songs that stick around. By the time the Söderbergs rustle up a bit of countrified rowdiness in "Heaven Knows" — a sure set-closer at the band's concerts for years to come — they've fully reset expectations. First Aid Kit's music has always been charming, but the duo has found the capacity to thrill, too.