First Aid Kit
Ruins
Columbia Records [2018]

Who: Swedish sisters with their fourth full-length.
Sound: Americana with a country-western influence.
TFN Final Take: Klara and Johanna Soderberg have put out their fourth full-length album since 2010. Their sound has bounced between folk and occasional pop since then; Ruins see the band settle more deliberately on the folk side of things. As usual, their voices are gorgeous and work magic together. However, the song-writing seemed a bit too straightforward on this effort. Album opener “Rebel Heart” has interesting movements that engages the listener and “Fireworks” does a great job of evoking the senses of 1950’s rock and roll, but the rest of the LP is devoid of those attention-grabbing moments. Ruins is a solid addition to First Aid Kit’s catalog, but you’re going to need to be a fan of the band or of the country-folk genre to really get down with it.
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Columbia Records
– Reviewed by Matthew Heiner
I appreciate being able to write for The Fire Note, as it gives me an excuse to keep up with what's happening in new music.
By day I am a dad and a psychologist; I often use music as a way to connect with both my kids and my clients. One of my proudest moments as a father was when my 12-year-old daughter told me of her undying love for Radiohead.



