The Lion's Roar - First Aid Kit
User Score
8.7 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 28 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28

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  1. JUIKER
    Apr 28, 2012
    9
    This duo actually first got recognition several years ago for doing a startlingly beautiful Youtube cover of Fleet Foxes Tiger Mountain Peasant Song. This follows in that vein, really very nicely. This will be on my top ten list for the year certainly. It's a beauty from start to finish. As I've said elsewhere: pretty folkin' Swede.
  2. rickterp
    Jan 29, 2012
    9
    From the outstanding opening title track to the hand-clapping finale with a brief guest vocal appearance by Conor Oberst, this is an amazingly entertaining work of folk-pop. Lots and lots of highlights, including "Emmylou" and "New Year's Eve," the latter a simple song with just voice and autoharp. But really, there are no bad songs here. Excellent harmonies, lyrically interesting -- just listen to it!… Collapse
  3. louistn2010
    May 28, 2013
    9
    The Lion's Roar, by First Aid Kit otherwise known as Swedish Sisters, Johanna and Klara Söderberg is an album that came out back in January 2012. Ashamedly I only really fell in love with them back in October 2012 and have since then, not stopped listening to them (what has happened to my complex sentences?)…

    This Folk/Country/Americana album is bristling with life and energy wistful    ful sighs and cries and an air of nostalgia this is an album that could have come from the sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties or any other decade in the past seventy years. Lyrically their as strong as any others The Lion's Roar, This Old Routine and To a Poet being the strongest in this album but there are no bad songs.

    This, as an album, is hard to review, because much like Laura Marling, they have an instinctive sound one that I like for no other reason than that is resonates within me *spiritual-cretin-smug-look*. I can tell that it is very very good but describing it is hard it sounds like winter grown from autumn. There is a flowing cohesion that rings out especially strongly on Emmylou, a joyful shout-out to folk/country legends Jonny Cash and Emmylou Harris. This album sounds like escaping from Stockholm's winter.

    There are moments of grief and regret in Blue and To a Poet, and Dance to Another Tune has a mournful stillness to it like the first touches of daylight in mid January. This is an album born of winter- but it carries none of the gloom or numbing depression.

    My personal favourite song is To a Poet, which catches me in the throat just a bit though. As they sing "But Frank put it best when he said/"You can't plan on the heart"/ Those words keep me on my feet/ When I think I might just fall apart…" And their voices hit a note that pierces human emotion like an angelic needle, you know you're in for a treat"

    (On 'Cornish Guilt 'n' Stuff' Blogspot)    … Expand
  4. bmorr7
    Jan 24, 2012
    10
    Mix together the best of The Avett Brothers, Simon and Garfunkel, Mumford and Sons, Fleet Foxes, Indigo Girls, and The Jayhawks and you have First Aid Kit. This album is loaded with breathtaking harmonies, gorgeous melodies, and lyrics that display a maturity far beyond their years. These songs are shockingly good. This is the type of album that bands struggle for decades to make and rarely do. It's amazing that these sisters can write songs that sound timeless and fresh and emotionally compelling. "To A Poet", "The Lion's Roar", "Emmylou", "Dance To Another Tune", and "New Year's Eve" are the highlights but every song on the album is excellent. I expect First Aid Kit to be the breakthough story of 2012 and be the big Grammy winner during next year's show.… Expand
  5. Captain
    Feb 6, 2012
    10
    Superb album. Melodious harmonies, great songs and voices. Can't believe they are so yoong. If you like Fleet Foxes, Sufjan Stevens etc you must listen to this.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 27 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Oct 9, 2012
    89
    The Lion's Roar lacks gravitas, but that will come with time and heartbreak. The soul, candor, and the way they sing "darling," that's the hard stuff, and it's scarcely sounded more gorgeous.
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  2. NOW Magazine
    Mar 29, 2012
    80
    They save overt prettiness for the music.
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  3. The Fly (UK)
    Feb 10, 2012
    80
    The resulting collection of campfire singalongs proving nothing short of magical.
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