Song, by Toad

Maybe it’s something about a Scandinavian accent singing Americana, but this really does remind me of A Camp, Nina Persson from the Cardigans’ solo project.  The similarity is pretty superficial, so don’t think I am comparing the two, exactly, one just reminds me everso slightly of the other for some reason.

There are also fairly strong similarities to Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins and elements of Neko Case, and that is definitely a happy comparison to be able to make.  But where Lewis in particular favoured the plump and the lush in her arrangements, this seems to lean more towards the unfilled acoustic, giving it a little more of a back-room gig attitude than the more sumptuous Rabbit Fur Coat.

A little like yesterday’s Erland and the Carnival review and this afternoon’s Midlake review, however, it’s a lot more pleasant than it is gripping, but I am not complaining about that. Whilst the songwriting itself may flirt slightly with being a little too easy on the ear, the arrangements and recording have not really been glossed over at all, which means that this never sounds like it’s been smoothed out in order to make it palatable to easily startled ears.

Thematically, there’s a slightly surreal juxtaposition of magical fairytale imagery with lyrics which are overtly atheist.  This simultaneous embracing and rejection of fairytale is kind of interesting, because music of this style brings so much with it in terms of common metaphor, lyrical style and subject matter.

There is something quite strange, even for a fairly unforgiving atheist such as myself, to hear the thoughts of the unbeliever couched in the musical style of the devout.  The oddest thing about it is, I think, the fact that I assumed I had slowly ceased to notice the biblical (or older) references in a lot of traditional music (particularly from the States – it tends to be more pagan and magical in Britain).  It appears not, however, because I certainly do notice when the same subject matter is given a treatment which is the polar opposite to what I am used to.  Maybe this stuff sinks in more than we realise.

Anyhow, slight digressions aside, this is quirky, but not particularly challenging album which I am finding thoroughly enjoyable.

First Aid Kit – Hard Believer

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First Aid Kit – Heavy Storm

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