Music Review: Blue Roses and First Aid Kit @ The Lexington

By ZoeJ Last edited 176 months ago
Music Review: Blue Roses and First Aid Kit @ The Lexington
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FirstAidKitZJ.jpg Last night's bands were a delight to the eardrums. Both were driven by two multi-talented women who were confident on an array of instruments, including one used by First Aid Kit that we'd never seen before - a combination of guitar and accordion on a flat wooden board - answers in the comment box please! They also both possessed that instant likeability quotient that is so rare: being memorable in mere moments.

The first band, Blue Roses, was lead by the dreamy, ethereal voice of Laura Groves who also proved a highly skilled pianist and guitarist. Her voice had the same faraway quality as Joanna Newsom but comparisons tend to belittle unique talents: as described on their website Blue Roses are to be “found, kept and cherished, ” and we will definitely be looking out for them in the future. Their name, if indeed it is inspired by Twin Peaks, appears especially apt, the blue rose being an unexplained Lynchian symbol of sadness and beauty. Read more about them and listen to their music online.

First Aid Kit, were also a rare find: two stunning female vocalists (and sisters) with organic guitar-led instrumentation (in addition to the unknown instrument mentioned above), playing wistful country-and-western style songs of love, loss and human relationships. If any comparison could be made it would be to a stripped-down female Fleet Foxes. First Aid Kit are Swedish but their songs are reminiscent of the American West: imagine lying back on a trailer, watching the stars, as their sweet harmonies and bluesy guitars lull you into a peaceful trance. This was truly music to savour. We were especially taken with the song Cross Oceans and their cover of the aforementioned Fleet Foxes Tiger Mountain Peasant Song. Surprisingly, the sisters are only 19 and 16 respectively but their talent belies their age. Their tag-line on Myspace We aim for the heart, not for the charts may well be true but we'd be very surprised if they don’t become very popular indeed.

Blue Roses and First Aid Kit (pictured) both play Field Day this Saturday 1st August in Victoria Park.

Last Updated 29 July 2009