F1rst Aid’s Helpful Album

When you think of Madrid(that’s the capital of Spain for you geographically slow people) you think of Museums filled with some of the world’s most prestigious art, you ponder on bullfighting, you spend thoughts on football(soccer for you ignorant Americans), and/or you might even think of classical music/opera. One thing you don’t think about is innovatively brilliant avant-garde music that would have even made Radiohead during their Kid A days blush. Well, that was until the band known as First Aid K:i:t came onto the scene. With lush atmospheric sounds soothing your mental, soft piano chords that carry you like a lullabye, indie-styled guitar play that sparsely interfere with the sonic flow, and electronic ambience aplenty this duo brings something that mainly the eclectic would grab at. From the opening track of Still On Fire, you’re given a sense of being in a place that is not only timeless but euphoric. The proceeding track, Forgotten Sky, follows the first not only by track order, but also building on what the first gave you. The female lead singer’s vocals, at times, resemble Bjork at her best. The line “There is no sky” is said so smoothly and broken hearted that you’re tempted to look outside your window to reassure yourself that a sky is, in fact, still there. On the track Greenish, the guitar work is more apparent after playing the assistant on the first few songs. It comes in like they sampled a portion of an intro of a mellow song from the 80’s. This song even contains a soundbite of the lead singer trying to cheer up a friend over their answering machine(or answer call if you’re on the eastern side of the pond), telling them to “Make your day a bit more greenish.” The biggest departure and more trip-hop sounding portion of the album comes in the form of the tune Sadness Dies. It being composed of layered guitar work, heavy electronic bass, and angry electronics becomes a huge contrast against the delicate voice singing over top of them. Still, somehow they fit together like the old saying “opposites attract.” Rounding out the album is the final and shortest song in the bunch, Brown Eyes. The opening of the song makes you feel as if you’re riding shotgun with Ripley to go battle some Aliens(if you don’t understand this statement, I advise you to remove yourself from the room for the remainder of the day and update yourself on cinema history). This particular song is the only all instrumental piece. It never gets loud, nor does it make your foot tap. Instead, it brings to mind exactly what is taking place: the end of something great. That’s precisely what this album is, a great(but brief) musical adventure.