The title, “Palomino,” symbolizes freedom, and the Swedish duo sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg demonstrate this… oh so much listening to their fifth, and I think – by far – most enjoyable album.
It’s not for everyone’s taste – indie-folk (hmm… indie-pop?) music isn’t – but they’ve hit the nail on the head with this album, released in November 2022, which completely missed my radar back then, and has now been re-released, adding five extra tracks for the “Child of Summer Edition.” (It’s taken me a while to catch up).
Unlike other artists, who peg those new tracks to the end of a re-release, I love that they’ve released this with four of the five at the beginning of the album, with their newest single “Everyone’s Got To Learn” leading off the album, with lyrics: “No matter how I’ll try and try. To ease all your pain, you have to feel it all the same.”
The “real” Palomino album doesn’t start until track five, “Out Of My Head,” which entirely shows where this duo is heading. Away from Americana and into indie-pop territory. And it’s fun. “Runnin’ on low, does it matter now? Let me out, out of my mind. Out of my head…“
The album is just entertaining. It isn’t downbeat, despite a five-year hiatus post-pandemic break from their previous album, “Ruins.”
It remains excellent with “Angel,” “Ready to Run,” and “Turning Onto You.” All of them are great indie-pop songs (and you can add the “Gee. They remind me of Fleetwood Mac” quote here because, yes, THEY DO REMIND ME OF FLEETWOOD MAC, AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT?!)
Sorry.
“Angel” is perhaps one of the album’s best and most moving tracks, especially for those with anxiety issues. With lyrics: “So, give me love and give me compassion. Self-forgiveness and give me some passion. I’ll love you even if you don’t love me. I’ll love you, oh, can’t you see you’re free? Oh, angel, can’t you see you’re free?“
I’ll love you, even if you don’t love me… but earlier in the track, “What has that fear ever done for me, but hold me back?” It’s actually joyous to listen to and a release. And yes, they absolutely channel Fleetwood Mac on this track.
And with such beautiful love songs such as “Turning Onto You,” with lyrics such as: “Fell in love with a dream, I guess, but I’m hoping we’ll pass the test. Oh, I can’t help it, I confess. I’m turning onto you.” and then “Fallen Snow” immediately following (“I’m gonna love you ‘Til the moon don’t shine, Oh, I’m gonna love you, ‘Til the waters run dry“).
“We played “Wild Horses” on the car stеreo. You prefer Thе Rolling Stones,’ and I like Gram’s. You know I can’t let you slide through my hands.” They sing on “Wild Horses II,” a great road-trip song.
The standout, “The Last One,” which follows, is so catchy, with the lyric “I want you to be the last one I ever love.” And the sheer pop of “A Feeling That Never Came,” with its rock guitar and instrumental backdrop, is just lovely to hear them sing along with.
This album makes me feel like this is a band completely breaking away from its Americana roots into a new era. And I like it.
I’d encourage you to give First Aid Kit’s “Palomino Deluxe (Child of Summer Edition)” a spin. If I had listened to the original at the end of last year, I’d love to have put it on my Best of 2022 Albums of the Year list.
8.25/10
Chris Garrod, July 14, 2023