Graceful, in the morning light

First Aid Kit - Tiger Mountain Peasant Song (Fleet Floxes cover)

Voices as clear as a mountain stream, backed up by years of clean honesty, a little madness, and no hint of pretension. First Aid Kit are two teenage girls from Sweden, Johanna and Klara (17 and 15, respectively) have made something wondrously special. This song was recorded in a Swedish forest, see the video here (look at them!!!). I think I like it better than the original, and Fleet Foxes have made some of my favourite music of the year. The darkness, confusion and regret that's in this song, sung with especial urgency in the lines: 'I don't know what I have done, I'm turning myself into a demon...' is especially poignant when sung by such young'ins. You wonder what could have happened to these girls, they seem as old as the forest, and make it all seem so much more than teen angst.

Anything you want

[Image: Ruvan Wijesooriya]

of Montreal - Id Enganger

Of Montreal's album of last year, Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, was definitely one of my favourites, turning self-hate into dizzying crescendos and hurtful regrets into funky escapisms. This time round of Montreal is sexually overt (possibly naked), seductive and, as usual, witty as all fuck. The introversion and self doubt is not completely gone as the first verse in this new jam is a hesitation, full of eloquent criticisms, however, the indecision is overcome and disregarded during the chorus: 'I can’t help it if its true, don’t wanna be your man, just wanna play with you…'. It feels like an emancipation, embracing a mania and narcissism that is inherent in all of us and the triumph is crazed, glamourous and euphoric. I can't wait for this album, Skeletal Lamping, which you can preorder from Polyvinyl from September 1. I have a feeling it's going to be a favourite like Hissing Fauna but for completely different reasons.

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Also:

Fantastic Fleetwood Mac cover of 'Everywhere' by Vampire Weekend recorded by Triple J here.