First Aid Kit has reemerged from Sweden with a brand-new album and lead single. The Söderberg sisters, Johanna, and Klara Söderberg, have announced their fifth studio album, Palomino, set for release on November 4th via Columbia Records. Along with the announcement comes the lead single and official video for “Out of My Head.” Check it out below.
The new album was written and recorded in Sweden during a dark time in global history—the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the somber inspiration for the album, Palomino is First Aid Kit’s most pop-sounding record yet. The band drew inspiration from a 2004 romance/sci-fi motion picture, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, for the new video. The video, directed by Jason Lester, was filmed in and around Dublin, IE.
“Out of My Head” is a poppy, but still a profoundly feeling track. The melody is an instant earworm, and the lyrics are both relatable and deeply personal. The sisters’ voices are as stunning as ever, and the production is both lush and clear, with the Söderbergs’ voices shining through. The video is a perfect compliment to the track as they travel through the Swedish countryside, running through the hills, beaches, and forests. The video feels very personal and intimate, with the sisters’ voices echoing through the hills. Overall, Palomino is set to be a stunning album.
In regard to the album, First Aid Kit stated:
“This is the first record we’ve recorded in Sweden since we made our debut album The Big Black & The Blue 12 years ago! We worked with Swedish producer Daniel Bengtson at his lovely studio Studio Rymden in Stockholm. It was such a fun experience. We really let the recording take time, we didn’t want to rush it.
The songs were mostly written during the pandemic. In such dark times, music felt like an escape from all the horrible things going on in the world. We wanted this album to feel more upbeat and cheerful than our previous album Ruins, which was a break-up record. It’s probably our most pop sounding record yet. We took inspiration from all over the place – old acts such as Fleetwood Mac, Carole King, Tom Petty, T Rex, Elton John but also Angel Olsen, Whitney, and Big Thief. The title is a reference to freedom, learning how to stand on your own two feet. Growing older and feeling more comfortable in your own skin. Riding off on a Palomino!”
Palomino will be available digitally and in various physical configurations, including standard black LP, translucent green D2C exclusive LP, white indie retail exclusive LP, and CD. Pre-order the album here. First Aid Kit will be on tour both in North America and throughout the UK till December, dates are below.
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna
Palomino Tracklist:
1. Out of My Head
2. Angel
3. Ready To Run
4. Turning Onto You
5. Fallen Snow
6. Wild Horses II
7. The Last One
8. Nobody Knows
9. A Feeling That Never Came
10. 29 Palms Highway
11. Palomino
First Aid Kit Tour Dates:
8/13 – Oslo, NO @ Øyafestivalen
8/15 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed *
8/16 – Detroit, MI @ Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre *
8/17 – Toronto, CA @ RBC Echo Beach *
8/19 – Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium *
8/20 – Harrisburg, PA @ Harrisburg University at Riverfront Park *
8/21 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion *
11/28 – Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy +
11/30 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo +
12/02 – Cambridge, UK @ Corn Exchange +
12/03 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy +
12/05 – Liverpool, UK @ Eventim Olympia +
12/06 – Cardiff, UK @ Motorpoint Arena +
12/08 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo +
* with Lord Huron
+ UK headline dates with Lola Kirke supporting