What makes The Big Black & The Blue by First Aid Kit notable?

The album received critical acclaim, earning a nomination for the Swedish Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. Its success helped propel First Aid Kit into the international spotlight, influencing a new wave of contemporary folk artists and solidifying their place within the genre. Released on January 25, 2010, The Big Black & The Blue was First Aid Kit's debut studio album, following their well-received EP Drunken Trees. At this point, sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg were transitioning from viral fame on YouTube to establishing themselves as serious artists in the folk music scene.

Who is The Big Black & The Blue for?

The Big Black & The Blue works well if you're into ethereal harmonies for introspection, steady progression with emotional peaks and haunting beauty for quiet moments.

How many songs are on The Big Black & The Blue?

The Big Black & The Blue has 15 tracks, running approximately 53 minutes.

The Big Black & The Blue

First Aid Kit · 2010

53 min · 15 tracks · folk music

A blend of haunting harmonies and introspective lyrics, encapsulating the essence of traditional folk with a contemporary twist.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Ghost Town — This track showcases the duo's ability to weave storytelling with rich melodies, offering a poignant reflection on loss and nostalgia that resonates throughout the album.
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Winter Is All Over You — Here, the interplay of vocal harmonies shines, blending sorrow with a sense of hope, making it emblematic of the album's overall emotional depth.
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Heavy Storm — This song features an evocative narrative paired with atmospheric instrumentation that captures the essence of both struggle and resilience, central themes in First Aid Kit's work.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

55 /100

Foothills

Higher than 45% of albums we've rated

The album showcases strong songwriting and vocal harmonies but lacks some production polish.

What we noticed

The first half of the album features a consistent use of acoustic instrumentation, while the second half introduces more varied arrangements, including strings and piano.
Vocal harmonies are layered prominently throughout, with the sisters often singing in unison or in close harmony to create a rich texture.
Several tracks feature a narrative structure, with lyrics that tell stories or paint vivid imagery, particularly evident in 'Wills of the River' and 'Winter Is All Over You'.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 6/10
Durability 25% of the score: 7/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 6/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

ethereal harmonies for introspection
steady progression with emotional peaks
haunting beauty for quiet moments
wave-like pacing for reflective listening

Maybe skip if you

prefer upbeat, fast-paced tracks
seek instant gratification in music

Where this album fits

Career context: Released on January 25, 2010, The Big Black & The Blue was First Aid Kit's debut studio album, following their well-received EP Drunken Trees. At this point, sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg were transitioning from viral fame on YouTube to establishing themselves as serious artists in the folk music scene.
Stylistic neighbors: The Civil Wars· Of Monsters and Men· Laura Marling