It’s a Friday night and Miss Dolly Parton and I (that’s my cat, not the real DP, in case you were wondering) are relaxing on the sofa. Me with a little glass of homemade Christmas spiced vodka and diet coke; she with her favourite cream faux-fur blanket, which is getting a good wash. Together we are writing draft posts and listening to some First Aid Kit.

Odd story – I was doing my First Aid at Work refresher course last year, and I had a dream that I was listening to an amazing new album by a group called First Aid Kit. I woke up and thought Funny! Imagine if there was such a group! I thought about it on and off through the day, whilst trying not to break Anatomical Annie’s imaginary sternum and fighting the urge to ask for a gold star plus a gold crown of smugness for being the only person who remembered how to do a scalp bandage (how I chuckled to myself as I watched the others wrap their bandages around the heads and jaws of their partners, faux-blocking their airways! I didn’t get a crown but I’m sure I got a heap of mind bullets).

Anyway, I got home and quickly Googled – and weirdly, there in front of me on the internet was the cute and uber-talented Swedish sister superpower known as First Aid Kit, with their frankly perfect new album, Stay Gold. Spooky! And very very fortunate for me. So many times in these past 12 months, First Aid Kit have metaphorically, pyschologically, emotionally and pretty much any other way you can think of saved my bacon. They are the perfect group to listen to on a road trip, on your headphones at work or at the gym, whilst going out for a walk…somehow, their gorgeous harmonies, indie-folk-country style and contemplative, angsty-but-positive lyrics are soothing to the soul. I was lucky enough to see them live at Newcastle City Hall in January this year, and the audience was spellbound.

 I’m currently learning Master Pretender on Ukulele an Emmylou on guitar, which only gives me even more respect for their talent. I couldn’t pick just one track to recommend you listen to, so here’s my top three: