From their haunting take on “Gloomy Sunday” to an unplugged rendition of Fever Ray’s “When I Grow Up,” First Aid Kit’s Klara and Johanna Söderberg have offered plenty of proof that they know their way around a remarkable cover. Still, though, it must have been daunting to perform “Dancing Barefoot” for the Godmother of Punk herself in Stockholm, Sweden last week, where Patti Smith was honored with the Polar Music Prize. If Smith’s eyes welling up during the spoken word portion are any indication, the pair’s inspired take on the 1979 Wave single certainly rose to the occasion. Watch most of the performance above.
Meanwhile, the Söderberg sisters have a sophomore record on the way, produced by Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis and recorded at his Omaha studio earlier this year. Last night, they debuted a few LP cuts live in Virginia, including one that can be previewed here.