Riot on an Empty Street

by

Kings of Convenience

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It must be tough to follow up a success such as "Quiet is the New Loud", and many people feared that Kings of Convenience would be a one-off as the band members each got stuck into other projects - Erlend Øye went solo with an ambient project, and Eirik Glambæk Bøe concentrated on his studies (in psychology, I think). But here it is: The long awaited follow up. And it's a very pleasant listen.

This sort of subtle, acoustic music never really goes out of style. You could just as easily give this album to your mother or even grandmother and they'd probably enjoy it just as much as you do (yikes!). That doesn't much sound like a good recommendation for a pop record ... but it is. The crisp clean production and first-rate musicianship makes this a treat to listen to, even though the harmonies are the oldest in the book, but also probably the most immediately pleasing for exactly that reason. This time the duo invite a French female guest writer and vocalist Feist for some variation - which works really well.

Take Simon and Garfunkel - add a bit of jazzy stuff here and there and a bit more melancholy in some places, and you have a pretty good general idea of what this record has to offer. I don't understand, though, why some reviewers find this only mopey - but then again I am familiar with Erlend and Eiriks home town where the weather is always rainy. We do nothing but stare out of rainsplashed windows all year (well, almost). And I know that this is when you want something as soothing as this on your stereo: While you make a cup of hot tea and read the paper, or invite some close friends around for a quiet, home-cooked meal. But it's equally good to rest your sleepy head to on a sunny, lazy summer afternoon: "Gold in the air of summer", indeed.

I'm also already waiting in anticipation for the Röyksopp dance remix of "I'd rather dance" - probably the catchiest uptempo tune on this record. (Röyksopp, can you hear me??)

RIOT ON AN EMPTY STREET, the second album from the Kings of Convenience, keeps the quiet, folksy beauty to the music: the acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies blend seamlessly into one. But despite solid efforts like "Homesick" and "Surprise Ice," it doesn't seem quite as magical as their debut QUIET IS THE NEW LOUD. After a few repeated listens, I figured out why: the songs are so pretty and nice that they don't sound new. "Cayman Islands," for being about an exotic locale, sounds like it could have come off of their first album; the same goes for "Stay Out of Trouble" and "Gold in the Air of Summer." I suppose Erland Oye's solo album, with its mix of folk and electronics, has somewhat spoiled me. The female vocals on "Know-How" and "The Build Up" start to correct this, but not quite enough. Elsewhere, "Love Is No Big Truth" has a disco beat that seems at odds with the rest of the song (it makes a little more sense of "I'd Rather Dance With You," though, even if the lyrics are a bit silly). Good? Sure, but not as strong as QUIET IS THE NEW LOUD.