Kings of Convenience - Riot On An Empty Street

Kings of Convenience
Riot On An Empty Street

I had great hopes for this newer Kings Of Convenience CD - “Riot On An Empty Street“, because I’m a big fan of their Quiet Is The New Loud album from before (both are on Astralwerks). Certainly the first part of the disc features that same hushed and beautiful acoustic guitar with intertwined voice harmonies that made a lot of people call them the next great Simon and Garfunkel. Except of course they’re Norwegian.

But while “Homesick” is a beautiful track that reminded me of Azure Ray, and “Cayman Islands” is lilting and just sweet enough to comfort many a weary music traveller, the album seems to go astray near the bouncy “Love Is No Big Truth” and derails with the 80s-like “I’d Rather Dance With You”. It’s almost like New Order or something.

There’s nothing wrong with 80s throwback, but there are so many other bands doing it that I don’t think that KOC needs to go there. The album gains back a bit of confidence with the quiet, excellent “Surprise Ice” and the piano work of “Gold In The Air Of Summer”. But I was left wishing they’d left the middle two tracks mentioned out.

The feel of the ending track and especially the guitar strumming “The Build-Up” is very Mark Kozelek circa Blue Guitar era. Interestingly, the up and coming artist “Feist” lends her pretty pipes to that song and also “Know-How”. Her work on the latter track makes it sound a bit jazz loungey or like an Os Mutantes track.

Kings of Convenience website

by Bryan