Riot On An Empty Street

Kings Of Convenience | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: June 21, 2004
• Release Date: July 27, 2004
• Label: CAROLINE ASTRALWERKS - CAT
• Copyright: (C) 2004 Mawlaw 388 Ltd T/A Source UK This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2004 EMI Records Ltd
• Total Length: 44:25
• Genres:
• ASIN: B000TGXP66
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,593 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Music for a lazy afternoon, June 23, 2004

By 

majorka "majorka" (Norway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Riot on an Empty Street (Audio CD)

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??)

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, refreshing change of pace, August 18, 2004

By 

Michael Olshansky (Marietta, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Riot on an Empty Street (Audio CD)

In a day and age where musical artists come and go and pop acts are a dime-a-dozen, Kings of Convenience are a refreshing change of pace.

Beautifully minimal without the copious electronics, overdubbing, and processing that most music goes through these days, it's nice to hear a couple guys and a guitar making great music.

When I first heard them, I immediately though of Simon and Garfunkle in terms of their asthetic and songwriting similarities. These guys have a little more pop sensibility about them, as witnessed in tracks like "Sorry or Please", "Love It No Big Truth", and "I'd Rather Dance With You."

Like most great music I come across, I discovered these guys purely by accident. I found a remix of one of their tracks which of course lead me to check out the band's original work. I was immediately impressed with their lyrical, vocal, and musical sensibilities and have been listening to this album non-stop for days.

The only reason I gave this disc 4 stars was because there are 2-3 tracks that sound too similar to one another.

Check out the samples and you'll quickly see what a refreshing change of pace Kings of Convenience are. They come highly recommended.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Whisper Rock, January 20, 2005

By 

Larry White (AdultPop.com) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Riot on an Empty Street (Audio CD)

Keep this to a hush, but there is a new, so far unnamed sub-genre in Rock `n Roll. We'll name it "Whisper Rock" and let the trendoids follow. It is basically self-explanatory. Pretty, understated, acoustic or quietly electronic music, whether upbeat or melancholy, with vocals rarely rising above the conversational tones of the late, great Mr. Rogers or Captain Kangaroo. This music may have its antecedents with the likes of The Fleetwoods or Donovan or, going back a bit further, 12th Century Monks, but it seems to have begat the recent likes of Cat Power and Iron and Wine and Belle and Sebastian and a slew of others including this Norwegian duo, Erland Oye and Eric Glambek Boe (those "o"s should have Scandanavian slashes through them) slightly better known as Kings of Convenience. These guys have written a batch of lovely, catchy tunes sung in graceful 2-part harmony in impeccable English, no less. The only additional voice is that of a female named simply Feist whose 2 small, sweet contributions certify the album as a keeper.