Riot on An Empty Street [Import]

Product Description
Japanese pressing of the Norwegian indie-pop act's 2004 album includes three bonus tracks, 'Weight of My Words' (Four Tet Remix), 'Girl From Back Then' (Riton's Uber Jazz Mix), & 'Winning A Battle, Losing The War' (Andy Votel Mix). The album 'Riot On An Empty Street' is the follow up to their massively acclaimed debut album 'Quiet Is The New Loud' (2001) & is a triumphant return to form, featuring their own unique sound & individual take on life. For the past couple of years, the two Kings have been living polar opposite lives but now they are back with 'Riot On An Empty Street', a breathtaking reminder of how special the Kings really are. Virgin. 2004.

Tracks:

Homesick
Misread
Cayman Islands
Stay Out Of Trouble
Know How
Sorry Or Please
Love Is No Big Truth
I'd Rather Dance With You
Live Long
Surprise Ice
Gold In The Air Of Summer
The Build Up

Album Description

Their second album, 'Riot On An Empty Street' picks up where 'Quiet Is The New Loud' left off. Recorded over the last six months in Bergen, with periodic visits from ex-patriot Erlend - Riot contains more complex arrangements tWith You', 'Know How,' 'Love Is No Big Truth' or first single 'Misread', every track sounds like an old friend coming home to you.

"It's quite style schizophrenic," adds Eirik "We're each inspired by different things so it can be a little confusing, but that seems to be a modern phenomenon, people don't know what genre to put themselves in."

"I'm looking forward to everyone saying it's not as good as the first album," laughs Erlend, "It's funny because two of the songs are from 1998, so it's us, covering us from five years ago," he adds.

The Kings were joined in the studio by hotly tipped Canadian songstress Feist, who appears on two of the albums twelve tracks, the bossa-fuelled 'Know How' where she assists Eirik, and the album's closing track 'The Build Up'- where she duets with Erlend in what is one of the Kings' most stark and beautifully emotive tracks, a rare moment captured in time. Both were big fans of her much-fabled "Red Demos" and she melds perfectly amidst them, bringing an air of added suspense and emotion and of course her majestic voice. "Her voice is amazing", gushes Erlend, "I'm very proud of the 'Build Up', for the first time ever we managed to do something spontaneous, Feist wrote the words an hour before she sung them, and it doesn't sound like anything else we've ever done."

So there you have it. Kings Of Convenience - 2004. A therapist and a superstar singing DJ, an odd couple, but still the best (old) new acoustic band in the world. 'Riot On An Empty Street,' forms their very own republic of two, principality of Eirik and Erlend. A great place to visit again and again.

Customer Reviews:

6 stars out of 5!!.......2007-06-19

I'm late in discovering this, I know, but better late than never. Kings of Convenience are Norwegian duo Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe, and their gentle, caressing guitar driven folk/jazz with wistful harmonies is highly remniscent of Simon & Garfunkel.

"Riot on an empty street" is their sophomore disc and is simply brilliant! With beautiful delicate guitar strumming pushed to the fore, and subtle piano, banjo and string fluorishes, opening cut "Homesick" and the delicate "Cayman islands" represent this fully.

"Misread" is a lilting piano sprinkled jazzy piece which is simply awesome!

As pared down as the general sound is, there is (subtle) variety: "Stay out of trouble" is a horn sprinkled waltz, "Know how" (lovely scratchy guitars) is a Bossa nova styled piece featuring Canadian folkstress Feist harmonising midway through (she appears again on the more mellow "The build up"), while "Sorry or please" (nice jazzy piano and bass, sweeping strings, great horn break) is one of those rare songs (on this disc) featuring audible percussion.

"I'd rather dance with you" is more upbeat, and reminds me of UK singer Chris Rea. "Surprise ice" is a tender spare acoustic ballad with ethereal harmonies in the chorus.

Perfect!!! 6 stars out of 5.

1+1=Kings of Convenience.......2007-02-04

I bought this album after I heard "I'd Rather Dance with You" on a college radio station while I was cruising the coast of Delaware. It had a simple, very catchy formula, and I naturally prefer music with a folky feel these days. If simplicity is what you are looking for in an album, this is right up your alley. From the lyrics, to the music, to the harmonies themselves, sometimes you don't have to have all the "bells and whistles" to get an album right. It is clean, fresh, and pleasant to the ear. It's also pretty versatile. It's understated enough to not distract you as a background music, but catchy enough to keep your attention in regular rotation. Don't get me wrong, this is a good album, but if you want some folkish rock with a little "swagger," I'd suggest Iron and Wine.

every song is a poem.......2006-11-08

and erlend oye may be the most talented song writer of his generation.

the disk grows better and more nuanced with each listen. the lyrics are outstanding throughout. in this genre of music, it is really difficult to find a better disk (though 'quiet is the new loud' is in the running)

An excellent album from an excellent band.......2006-08-16

I was first introduced to Kings of Convenience by hearing their single "I'd Rather Dance with You" on an online radio station. Since then, I have been absolutely mesmerized by their use of beautiful harmonies and subtle lyrics. It is said that the singers were inspired by Simon and Garfunkel and similar artists, which one can immediately hear in this record (particularly on "Cayman Islands," a track favorite). Standout tracks on this album Cayman Islands, I'd Rather Dance With You, Know-How, and Misread. Overall, this band, and this album, are among the best in my large music collection.

peaceful thoughtful peppy.......2006-08-15

Kings of Convenience is very much Jack Johnson plus Coldplay. Some songs are mellow/sad and others are almost T-Rex with peppiness.

Average customer rating:

Riot on An Empty Street

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001W8JP0
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Album Description

Japanese pressing of the Norwegian indie-pop act's 2004 album includes three bonus tracks, 'Weight of My Words' (Four Tet Remix), 'Girl From Back Then' (Riton's Uber Jazz Mix), & 'Winning A Battle, Losing The War' (Andy Votel Mix). The album 'Riot On An Empty Street' is the follow up to their massively acclaimed debut album 'Quiet Is The New Loud' (2001) & is a triumphant return to form, featuring their own unique sound & individual take on life. For the past couple of years, the two Kings have been living polar opposite lives but now they are back with 'Riot On An Empty Street', a breathtaking reminder of how special the Kings really are. Virgin. 2004.

Average customer rating:

Riot on an Empty Street
Kings of Convenience
Manufacturer: Astralwerks
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00029MMQO
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Tracks:

Homesick
Misread
Cayman Islands
Stay Out of Trouble
Know How - Feist, Kings of Convenience
Sorry or Please
Love Is No Big Truth
I'd Rather Dance With You
Live Long
Surprise Ice
Gold in the Air of Summer
Build-Up - Feist, Kings of Convenience, Kings of Convenience

Rock Music:

Rock Music