Kings Of Convenience ‎– Riot On An Empty Street

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.