Kings Of Convenience - Quiet Is The New Loud

  by Benjamin Howarth

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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You have probably read plenty about this new group already. Good reviews seem to be flowing everywhere in the music press for this, the duo’s debut album. Sometimes I wonder why they have to pick out one group out of all the splendid records released every month, but the admiration in this case is much deserved. It is a pleasure to say that whilst quiet isn’t the new loud it is equally as good. It is always best to give a few significant comparisons but in this case it seems more apt to pour scorn on all those that others have given. The three comparisons given in other reviews are Belle and Sebastian, Nick Drake and Simon and Garfunkel. Resemblance to any of these is slight at best. Granted they occasionally feature trumpets (like B and S), there are 2 of them (S and G), and they are folkie types (Nick Drake), but I wouldn’t take the comparisons further than that. That it is not to say that B&S fans won't love Kings Of Convenience. They probably will. Heck, I’m a B and S fan and I love Kings Of Convenience! But this album most reminds of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci mostly because of its acoustic based, relaxed atmosphere. Unlike Gorky’s though, extra instrumentation is rare. The sound is built almost exclusively around the two acoustic guitars (for muso types – one is nylon stringed, the other steel stringed), and the duo’s harmonies. The most pleasing aspect of this debut though is the sheer quality of the songs. Tracks like “I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From”, “Singing Softly To Me”, and the almost heartbreakingly beautiful “The Weight Of My Words” are dazzlingly good, both musically and lyrically. The words are reasonably unsophisticated but fit wonderfully together with the music and, at times, are poignant. The sleeve is also rather striking. It pictures a lovely rural scene. The sort of thing an Art A-Level student (i.e. Me!) dreams of living near. Regrettably, I don’t. I’m not sure if they do, because they could come from anywhere in Scandinavia, but they do request on the sleeve notes that possible correspondents can send them pictures of where they live. I suspect that it is just so they can gloat! Of course music is not a war, nor a competition in theory, but we all love the Festive 50 and the Album Of The Year lists, don’t we ?. But, for those of you getting a little tired of US Metal, and I am, this acoustic nearly-scene is an electrifying alternative. This album comes heartily recommended. I usually try to ignore groups that are over hyped unless they sound utterly amazing (hello, Terris!), but no one should snub Kings Of Convenience.

Track Listing:-

1 Winning A Battle, Losing The War
2 Toxic Girl
3 Singing Softly To Me
4 I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
5 Failure
6 The Weight Of My Words
7 The Girl From Back Then
8 Leaning Against The Wall
9 Little Kids
10 Summer On The Westhill
11 The Passenger
12 Parallel Lines

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