American Ladies and Norwegian Gents

#16 - Riot On An Empty Street, Kings of Convenience

I waited forever for this album. Every time I was in a record store I checked the "K" section hoping to be pleasantly surprised. I hadn't heard anything about them recording another one but I was desperate for it. They couldn't just be a one album band. That wasn't enough. (This was technically their third, but the first one contains many of the same songs as "Quiet Is The New Loud.") Then I heard it was coming out and waited for months. I was so afraid that they would have changed and I wouldn't like it. As soon as I heard the first notes of "Homesick", I knew everything was going to be okay.

This one is more diverse than the first, containing a few upbeat numbers like, "Love is No Big Truth" and "I'd Rather Dance With You." Each song tells a story and the stories tell something different with each new listen. The voices of Erlend Oye and Eirik Glambek Boe blend together to create a warm blanket of sound. It was definitely worth the wait.






#15 - Holiday in Rhode Island, The Softies

Captain Ultra introduced us to this one day as we were perusing Radiofree. I had never heard of The Softies before and upon the first listen, I felt their name perfectly personified their sound. The voices of Rose Melberg and Jen Sbragia complement each other beautifully. There is nothing too fancy about them, just sweet, sensitive, hushed harmony. The guitar provides another layer, but remains subdued, allowing everything to continue in a lovely whisper. It evokes a sense of peace and each listen is a holiday in itself.