Kings of Convenience are an indie folk-pop duo from Bergen, Norway. Consisting of Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe, the musical group is known for their delicate tunes, calming voices, and intricate and subtle guitar melodies. Øye and Bøe both compose and sing the songs.
Øye and Bøe were both born in 1975 (Øye on November 21 and Bøe on October 25) and have known each other since they met in the same class at school. Their first musical collaboration was a comedic rap about a teacher At sixteen, they played together in the band Skog ("forest") with two other friends, releasing one EP, Tom Tids Tale, before breaking up and later forming the Kings duo.
The duo were signed to the American label Kindercore after appearing in European festivals during the summer of 1999. After a spell living in London in 2001, they released their debut album Quiet Is the New Loud. The album was produced by Coldplay producer Ken Nelson. The album was very successful and even lent its name to a small movement of musicians in the pop underground (including acoustic contemporaries such as Turin Brakes) which took Elliott Smith, Belle & Sebastian and Simon & Garfunkel as their inspiration and focused on more subtle melodies and messages.
Versus, an album of remixes of tracks from Quiet Is the New Loud, came out shortly after. After this breakthrough year, not much was heard from the band. Øye spent the next few years living in Berlin and doing solo material, releasing music under the DJ Kicks series as well as a solo album titled Unrest. He also has a side project named The Whitest Boy Alive.
It was not until 2004 that the Kings' follow-up Riot on an Empty Street was released. The video made for "I'd Rather Dance With You," the second single from the album, topped MTV's European list as the best music video of 2004. The album also featured contributions by Feist.
The band had a period of inactivity, which led to speculations that they had stopped working together. On March 7, 2007 however, the duo played a one-off concert in Mexico City. There was also a concert scheduled for March 6, but it had to be cancelled, because Øye had a problem with "Montezuma's Revenge" and was not feeling well. They played two concerts on March 7 and announced they were going to start work on their new album in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. In January 2008 the band played concerts in the Northern Norwegian cities of Tromsø, Svolvær and Bodø, and Swedish city Umeå along with a concert in August in Stockholm.
Most recently, the band toured North America, Latin America and Europe, including stops in Boston, New York, Toronto, Detroit; Latin American stops in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil and Chile. European stops include Italy, Switzerland and Spain. On some of their American tour stops they appeared with the band Franklin for Short who joined them on stage for a few rousing numbers.
The third album, called Declaration of Dependence, was released on October 20, 2009
Source Wikipedia
Kings Of Convenience Self Tittle (2000, label: Kindercore)
1. Toxic Girl
2. I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
3. Failure
4. Leaning Against The Wall
5. Brave New World
6. An English House
7. Days I Had With You
8. Parallel Lines
9. Winning a Battle, Losing The War
10. Surprice Ice
2. I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
3. Failure
4. Leaning Against The Wall
5. Brave New World
6. An English House
7. Days I Had With You
8. Parallel Lines
9. Winning a Battle, Losing The War
10. Surprice Ice
'Quiet Is the New Loud' (29 January 2001, label: Source / Astralwerks)
- Winning A Battle Losing The War
- Toxic Girl
- Singing Softly to Me
- I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
- Failure
- The Weight Of My Words
- The Girl From Back Then
- Leaning Against The Wall
- Little Kids
- Summer on The Westhill
- The Passenger
- Parallel Lines
'Versus' (October 22/30, 2001, label: Source / Astralwerks)
1. I Don't Know What I Can Save You From (Röyksopp Remix)
2. The Weight Of My Words (Four Tet Remix)
3. The Girl From Back Then (Riton's Über Jazz Mix)
4. Gold For The Price Of Silver (Erot Vs Kings Of Convenience Version)
5. Winning A Battle, Losing The War (Andy Votel Mix)
6. Leaning Against The Wall (Evil Tordivel Upbeat Remake)
7. Toxic Girl (Monte Carlo 1963 Version)
8. Failure (Alfie Version)
9. Little Kids (Ladytron Fruits Of The Forest Mix)
10. Failure (Radio Edit)
11. Leaning Against The Wall (Bamboo Soul Mix)
12. The Weight Of My Words (Four Tet Instrumental)
2. The Weight Of My Words (Four Tet Remix)
3. The Girl From Back Then (Riton's Über Jazz Mix)
4. Gold For The Price Of Silver (Erot Vs Kings Of Convenience Version)
5. Winning A Battle, Losing The War (Andy Votel Mix)
6. Leaning Against The Wall (Evil Tordivel Upbeat Remake)
7. Toxic Girl (Monte Carlo 1963 Version)
8. Failure (Alfie Version)
9. Little Kids (Ladytron Fruits Of The Forest Mix)
10. Failure (Radio Edit)
11. Leaning Against The Wall (Bamboo Soul Mix)
12. The Weight Of My Words (Four Tet Instrumental)
'Riot on an Empty Street' (June 21, 2004, label: Source)
1. Homesick
2. Misread
3. Cayman Islands
4. Stay Out Of Trouble
5. Know How
6. Sorry Or Please
7. Love IS No Big Truth
8. I'd Rather Dance With You
9. Live Long
10. Surprise Ice
11. Gold In The Air OF Summer
12. The Build Up
2. Misread
3. Cayman Islands
4. Stay Out Of Trouble
5. Know How
6. Sorry Or Please
7. Love IS No Big Truth
8. I'd Rather Dance With You
9. Live Long
10. Surprise Ice
11. Gold In The Air OF Summer
12. The Build Up
'Declaration of Dependence' (October 5th, 2009)
1. 24-25
2. Mrs Cold
3. Me In You
4. Boat Behind
5. Rule My World
6. My Ship Isn't Pretty
7. Renegade
8. Power Of Not Knowing
9. Peacetime Resistance
10.Freedom And Its Owner
11.Riot On An Empty Street
12.Second To Numb
13.Scars On Land
2. Mrs Cold
3. Me In You
4. Boat Behind
5. Rule My World
6. My Ship Isn't Pretty
7. Renegade
8. Power Of Not Knowing
9. Peacetime Resistance
10.Freedom And Its Owner
11.Riot On An Empty Street
12.Second To Numb
13.Scars On Land
