Kinds of Music

I dislike it when someone asks me the question, “What kind of music do you listen to”? It makes me feel claustrophobic … suffocated. So much good music is left out when you limit your musical interest to a few select genres. However, I do tend to go through phases in which I spend a month or so acquiring and listening to one particular genre.

During my Astrud Gilberto-esque-1960s bossa nova phase, I stumbled across Kings of Convenience, a Norwegian duo of ambient harmonic voices accompanied by crisp acoustic piano and guitar. They're sort of like Simon and Garfunkel meets cool jazz saxophonist Stan Getz without the saxophone.

Although this band has a strong retro sound, they’re not old and buried. They’ve been crooning these sweet slow melodies for just five years, and their third and latest album, "Riot in an Empty Street," hit music store shelves two years ago.

"I'd Rather Dance with You" is one song on the album that really shows what these guys are capable of, with a bold violin riff, a catchy snare drum snap and the cool voices of Erlend Oye and Eirik Boe. The video displays the opposite personalities of quiet and serious Boe and his quirky glasses-wearing sidekick Oye, who is shown dancing throughout much of the video while Boe sits at the piano, flashes an occasional soft smile and sings longingly to the camera.

Kings of Convenience just finished up a two-year international tour in July, so I don't foresee their return to the States for a while. But this album is still a must-have for indie music collectors, and the best place for good little indie music appreciators to pick up new sounds is the best little indie music store in Phoenix, Stinkweeds.