Down time: Music

Shawn Parker | Columnist for NOISE -- shawnmparker@gmail.com

Kings of Convenience Declaration of Dependence

(Astralwerks)

The new album by the Norwegian indie pop group offers more of what fans have come to expect from Erlend and Erik: gentle, acoustic musings and the best male vocal harmonies since Simon and Garfunkel. Moving confidently between introspective, confessional songs and introspective, confessional songs with a little more upbeat strumming, "Declaration" maintains a consistent tone of absolute intimacy that will either entrance you or slightly bore you. The songs themselves are far from boring, but the unwaveringly mellow tone can cause one to long for a drum beat.

A more subdued recording than their last (and best), "Riot on an Empty Street," "Declaration" is full of modest charms and an inexhaustible supply of melody. Fans of coffee shop-friendly folk (not meant pejoratively) will be mesmerized by this warm, subdued album.