On their first album in five years, the Norwegian duo Eirik Bøe and Erlend Øye—who record under the name Kings of Convenience—have returned with more atmospheric folk-pop to soothe the soul. Percussion is nowhere to be found on the group's latest release, "Declaration of Dependence," and the pair's Simon & Garfunkel-esque harmonies are less dynamic than they once were. But there are still plenty of bright spots. Kings of Convenience's melodies range from the brisk and obtuse—as heard on the angular "My Ship Isn't Pretty" and the brooding "Renegade"—to the disarmingly catchy. On the standout track "Mrs. Cold," Bøe and Øye lace their beloved bossa nova rhythms with R&B lyrics that are aimed at an ice queen, singing, "Acting so tough/Didn't know you had it in you to be hurt at all . . . you lost control and you lost your tongue."