Sidekicks

The Knife's precision pop is blatantly opaque

Comments (0) By Jean Carey Thursday, Aug 17 2006

OD: The new album is much more focused on moods and fictions because Deep Cuts was really our deeply political album. For Silent Shout we just wanted something more ambient, vague, and open to interpretation. Deep Cuts was also more about packaging the music in a poppy way. It was more conceptual.

KDA: On Silent Shout, that's the big difference ... we are focused on having sounds that were democratic, music that anyone could either make or relate to. Deep Cuts was an external reaction to society; Silent Shout is much more about how society affects you on the inside. I think it's very important not to tell too much; it's very important to leave a lot to the listener. It's more about telling stories people can create for themselves.

The Knife: They're not like a bird

Details

The Knife just announced a set of U.S. tour dates. The shows will take place November 1 at New York City's Webster Hall during the CMJ Music Marathon; November 3 at the Mezzanine in San Francisco; and November 4 at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles. Check out www.theknife.net for more information.

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What kind of music do you listen to yourselves?

KDA: I've been very into an African pop duo called Amadou and Mariam especially because they are very expressionistic. I listen to a lot of [Richie Hawtin side project] Plastikman, and also a lot of Fleetwood Mac.... I love Tango in the Night. I think that album is very dark-colored while at the same time being very poppy. Music was very much more experimental in the Eighties.

OD: I'm a DJ, so I tend to only listen to Brazilian pop music!