Song of the Day: Bleached - Keep On Keepin' On

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “Keep On Keepin' On” by Bleached from their forthcoming album, Welcome The Worms, due April 1st on Dead Oceans.

Bleached - Keep On Keepin' On (MP3)

In just over a week, Los Angeles trio Bleached will rise to the surface once again with their forthcoming sophomore album, Welcome The Worms. Bleached's very California rock, sun-drenched in the reverb of the lo-fi surf rock revival, has aged between their debut, Ride Your Heart. There's a maturity to their sound quality as they embrace having graduated from basement demo tapes to The Studio. Their process has evolved: the sister duo, Jessica and Jennifer Clavin, had previously shouldered songwriting duties, but bassist Micayla Grace was brought into the fold for writing sessions that transpired in locations from their parents garage to the desert of Joshua Tree, all amidst personal issues like break ups, alcohol abuse, and evictions. "Keep On Keepin' On" is the lead track on the new LP and is built upon the kind of anthemic power chorus that begs for repeats, but the L.A. sunshine is gone, and the tale of the emotionally insecure man that is the lyrical subject matter is, as the title suggests, anything but optimistic. The video for the single reflects that emotional shift, as the three women seem to be perpetually watched, chased, and depressed by an unknown force, as tense as the mathematically pounding high guitar chords that athletically drive the song.

Bleached are on an international right now for the upcoming release that'll have them coming through Seattle on April 29th at Barboza. In the meantime, look for more music and tour dates on their website and Facebook page, and watch the official video for "Wednesday Night Melody", another song from Welcome The Worms: