You won't find a more kicked-back band than Nada Surf. Their relaxed demeanor, easy banter and effortless performances make you think they're the kind of guys you just want to hang out with. During their recent acoustic session, live on KEXP from the Bumbershoot Music Lounge, it was like the entire…
Call it rockabilly, psychobilly, punkabilly... whatever kind of "billy" you want to call it... The Reverend Horton Heat practically sets fire to the stage whenever he performs. After nearly 30 years and 11 albums, the Heat hasn't lost the spark, and still packs the house with fans of all ages and t…
We've recorded a lot of unique performances during Pickathon over the past few years, but there's nothing quite like lush orchestration and natural harmonies to complement the gorgeous wooded oasis that is the Bunny Glade. Two of the bigger ensembles this year were also two of the most enjoyable, i…
What brought two already well known and respected artists together to collaborate on a new project? The internet, of course. Though Aimee Mann and Ted Leo shared a casual friendship and a liking for each other's music, they bonded over things "#dumb" on Twitter. Eventually, a 140-character comedic …
Considering the early 80's were the heyday of The Dream Syndicate, you're forgiven if, like the song says, you're "just trying to remember the days of wine and roses". As leaders of the so-called Paisley Underground, the LA band carried the sounds of the previous decade, particularly of The Velvet …
Forget the big sales and weekend trips, KEXP spends Labor Day at Bumbershoot every year, where once again we returned to the "secret space" of the Music Lounge to present 14 exclusive live sessions with many KEXP listener favorites, including an otherworldly set of live and electronic instrumentati…
Nothing like dirtying up a pristine wooded oasis with some gritty rock from Those Darlins. The Nashville band joined us in the Bunny Glade during Pickathon last month for an acoustic set of twang-tinged girl group meets garage rock songs from their latest album, Blur The Line, and a chilling cover …
Considering his past, The Lightness of Being might be a suitable alternative to name Hiss Golden Messenger's new album, The Lateness of Dancers. Whether he's has found answers to the questions haunting his darker, folkier albums or just accepted the mystery and moved on, the Durham, NC, songwriter …
You might never expect this to happen to you: strolling through the woods, lulled by an enchanting melody, sorrowful yet sweet, and finding not some wandering minstrel strumming in a sun-dappled clearing but a 5-member band set up with an organ, an upright bass, and a full-sized harp. That's the sc…
In 2018, KEXP celebrated the 30th anniversary of local record label Sub Pop with a four-month retrospective, "counting up" every catalog number in their vast discography of over 1,200 releases. Dig into the archives of our catalog coverage, featuring in-depth coverage on the history of their releases.
