Fearlessly dabbling in the gaudy with their electro pop sound, Future Bible Heroes began as a project of The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt and DJ Christopher Ewen, but gradually evolved into a substantial group of talented musicians. Eleven years after the release of their sophomore album, Etern…
Following their 1995 debut, Memphis garage punk band Oblivians released two more albums in quick succession and then practically disappeared for the next twelve years. But they didn't quite slip into, well, oblivion. Band members Greg Oblivian, Jack Oblivian and Eric Oblivian -- a.k.a. Greg Cartwri…
Recently, Seattle songwriter Shelby Earl, fresh off releasing her new album, Swift Arrows, stopped by KEXP for a live in-studio to play four new tracks off the record. Produced by Seattle folk hero Damien Jurado, Swift Arrows is a mix of piano ballads and guitar rock in the lineage of Seattle songw…
The band name of Lonesome Shack came from frontman Ben Todd’s experience living in, well, a lonesome shack that he built himself in New Mexico. In it, Todd learned Mississippi Fred McDowell songs and honed his facility on stringed instruments like bass, banjo and guitar. It is impossible not to not…
Understandably, Vancouver band Weed often has difficulty crossing the border. In fact, KEXP's John Richards had to write a letter so they could travel from Canada to perform live with him on the Morning Show last month. But it's really not the sticky green stuff border guards try to sniff out that …
Before performing at Capitol Hill’s Neumos, California-based band Rogue Wave stopped by KEXP for an energetic live in-studio. The four-piece played three songs from their new album, Nightingale Floors, released in June (their fifth studio record), as well as a tune from Out of the Shadow. The band’…
If drama is the key to art, then look no further than Austin band The Black Angels. The group is a collection of eerie organs, guitar riffs and vocals that, when combined, sound like a mash-up of Tame Impala, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors and DJ Shadow. Their recent live set at The Triple Door was …
While many have visited Seattle's iconic landmark, the Space Needle, and even braved the 604 foot height to take in the view from the top, only a select few can say that they've stepped onto that 604th foot of the Needle. On July 11th, in celebration of Sub Pop's 25th anniversary, KEXP and Sub Pop'…
Just before Seattle’s Rose Windows played an evening set on the Elysian stage for the Sub Pop Silver Jubilee, a celebration of the record label’s 25th anniversary, Rabia Shaheen Qazi showed off their pipes during an exclusive session for KEXP backstage. While her voice filled the room of The Stable…

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.