Mark E. Smith, leader of influential UK post-punk band The Fall, passed away this morning at home at the age of 60. His manager Pam Van Damned states, "A more detailed statement will follow in the next few days. In the meantime, Pam & Mark’s family request privacy at this sad time." The band ca…
This year's Oscar nominations rolled out this morning and some very familiar names to KEXP are on the list. Indie-folk genius Sufjan Stevens is nominated in the Best Original Song category for one of the two songs he contributed to Luca Guadagnino's Call Me Be Your Name, "Mystery Of Love." Stevens …
Over the weekend, on the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump's inauguration, the National shared a politically-focused video for "Walk It Back," off of last year's Sleep Well Beast. Directed by Casey Reas, the video featues grainy footage of politicians, with Reas saying: "The video documents the …
January is starting to pick-up the pace with a swath of thrilling releases from new and old favorite artists. Swedish Folk outfit First Aid Kit returns with their fourth LP, Ruins, which KEXP's Music Director Dan Yates calls the duo's "most accomplished album to date is a beautifully crafted set of…
Rumours have been buzzing all weekend about Pearl Jam's 2018 North American tour schedule -- today, we can confirm at least two of those shows. On Wednesday, August 8th and Friday, August 10th, our hometown heroes will take the stage at Safeco Field as part of their series The Home Shows.
There's history to bands covering Pavement's "Box Elder." When The Wedding Present recorded their interpretation of the track from Pavement's Slay Tracks (1933–1969) EP track back in '89, it caught the ear of renowned BBC DJ John Peel and helped generate buzz for the release abroad. Nearly three de…
Former Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto has shared her take on Tommy James & The Shondells' 1968 song "I'm Alive." Ditto said of the cover: "Being alive is radical right now. So let's live!" Ditto released her solo debut Fake Sugar last year. Catch Ditto at the Showbox on Thursday, March 29. [ SPIN…
Hibou, the moniker of Seattle songwriter Peter Michel, returns with a new LP entitled Something Familiar out March 2 via Barsuk Records. The album follows up on the project's 2015 self-titled debut, which Michel recorded in a walk-in closet. This time around he's recorded with a full-band at Chris …
Indie veterans Yo La Tengo have announced a new album slated for release in March called There's a Riot Going On. In a press release written by writer and critic Luc Santé, the album title is an intentional nod to Sly and the Family Stone's 1971 album of the same name, as well as a remark on the cu…
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.
