A lot of great music came out in 2014, but UK duo Jungle never got lost. In fact, their Mercury Prize nominated self-titled debut of retro-futuristic electro-funk is among this year's most enjoyable and is sure to land on many critics' "Best of" lists. But it takes a lot to recreate Jungle's lush s…
Timbrrr! Winter Music Festival is a place where people meet new bands, appreciate those they knew already and came to see, and drink hot toddies! We here at KEXP thought it would be fitting to ask some of the musicians gracing the Leavenworth, WA, stage some wintry-themed questions because, of cour…
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, selected by Midday Show…
Last night, singer-songwriter Beck, appeared at Santa Cruz's Rio Theatre to perform music from last year's sheet music album, Song Reader. These songs have not been recorded and this is the first time he has played "Sorry" and "Heaven's Ladder" live. Watch both performances below. [CoS]
When faced with the same global turmoil that has left so many people feeling unsettled and bewildered, Billy Bragg asked himself this question: “What’s a singer-songwriter to do when events keep challenging the way that we see the world?” His answer was to write, record, and release his musical res…
Argentinian-born singer Tei Shi is upping the ante with her second EP release, Verde, out now through Mermaid Avenue. Her debut EP, Suadade was released back in November of 2013, garnering comparison to Feist and other melancholy songwriters operating on the sonic fringe while maintaining some semb…
In early June, Australian singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett and American singer/songwriter Kurt Vile announced that they would be teaming up for a collaborative tour featuring an "all-star band" called The Sea Lice which is a revolving cast of musicians that includes Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, W…
At just 27, singer-songwriter Kevin Morby has accomplished much, both as a band member of NYC-based projects such as Woods and The Babies and as a solo artist. The songs on the third album under his own name, Singing Saw, are his sharpest and also most spacious, reflecting the divide between city a…
Showcasing tracks from his recently released MCIII on Merge Records, Californian singer-songwriter Mikal Cronin fills the KEXP live room with his most realized, beautifully arranged, and well-crafted works to date. With an ear for melody and and a knack for emotional resonance, tracks like the open…
Named after one of the most feared diseases that travelers to the Far East can contract, Dengue Fever is responsible for rekindling interest in a music that was nearly obliterated by one of most maniacal regimes of the 20th century. Based in the vibrant Los Angeles music scene, touring worldwide, a…
Portland-based electronic producer, singer, and songwriter Natasha Kmeto is a multifaceted talent that has recently introduced the new DJ Gigs alias to her arsenal in order to separate her DJ'ing sets from live performances. A stunning live performer, Kmeto transfers her magnetic and kinetic energy…
Surprise! UK singer/producer James Blake quietly released a new double 7" single today, via his own brilliantly-named label 1-800-Dinosaur. Stream tracks from the single 200 Press below, which concludes with the poem "Words That We Both Know." The mini-release will hold you over 'til Blake release…
Under a blue light on the Music Lounge stage, the New Zealand-born (and, now, New York native) Tamaryn sang a collection of pulsingly-mellow tunes for the Bumbershoot audience. The songs were an interesting mix, with the rhythms almost over-powering the singer’s ghostly, etherial vocals. In this wa…
The humid, Alabama farmland-inspired music of David and Patterson Hood dripped over audience members at the Triple Door last Thursday during the the Tribute to the Music of Muscle Shoals with Patterson and David Hood, party of the Seattle International Film Festival. The sounds were laced with heat…
Happy Valentine's Day! This morning, we shared a some of our favorite V-Day videos with you, but here are some other new videos that you're sure to love. First up, we have this clip for Passion Pit's "Carried Away" off their latest album, Gossamer. Sophia Bush and lead singer Michael Angelakos star…
Singer/songwriter Billy Bragg is known for never shying away from political content in his songs. (As he sings on the track "Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards", musing about music journalists who ask, "Mixing pop and politics he asks me what the use is / I offer him embarrassment and my usual ex…
Join Midday Show host Cheryl Waters for a great mix of mostly new music, including selections from Northwest artists along with a strong showing from Australia and New Zealand. 1. Kyson - You 2. Marlon Williams - Dark Child 3. Dr. Dog - Bring My Baby Back 4. Royal Headache - Carolina 5. School o…
Join Midday Show host Cheryl Waters for a summer podcast full of sparkling songs from London, Brooklyn, California and, as always, the Pacific Northwest. 1. Desert Sound Colony - Riverbed 2. Happyness - Naked Patients 3. The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers - Little Light 4. AM & Shawn Lee - Persua…
Some singers can sing anything, and some of them practically do. Mark Lanegan has one of those voices that will stop you dead in your tracks no matter when or how you hear him. The former local boy (he's lived in LA now probably longer than anywhere else) began a series of deep, dark solo albums th…
In our series From First to Last, artists with deep discographies discuss the varying differences between making their first record and their most recent record. For our latest, KEXP's Jasmine Albertson chats with Kyle Thomas aka King Tuff about his 2008 70's-inspired power-pop rock debut Was Dead …
