It's been great to see all the celebration of various independent radio stations around the country this week. Part of what makes this series so fun for me is digging through the scribblings of college radio DJs who were on the air around when I was discovering some of my favorite music through col…
It's hard to think of a band more fitting than Gazebos to close out KEXP's Broadcast from Little London Plane, and nearly impossible to pick one who would have more fun doing so. The Hardly Art darlings' four-song session brought out the most entertaining qualities of the band's oddball pop.
The lyrics "Sonic Reducer, ain't no loser" never rang so true — celebrate Sonic Reducer's 10th Anniversary with hosts Brian Foss, Nick Turner and Mr. West! KEXP's Sonic Reducer showcases the best in local, national, and international punk and hardcore, with short, fast and loud songs every Saturday…
It’s time again for Friday on My Mind, our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5. Today, Mick Jagger celebrates his 70th birthday, so we’re looking at our favorite videos from The Rolling Stones.
Embodying the sounds and spirit of New Orleans' French Quarter for more than four decades, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band is nothing short of an institution of American jazz music. Still touring extensively, the energy of the New Orleans-style jazz compositions is as vibrant as ever, certain…
Barboza, the intimate venue underneath Neumos, feels cut off from the rest of the world, with no sight or sound of the rest of the world. In some ways, it's the perfect venue for a band like Hælos, whose particular brand of UK club R&B feels wholly detached from the rest of the world, cinematic…
So far, it's been a total scorcher this summer, the weather giving outdoor enthusiasts and festival-goers alike strong reasons for enjoying the cloudless skies. Whether it be hiking, biking, or touring the amazing music scene, Seattle, to say the least, is a great place to pass time underneath the …
Every once in a while, I post an album from a band that's been so minimally documented on the Internet that I feel I'm adding significantly to the body of public knowledge about them with one little blog post. This is dangerous because usually I know next to nothing about these bands. Take Ism, for…
For his latest film, A Bigger Splash, director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) reached out to guitar-dynamo St. Vincent (a.k.a. Annie Clark) to cover The Rolling Stones 1980 single "Emotional Rescue." Listen below. Clark said in an e-newsletter, "I saw an 11 AM showing of I Am Love at the sunshine cin…
Sun Liquor and Silversun Pickups - the pairing pretty much writes itself - yet there's so much more to the LA band's relationship to KEXP and history behind their generosity in performing an exclusive show for our donors. Our love for Silversun Pickups goes back to their debut EP, Pikul. KEXP was n…
I've covered Beat Happening records in this space before, but it's been just over six years, so I figure the time is ripe to go back to that well. For my previous post, I compared the reactions to the Oly DIY heroes' first and fourth albums. Today we'll split the difference (sort of) and go back to…
Opening today’s broadcast live from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves was Finnish singer-songwriter Mikko Joensuu. Over the course of the last year and half or so, Mikko has released a series of three records over the course of a year or so, called Amen 1-3 (Svart records) exploring coming into faith,…
This October was my first visit to the WOMEX Conference, the annual World Music Expo that happens in different European Cities with a focus on International music. Yes, I’ve been involved in the World Music scene for years and it’s a bit odd that I’ve not been before, but I always found the timing …
There are a number of amazing releases featured throughout the Sub Pop catalog, but there's no question that our favorite catalog number so far is SP0217, Iris Parker-Pavitt, daughter of label founder Bruce Pavitt. KEXP chats with her and her dad in this exclusive interview.
“You must set an example - to be a good person, you must be a good person.” The English translation of Ladilikan, Trio Da Kali's 2017 LP, has some weight to it, but the trio of musicians from the Mande culture of Southern Mali have so much life in their music. Joining Darek Mazzone on Wo&apos…
Even if the definition of "Northwestern band” has to be stretched a little to include the Alaskan outfit Portugal. The Man, they have plenty of Northwest ties. Returning to the KEXP studios for a session featuring songs from their last three albums (all of which had a portion recorded in Seat…
It's a big week for new releases, so let's get right into it. First thing on your shopping list: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' latest, Push The Sky Away. Fifteen albums in and Cave & Co. still create unique stunners. As our Music Director, Don Yates, says, it's "a masterful set of brooding, mi…
Jim James picked a pretty lofty title for his first solo LP. But after a dozen listens or so, I can say in confidence that he has every reason to do so. He's led Kentucky psych-rock band My Morning Jacket for almost 15 years, releasing six studio albums and a dozen or so EPs (their 2005 LP Z and 20…
John Grant shares a video from his third full-length, Grey Tickles, Black Pressure, out now via Partisan. Watch the clip for "Down Here" below, directed by Lisa Gunning. In a press release, Gunning says, "I'd been wanting to make a video for John for a long time so when he sent me 'Down Here' it s…
