San Francisco garage rock band Weekend have been doing some serious growth over the last couple years. On their 2010 debut Sports, Weekend gave us an enjoyable, noisy introduction that put them in tune with the scene and its direction. Now, with a couple years under their belt and a fresh batch of …
If you've been listening to the Morning Show with John Richards, you've probably heard a lot of up-and-comers Wild Cub, whose energetic, electronic-infused sound takes the best from 80's new wave romanticism, R&B and indie rock and makes it impossible to sit still. Back in February, the Nashvil…
Record Store Day may yet be three weeks away, but you'll find a ton of great new music at your favorite record shop today, including the latest from The Black Angels. KEXP listeners have long been fans of this Austin band, and in fact we even had them perform in-studio before the release of their v…
Portland synth rock group STRFKR have pretty much always put on a great show. But Tuesday night's tour opener in support of new record Miracle Mile was an especially raucous occasion. As Tuesday was release day for the record, the band was a tad light on the Miracle Mile material, but with a back c…
Though he'd been playing a variety instruments and styles for years, Oakland music Luis Vasquez never intended his current project, The Soft Moon, to catch on. A true bedroom project, The Soft Moon was originally meant to be a device of self-exploration, a spelunking of the depths, as it were, of V…
It's hard to think of another band that has not only lasted as long as but has also never lost their knack for sonic adventure like Yo La Tengo. After nearly 30 years, and through 13 studio albums and who knows how many singles and EPs, the Hoboken, NJ, trio still sounds like no one else, even with…
Though named for a popular British toy company, Chad Valley is more than just a plaything Oxford, UK's Hugo Manuel. Also the frontman for the group Jonquil, Manuel has turned a couple of lo-fi solo EPs into a fully realized project of lush, summery synth-pop. Like Jonquil, Chad Valley features Manu…
We're always excited to feature Oklahoma singer-songwriter, vintage rock and roller JD McPherson any time he comes to town. Not only was he one of the highlights of our SXSW broadcast, but he and his smoking-hot band tore up the KEXP studio this past summer. Right now, JD is celebrating the holiday…
Like me, you may be nervous about the prospect of a new Crystal Castles album after the departure of Alice Glass in October of 2014. Alice’s departure came with an excellent statement: “My art and my self-expression in any form has always been an attempt towards sincerity, honesty, and empathy for …
Twenty freaking years. That's how long this ridiculous party has been going on in Capitol Hill. Every July, we all march up the hill and pack out the block for a madcap weekend of music and festivities at the Capitol Hill Block Party. $1 Rainiers at Sam's, free snacks everywhere, the Bus trying to …
Inspired by Sufi poetry, their obsessions with writing, and limitation, Benjamin Verdoes and Nathan Quiroga, the creative masters behind Iska Dhaaf (a Somali phrase which roughly translates to "let it go"), have been collaborating for the past couple of years with impressive results. At first glanc…
More sad news from the world of music: producer and manager George Martin passed away peacefully in his London home last night at the age of 90. Martin is often referred to as "The Fifth Beatle," as he was the one who discovered The Beatles, signing the young band to Parlophone Records in 1962, an…
Few bands are more iconic in Iceland than GusGus. Starting some 20 years ago, more arts collective than musical act, GusGus broke from their cinematographic origins and through to mainland Europe and the world in the mid 90's with their eclectic electronica assembly of techno, deep house, dance-pop…
It's been a couple of months, so it's time for new music from Ty Segall. On January 22nd, the prolific artist releases his eighth (or tenth, who really knows) solo full-length, Emotional Mugger, via Drag City. Listen to an album stream below. This is actually the record's second iteration: it was …
A far cry from the "bedroom setup" they used to record their debut album, which took the world by storm in 2011, Django Django recently released the studio recorded Born Under Saturn, with a more confident and much bigger sound. The London four-piece didn't let fame or external pressures influence …
If there's another performer who has received two standing ovations for a single song at the Moore, Jason Isbell should call them and see if they'll go for best two out of three, because chances are that he'll win. The revitalized Southern songwriter is at a career high at the moment, and no other …
When asked how they deal with the stress of extensive touring, Yelle quips, "We are planking. Every day." Maybe we should be taking notes. Hailing from Brittany, France, electropop duo Yelle (Julie Budet) and Grandmarnier (Jean-François Perrier) have captured a wide following in recent years with f…
This weekend, on July 31st through August 2nd, Pickathon, the Northwest’s premiere roots festival, returns to the Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon. And once again, you’ll be able to watch the whole thing happen thanks to the festival’s live video webcast. From your very own porch, couch or of…
The timing of this couldn't be more perfect with David Bowie's 70th birthday (and sadly, the anniversary of his passing) right around the corner: listen to a cover of "Sorrow" from Jenny Lewis below, which is actually a cover of a cover since it's originally by The McCoys, but then popularized by …
