You may not be able to expect how little time the prolific Californian garage rock luminaries will take between albums or what their lineup will look like, but you can always be sure that you'll end up feeling like frontman John Dwyer looks: frenzied, smiling, and seemingly perpetually covered in …
The soundtrack for the 1996 film Trainspotting was so revered, they even released a second volume. The same might end up being true for the sequel T2 Trainspotting, in theaters February 10th. Director Danny Boyle has yet again curated a fantastic mix, including artists you might expect like Ziggy …
For a band that's distinctly Scottish, The Vaselines couldn't be more "Northwest", and now more so than ever. Formed by current members, Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, the Glasgow group released only one album before breaking up in 1989. That might have been the end for their catchy, quirky, charm…
If Sharon Van Etten were a different person, her brutal honesty would be too much to bear. On her terrific new album, Are We There (read our review of it here), no painful moment, self-critique or regret is too deep to share... and there are real depths in her songs! But just as her songs never dwe…
What can I say about Slint that I didn't already say in my 2008 Spiderland post? I kept it short back then, but I pretty much covered the bases: they were an excellent band that has been very influential over the years and they were phenomenal live, even almost twenty years after anyone thought the…
To state the obvious, The Fabulous Downey Brothers know how to put on a hell of a show. The sextet's costume changes, frenetic dual vocals, prop comedy (industrial shrub material; see below), and themes of extraterrestrial body modification killed at the Vera Project-curated Buttnick Building space…
Can you believe it? The Capitol Hill Block Party is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year! They're rolling out the first wave of this year's debaucherous celebration, and it's one to raise a toast to. The neighborhood streets will be closed down July 21st-23rd for Run The Jewels, Diplo, Lord H…
Sleigh Bells go for broke on their new song "Rule Number One." This is the first we've heard from the noise pop duo since last year's single "Champions of Unrestricted Beauty." Their last full-length, Bitter Rivals, dropped in 2013, so let's hope this means there's a new album in the works. [Pitch…
Pickathon's 2015 Fall Season continues. Each week, the rustically set, Portland-area festival is running an ambitious program of four new episodes every week through February 2016. Through twelve individual channels of content, you can experience this one-of-a-kind festival in the most intimate of …
Pickathon's 2015 Fall Season is in full steam. Each week, they're running an ambitious program of four new episodes every week through February 2016. Through twelve individual channels of content, you'll be able to experience this one of a kind festival in the most intimate of ways... you'll go, On…
Pickathon's 2015 Fall Season has just begun. This week, they're kicking off an ambitious run of four new episodes every week through February 2016. Through twelve individual channels of content, you'll be able to experience this one of a kind festival in the most intimate of ways... you'll go, On t…
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…
She'll haunt your dreams and shreds guitar with the best of them, so its no surprise Courtney Barnett chose Freddy Krueger as her alter ego on Halloween. The whole band, in fact, took to the holiday with gusto, dressing up for their in-studio set at KEXP in some inconvenient but very entertaining c…
As anyone who's ever listened to The Midday Show on KEXP knows, DJ Cheryl Waters loves her Canadian music. And, in what's become an annual Canada Day tradition, Cheryl will play only music from our neighbors to the north today from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM PT. Not only is Cheryl our Midday Show host, bu…
Twin Shadow has shared his new song "To The Top," an intense, pounding percussion anthem about starting over. His statement about the song offers a glimpse into the song's inspiration. He said, "What is it when you realize that someone isn't right for you? Or when you find that you do not and can …
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…
The tummy ache Music That Matters podcast, featuring a vast array of fantastic new music. Why? Because I said so. Keep asking and I'll turn this podcast around and we'll go home. 1. Hand Habits - Sun Beholds Me2. Porcelain Raft - Big Sur3. Tori Bukle - Rooms4. C Duncan - Nothing More5. Western Hau…
London-via-Köln psychedelic outfit Desert Mountain Tribe were a lock-tight live unit well before they started work on their first album, so when they entered the studio for what would become 2016's Either That or the Moon, they sought to capture the sprawling, resonant feel of their live performan…
