Thank you to everyone who came out Saturday night for a sold out sixth annual SMooCH: Seattle Musicians for Children’s Hospital. Those in attendance were treated to new music from headliner Father John Misty, who told the audience, the follow-up to last year's I Love You, Honeybear is done. Songs …
Love & Hate, the sophomore release from soulful UK artist Michael Kiwanuka was a fave for many KEXP DJs last year. (It was even a nominee for the prestigious Mercury Award in 2016.) Kiwanuka revisits the release with a video for the track "Cold Little Heart" -- watch below. The video was direc…
Brooklyn-via-Alabama singer/songwriter Katie Crutchfield, better known as Waxahatchee, shares a lovely new video for the track "La Loose," a single from her recent Merge Records release, Ivy Tripp. The clip was directed by Naomi Yang (Galaxie 500, Damon & Naomi) who says in a statement: "I wan…
Although they hit you immediately, the depth of Unknown Mortal Orchestra's songs belies their urgency. Underneath a pulsating rhythm or Ruban Nielsen's expressive vocals is always a subtle, just-as-infectious keyboard melody or a texture that alters Nielsen's voice. On the Portland group's latest a…
During a two-night stand at Manchester’s O2 Apollo this past weekend, The National paid tribute to hometown heroes New Order with a cover of the band's 1985 single “Love Vigilantes.” Watch as frontman Matt Berninger does his best Bernard Sumner impersonation, and even walks down to the audience. T…
Father John Misty has released a new, polished version of his laid-back love song "Real Love Baby". The track, which first burst onto the scene in May on SoundCloud, was recorded with The Budos Band's electric guitarist Thomas Brenneck. [CoS]
For Brandi Carlile, homecomings are sweet, and last Friday's concert at The Paramount was filled with intimate harmonies and an energetic stage presence as Brandi and the band sang of love, family, and connection. A multi-generational crowd packed into the historic theater as the musicians returned…
At KEXP, we love us some Tomo Nakayama — Grand Hallway frontman, member of local acts Gold Leaves, Sera Cahoone and The Maldives, Seattle Rock Orchestra collaborator — not to mention, the new Seattle Town Hall Artist in Residence.
Too stuffed from holiday treats to get up and change the record? Why not put on this 22-minute-long new track from Portland psych-rockers Unknown Mortal Orchestra! Grandma will love it! [Pitchfork]
L.A. artist Miguel shares his fourth full-length, an album KEXP Music Director Don Yates declares "a potent set of psych-tinged R&B and funk featuring a hazy, groove-driven sound with echoing psych-rock guitars, spacey keyboards, and blunted beats accompanying his soulful vocals and lyrics of t…
If the Rolling Stones had started their career in 2014 Chicago, they might have been called Twin Peaks. The warm, laid-back chemistry exuded by this crew of bluesy rockers is so over-the-top fun to watch that it's almost hard to not want to just shoot the breeze with them all night over drink…
Imagine a pair of bell-bottoms. A suede vest. A wide collar, strutting leather boots. Similarly, imagine sequins and elongated lashes. Pearls and sly eyes. If you can imagine this, you can begin to sense the spirits that inspired the newest record from Seattle soul and funk group, The True Loves. T…
After a dozen years and now five albums, there's no doubt about it: the BROOD are all grown up. On their newly announced forthcoming album, Work and Love, Ontario trio Elliott BROOD turn from the historical subjects they depicted with great poignancy on their previous albums, like 2011's Days Into …
At his most vitriolic, Billy Bragg is still a softy. The now legendary British singer-songwriter has made a name for himself since the 80's through crooning romantic ballads and biting political critique. Both originate from the same place; for Bragg, as for his hero Woody Guthrie, love for humanki…
Yet again I find myself stumbling in way over my head, with the "discovery" of a band that I'd really love to read a whole book about. Portland band Theatre of Sheep was quite the local phenomenon 30+ years ago but never quite made it, leaving behind some self-released, hand-packaged records, a lot…
KEXP seems to get gayer every year, and this year's Big Gay Podcast, featuring twenty tracks spanning more than 40 years, is no exception. With everything from vintage queer country to an electronic interpretation of a black metal classic, El Toro's 2014 roundup of songs by, for, and about the LGB…
