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…
“Boy, the come down here was easy, like the arrival of a new day.” That’s how Adam Granduciel chooses to open the new album from The War on Drugs after a minute and a half of dreamscape Americana. As the listener, you could say the same thing. The Philadelphia band have always found a way to worm i…
Good morning! How about a little funky Afropop, all the way from Iceland, to start your morning? That's how we began our broadcast from Iceland Airwaves last month, with the 13 member Samúel Jón Samúelsson Big Band blasting you awake at 6AM. Now you have the luxury to enjoy the SJS Big Band wheneve…
The name of their 2009 release (2008 in Colombia), “Blow Up”, was prescient. While the music of Bomba Estéreo is stylistically explosive, their popularity at the time of its release was just beginning to grow. We watched them ascend as their in-studio performance from late 2009 quickly became one o…
Album releases are slowing down as we approach the holidays, but there are still some standouts to be found. Actor/writer/producer/comedian/musician Donald Glover returns for his third LP under the Childish Gambino alias, an album KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls, "easily his strongest musical s…
They've been teasing about it for months now, and today, we finally have new music to share from Run the Jewels. The unstoppable duo of Killer Mike and El-P have released the single "Talk to Me" from their forthcoming full-length, Run the Jewels 3. No release date yet, but Mr. Mike has said he wan…
It's been 19 years, but we finally have a new album from The Jesus and Mary Chain! KEXP Music Director Don Yates says the Scottish siblings Jim and William Reid deliver "an impressive return-to-form that ranges from fuzzy, feedback-drenched rockers to swooning downer ballads." Coming right behind t…
Earlier this month, UK electric crooner James Blake released his stunning new album, The Colour in Anything. Now, thanks to some fans, there's footage of Blake performing the album tracks "Modern Soul" and "Timeless" during a show at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Revel in Blake's amazing sta…
Electropop pixie Grimes delivers another eye-popping video from her most recent full-length, Art Angels, out now on 4AD. Watch the clip for "California" directed by Grimes herself and her brother, Mac. Watch out for cameo appearances from Purity Ring's Megan James, HANA, Born Gold, model Eric Chen…
It's true: KEXP is playing the new Beyoncé. Don't be too surprised, though -- KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls the release, "a powerful set of expansive R&B blended with hip hop, electro-pop, reggae, blues-rock, gospel, New Orleans brass band music and more, combining a dark, decidedly non-g…
Record Store Day is this coming Saturday, April 16th, but you should head to your favorite independent record stores early to scoop up some of these great new releases, like the latest from Parquet Courts. KEXP Music Director Don Yates says "this Brooklyn band's latest album is another smartly craf…
Aside from Luna, aside from Dean & Britta, musician Britta Phillips is now branching out into a solo career. Her debut release, Luck or Magic, hits stores on April 29th on Double Feature, the label she co-runs with Luna's Dean Wareham. Today, she shares a cover of the Evie Sands 1968 single "O…
Have a toast with a Duff Beer -- today's the birthday of Matt Groening, cartoonist and creator of beloved television series The Simpsons. Now in its 27th season, the show has established itself as the longest-running American sitcom of all time. (Take that, Gunsmoke!) Throughout their 587 episodes,…
Leave it to Minnesota expat DJ Kevin Cole to champion Bully, fronted by former Rosemount-native Alicia Bognanno. A former intern at Steve Albini’s famed Electrical Audio, Bognanno brought the band back there to record their debut full-length, Feels Like, out now on Columbia/Star Time. The result is…
Just in time for Halloween, KEXP is thrilled to debut the video for Say Hi's "Transylvania (Torrents Of Rain, Yeah)," a track off his latest full-length, Bleeders Digest, out now on Barsuk Records.
Alan Palomo and company, better known as Neon Indian, have shared an addictive, summer dance track called "Annie" - their first new song in two years. The synthpop outfit hasn't released a full length album since 2011's Era Extraña, but they're working on one now. Hopefully we'll have a release da…
British rockers Django Django have shared the video for their single "Reflections." Instead of the band, the video features CGI sculptures playing their respective instruments. Thanks to iTunes Radio, their upcoming album, Born Under Saturn (out May 5), is available to stream now. [Pitchfork]
Merchants of sound A Place to Bury Strangers once again drops by KEXP to flex their effects pedals and energetic noise. Armed with songs from their new release, Transfixiation, the Brooklyn trio delivers skull-splitting feedback in true Strangers style but also evident in the opening track "Superma…
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…
Swedish sibling duo The Knife have announced they'll be calling it quits after an abundantly creative 15 year career. Karin Dreijer told Dazed & Confused, "When we finish the tour now in November we will close down, it’s our last tour. We don’t have any obligations to continue, it should only …
