It's hard to believe it's been 20 years since beloved Northwest singer/songwriter Elliott Smith released his now-classic LP Either/Or. For its anniversary, Kill Rock Stars is releasing an expanded reissue with live tracks from the 1997 Yo Yo A Go Go Festival in Olympia, WA, as well as previously u…
In a belated Christmas present for electronic music fans everywhere, record label Dymaxion Groove are releasing a double-LP concept album, fantastically-titled I Said No Doctors!, that spotlights the use of unconventional instruments. The collection features tracks from Silver Apples, Oval, Jad Fa…
It's the end of the year, alright, but I don't know how fine you're feeling. R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe joined Stephen Colbert and actor James Franco for a spirited, updated rendition of the 1987 single "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" last night on CBS' The Late Show with S…
Congratulations to Bob Dylan, winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature! Also a critically acclaimed memoirist, Dylan was awarded the prize "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition", and he's the first American to win the prize in over 20 years! The 75-…
All throughout the Midday Show on KEXP today, DJ Cheryl Waters has been sharing tracks from the forthcoming Cymbals Eat Guitars album, Pretty Years. Miss a few songs? Had to go into a meeting? You can stream the entire album here, via NPR Music. The band will be crashing through (argh, puns! I can…
“Tonight’s a special show,” lead vocalist Dustin Payseur said at the beginning of Beach Fossils’ sold out show at The Crocodile. I’m sure many artists say this at the start of every show, but Beach Fossils stayed true to their word, pulling out songs they haven’t played live before, and bringing ou…
Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke has announced a new solo album called Fatherland to be released in October. Back in May, he shared a new solo song "Yemaya" and now he has shared the single "Streets Been Talkin" which he describes as “a bittersweet ode to romance and the passing of time.” Okereke's…
Pulling this album from my digital pile of photos brought up an interesting (to me, anyway) bit of synchronicity. The last time I posted about the Smiths, I wasn't yet a father - being an adoptive dad, I didn't even know that I would have a son in a matter of weeks. Now I have a boy who will turn …
Not to be outdone by fellow shoegazers Ride, Slowdive have announced their first new album in 22 years! The self-titled LP will be out May 5th via Dead Oceans. We've already heard the single "Star Roving." Stream a new track below, titled "Sugar for the Pill." On Wednesday, the band will perform l…
Hot on the heels of their 24-hour sigurrosrouteone feed, Sigur Rós share a video for the song "Óveður." Directed by Swedish-based auteur Jonas Åkerlund, the clip features work from Icelandic choreographer Erna Ómarsdóttir against the beautiful landscape of Grindavík, a town on the Reykjanes penins…
"You don't need to do that same ol' shtick." That's apparently what Aaron Dessner of The National told Scott Hutchison, founder and frontman of UK group Frightened Rabbit. Since their 2003 debut album, the Scottish group have become known for their anthemic guitar-based songs, punctuated with lyric…
Congratulations to Mavis Staples, who just won a Grammy last night for Best American Roots Performance. It's great timing as the legendary blues singer will release Livin' On A High Note, on Friday. This, her fourteenth studio album, features songs written by Justin Vernon, M. Ward, Benjamin Booker…
Gong Xi Fa Cai! If you've already blown your new year's resolutions, get a fresh start with the lunar calendar and the 2016 Chinese New Year, which begins today, Monday, February 8th, and ends on January 27th, 2017. Traditionally, every year is assigned an animal in the Chinese Zodiac, and 2016 has…
The station "where the music matters" is paying tribute to the "the only band that matters" this Friday on the air, but the party doesn't stop there: on Saturday, February 6th, The Skylark in West Seattle hosts an International Clash Day Concert to benefit KEXP's New Home! Seattle favorites Polyrhy…
How many indie rock dudes does it take to cover a Sharon Van Etten song? By our count, four, as footage has surfaced of a 2010 concert where Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National, and Colin Stetson covered her single "Love More." Watch below. The footage comes from a Mu…
Seattle-via-Brooklyn DJ/producer Jaymz Nylon has been crafting supremely funky dancefloor grooves over the past two decades, forging his "Afro-tech" sound through a unique fusion of Afro house, Latin house, deep house, tech-house, disco, and jazz. In addition to a stacked discography that includes …
For Christmas, PDX-via-NZ group Unknown Mortal Orchestra gave us the gift of song: stream the track "SB-03" below, written by frontman Ruban Nielson and his brother, Kody Nielson (aka Silicon). The twelve-minute-long track was released on December 25th, following the singles "SB-01" and "SB-02," r…
All week long on the KEXP Blog (here and here), we've been celebrating the release of Israel Nash's latest, Israel Nash’s Silver Season. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls it "another impressive set of psych-tinged folk-rock reminiscent of Neil Young, featuring a warm, ‘70s-steeped sound with expr…
When it comes to Mike Krol, it's not three strikes and you're out. For the LA based, Milwaukee born songwriter, the third time's a charm, or rather, a Turkey. His third LP, and recent Merge Records release, avoids incarceration with a liberating blast of hook-filled garage rock, smart self-reflecti…
