London quartet Yuck left a big impression on us with their ‘90s-inspired sound of squalling guitar riffs combined with boy/girl vocals. Unfortunately, KEXP left an impression on frontman Max Bloom, too, when he accidentally leaned against a wall of wet paint... d'oh! Thankfully, a KEXP t-shirt look…
For just three people, Seattle metal trio Helms Alee make a big noise. Performing tracks off their third album Sleepwalking Sailors, they rocked the KEXP studios with their pounding rhythms, insistent vocals, and heavy guitar riffs. How do they do it? "We don't use our heads, basically," laughs dru…
Thinking of those who define the present-day Seattle music scene, musicians like Damien Jurado, who not only call the city home but who have influenced, promoted, and produced other local artists' music, come to mind. Jurado's soul-searching folk ballads have earned him a wholehearted embrace from …
With a song titled "Live Alone" and a brand new album titled The Jackals, it's clear something is dark and foreboding in Ravenna Woods these days. The Seattle quartet admits: "This album has an underlying current of fear, greed, distrust and malevolence. It's someone talking in their sleep about ra…
Just before Seattle’s Rose Windows played an evening set on the Elysian stage for the Sub Pop Silver Jubilee, a celebration of the record label’s 25th anniversary, Rabia Shaheen Qazi showed off their pipes during an exclusive session for KEXP backstage. While her voice filled the room of The Stable…
Bassist Kim Deal has left the Pixies, the band announced today on their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pixiesofficial?rf=106226122747445) page. “We are very proud to have worked with her on and off over the last 25 years,” the statement read. “Despite her decision to move on, we will always con…
The darkwave music project of Wesley Eisold, Cold Cave, has released a new single from the two-track EP Oceans With No End. True to Eisold's style, "People are Poison" is a blend of pessimistic lyrics and raving synthesized percussion. The song even ends with the depressing sound of rainfall and,…
The beautiful/transfixing/addicting/"reverb-abusing" Beach House have a homemade video out for their track "New Year" off 2012's Bloom. Featuring Victoria petting a cat in the sun as well as video of Beach House recording, and filmed at Sonic Ranch Studios in Texas, the video will make help all us …
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Mor…
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today's song, featured on The Aft…
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Mor…
Morning Show host John Richards presents a new Runner Powered Podcast. 1. Caspian - Sad Heart of Mine 2. Sharon Van Etten - Words 3. Youth Lagoon - The Knower 4. !!! - Sick Ass Moon 5. Other Lives - Reconfiguration 6. Roger Lion - A Dead Man's Song 7. José González - Leaf Off / The Cave 8. Holy …
From the downstroke of the show opener "Bullet" from their new record Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, Franz Ferdinand had Showbox Sodo off its feet. "Bullet" is an easy highlight off the band's fourth LP, with its furious bass line and scream-along chorus concert ready at impact, and the…
Seattle’s Leeni Ramadan (aka the glitter-gloom pop singer, Prom Queen) has established herself as a singular-voiced, bouffant-boasting player in the Emerald City music scene. If the ultimate goal of any creative person is to establish an immediately recognizable style, Ramadan has done that already…
Indie folk darling Angel Olsen kicked off her North American tour last night in Charlottesville and treated the audience to a surprise cover of beloved icon David Bowie's "Five Years." The song comes from 1972's classic The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. Olsen recently …
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Aft…
Toronto noise-rock trio Metz have announced their next full-length Strange Peace, which will be out September 22 via Sub Pop. They've also shared a new song off the album, "Drained Lake," an industrial stomper of a song. It follows the recently released "Cellophane." KEXP is bringing Metz to Neumos…
Another year of Capitol Hill Block Party has arrived, bringing with it a sea of bro-tank tops, increased public intoxication, and a variety of local and national music acts. The music of Day 1 was quite good, with sets from Noname, Thundercat, and Katie Kate starting off the festival on an upbeat n…
Two bands that probably sit close to each other on your record shelf: The Shins performed a session for Spotify where they covered The Smiths 1986 single "Panic." Listen below. James Mercer and friends also performed their own track "Name For You" off their latest full-length, Heartworms, out now …
Can you believe it's been eight years since DJ Cheryl Waters first kicked off her now-annual Canada Day show? Even our friends at the Canadian consulate are tuning in, like Consulate General James K. Hill (right) who stopped by the station to chat with Cheryl about the Great White North! “There is …
