"Music" and "space" form an undeniable symbiosis. We use each word to describe the other all the time, yet in truth, the one cannot exist in the other. The only sound of the spheres is in our minds. But what great imaginations we have. Over the years, many sonic explorers have reached far into the …
When's the last time you listened to a record and thought to yourself, "Wow, that's a sound you don't hear every day". Calgary based post-punk quartet Viet Cong (featuring members of now-defunct Calgary act Women) drop their self-titled first LP this week on Jagjaguwar, and it's one of those record…
Musician, songwriter, author, actor, producer... in whatever he does, country rock living legend Steve Earle is uncompromisingly in his art and an outspoken critic of what's wrong in our country. On his many albums -- fourteen, not including his many collaborations, compilations and live releases -…
Thirty minutes. That's all the time Seattle reggae champs Kore Ionz had to win over a crowd at the Mural Amphitheatre on the first afternoon of the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival. Frontman Daniel Pak, shirtless in the hot sun with a red, green, and yellow strap running across his chest (that…
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
Here's another one: How is this the first time I've covered a Ramones album in this almost decade-long series of blog posts? I mean, the Ramones! Come on! Is there a more influential band with a deeper catalog more filled with albums that college radio DJs are likely to have intensely critical and …
Can you believe there was once a time where Reggae wasn’t a word everyone recognized? In the musical world you have to really be in awe of how a sound from a tiny island in the Caribbean has propelled itself into the Global Consciousness. The legendary Reggae singer Winston Jarrett can clearly reme…
This Thursday, January 21st, join us in beautiful Ballard for the 4th Annual Benefit for MusiCares at the Tractor Tavern. A cavalcade of local musicians will perform the songs of beloved alt-country artists Uncle Tupelo and Jason Molina, with proceeds going to benefit this great non-profit which pr…
There are many paths that lead one to emigrate and there are many roads to becoming a musician. When you combine the two, you often find a unique beast that exists in between dimensions. The legendary Balkan band Kultur Shock is such a beast. Sometimes a musician or band creates a persona to sell t…
It was a pact Vic Chesnutt held with Kristin Hersh, his long-time friend and frequent tourmate: "Don’t suck, don’t die." The two prolific songwriters shared not only the stage, but struggles with major labels and with mental health. But, sadly, Chesnutt did die, from an overdose on Christmas 2009 a…
Lots of great local releases this week, including the sophomore full-length from Seattle supergroup Childbirth, featuring members of Chastity Belt, TacocaT and Pony Time. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls it, "a strong set of snarky garage-punk with primal, grungy guitar lines and pounding rhythm…
It's hard to believe it's already August, but that just means it's time for our Concerts at the Mural series! Every Friday in August, KEXP teams up with Seattle Center to bring you FREE, all ages entertainment on the Mural Amphitheater lawn.
Today, we wrap up our 3-day broadcast from Judson Memorial Church in NYC during the 2013 CMJ Music Marathon. Tune in from 9AM to 5PM Seattle time to hear exclusive live performances from HAERTS, Eleanor Friedberger, The Dismemberment Plan and Ghost Wave.
It’s time again for Friday on My Mind, our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5. Today, Mick Jagger celebrates his 70th birthday, so we’re looking at our favorite videos from The Rolling Stones.
LCD Soundsystem is back! James Murphy and company emerge from early retirement with their fourth studio album (and first in seven years). KEXP Music Director Don Yates declares it "a powerful return to form featuring some of Murphy's finest, most deeply felt songwriting with anxiety-fueled lyrics r…
If you’ve spent any time on social media lately or keep up with music news in general, you’ve probably heard people talk about NFTs. Non-fungible tokens, they’re called, and their rise is linked to the world of cryptocurrency. While they’re not an entirely new phenomenon, as digital artists and eve…
The Afternoon Show's Larry Mizell Jr. hosts a panel alongside some of his daytime DJ colleagues – The Morning Show's John Richards, The Midday Show's Cheryl Waters, and Drive Time's Kevin Cole and Riz Rollins. Throughout their conversation, the DJs reminiscence about the station's early days as KCM…
During her latest session in the KEXP Live Room, Laura Marling speaks of her music in film metaphors when describing her new record, Semper Femina, to Cheryl Waters. The London songwriter's sixth LP has all the touches of a classic film, filed in with rich scenery (a tight, expansive band) an…
