It almost goes without saying that anything that Marc Ribot touches turns to gold, and Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog is no exception. Aside from his own prolific solo career, Ribot has worked with captains of industry like Elvis Costello, John Zorn, The Black Keys, plus goes back thirty years and seven …
Not New York City. Not Los Angeles. Lush’s first U.S. show in 20 years was right here in Seattle. The honor was not lost on the hundreds of fans who lined up early outside the venue to get closer to the stage, and who swarmed the merchandise table immediately upon entering The Showbox, like ravenou…
If you had told the DJs at KCMU 25-plus years ago, as they listened to the debut album by the New Jersey rapper known as Queen Latifah, that in 2015 her name would the second thing suggested by Google when you type in "Queen" (just under "Queen Elizabeth"), they would have said "what's Google?" But…
There's lots to love in the record stores this Valentine's Day week, like the aptly titled Hotel Valentine, the first release in fifteen years from New York City duo Cibo Matto. If you're in a more somber mood, check out the album Benji from Sun Kil Moon aka Mark Kozelek (ex-Red House Painters), fe…
Starbucks are at it again with Sweetheart 2014, their annual compilation of artists covering their favorite love songs. This year's romantic roster includes Beck, The Head & the Heart, Vampire Weekend, Phosphorescent, and Jim James, covering Bob Marley, as you can stream below. Sweetheart 2014…
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. This week we have some special holida…
Sometimes, random happenstance can lead to wonderful things - the entire existence of Got A Girl exists as a testament to this. While on set during the filming of the Edgar Wright film adaption of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead got a chance to meet Dan The Automator, w…
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 News. Hey, everybody! The weekend is here and we need to get out in the sun while the sun is still out for gettin’. This week …
Like me, you may be nervous about the prospect of a new Crystal Castles album after the departure of Alice Glass in October of 2014. Alice’s departure came with an excellent statement: “My art and my self-expression in any form has always been an attempt towards sincerity, honesty, and empathy for …
Oklahoma psychedelic freaks The Flaming Lips have never been ones to abide by the norm. But now, we really know there is zero method to their madness. This week, they released patiently awaited, heavily marketed new LP The Terror, along with a previously unmentioned split EP with Oklahoma band Hors…
Beloved Northwest duo The Helio Sequence share a vibrant video for the track "Upward Mobility" off their upcoming self-titled full-length out May 19th on Sub Pop. The clip, directed by Emanuele Kabu, is a fun, animated experience. Watch below. The Helio Sequence will be LIVE on KEXP on Tuesday, Ma…
Our friends at Merge Records are celebrating their 25th Anniversary all year long -- not only with our recent SXSW showcase, a buncha great reissues, and a 25K run, but with Merge 25, a four-day music festival taking place July 23rd through 26th in the label's hometown of Carrboro, NC. They've jus…
In the late 90's, few bands were like Firewater. The NYC band was mixing Balkan folk with contemporary post-punk for sound that would eventually inspire others like Gogol Bordello, Balkan Beat Box, Devotchka and even Beirut. Led by former Cop Shoot Cop frontman Tod A, Firewater became musical world…
Beck has shared a new (but not first) cover of The Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting For The Man," off The Velvet Underground and Nico. The song is for Spotify's "Music Happens Here" series, which has previously included songs from Local Natives, Twin Peaks, and Allen Stone. Beck previously recorde…
In the years I've been doing this series we've talked about Daniel Johnston a couple times, and we've talked about Shimmy Disc many (many, many) times - so isn't it about time we hit both in one post? 1990 was the massively prolific singer-songwriter's first album not to appear under the Stress lab…
For every country music star who seems to pop out of nowhere with a new mega-hit single, too many other talented artists struggle to reach even half the audiences they deserve. It's a sad fact for musicians of all genres, but the ethics of "hard work for little pay" seem particularly true for count…
Last year, we weren't shy about how much we lived the debut record by Divine Fits. The supergroup is led by Britt Daniel of Spoon and Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade, and also features Sam Brown of New Bomb Turks as well as Alex Fischel. Their 2012 LP A Thing Called Divine Fits was beginning to end an …
It's an eclectic mix of new releases this week, including some moody music out of the UK, led by trip-hop pioneer Tricky, whose latest album is, according to our Music Director, Don Yates, "his most focused effort in years" featuring the sounds he's most known for, i.e. "gloomy, mostly downtempo be…
It's real. After teasing fans on and off for the better part of 22 or so years, guitarist/vocalist Kevin Shields has delivered the third full-length My Bloody Valentine album, m b v. (Take a deep breath.) Since its release on Saturday night (which resulted in the cancellation of the evening plans o…
Yesterday, we lost the iconic New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint. The legendary composer, performer and producer passed away at 77 years-old from cardiac arrest in Madrid while on tour. In his life, Toussaint carried the New Orleans R&B traditions of Professor Longhair and others through to …
