For over twelve years now (not to mention the many years of hard-work they spent playing on the streets of Mexico City and Dublin to perfect their sound), guitar-wielders Rodrigo y Gabriela have been consistently cranking out classical improvisations, maintaining a steady sound while redefining wha…
Amazingly, Bear Hands have been around since 2006, but haven't gained the recognition they deserve until relatively recently. Before re-locating to Brooklyn's lush music scene, the band suffered through a falling-out and the loss of their first manager. But, despite their ups and downs, their singl…
It's fitting that the Arts in Nature Festival is where Cloud Cult planted the seed. Their concert last summer inside the Lodge at Seattle's Camp Long marked the first time the the Minnesota band went fully acoustic. They had recently rearranged songs spanning their entire catalog for what would bec…
Dum Dum Girls are no fools. The NYC group combines fashionable urban chic with a deadly cool to a devastating effect, and they approach music the same way. On their third album and latest album, Too True (which we adoringly reviewed here), Dum Dum Girls mastermind Dee Dee Penny filters girl band po…
It's surely no coincidence that a couple of these new releases came out on the eve of the 2016 Presidential Election. Veteran Chicago rapper Common shares his 11th full-length, an album KEXP's Music Director Don Yates calls, "a powerful set of politically charged hip hop with gritty, cinematic, sou…
Taking us into the rainy Reykjavik night is a hard-hitting set live at KEX Hostel from Icelandic psych-rockers Singapore Sling. Though the band was formed in 2000, founder Henrik Björnsson had been writing their songs for years before. He made some 8-track demos on his own, and then put the band to…
KEXP was lucky to host an in-studio session with Okkervil River over the weekend. If you missed it, here's a consolation prize: a new video for the track "Judey on a Street" off their recently released eighth full-length, Away. Director Gabrielle Demeestere captures actor Steven Ogg, meandering th…
When you talk about independent radio stations that have championed Northwest music, you'd be remiss to leave out Olympia's KAOS 89.3 FM. A hybrid of community radio and college radio with nearby Evergreen State College, KAOS has been a massive force in spotlighting artists outside of the mainstrea…
SIFF is bringing I Am The Blues to Seattle this weekend, and it is well worth a look. Bobby Rush lays out his life story as he returns to the Blue Front Cafe in Mississippi and a reunion gig in Louisiana. Watching him travel The South and greet friends like Lazy Lester, Henry Gray, Barbara Lynn, an…
With his new album Flower Boy in stores now, Tyler, the Creator stopped by the Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night. Watch as the west coast rapper grabs Colbert's butt, does his interview wearing boxers, and then performs the album track "911" with Steve Lacy of The Internet. (You can keep up…
Ask any musician who's made the rather courageous attempt to take their career seriously and they'll tell you how confusing and complicated the music industry is. Especially in 2017, where the rules are changing at a near-constant speed in an effort to keep up with technology. it can be easy to thr…
Saying goodbye is hardly ever easy. Seattle's been lucky enough to be home to surf-pop band Tangerine over the past few years, watching them grow from their jangly debut EP Pale Summer to last year's self-assured and vibrant Sugar Teeth. They've been easy to latch onto from the start, giving a ray …
Next Tuesday, June 13th, journey to the land of the midnight sun as the Iceland-based trio Moji & the Midnight Sons lights the skies of the Laser Dome at Pacific Science Center. We were thrilled to discover this blues-rocking US/Icelandic trio while at Iceland Airwaves last years, and even more…
Word of Chris Cornell's death late Wednesday night was a blow to the music community, but for Seattle it feels even more personal. Cornell was a cornerstone artist for the Northwest. From Soundgarden to Temple of the Dog and Audioslave to his solo work, Cornell helped define the "Seattle sound" wit…
UK trio alt-J stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in support of their upcoming release, Relaxer. Watch them perform the track "In Cold Blood" with house band The Roots helping out. Relaxer is out June 2nd via Canvasback. alt-J will be LIVE on KEXP on Sunday, April 23rd; catch them li…
Windy City singer/songwriter Ryley Walker shares his third album this week, which KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls, "his strongest and most sophisticated set to date, combining fluid guitar lines, intricate rhythms and elliptical lyrics on expansive songs that masterfully blend elements of folk-…
Hamilton, Ontario vocalist and electronic producer Jessy Lanza has emerged as a thrilling contemporary artist with her cutting-edge fusion of progressive electronic rhythms, ethereal R&B vibes, and experimental synth-pop sensibilities. Her new sophomore album, Oh No, recently released on the la…
Pioneering hip-hop trio De La Soul share another new track from their forthcoming full-length, and the Anonymous Nobody…. Check out the single "Drawn" below, featuring special guests Little Dragon. Their ninth album hits stores on August 26th, and on that very day, KEXP will go 3 Feet High & R…
7/14 update: The GoFundMe has since been removed. Soulful singer/songwriter Shawn Smith has come across bad times. The vocalist for Pigeonhed, Brad, and Satchel, to name a few, is currently "homeless" (i.e. he has temporary housing, but friends aren't sure how long that will last). A longtime frie…
