New York based Freelance Whales may have gotten their start playing on subway platforms in 2008, but now they are one of the most critically acclaimed indie rock bands in years. Judah Dadone, Doris Cellar, and company stopped by the KEXP studio in October to play some tracks off of their Diluvia al…
Thurston Moore has nothing to prove after decades spent as part of one of the most influential bands of all time, Sonic Youth. The guitarist, singer, and songwriter has long been worshiped by SY fans and adored by critics as Sonic Youth evolved from brash indie upstarts in the 80s, to semi-commerc…
Though he'd been playing a variety instruments and styles for years, Oakland music Luis Vasquez never intended his current project, The Soft Moon, to catch on. A true bedroom project, The Soft Moon was originally meant to be a device of self-exploration, a spelunking of the depths, as it were, of V…
It's hard to think of another band that has not only lasted as long as but has also never lost their knack for sonic adventure like Yo La Tengo. After nearly 30 years, and through 13 studio albums and who knows how many singles and EPs, the Hoboken, NJ, trio still sounds like no one else, even with…
You should expect chaos when a world full of musicians enters your room. Even as the live session began, the twelve members of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros were still scrambling to find their place and check their tuning. But it fits their neo-hippy vibe. After all, long before Josh Tillm…
We're always excited to feature Oklahoma singer-songwriter, vintage rock and roller JD McPherson any time he comes to town. Not only was he one of the highlights of our SXSW broadcast, but he and his smoking-hot band tore up the KEXP studio this past summer. Right now, JD is celebrating the holiday…
In the lead up to Dave Depper's performance at the KEXP stage, we mentioned quite a few times on this blog how he's known to be a utility player for a number of bands -- most notably joining Death Cab for Cutie as a full-time member. However, his performance at the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Fest…
"This is an instrumental about weed," Acapulco Lips bassist Maria-Elena Juarez said pointedly as the band started their set at the KEXP stage. It got giggles at first, but the second they started leaning into their psych-meets-surf jam, the laughter turned into dancing and some serious vibing. It w…
It's easy to lose context with how massive grunge was in the early '90s. Bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana are so ubiquitous with the region at this point that it's hard to imagine what the Northwest was like before they came barreling through with heavy punk riffs with lots and lots o…
Just when you thought festival season was over with Bumbershoot, another one has jumped in right before the buzzer. This means you've got one more shot to enjoy free outdoor music before the cold weather kicks in. This Sunday, September 17th, Lyft will host their first annual Lyft Fest at the Seatt…
Next on our video stream live from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves was Colombian-Canadian musician Lido Pimienta. The queer-identified musician, visual artist, and curator blends Afro-Colombian and indigenous music with experimental electro-pop. Her first album “Color” was released in 2010 (KUDETA),…
For many of us who grew up in the punk era, the sound of the Sex Pistols -- that power, energy, propelled by a sneer -- was life-changing. For me, it was those guitar chords. That sound -- copied over and over by legions of guitarists since -- changed my life on a cold, sunny day in a Victorian hou…
Carla Sariñana joins Sound & Vision to discuss her reaction to the news about Burger Records and how labels have a duty to proactively prevent misconduct, the issue of gender-based violence and femicide in Mexico, the sexualized marketing of women in the music industry, and more.
The Irish band Fontaines D.C. just released a new album, A Hero’s Death. Frontman Grian Chatten shares the stories behind the title of the album and the final track, “No," and explains how the sea inspires his music.
Pitchfork published an article last week titled, “What it’s Like to Be Black in Indie Music.” Its author, Matthew James-Wilson, talks about his personal experience in the scene as well as what he gathered from various musicians he interviewed for the story.
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Marshall Law Band has been the de-facto house band for the ongoing Seattle protests that began following the death of George Floyd. The band is out with a new album, 12th and Pine, representing their experience at the heart of the protests and the resounding messages they carry.
Harpist and composer Nailah Hunter released her debut EP, Spells, in May of this year. She discusses how her music is an act of magical healing, her fascination with mythology, the importance of rest, and her choice to remain soft amidst the hard realities of 2020.
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Nearly two years ago, Toronto’s Royal Mountain Records became what might be the first label to offer a mental health fund for its artists. Label founder Menno Versteeg discusses why musicians may be more likely to struggle with mental health, why the industry should support them, and ultimately why…
Iceland’s Sigur Rós recently released their first album in seven years, titled Odin’s Raven Magic. Much of the project sounds like something out of Medieval times. Bassist Georg Holm talks about the apocalyptic story behind the Norse Mythology poem that inspired the project, and how it resonates to…
