Gord Downie, founder and frontman for influential Canadian band The Tragically Hip, has passed away at the age of 53. Downie had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer last year, but he didn't let it hold him back, going on to tour that summer in support of the band's 14th studio album Man Machi…
It took ten long years, but eight amazing albums later, KEXP finally got Brooklyn band Woods in our studio. Their most recent release, With Light and With Love, is their strongest yet: the result of two years of writing, and their first-ever time recording in an actual studio. After years of home r…
What kind of music would a futuristic space colony of Seattleites create? Seattle producer Kid Smpl gives us an idea with his pleasantly subtle, weather-infused tracks. The 23 year-old artist has been busy over the last few years, releasing a series of EPs since 2011, along with his debut album, Sk…
London post-punk band Savages made an explosive entrance onto the American scene last year at CMJ (and then this year at SXSW) and have quickly become one of the most anticipated new acts of year. And after witnessing them live for the first time on Seattle soil, all this writer can say is this: no…
Thurston Moore has thrown us for a couple loops in the last couple years, starting with the long-time coming disbandment of Sonic Youth. Arguably one fo the most influential American bands of all time, Sonic Youth have, for many years, had a turbulent air about them, but after 2009's noisy but exce…
KEXP seems to get gayer every year, and this year's Big Gay Podcast, featuring twenty tracks spanning more than 40 years, is no exception. With everything from vintage queer country to an electronic interpretation of a black metal classic, El Toro's 2014 roundup of songs by, for, and about the LGB…
It's the most wonderful time of the year: Record Store Day! Now in its eighth year, this annual event to acknowledge your local independent record shop has become a colossal celebration, now organized in partnership with the Alliance of Independent Media Stores (AIMS) and the Coalition of Independe…
Through 2023, KEXP is celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop. Each week, we'll celebrate a different year in hip-hop with a deep dive into a particular song released that year.
For New Order fans, it has been a long, bitter wait for Lost Sirens. In the almost eight years since the release of Waiting for the Siren's Call, much animosity has plagued the band's ability (or desire) to release any new material or tour together. And really, these are no trivial bickerings - for…
Labor Day weekend is upon us, which in Seattle means Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival! This long-running festival enters its 45th year of music, comedy, literary events, and more at Seattle Center. As we prepare to move into that location ourselves, this year KEXP won't be broadcasting from th…
Despite the recent years of turmoil that almost resulted in a break-up, the beat goes on for Brooklyn band The Drums. Now stripped down to founding members Jonny Pierce and Jacob Graham, it's been a three-year wait for their latest album, Encyclopedia, out now on Minor Records. As Pierce notes hims…
It's only fitting that he's on a record label called Truth & Soul Records, because that's exactly the kind of music the legendary Lee Fields creates. The 63-year-old music veteran is still going strong after 43 years in the business, and his most recent release, Emma Jean, is just as vital as e…
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. Super Bowl Sunday is almost upon us. This year the battle will take place at The MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New…
San Francisco garage rock band Weekend have been doing some serious growth over the last couple years. On their 2010 debut Sports, Weekend gave us an enjoyable, noisy introduction that put them in tune with the scene and its direction. Now, with a couple years under their belt and a fresh batch of …
Danish singer-songwriter MØ is ringing in 2015 with a new song brilliantly titled "New Years Eve." It's a somber song with an impressive bassline. The accompanying music video features a mix of both new and vintage black and white clips. [Stereogum]
Year in and year out, Optical showcases provide a great many of Decibel Festival’s highlights, and Thursday’s showcase, Optical 2, proved an especially diverse and engaging evening of music as Alice Boman, Survive and Max Cooper offered up compelling sets over the program’s three hour runtime.
DJ Alex shines a spotlight on 14 artists performing at this year's 10th annual Decibel Festival, Seattle's premier electronic music and arts event, happening all over the city from September 25th to September 29th! As with years past, tune in to get a taste of this year's massive, diverse internat…
The Los Angeles rapper was 33 years old.
It won't just be the record-breaking temps that make this weekend the hottest of the year so far. Besides the start of KEXP's own Concerts at the Mural series this Friday, down in Happy Valley, Oregon, our friends at Pickathon are at it again. It's always hard to say that "this year" is the best ye…
