Can you believe it's been eight years since DJ Cheryl Waters first kicked off her now-annual Canada Day show? Even our friends at the Canadian consulate are tuning in, like Consulate General James K. Hill (right) who stopped by the station to chat with Cheryl about the Great White North! “There is …
Vancouver, BC-based multi-instrumentalist and electronic producer Pomo (real name David Pimentel) has skyrocketed over the past couple years to become a standout figure within a crowd of young artists adding a fresh and colorful slant to club music. Recently joining the likes of Kaytranada, Ta-Ku, …
American treasure Willie Dixon would have turned 100 this year. As it seems must be the case with even the most revered and successful blues musicians, his life had its highs and lows; sometimes those were two sides of the same coin, from having his songs covered by some of the most popular bands i…
Boston punk band The Real Kids had a surprise hit in 1977 with the track "All Kindsa Girls," and now all-girl trio Ex Hex give it a modern spin with their rendition, shared below. Lead vocalist Mary Timony described it to NME as, "just a great song, the kind of song that you wish you wrote." The c…
Five years ago, Italian songwriter/producer, Mauro Remiddi had a watershed moment. While tinkering away on the personal projects, he would record at home during time off from other bands and thought, “What if I opened the door of this room I’m in and let people see?” Luckily for us he did, and Porc…
If you've ever wanted to put Nick Cave in your pocket, now's your chance! LA-based toy company Plasticgod will release six different variations of a mini-figurine based on the iconic frontman, each named after a different song of his. Just check out the detail in the "Red Right Hand" model! Each l…
Last week, three generations of Northwest rock converged to shake the dust off the walls of Seattle's venerable Moore Theatre. Headlining the night, Tacoma band The Sonics, celebrated the release of their first album in 48 years, which, if you've been hearing us spin it regularly on KEXP, sounds li…
As if she could: Sharon Van Etten has announced a new EP, titled I Don’t Want to Let You Down. The 5-track release will feature four new songs, along with a live version of the song "Tell Me" off last year's stunning release Are We There. Check out the EP's title track below. I Don’t Want to Let Y…
Swedish artist Lykke Li shares a video as dark and lonely as the track itself: watch the clip for "Never Gonna Love Again" below, from last year's I Never Learn. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she explains, "Loneliness and heartbreak follow you everywhere and they are loudest right after the …
Another Seattle institution is shutting its doors this month: after fourteen years, Capitol Hill venue Chop Suey will close on January 20th. The club will celebrate itself this Sunday, January 18th with an amazing line-up including Tacocat, Pony Time, Wimps, Kithkin, Chastity Belt, Deep Creep, Univ…
Björk fans, prepare to get violently happy: the iconic Icelandic pixie announced last night that she'll be releasing her ninth studio album, Vulnicura, this March. In a handwritten note posted online late last night, she shared the track listing. The release will be her first album in four years, …
Next year, HBO will broadcast a "fully authorized" Kurt Cobain documentary. Montage of Heck, named after a Cobain mixtape from the 80s, will feature great amounts of previously unheard material. According to a press release, filmmaker Brett Morgen has "no-holds-barred access to Kurt Cobain’s archi…
It's no wonder people can't help but use fiery rhetoric when describing Angel Olsen and her new album, Burn Your Fire For No Witness. Whether they're referring to the heated passion of her lyrics, her smokey voice or occasionally scorching melodies, listeners can't help notice the bright quality sh…
Last week, we suggested Pickathon as a must-do this summer. The Portland-area festival is announcing its 2014 lineup this month, revealing just a few bands each day. This morning, they've announced the return of Parquet Courts, a favorite of KEXP listeners and DJs in 2013, and one of last year's hi…
It's been six years, but a new album from Beck is finally here. KEXP's Music Director, Don Yates, describes his twelfth studio album, Morning Phase, as "a gorgeous set of downtempo, psych-tinged folk-pop that’s a sequel of sorts to his 2002 album Sea Change, with somber, slow-moving songs featuring…
We've been hearing a lot about 2014 releases, but Third Man Records is already talkin' about 2015 -- that's when the new album from The Dead Weather comes out. Can't wait that long? The supergroup of Jack White, Alison Mosshart of the Kills, Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age, and Jack Lawren…
Australian electronic experimentalists Severed Heads officially called it quits in 2008, after almost thirty years, but they are the first band I've covered in this series that not only has a functioning, relatively up to date website, but has their own Bandcamp page where you can buy their entire …
This week we celebrate the 15th year of one of Seattle’s favorite hometown labels: Barsuk Records! Since its birth in 1998, Barsuk has helped create a platform for dozens of great bands, from the Pacific northwest and otherwise, to get off the ground and put forth incredible music. Even in the deca…
This week we celebrate the 15th year of one of Seattle’s favorite hometown labels: Barsuk Records! Since its birth in 1998, Barsuk has helped create a platform for dozens of great bands, from the Pacific northwest and otherwise, to get off the ground and put forth incredible music. Even in the deca…
This week we celebrate the 15th year of one of Seattle’s favorite hometown labels: Barsuk! Since its birth in 1998, Barsuk has helped create a platform for dozens of great bands, from the Pacific northwest and otherwise, to get off the ground and put forth incredible music. Even in the decade and a…
