It's been a few years since we've heard from Denver band DeVotchKa, and in that time they've been doing the usual - you know, gardening, making babies, growing beards, writing ballets - just not releasing new material... at least not yet. Between occasional shows and a handful of concerts with the …
Joe Jackson has never been an easy artist to pin down. His first album's lean, edgy, punk-leaning pop sound has aged incredibly well and influenced a thousand bands (without Look Sharp!, I maintain, there is no Spoon), but over the 35-plus years since then he has constantly played with different fo…
What a great way to kick off 2015: our very first in-studio session of the year was with Canadian musical craftsmen Dan Mangan + Blacksmith. On his fourth album, Club Meds, out now on Arts & Crafts, the Juno Award-winning singer/songwriter expands into new sonic soundscapes with his band, Black…
The guys from ADHD keep busy with a multitude of projects, but that's not to say they distract easily. In fact, since forming on a whim in 2008, this award-winning Icelandic super-group of sorts has produced five albums of expressive avant jazz. But still, bringing brothers Óskar and Ómar Guðjónsso…
Easily one of this year's biggest breakouts, FKA twigs is no mere singer, songwriter, or dancer. She's all those things, actually, plus a director, a producer and much more. In fact, it's twigs' ability to combine all of those elements into a multi-sensory feast of performance art that has propelle…
It's true: Sleater-Kinney are back! The beloved Northwest trio went on hiatus in 2006, but will release their eighth full-length album, No Cities to Love, on January 20th via Sub Pop. Get a sneak peek with the lyric video to the first single "Bury Our Friends," featuring director/actor Miranda Jul…
Forget the big sales and weekend trips, KEXP spends Labor Day at Bumbershoot every year, where once again we returned to the "secret space" of the Music Lounge to present 14 exclusive live sessions with many KEXP listener favorites, including an otherworldly set of live and electronic instrumentati…
What's the best thing about the Seattle band Country Lips? Is it their name? Maybe. Is it their traditional Americana music? Getting close... Is it that they get people to dance and dance often? Yes! In a city not known for it's folk music, accordion playing and hip shaking, Country Lips bring the …
Last night, Beck finally performed his first concert of material from last year's full sheet music album, Song Reader. Franz Ferdinand, the Staves, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jarvis Cocker, and so many more joined him on stage in London. Check out the performances below (click on the next link for more…
You won't find many wallflowers growing among the hills and dales of Scotland. Even in their quieter moments, Scots tend to go big. Witness Glasgow band Frightened Rabbit, who on their latest album, Pedestrian Verse, play "folk rock" at its most anthemic. The impassioned lads are no strangers to KE…
The Seattle International Film Festival has had a succulent series of movies based on sounds for a while, sponsored by KEXP and called Face The Music. Whether they be documentaries or fictional narratives or band concerts or somewhere in between, up to a dozen independent and/or international films…
It seems like forever ago that Toro Y Moi were lumped in with the chillwave movement, but across the last four years and three albums, Chaz Bundick’s music and (and it’s four person live incarnation) have gradually evolved into something bigger than a blogosphere-darling bedroom project: a fully-fl…
After spending days in a hundred year old barn in upstate New York Widowspeak is back with a new album Almanac - and now we can listen to "The Dark Age" from said album. Helped by Kevin McMahon who has worked with Real Estate and Swans, the new songs from the album feature stronger guitar riffs whi…
Before legendary soul singer Sharon Jones died last year from pancreatic cancer, she recorded a final album with the Dap-Kings. Today the album has been officially announced and the lead single has been shared. The LP is called Soul Of A Woman and will be out November 17 via Daptone. The single is …
Former Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto has shared her take on Tommy James & The Shondells' 1968 song "I'm Alive." Ditto said of the cover: "Being alive is radical right now. So let's live!" Ditto released her solo debut Fake Sugar last year. Catch Ditto at the Showbox on Thursday, March 29. [ SPIN…
Kendrick Lamar has unveiled his cinematic new video for "LOVE" off of this year's instant-classic DAMN. Directed by frequent collaborator Dave Meyers and the Little Homies (aka Lamar and TDE president Dave Free), the video cuts between a number of different scenes but overall follows the dissolutio…
In an episode of Music that Matters that doubles as a showcase for some of the region's most notable rock, electronic, and hip-hop outfits, Audioasis host Sharlese highlights thirteen of the Pacific Northwestern acts playing this year's edition of Bumbershoot, a music and arts festival that takes …
It's winter in Seattle and although the sun is scarce, the music continues to shine at KEXP. Midday Show host Cheryl Waters brings you a new mix with some early 2015 tracks along with a handful of faves from last year. Dig in and enjoy! 1. Low Roar - Easy Way Out 2. Wye Oak - The Tower 3. Dam Gi…
