photo by Hyperballad Productions Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription . This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured song, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, is “Friends + Enemies” by Freedom Fry from the 2013 self-released EP Friends + Enemies . Freedom Fry - Friends + Enemies ( MP3 ) [...]
Photo by Brittney Bollay The Dodos have announced a new album, Carrier, which will be out on August 27th, and they've shared "Confidence" from that album. Carrier follows the loss of guitarist Christopher Reimer , who joined The Dodos in 2011. Singer Meric Long revealed that Reimer was a big musical influence for him, “seeing how he could transform and shape sound with an electric guitar inspired me to explore more tones and use those tones to begin writing a song.” [ Pitchfork ] [...]
Mistaken For Strangers Directed by Tom Berninger (USA, 2013, 92 minutes) Festival Screenings: Monday, May 20, 7 PM at The Egyptian Tuesday, May 21, 4 PM at The Egyptian “You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends,” goes the lyric in The Nationals’ song “Mistaken For Strangers.” The first verse of the track from their sublime 2008 album, Boxer , also contains these lines: “you don't mind seeing yourself in a picture / as long as you look faraway, as long as you look [...]
photo by Bebe Besch Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription . This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured song, selected by Morning Show host John Richards, is “Sterile” by youryoungbody from the 2013 self-released EP Kurokabi . youryoungbody – Sterile ( MP3 ) Known for eerie [...]
photo by Dave Lichterman Holy Ghost! have shared the lead single off their upcoming album, Dynamics . "Dumb Disco Ideas" is a snappy dance number, but the video features their instruments, an eight minute light show, and little else. If you can't wait to hear more from these guys, the synthpop duo are performing at Sasquatch! this month. [ Pitchfork ] To promote their successful album, Hummingbird [...]
While we're all waiting for the warm weather to officially take hold (we've been given an enticingly cruel taste of it here in Northwest), Vampire Weekend has created the perfect summer album to fuel your anticipation. At times wistfully nostalgic, percolatingly peppy and even fiercely energetic, Modern Vampires of the City is undoubtedly one of the best albums of the year so far. KEXP Music Director, Don Yates, calls the NYC band's third album their "most mature and musically adventurous release to date" with its "impressive variety of beautifully crafted, intricately detailed songs with imaginative arrangements [...]
London-based group The Veils stopped by KEXP for a live session rich in gorgeous textures and thoughtful, lyrical compositions. Immediately, even before bandleader Finn Andrews' vocals begin, the joyous production strikes listeners via jaunty piano runs, bright brass melodies, and lively guitar rhythms. “Turn from the rain for all the good it's done,” sings Andrews. “Turn from the rain you might as well have gone through. I try my hand at another wall. All things must pass that stand beneath this song.” Despite their varying movements, from controlled cacophony to cobble-stone-street-grabbing sparseness, The Veils's songs ascend with such [...]
photo by Agnes Thor Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription . This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Every Friday, we feature a song by a Northwestern artis. Today’s song comes from Brooklyn electronic band Small Black . "Free At Dawn" is the lead single off their new record Limits of Desire , out today on Jagjaguwar. Small Black - [...]
photo via Pitchfork Daft Punk are shamelessly promoting the release of their upcoming record Random Access Memories in this futuristic, sci-fi teaser. The video, aptly titled "Random Access Memories Unboxed," features robotic entities unwrapping the new album and playing it on their conveniently old-school record player. Take a look, you'll even hear the first few seconds of their song "Give Life Back To Music." [ Pitchfork ] [...]
A Band Called Death Directed by Jeff Howlett (USA, 2012, 98 minutes) Festival screenings: Saturday, May 18, 3:00 PM at SIFF Cinema Uptown Tuesday, May 28, 9:00 PM at SIFF Cinema Uptown If you’re craving a newly-rediscovered musical artist story as rocking, surprising, exciting, and heart-pouncing as last year’s Searching for Sugar Man, this SIFF you have the documentary A Band Called Death . Just like the who-the-hell-knows-what’s-go ing-to-happen-next saga of Rodriguez, the tale of this mid-70s Detroit [...]
Adult Swim has been on a roll with music lately. If you recognize the name at all, most know Adult Swim from their late night spot on Cartoon Network, giving home to cult classic TV like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, and Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job!, and also ridiculous parodies including Childrens Hospital and NTSF:SD:SUV. But last year, Adult Swim curated an excellent Singles Program , giving viewers a free compilation of 13 exclusive singles from some fantastic names on the indie scene, including Wye Oak, Wavves, Flying [...]
Daughter is among the many must-see bands this week photo by Dave Lichterman A great list of shows ahead. Highlights of the week include The Black Angels at Neptune Theatre on Monday night, along with what could prove to be a very interesting Brings Our Sonics Back rally with Geo, Nacho Picasso, Grynch, Dyme Def, Jarv Dee, Tilson, Sam Lachow & Raz Simone, Neema, DJ Nphared and Hosted by Shawn Kemp at Neumos. On Tuesday night, Of Monsters and Men return to Seattle and play the Paramount [...]
photo by Brittney Bollay Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription . This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured song, selected by Morning Show host John Richards, is "Fireflies” by Still Corners from the 2013 album Strange Pleasures on Sub Pop . Still Corners - Fireflies ( MP3 ) [...]
In the summer of 2009, if you had only one dance tune to soundtrack your adventures to day and night, you could do a lot worse than Classixx tune "I'll Get You". With a gloriously upbeat vibe and Jeppe Laursen of Junior Senior on the joyful bass-loving vocals, "I'll Get You" was a song you could put on infinite repeat and still dance to it on the 200th listen. But alas, the release was minimal, and we didn't see any new original material from the band for a while. Sure, there was [...]
photo by Renata Steiner Ever since their first show in December 2008, Fitz and the Tantrums have established themselves as one of the hardest working bands on the circuit today. In between the release of their 2010 debut Pickin' Up The Pieces and their sophomore record, More Than Just A Dream (out this week!), the Los Angeles soul sextet embarked on multiple international tours, criss-crossing North America a few times over in the process. After road testing some of the new material last year (including multiple stops in Seattle), the [...]
photo by Jim Bennett RNDM - the side project of Joseph Arthur, Richard Stuverud, and Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament - performed their song "Disappearing Acts" on Conan last night. Their performance felt like it was straight out of the 50s, complete with doowop hairstyles (wigs?) and very dapper suits. It was even filmed in black and white. It's supposed to feel vintage, message received. [ CoS ] Eric [...]
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosphere hopes to pull back the curtain on a wealth of sights and sound from luminaries such as Loren Connors . [For all the name dropping and fringe discussions concerning Loren Connors , it is amazing this is the first solo LP I’ve brought to Agitated Atmosphere.] [...]
photo by Dave Lichterman 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. Mother’s Day falls on this Sunday, May 12th. Mother’s Day is not celebrated on the same day throughout the world. Since the 16th century, Mothering Sunday has been celebrated on the 4th Sunday in Lent over in the UK. Throughout various locations throughout the world, celebrations of motherhood can take place during other months, with [...]
photo by Bebe Labree Besch Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Every Friday, we feature a song by a Northwestern artis. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “I Need Something Different” by Seattle's Stone Gossard from the 2013 album Moonlander on Monkeywrench . Stone Gossard - [...]
If he weren't so dead-set on making music that could be deemed as capital "A" art, Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox could be a very good rock star. He's outspoken, audacious, practically writes his own headlines, and is absolutely impossible to look away from when he brings his A-game ( and, occasionally, when he doesn't ). So maybe it should come as a surprise that Monomania , the Georgia quintet's sixth studio album, is their most accessible and amibitious album yet, and maybe it shouldn't. Since [...]
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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Can’t Hold us (Major Lazer Remix)
New album: Washed Out
MP3: The Melker Project – “G-Shock Mini Mix”
