What happens when you strip away the feedback and distortion that defines a genre like shoegaze? Without all the fuzz, what of value remains? In the case of British band Ride, apparently quite a lot. Somewhat like shaving a cat only to find a bigger one underneath, we discovered during an acoustic session with principle Ride songwriters Andy Bell and Mark Gardener that their classic songs seem even more potent unplugged. Live in the Fabryka Porcelany Śląskiej, the historic porcelain factory in Katowice, Poland, the duo performed this special seven-song set for KEXP before their fully electric (and electrifying) show on the main stage of the OFF Festival this summer. This fall, you won't need to travel so far to see them, as Ride is fully reunited and touring the U.S. and the U.K. to mark the 25th Anniversary edition of their debut LP, Nowhere. Catch them in Seattle at the Neptune Theatre on November 16 and right now in this special set:
There is much to agree about when it comes to Sutari - the intricacy of their compositions, the appeal of their stage presence, the aptness of their found instruments and the relevance today of the traditional songs they play. Even their name implies accord. "Sutarti", the Lithuanian word that lend…
Some artists write songs about themselves, pulling facts from their lives in hopes of finding some mutual truths that can connect with their audience. Others create more from their imagination, searching for the universal within the abstract. Still even more operate in a sort of grey area between t…
Among the Polish artists we discovered during the recordings KEXP captured while at the OFF Festival in Katowice, Poland, perhaps none better exemplifies the country's musical diversity as Olo Walicki. The Gdansk-born composer, performer and bass player has recorded many albums of his own throughou…
