Throughout Okkervil River's in-studio session, frontman Will Sheff keeps breaking into giggles. And if you look closely around the room, you'll see plastic action figures perched on the keyboard or suspended from the mic stand. It's that sense of childlike wonder that Sheff taps into for the band's…
With a name like Dog Mountain, how could you ever fail? The Bellingham indie rock quartet doesn't need the name as a crutch -- they match both the majesty of mountains and dogs by crafting powerful, tastefully arranged guitar-heavy tracks that aptly blend the band's humor with their own introspecti…
This year brought us unforgettable artists and albums. KEXP highlights 24 gems from 2024 in Latin American alternative music. From Alcalá Norte's rebellious debut redefining Spanish rock to Amaro Freitas' jazz homage to the Amazon, Ana Tijoux's long-awaited Vida, and Verraco's electrifying and futu…
Every time a Little Big Show happens, our accomplishments seem to get bigger and better. Our must recent show, at Neptune Theatre last Friday, marks the fourteenth occasion on which Starbucks, STG, and KEXP have put their heads together to line up a crazy good show. And not only that - like all oth…
It's surely no coincidence that a couple of these new releases came out on the eve of the 2016 Presidential Election. Veteran Chicago rapper Common shares his 11th full-length, an album KEXP's Music Director Don Yates calls, "a powerful set of politically charged hip hop with gritty, cinematic, sou…
We've got new music to share from Seattle's own Car Seat Headrest (aka Will Toledo): check out the single "Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales" from their upcoming release Teens of Denial, out May 20th on Matador. It's the first CSH album recorded in a studio with a full-band, and Toledo lucked out to get…
Last month, in a powerful, heartfelt and sonically stirring set live in the KEXP studio, Israel Nash and his band had given it their all... well, just about all, anyway. The Dripping Springs, Texas-based musician and his band re-entered our studio shortly after their live session was over and pract…
A "rain plan" is practically unknown in the Northwest. It rains here too frequently, but rarely fervently, for anyone to need that kind of contingency. Instead, for us rain plans are active ones, scenarios for doing and being. Maybe that's why Israel Nash's 2014 album, Rain Plans, gripped us so fir…
The second act up for our live streaming broadcast from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves was rock and post-punk band Börn. They have a darker, gloomier sound influenced by the Icelandic punk movement of the 80s. Lead singer Alexandra is a total badass. She came adorned in black lipstick, a bright gre…
The local four-piece that calls "Earth" its hometown, The Comettes have honed the sound born in the 1980's - that distorted, etherial, big-voiced rock - and made it their own here and now in 2014. Think: David Byrne, Lou Reed or even Pearl Jam if you slowed down the tape a bit. The band released th…
For over twelve years now (not to mention the many years of hard-work they spent playing on the streets of Mexico City and Dublin to perfect their sound), guitar-wielders Rodrigo y Gabriela have been consistently cranking out classical improvisations, maintaining a steady sound while redefining wha…
With her otherworldly voice, it's hard to pinpoint where songwriter Cameron Mesirow, better as Glasser, is from. Upon first listen to her ethereal electronic sounds and acrobatic soprano voice, you might be inclined to guess she's from Iceland, but the L.A. artist actually just relocated to New Yor…
Noise-rock duo Stagnant Pools have been compared to the likes of Sonic Youth and Disappears, but they truly have a flavor all their own. Bryan and Douglass Enas are recent graduates of Indiana University that are using this exciting time in their lives to make a dream a reality. The brothers have t…
Iron and Wine, the music project of singer/songwriter Samuel Beam, delivers simple, folk ballads that evoke powerful complex emotions. With each album Beam seems to be reinventing himself; from the minimalistic, soulful melodies of The Creek Drank the Cradle and Our Endless Numbered Days to the mor…
This Saturday, KEXP is heading down to Waterfront Park to "Rock the Dock" with a lineup with acts from all around the Northwest. This FREE, all-ages event includes performances from Portland punks The Thermals, Seattle's power-pop enthusiasts Bread & Butter, versatile Seattle songwriter Jenn Ch…
Eagles of Death Metal have returned to Paris for the first time since the November 18 terror attacks. Last night, during a U2 concert, Bono welcomed EODM to the stage, saying, "They were robbed of their stage three weeks ago. We would like to offer them ours tonight." Together they performed a cov…
Ugh, not again: another beloved local musician has been the victim of theft. Producer/musician extraordinaire Erik Blood had his South Seattle studio robbed yesterday. He reports on Facebook, "The thieves attempted to remove the door to the studio, but were only able to pry it open a small amount,…
The New Pornographers have always had a knack for explosive, shining melodies, but after two relatively experimental, more mellow albums, they've returned to playing to their strengths – multi-part harmonies and agile, punchy performances – on their new album, Brill Bruisers. The Vancouver supergro…
At last year's Decibel Festival, as part of the Optical series, there was a live scoring to an incredibly absurdly spliced film from the 70s, unfortunately missing this year. Luckily, Optical 4 made up for it, featuring the doom electro-acoustics of London duo Raime, the terrifying ambient textures…
