There are very few artists who can pull off what Stephin Merritt did this night at Benaroya Hall: a 26-song set with the song titles performed alphabetically, from A ("Andrew in Drag") to Z ("Zombie Boy"). Songs were culled from his extensive catalog of not only his most well-known project, The Mag…
Seattle Center was the place to be last Friday night as Brooklyn band A Place to Bury Strangers brought a sonic thunder to the Mural Amphitheatre stage. As you can see from the photos below, it was an explosive performance! Local trio Wimps kicked off the evening, and Portland's Matt Drenik brought…
If you’ve seen any of their paper ads or television commercials this year, Bumbershoot's marketing slogan goes along the lines of “Possibly the most amazing lineup in the universe”. Roll your eyes if you must, but we think Bumbershoot isn’t too far off the mark. This year brings one of the best sch…
Considering the members' other projects, Filthy Friends' collective resume is completely stacked - having Corin Tucker, Peter Buck, and Scott McCaughey in your ranks will do that - but it's remarkable how loose and low-stakes this performance of ripping guitars and pounding drums so…
Beach Fossils have done a lot of growing in the past couple years. Their 2010 self-titled debut was pleasing to the ear and to the heart with it's quiet, introverted finesse. But in 2011, by trimming some lo-fi fat off their tracks, they created a timeless experience with the What A Pleasure EP. Su…
For the past 12 year, EMP's Sound Off! battle of the bands competition has helped many young artists in the Northwest realize their dreams. Quite a few -- like The Lonely Forest, Kithkin, Dyme Def, Brite Futures, Sol, Tomten, and many others -- have gone on to reach wider acclaim and even regular r…
This week, Seattle electronic duo NAVVI returns with “In Gold”/”Polychrome”, the first new, original material we’ve seen from them since the II EP of last fall, and some of their strongest work yet. NAVVI introduced themselves to us only two short years ago with “Weekends”, and since that minimal, …
Fisherman's Village Music Festival — you had us at The Helio Sequence, hook, line, and sinker. The Helio Sequence always deliver an amazing show, and this one promises to be extra special, as it's days before the Portland duo release a new record and hit the road for a national tour. New music abou…
At KEXP, we like to brag a little bit that we were among the first radio stations to express undying love for HAERTS. After "Wings" dropped at the beginning of 2013 and we put it on repeat for weeks, we knew we had to grab them later in the year at CMJ. But just a few weeks ago, HAERTS finally emba…
It's only been, what, 9 years? And the Pixies have a new track! Titled "Bagboy" and with a video that shows exactly how the titular bag boy has fun in life, the track is round-about kicker. "I get no satisfaction from your recent sightings" the song goes, before the guitars jump in with an off-kilt…
Take off those toupées: it's annual Be Bald and Be Free Day, a day to celebrate those shiny domes of yours! Although, now that I think about it... isn't everyday "Be Bald and Be Free Day"? You must save so much money not having to buy shampoo, conditioner, mousse, hairspray, straightening irons, bl…
February kicks off with plenty of new music for you to love, including the debut from Nevermen, a super group featuring TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, Faith No More's Mike Patton, and rapper Doseone. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls the release "an adventurous blend of avant-rock, hip hop, so…
The 2015 Concerts at the Mural series kicked off with record-breaking attendance last Friday, August 1st at Seattle Center's Mural Amphitheater. It helped that, not only was the weather beautiful, but the line-up was just as hot. Families, friends, and fans gathered on the lawn, enjoying ice cream …
The siblings behind JEFF The Brotherhood are certainly characters, and in the video for the track "In My Mouth" the boys are at the end of their strings. Created, filmed, and edited by Halle Ballard, the clip transforms them into puppets for the track off their latest full-length Wasted On The Dre…
Frontman Britt Daniel lurks inside and out in this video for the Spoon track "Inside Out," off their latest They Want My Soul. The clip, directed by LeBlanc + Cudmore, shows a slow span over surreal scenarios like a robbery, a birthday party, a dancehall brawl, all while Daniel emotes from the bac…
Georgia rock band Of Montreal will drop a brand new album called Aureate Gloom on March 3. The opening track "Bassem Sabry," named after the late Egyptian journalist, serves as a perfectly funky jumping off point for the album. [Pitchfork]
Electronic duo Simian Mobile Disco will drop their fourth studio album on September 9. The entirety of Whorl was recorded live in front of an audience of 900. The purely instrumental, lead single "Tangents" kicks off with powerful percussions that bleed into an ultramodern mix. [CoS]
It may be the 43rd year of the Fremont Fair, but it's the inaugural year for the accompanying Solstice Concert Series! And they're kicking things off in a big way, as only you would expect from the neighborhood that calls itself the "Center of the Universe."
KEXP DJs have had nothing but soaring praise for the latest from British band Elbow, titled The Take Off and Landing of Everything. Music Director Don Yates notes their sixth album "continues in the vein of 2011’s Build A Rocket Boys! with a subdued, downbeat set of atmospheric prog-pop featuring m…
