The Sasquatch mainstage in the Gorge has a way of elevating great vocal performances even further – ask Bon Iver, The Head and The Heart, or any other vocal powerhouse who's performed on it. Now, Johanna and Klara Söderberg of First Aid Kit can add their names to that list after their beautiful Sat…
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. While doing some internet surfing this week, I learned that tomorrow marks 25 years since A-ha hit #1 on the top 40 char…
Resident Advisor is among the best online magazines for electronic music fans out there since 2001, and their showcase at Decibel Festival was nothing to be messed with. Not only did they pull from local talent, but they are responsible for bringing Actress to Decibel, a feat which was met with a m…
We like to believe Sam Beam is one of our own. Though he hails about as far away as you can get, from South Carolina and later Florida, the first three Iron & Wine albums were released on Seattle's celebrated label Sub Pop. And of course, KEXP was one of the first radio stations to get behind …
Closing out our live video broadcast from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves 2015 was a crazy set from Icelandic post-punk band Æla. Icelandic for "Puke," Æla is known for a raucous live show, with costumes, glitter, and wild antics. Their debut album Synið tillitssemi, eg er fravik was released in 200…
Next on the live video stream from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves Music Festival is Icelandic feminist rap collective Reykjavíkurdætur. Formed in 2013, the name "Reykjavíkurdætur" was a bit of an accident. It was the name of the first song the collective released, and once they were referred to as …
In December 2013, Benjamin Curtis of School of Seven Bells passed away after a battle with T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. This February 2016, his bandmate Alejandra Deheza will release the album SVIIB, featuring parts Curtis recorded before his death. In a post on their website, Deheza writes, "Be…
Die Kreuzen is one of the many bands of the '80s and '90s about whom my principal awareness derives from having seen their records in the bins at my usual Harvard Square haunts (I've always been much more of a browser than a buyer, alas). Since I studied German for all four years of high school, I …
Veteran Tucson-based band Calexico share a video for the track "Tapping on the Line," featuring none other than beloved chanteuse Neko Case on guest vocals. The clip, directed by Jason Roark, was filmed at Portland's Flora Recording & Playback studios during the band's recent tour with The Dec…
KEXP was lucky to host an in-studio session with Okkervil River over the weekend. If you missed it, here's a consolation prize: a new video for the track "Judey on a Street" off their recently released eighth full-length, Away. Director Gabrielle Demeestere captures actor Steven Ogg, meandering th…
Word of Chris Cornell's death late Wednesday night was a blow to the music community, but for Seattle it feels even more personal. Cornell was a cornerstone artist for the Northwest. From Soundgarden to Temple of the Dog and Audioslave to his solo work, Cornell helped define the "Seattle sound" wit…
Sharon Van Etten wrote and recorded a new song inspired by the horrible events of the Pulse Club shooting in Orlando back in June. "Not Myself" is a beautiful and haunting tribute to the victims. Proceeds will go to the gun control nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety. [Pitchfork]In her statement, V…
Well, Day 1 of Decibel Festival was just about spectacular. The festival has never been short on prestige, but this year, festival organizers have really put time and effort into carefully crafting some brilliant programs for each venue each night. Each night, Decibel fest attendees can hit their f…
For almost two years, Cumulus kept the tracks for their debut album hidden. After beginning their songwriting process in 2011, the group, led by singer/guitarist/songwriter Alexandra Niedzialkowski, slowly but surely put the pieces together while recording in Anacortes, WA, with Phil Elverum. The r…
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. This week’s featured songs come fr…
When I first heard of Chastity Belt, it was through word of mouth. My friends highly endorsed this band from Walla Walla, WA. They had just moved here and were playing some shows around town. Their song titles kinda freaked me out in the beginning, but that quickly changed when I got the chance to …
Crime and the City Solution are one of many Australian bands that never really got their international due. For example, I first heard of them via their appearance in Wim Wenders' film Wings of Desire. My attention was further drawn to them by the involvement of Mick Harvey, whose name you might no…
Covered in pink and gold paint, J GRGRY took the Mural Amphitheatre stage in Seattle Center. Under the gaze of the Space Needle with the sun beaming down on the band, it made for an electric opening for the first day of the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival. Lead vocalist, Joe Gregory, moved ac…
When you are hurting, there's only one place that really makes it feel like everything's alright: home. When all is lost and your judgment's on the brink, going home gives you perspective. You remember where you've come from, and furthermore, just how far you've come between the last chapter and th…
