One of the highlights of last year's Icelandic Airwaves Festival was the live session we did with Icelandic supergroup Drangar, recorded at Sigur Rós' Sundlaugin (or "Swimming Pool") studio. The three bandmates — Mugison, Jónas Sigurðsson and Ómar Guðjónsson — each highly respected musicians with …
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson stopped by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Tuesday to talk about his memoir Mo' Meta Blues. He's such a musical genius so you've got to love the fact that he attributes a huge pivotal change in music to The Cosby Show. Watch the hilarious and incredibly insightful int…
The epic debate that unfolds on the cover of this unassuming collection of Jamaican music from the '70s and '80s pretty much speaks for itself. Apparently the only thing that stirs the college radio station pot more than the sweet sounds of ABC is the idea of a reggae compilation in heavy rotation.…
UK trio The xx continue to pound the pavement in support of their most recent release, I See You, including a Thursday night stop to Jimmy Kimmel Live. Watch the band perform the track "Dangerous" and the web-exclusive "Say Something Loving" below. [ Under the Radar]
Midday Show host Cheryl Waters presents another blissful set of tunes to delight your senses. 1. Daughter - New Ways 2. M83 - Do It, Try It 3. George Clanton - Bleed 4. STRFKR - Never Ever 5. Frightened Rabbit - Get Out 6. onDeadWaves - California 7. The Jayhawks - Quiet Corners & Empty Spac…
When Sera Cahoone moved to Seattle, forcing herself to play open mic nights at the (now-defunct venue) OK Hotel was only the beginning of a career that would lead her to literally play on top of the Space Needle. In her far-closer-to-the-ground return to the KEXP Live Room, Cahoone joins John Ri…
Up and coming sister bands Waxahatchee and Swearin’ gave us a lovely night this past Wednesday at Capitol Hill’s Chop Suey. It was a short and sweet set that the audience won’t forget any time soon as they swayed and bobbed to the piercing lyrics and layered instruments - loud in the best possible …
Across the last few years, Neko Case has been more active on her Twitter feed than in the studio. That's not a dig - Case remains a prolific and fascinating online personality - but nearly 43,000 tweets later, she (impressively) hasn't revealed much about herself on the social network beyond a hand…
Swedish indie pop band The Radio Dept. have never been optimists, but with new record Running Out of Love, they are really going out of their way not to see any silver linings. "There's nothing gracious about our kind", Johan Duncanson sings on opener "Sloboda Narodu" (yes, that is the famous Yugos…
They've been teasing us with the news for a while now, but today, we finally have new music from Bon Iver to share! Two new songs, in fact. Check out the creatively-spelled tracks "22 (OVER S∞∞N)" and "10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄" below. (Your move, M.I.A.!) Both will appear on their forthcoming …
When we were spinning Rapprocher back in 2011, we knew it was only a matter of time before Class Actress became a full-fledged pop star. There's just something magical about the high tension melancholy Elizabeth Harper has on her records. It's a very "this is where I find myself for better or worse…
Room Nine were, it seems, a pretty big deal in Seattle in the late '80s; like Diamond Fist Werny, they were another band doing their own thing — with their own lighting designer! — while it probably seemed like everyone around them was churning out noisy, grungy rock. Room Nine broke up not long af…
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 DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Mor…
John Lennon and Yoko Ono were certainly not the only ones singing for peace, and many have and will join them in the decades to come. As KEXP gathers for a Bed-In for Peace in the Gathering Space, starting at 8:00 AM, here on the blog, we've gathered some of our favorite songs about love and unity.…
It's Labor Day weekend, and the new releases are working hard. Highlights include the latest from Asheville, NC-based artist Angel Olsen. KEXP Music Director Don Yates notes the release "continues to head in a more electric, rock-oriented direction on her excellent third album, combining elements o…
At KEXP, Father's Day ain't just for fathers - it's for loving parents and children of all types to celebrate life and family in an open and caring environment. This Sunday, join us for KEXP's annual Father's Day Dance Party at our new home at Seattle Center, featuring fun, crafts, pizza dough toss…
Tegan & Sara will drop their eighth studio album, Love You To Death, on June 8. Today, the Canadian sister duo have shared two new, addictive album tracks called "Boyfriend" and "U Turn." Check them both out via Spotify below. [Pitchfork]
It's with great sadness that KEXP reports the passing of Aaron Huffman from respiratory failure following a lengthy illness. Not only was Huffman the art director at The Stranger since 2006, but he was the bassist for Harvey Danger and The Weather (formerly Campfire OK). He was 43 years old. KEXP s…
