Seattle's Michael Manahan has been a critical figure in the local electronic music community over the past two decades, playing a major role in Starborne Shows/Starborne Sound, Cascadia, and Decibel Festival, as well as through the iconic Seattle nightclub Re-Bar. The driving force behind the new C…
Sam O.B. is the latest alias of Brooklyn-based musician Samuel Obey, formerly known as Obey City, also the co-founder of the stellar Astro Nautico label. A constantly evolving musician and in-demand collaborator who's well-known for his versatile talents in the studio, Sam O.B. recently released hi…
We often forget, but even Patti Smith -- an icon who has inspired and influenced a generation -- had her own musical idols in her youth, in this case, Bob Dylan. As you may have heard by now, Smith was invited to perform at the induction ceremony for Dylan's Nobel Peace Prize for Literature, and s…
Icelandic etherealists Sigur Rós have released a special remix of their track "Hoppípolla," exclusively for the BBC TV series Planet Earth II. This nature documentary program is presented and narrated by Sir David Attenborough. In a statement to the BBC, the band state:
In Iceland we are blessed wi…
What's old is new in Seattle. It has been that way for a while, since before even the grizzled-beyond-their-youth folkies made country rock a "thing" in Ballard during the last half-decade. But now, in hepper neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, organ is the new banjo as Western psychedelia of the late…
Beck released the effervescent pop album Colors this past fall and today he's shared a cute video for the track "Fix Me." Directed by Brook Linder, the clip focuses on the true story of a little girl in Japan named Mame who lives with three poodles that dress up in a variety of costumes. The four o…
It should come as no surprise, but we're not the only ones celebrating the 25th anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind. Our Seattle Center neighbors the EMP Museum are hosts to the world's most extensive exhibition of Nirvana memorabilia, a collection commemorated in the book, Nirvana: Taking Punk to t…
Armed with a fine assortment of tracks from their new Seattle-recorded release, Ohio band The Sidekicks unleash their brand of hooky rock in the KEXP live room. On Runners in the Nerved World, they've branched out from their punkish roots and now take pleasure in crafting out songs that are invigor…
DJ Alex shines a spotlight on 14 artists performing at this year's 10th annual Decibel Festival, Seattle's premier electronic music and arts event, happening all over the city from September 25th to September 29th! As with years past, tune in to get a taste of this year's massive, diverse internat…
Timely does not even begin to describe the new record from NYC rappers Heems and Riz MC, a.k.a. Swet Shop Boys. While it's depressing as hell, these two dudes seriously could not have picked a better week to drop an album about basic human rights being put up into contention. As the race towards Vo…
Northwest artist Joey Casio has been identified in the aftermath of last weekend's Oakland warehouse fire, one of the deadliest building fires in history with a total of 36 people killed. Joey (real name: Joseph Matlock) was scheduled to perform under his alias Obsidian Blade. Originally from Vanc…
Indie veterans Yo La Tengo have announced a new album slated for release in March called There's a Riot Going On. In a press release written by writer and critic Luc Santé, the album title is an intentional nod to Sly and the Family Stone's 1971 album of the same name, as well as a remark on the cu…
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. The weather here in Seattle is out of control super summer awesome. And what makes a sunny summer day even better? Brand…
The timing of this couldn't be more perfect with David Bowie's 70th birthday (and sadly, the anniversary of his passing) right around the corner: listen to a cover of "Sorrow" from Jenny Lewis below, which is actually a cover of a cover since it's originally by The McCoys, but then popularized by …
This morning, it was reported that Oscar-winning film director Jonathan Demme had passed away at the age of 73, due to complications from esophageal cancer. His lengthy filmology includes blockbusters like Philadelphia and The Silence of the Lambs, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Direct…
A far cry from the "bedroom setup" they used to record their debut album, which took the world by storm in 2011, Django Django recently released the studio recorded Born Under Saturn, with a more confident and much bigger sound. The London four-piece didn't let fame or external pressures influence …
KEXP is heading back to Rennes, France, for our second year at the Trans Musicales de Rennes, December 6th through 10th! Our goal, as always when partnering with international festivals like Les Trans, is to discover and share new music from across the globe with you from artists that we may not ha…
Swedish rockers Peter Bjorn and John have been proselytizing their pro-60s pop prowess since 1999. The trio really took the indie world by storm back in 2006 with their dance-floor hit "Young Folks," and ten years later, they're still artfully writing their whistle-catchy songs like the title track…
The owls may not be what they seem, but neither does David Lynch. As a director, writer, musician, actor, artist, even furniture designer, he truly does it all. It's no surprise that his surrealistic influence extends to the music world, so on today, his 69th birthday, KEXP pays tribute to Lynch wi…
It’s rare that a band has three songwriters. But camaraderie oozes from the Seattle group Hounds of the Wild Hunt – and it seems each member truly appreciates when another can show his stuff on the mic. Ryan Devlin, Jonny Henningson, Nikki O Anderson and drummer Cary Davis make up the band that ca…
