All of my music nerd friends are in trouble. How is that I've lived on this earth over 40 years - during which period Garland Jeffreys has released 12 of his 14 solo albums to date (with number 15 due this spring) - and the first I heard of this guy is when I pulled this record off the shelf to tak…
Recurring is the final album by Spacemen 3 -- released after their parting of ways -- and the third album of theirs I've covered in this space (see also here and here). I could talk about the band's acrimonious split and the genesis of Spiritualized, or the fascinating details behind Spacemen 3's M…
"Scottish people and the sun don't go well together," remarked The Twilight Sad frontman James Graham as he and his black-clad bandmates took a sunlight- and wind-drenched stage. However, perhaps the dissonance between the Scots and Vitamin D fueled Graham and his comrades because, despite the circ…
Cambridge's WMBR, in addition to being key to the development of my musical tastes in general, is a big part of my fascination with these old records and what a bunch of college DJs thought of them. There was (and I'm sure still is) a lot to love about the station, but Pipeline!, their weekly local…
We've packed the house at Kex Hostel during our broadcasts during Iceland Airwaves over the last few years, but no session was filled with as many fervent Icelandic fans as the performance by Emilíana Torrini. The Iceland native (her father is Italian, if you're wondering about her name) grew up in…
Opening our final day of the KEXP broadcast live from KEX Hostel at Iceland Airwaves is singer-songwriter John Grant. Though he is currently based in Iceland, he is one of only two American acts featured on this year's broadcast. Grant first gained notoriety as the lead singer of Denver-based shoeg…
Listening to The Long Ryders for the first time, it's not clear to me that they should have been lumped in with the Paisley Underground bands of the '80s (covered previously in this Rain Parade post). They definitely had '60s influences, but as far as I can tell they were much more a country-rock b…
For being as strange as they are - and in fact they looked possessed on stage this weekend - I have an awfully easy time listening to Sacramento experimental rap group Death Grips. While I know some purposefully avoided the Bigfoot stage during their hellish and angry set, I also watched many flock…
Charlotte Gainsbourg has announced that she will release her first album in seven years in November. Called Rest, Gainsbourg has released the album's title track as well as a teaser for its accompanying music video, which she directed herself. In a statement, Gainsbourg says that Lars Von Trier, he…
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, unrealeased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Af…
Sam Bean just wants to have fu-un, which is why Iron & Wine have recorded this cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." Actually, it was recorded for a McDonald's commercial... but he liked it so much, he's shared the full version. Listen, to both, below: [Stereogum]
Singer-songwriter Ty Segall has shared an intense 14-minute mini-movie with a mix of the tracks from his recently released album, Emotional Mugger. In the video Segall walks the streets of LA and encounters prostitution, drug use, and police brutality. Did I mention it was intense? [CoS]
The Cure's Robert Smith covered the Twilight Sad's Nobody Wants To Be Here and Nobody Wants To Leave track "There's a Girl in The Corner." The cover will be featured as the B-side of the Twilight Sad's new single "It Was Never The Same," which drops on June 15. [Pitchfork]
It's been three years since we last heard from Olympia, WA-based trio Broken Water. Not only did it take a few years to create their latest album, Wrought, but it took just as long for them to craft this video. KEXP is proud to present the worldwide premiere of the video for "Beach," shot over the …
Recently, KEXP had the opportunity to chat with Galen Disston, lead singer of the Seattle band Pickwick, as he and the group were in the middle of their month-long international tour (Canada and the U.S.). When we got in touch with them, the band was prepping for a show at Local 506 in Chapel Hill,…
When a 4-year-old, Erik Blood began sneaking 45-rpm records from his sister’s room and listening to them while she slept, a future was being formed. Music shapes us like few elements can. The sounds, words, and images associated with certain songs can leave lasting impressions that often influence …
