Before he played drums in Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, before he composed the theme song for the US version of Queer As Folk, before he engineered the Sadies’ excellent Internal Sounds, Toronto-based producer, musician, and artist Don Pyle was a fledgling photographer cutting his teeth in the e…
It's the first batch of new releases for the summer, and highlights include the latest from Chicago-based artist Tom Krell, who records under the name How To Dress Well. KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes his third album, What Is This Heart?, as a "more expansive take on his intimate blend of …
Words by Tara Kelly Kearns & photos by Morgen Schuler I woke up in my tent bright and early on Day Two of the 6th Annual Doe Bay Fest to the sound of the Caffe Vita espresso grinder, which was conveniently located near me and just outside of the Artist’s Cabin. The sky was overcast, making for …
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
Colin Meloy of The Decemberists talks to KEXP about expanding their sound on the new album, I'll Be Your Girl, favorite synth bands, and how "we're all watching the ballistic missile coming in and the only thing we can do is keep playing through."
We wrapped up day two of the OFF Festival in Katowice, Poland in the wee hours of the morning, tired but very happy and with the desire to reflect on the many positive aspects of the festival. We have been so impressed with OFF Festival, not just because of the high caliber of the lineup but also i…
Due to the windy weather and the consequential shuffling of band’s set times and locations, Sasquatch! Music Festival's El Chupacabra tent housed several acts that certainly didn’t fit the sound the EDM-themed stage is known for. Ibeyi was seemingly one of those bands, but the group had been schedu…
Seattle natives Iska Dhaaf now live in New York, but they still introduce themselves as a band from Seattle. This theme of sticking to your origins was found throughout their set at Sasquatch! Music Festival Monday afternoon. The group now takes the stage as a four-piece, a fitting change as their …
"Don't tell any other festivals, but this miiiiiight be my favorite festival." That's how Merrill Garbus began her campaign to win over the Gorge on Sunday afternoon at Sasquatch, and it certainly worked. tUnE-yArDs' live show has always demanded a participatory audience, if only to dance to Garbus…
Morning Show host John Richards discovers hidden gems in this heavy vibed mix of pop and beats, featuring the swirling eclectic sounds of local Seattle project Eggshells, the urgent rumbling guitars of The Districts and much more. 1. Elisa Ambrogio - Superstitious 2. Eggshells - In the Backgroun…
It's always a special night (or day) when the soul journeymen Lee Fields enters KEXP's studios. Fields' energy is as infectious as that of any frontman half his age, to say nothing of the explosive, colorful sounds of his backing band the Expressions. Joining Larry Rose in the KEXP studio, Fields …
Since their formation in 1979, Fishbone's kinetic, funky mixture of rock and ska has remained a singular sound, not least because of Angelo Moore and company's blend of social commentary and clever humor that, thirty years on, seems more incisive than ever. Still vibrant, still relevant…
Splitting the difference between bursts of lo-fi energy and ragged psychedelia, the Brooklyn trio Sunflower Bean channel a number of sounds from the storied lineage of their home city into their 2016 debut album, "Human Ceremony". Drawing equally from their pair of lead singers, the grou…
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
There's some pretty great releases for a holiday weekend, like the third LP from Dev Hynes — a.k.a. Blood Orange. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls the album "another masterful set of expansive, moody R&B blended with funk, synth-pop and other styles, combining a diverse sound and a variety o…
While Cullen Omori pursues a solo career with Sub Pop Records, two of his former bandmates in Smith Westerns have formed the group Whitney. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls the Chicago band's debut "an excellent set of '70s-influenced folk-pop featuring a consistently strong set of beautifully a…
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
