Even with the most voracious of music fans, there's still likely a certain feel or sound that comes to mind when you see the word "jazz." Maybe it's the swing of the music or that magical feeling of seventh chords walking down a piano. For others, it might be the drone of smooth jazz or the coolnes…
The nominees are in for this year's prestigious Mercury Prize, unfortunately now known as the "Hyundai" Mercury Prize. Heavy hitters David Bowie and Radiohead lead the shortlist, alongside Michael Kiwanuka (above), Anohni, Savages, and more. Not only has the name slightly changed, but so has votin…
During a two-night stand at Manchester’s O2 Apollo this past weekend, The National paid tribute to hometown heroes New Order with a cover of the band's 1985 single “Love Vigilantes.” Watch as frontman Matt Berninger does his best Bernard Sumner impersonation, and even walks down to the audience. T…
Are you going hungry... for Seattle grunge nostalgia? Supergroup Temple of the Dog (comprised of Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, and drummer Matt Cameron of both bands) are reuniting for the 25th anniversary of their self-title…
It's not every day a musical legend walks through your door. At age 70, with some 50 years in the music industry as a performer, composer, and producer, John Cale has made an indelible stamp on the history of music alone and alongside fellow legends like Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, The Sto…
Perhaps no other duo has collaborated, toured with or been covered by as wide a range of artists as Tegan and Sara. Canadian twin sisters Tegan and Sara Quin, who have been making music together since they were in high school, have toured with the likes of Neil Young, whose label they were first si…
KEXP presents rotating art shows in its public Gathering Space.
We're weeks away from the release of the new Cloud Nothings album, Life Without Sound, and here's another sneak peek with a video for the track "Internal World." Director Jonny Look provides an instructional clip from the "Department of Human Being Assimilation," which may or may not help the liza…
"This is an instrumental about weed," Acapulco Lips bassist Maria-Elena Juarez said pointedly as the band started their set at the KEXP stage. It got giggles at first, but the second they started leaning into their psych-meets-surf jam, the laughter turned into dancing and some serious vibing. It w…
We all knew going into the Sub Pop Silver Jubilee that it wasn't going to be a day you might forget, like so many other street festivals and and fairs, which all tend to blend together after you've been to a few. Was it the more than memorable lineup, including J. Mascis, Father John Misty, King Tu…
While gale winds canceled some early main stage shows, a different force of nature was met with far warmer reception on the Bigfoot stage. Yo La Tengo is certainly a force of nature in the indie music scene and a walk back through their discography is a long one, as the group have consistently rele…
For his latest film, A Bigger Splash, director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) reached out to guitar-dynamo St. Vincent (a.k.a. Annie Clark) to cover The Rolling Stones 1980 single "Emotional Rescue." Listen below. Clark said in an e-newsletter, "I saw an 11 AM showing of I Am Love at the sunshine cin…
Mac DeMarco is a walking contradiction. He's a hardworking slacker, a popular outsider, and his newest release Another One is laden with carefree melancholy. His shows have always been a celebration of his refusal to fit any sort of vague mold, and the fans that aspire to do the same. Thursday nigh…
Toronto indie rock band Alvvays introduced themselves to Seattle in quite a dazzling fashion Tuesday night. This was the band's last US show on the tour supporting their fantastic self-titled debut (out now on Polyvinyl) before heading up across the border to finish things off before the end of the…
After the band finished ripping through a particularly danceable rendition of "Spirit" off their new record Singles, Future Islands frontman Sam Herring looked down at his sweat soaked shirt and pants. After a failed attempt to wring a piece of it out, he just laughed along with the rest of the cro…
The unstoppable Kristin Hersh is at it again. Earlier this Spring, the Throwing Muses frontwoman released a new EP with her noise project 50 Foot Wave, and now she has a solo full-length out this Fall, a double CD/hardcover book combo titled Wyatt at the Coyote Palace. Stream the first single "Som…
"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…
The final day of Bumbershoot 2015 finally saw sunshine and good weather all around. Maybe the crowds could sneak in one more summer festival after all, after the torrential rains that started the whole thing off. The lineup for this day included another solid dose of excellent local bands, like Sis…
It took nearly six years, but the members of Tuatara finally heard the shaman's call. The members of the collaborative Seattle collective, led by drummer and producer Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees, Mad Season, Walking Papers), gathered once again outside of the plain of their ordinary lives to cr…
