Matt Johnson's The The is yet another band (or musical project, if you prefer, since it seems to have been Johnson and whatever troupe of brilliant musicians he could round up when it came time to make a record) that I never listened to in their heyday/my youth, and I can't quite figure out why. Ma…
Rounding out tonight’s broadcast live from KEX Hostel at Iceland Airwaves is Borko. Though it is not uncommon for Icelandic musicians to have their fingers in many pots, Borko (Björn Kristiansson) takes the idea to a whole new level. He immerses himself in essentially every aspect of local music, …
The first performance of our Hood to Hood 2013 broadcast is a special collaborative performance by Jon Russell, Damien Jurado, and Tomo Nakayama, all Seattle based singer-songrwriters. So far Jon Russell has played just one show as a solo musician, an acoustic show at Neumos, though he has been pla…
There have been so many excellent summer festivals, it's been hard to keep up, but one line-up you shouldn't miss is the one at the 33rd Annual West Seattle Summer Fest! From Friday, July 10th to Sunday, July 12th, the West Seattle Junction will be bustling with entertainment, shopping, and fun for…
Ryan Crowther is one of the co-foudners of the Fisherman's Village Music Festival, the weekend musical celebration in Everett, WA, on May 15-17. The festival is in its second year and this go-round boasts a stellar lineup, including many local favorites like The Helio Sequence, Telekinesis, Deep Se…
SIFF is bringing I Am The Blues to Seattle this weekend, and it is well worth a look. Bobby Rush lays out his life story as he returns to the Blue Front Cafe in Mississippi and a reunion gig in Louisiana. Watching him travel The South and greet friends like Lazy Lester, Henry Gray, Barbara Lynn, an…
Probably among the most beloved hilarious trouble making tongue in cheek Canadians making the music rounds right now is Mac DeMarco - and he's all of these things plus some in his new video for "My Kind of Woman" off his recent album 2. Plus he's in drag. Sort of - and he winks like a pro every tim…
Last week, the Houston-born, Venezuelan debonair Devendra Banhart graced Showbox at the Market’s sold-out crowd with his charismatic charm, knee-weakening vibrato, and sultrily multicultural freak pop - or as his bandmate Josiah Steinbrick (one of the openers) put it, “all the best of unpopular pop…
Rounding out the first night of of KEXP's Iceland Airwaves broadcast live from Kex Hostel is Icelandic punk band Fufanu. The band began life as techno outfit Captain Fufanu, but after the theft of the computer containing their record, they cut “Captain” from their name and jumped into a completely …
Afrobeat, trance, indie rock: these are just some of the words tossed around when talking about Pollens, among the more composed acts doing the rounds in Seattle currently. And while those words do describe the band, to a degree, they fail to include the constant smiles, the deep dips in vocals, th…
We have reached day one of Iceland Airwaves Music Festival, and the anticipation in Reykjavik is palatable. Locals and visitors alike are milling about town, getting ready for the big week to come. Here at KEX Hostel, KEXP is putting the finishing touches on preparations for an incredible week of l…
Rounding out day two of KEXP’s broadcast live from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves Music Festival is Icelandic electronic band Gus Gus. Formed in 1995 by filmmakers Stefán Árni and Siggi Kjartansson as a film group and acting collective, the goup’s purpose quickly changed with the addition of progra…
Part of Minneapolis' Doomtree collective, Dessa, the 7-member group's only female emcee, may also be their most well rounded. A degree in philosophy, a background in writing, particularly in creative non-fiction and spoken-word, and enough business acumen to run day-to-days of the label itself all …
It's that time of year again: MoPOP’s Sound Off! has been pitting local bands against each other for 16 years now. The all-ages "battle of the bands" have introduced us to acts like The Lonely Forest, Naked Giants, Manatee Commune, and more. The 2017 competition kicks off tonight, Friday, February …
We've reached day three, the halfway point of Iceland Airwaves Music Festival and of the KEXP broadcast. Rather than winding down, things are just getting going, as festival-goers prepare for a weekend that invariably becomes a music supermarathon, catching great music all over Reykjavik from noon …
Every year, EMP's Sound Off! competition showcases emerging stars in the all-ages music scene. Previous winners have included The Lonely Forest, Dyme Def, Sol, Kithkin, Brothers from Another, Manatee Commune, Fauna Shade, Schoolyard Heroes, Tomten, and Brite Futures, just to name a few. Last week, …
"Sweep" - that's the command that Parquet Courts give us over and over again on their new single "Dust". In the context of the tune, it's about the dust that accumulates, sitting on everything that doesn't move, marking the time we've spent without motion, watching the wheels go round. The irony of…
Every year, EMP's Sound Off! competition showcases emerging stars in the all-ages music scene. Previous winners have included The Lonely Forest, Dyme Def, Sol, Kithkin, Brothers from Another, Manatee Commune, Fauna Shade, Schoolyard Heroes, Tomten, and Brite Futures, just to name a few. COSMOS took…
Last year, local label Barsuk Records celebrated its 15th anniversary, and to celebrate we invited three of their artists to the KEXP studios: Nada Surf frontman Matthew Caws, Jesse Sykes, and The Long Winters frontman John Roderick. All three of these artists were celebrating the 10th anniversary …
KEXP's Roadhouse host Greg Vandy brings you a late summer soundtrack that features many of his favorite new songs and artists of 2014, such as Israel Nash, Black Lips, Pete Molinari, The Donkeys, Nikki Lane, Sturgill Simpson, Evening Bell, and Saskatoon teenagers Kacy & Clayton. 1. Black Lips…
