Uncanny! DJ Kevin Cole's favorite band has written a song about his favorite grocery store: listen to a live version of The Replacements performing "Whole Foods Blues" at a recent show in Los Angeles. Frontman Paul Westerberg displays his usual wicked way with words, lamenting his journey to get a…
With their latest album, Shiver & Shake, local trio My Goodness shrug off earlier comparisons to the White Stripes and The Black Keys with their dynamic new songs. During their recent in-studio performance at KEXP, frontman Joel Schneider explained to DJ Cheryl Waters that they were really able…
Whether you're attending in person or in spirit, Midday Show host Cheryl Waters presents the perfect soundtrack for your trip to Sasquatch! Music Festival this year. 1. Sufjan Stevens - Should Have Known Better 2. Julia Holter - Feel You 3. Briana Marela - Surrender 4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra -…
If the gender politics of the Raunch Hands were controversial 30+ years ago (and they were, as you will see below), I'm not surprised you don't hear them much on the air these days. In fact, I can't find reference to a single Raunch Hands spin on KEXP in recent years - even on Shake the Shack, whic…
Charles Bradley is one of those rare artists who can bring a crowd to tears, and that’s exactly what he did as he played a free public show in the gathering space at KEXP's new home. A longtime James Brown impersonator, Bradley began performing as himself at the age of 62, emerging just in time to …
Okay, let the "slappin da bass" jokes commence! Icelandic disco outfit Boogie Trouble get down to some serious grooves (in the funnest possible way) and really showcase the talent of bass player Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi (also of Rökkurró) as you'll see in the videos. But everyone in Boogie Trouble is …
From heartbreak to the end of the world: that's how DJ Troy Nelson describes the trajectory of albums from singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler. "I think this is album seven or something? I don't know," she says with a smile and a shake of her head. Over the past 16 years, this ethereal singer/songwrit…
In December 2013, Benjamin Curtis of School of Seven Bells passed away after a battle with T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. This February 2016, his bandmate Alejandra Deheza will release the album SVIIB, featuring parts Curtis recorded before his death. In a post on their website, Deheza writes, "Be…
Self discovery can be euphoric. Finding yourself can lead to a tidal wave of confidence, and that confidence is infectious. This confidence isn't based in complete knowledge of the future or perfect success without any mistakes - rather, it stems from an overpowering believe that whatever happens, …
It started as part-joke, part-challenge. The Austin-based band Brownout were exploring different themes during an extended club residency, and one night they chose to cover Black Sabbath, as many of their members of the grew up listening to the godfathers of darkness. Almost immediately, the 8-piec…
Afternoon Show host Kevin Cole shares some of his favorites of 2015. The mix features artists from the Northwest such as Father John Misty and Sleater-Kinney, as well as those as far away as Iceland and Russia. Relive what was a great year of music and maybe discover some new artists that you may …
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…
Next on KEXP’s broadcast live from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves Music Festival was Icelandic electronic band Gus Gus. Formed in 1995 by filmmakers Stefán Árni and Siggi Kjartansson as a film group and acting collective, the group’s purpose quickly changed with the addition of programmer Biggi Thó…
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings are recent legends and have become one of KEXP's core artists. The band, and the Daptones label that it represents, were the main force behind the soul funk revival of the last fifteen years, the stylistic rebirth that bands ranging from The Alabama Shakes to The Bu…
Seattle's silver-haired soul singer and her backing band, Grace Love & The True Loves stopped by KEXP to perform a few tracks off of their eponymous debut album, and the nine of them filled our live room to beautiful capacity. Their performance was pure vintage - her rich baritone echoing the i…
Donning a red jump suit, Olivia Merilahti, vocalist of The Dø, looked as if she took the spacey ambiance of the KEXP studio to heart and, based on the sonic transformation The Dø's sound undertook in the creation of their third album, it was a fitting sentiment. Leaving acoustic instruments behind,…
You might call it Flying Nun 2.0, for the venerable New Zealand label recently began signing new Kiwi acts after a long hiatus. Considering Flying Nun signed and released many of its country's most celebrated acts including The Clean, The Bats, Bailter Space, The Verlaines and The Chills, any newco…
Seattle's Trinity "Trinitron" Meriwood is a beloved local DJ that has been immersed in the underground electronic music scene since the early 1990s and steady rocking parties behind the turntables for the past decade. A passionate purveyor of the funkiest flavors of house music, Trinitron has spun …
K-vicker? No, K-vaker! Today's release of Sigur Rós' 2013 album, Kveikur, may seem like a speedy turn-around on the heels of their 2012 LP, Valtari, but the ground-shaking sound on the new LP is what the Icelandic band has been building toward over the past few years. While the relatively placid Va…
