Although the title of Briana Marela's debut derives from a kids book about the physical world around us, the album itself best describes our state of adulthood in immaterial ways. In recording All Around Us, the Seattle native sought the elven shores of Iceland and the sprightly touch of Sigur Ros …
Ryan Adams announced that he will be covering Taylor Swift's mega-hit album 1989 in its entirety. Although there's no official release date, he's been posting his progress on twitter. Below you can hear brief snippets of "All You Had To Do Was Stay" and "Out of the Woods." Adam's haunting vocals a…
In this stunning set, William Doyle brings his alter-ego project, East India Youth, into the KEXP live room, unfurling a collection of intriguing tunes from his April 2015 release, Culture of Volume. Marshalling strange, ingenious ideas into coherent, interesting pop music, East India Youth flirt b…
NYC's Jon Spencer is a veteran of the alternative music world, best-known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, in addition to playing a key role in Pussy Galore and Boss Hog. Hot on the heels of his killer new album, Freedom Tower: No Wave Dance Party, Spence…
In Taiga, Zola Jesus has made her songs truly evergreen. Named for the Russian word for forest, the new album by Nika Roza Danilova draws upon the cold Siberian woods of her ancestors, the frosty clime of her childhood home, Wisconsin, and most recently, the great outdoors of her must residence on …
Wo'Pop, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Lifelong invite you to join us at the EMP Museum to observe World AIDS Day on Monday, December 1st. This free, all ages event will run from 5-10 p.m., featuring art, snacks, educational materials, cultural elements, and musical performances from …
Leather-clad bad boys, Drowners, rushed over to the KEXP studio for a live session so great, it left us all gasping for air. Taking their name from a Suede song, the group cites influence from one of the greatest Brit-pop supergroups, often reaching the high bar of their namesake. Perhaps its the c…
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Midday …
It's an unlikely cover, but it's for a great cause: Moby gives his spin to the Duran Duran classic "Rio." The track appears on a tribute album to the '80s icons titled Making Patterns Rhyme that'll be out this July on Manimal Vinyl. Other artists on the comp include Warpaint, Little Dragon, Crocod…
One of the joys of returning to Iceland year after year is watching young bands grow up. All teenagers when they began in 2004, and some were even still when we first discovered them back in 2009, Mammút have honed their emotionally expressive and dynamic sound over the past years into an award win…
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Jack White dished on his old bandmate Meg White, who he says has always been a "hermit," and is "one of those people who won't high-five me when I get the touchdown." He added, "All the not-talking didn't matter, because onstage? Nothing I do will top t…
Part fresh-faced punks, part wise songwriters, Fox and the Law seem to always be creating expectations and then immediately defying them, dashing preconceptions as soon as their rich guitar riffs and vocals rife with sonic time bombs hit listeners' ears. This Seattle four-piece, not even two years …
By way of Mexico City, and now living in New York City, Aldo Villegas, a.k.a. Bocafloja, stopped by the KEXP studios for a live in-studio. Rapping in his native Spanish, Bocafloja displayed flows and styles that, even to those ignorant to the language, are filled with tremendous cadences and inflec…
Bob Casale, founding member and guitarist of influential new wave band Devo, sadly passed away on Monday at the age of 61 from health complications that led to heart failure. His brother and bandmate, Gerald Casale, left this statement on the band's Facebook page: "As an original member of Devo, Bo…
What would a broadcast in Portland be without the city's most rocking political punk-pop band, The Thermals? Guitarist/vocalist Hutch Harris and bassist Kathy Foster have been pumping PDX audiences and fans all over the world for more than a decade with their high energy shows and thought-provoking…
Anyone who's stared at the iconic Seattle landmark the Space Needle has wondered when that thing would blast off. On July 11th, it did as long running Seattle legends Mudhoney rocked the top of the Needle during KEXP and Sub Pop's Silver Jubilee Broadcast, celebrating the label's 25th anniversary. …
The National have a whole lot of new stuff on their plate - the release of their sixth studio album, Trouble Will Find Me, a new documentary, and a MOMA exhibit - just to name a few. Last night, to promote all of these ventures, they went on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and debuted two new songs. T…
Atoms for Peace's Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich will mark the release of their new album, Amok, with a brief series of shows. The duo will take on London, Berlin, and New York in the coming weeks to perform DJ sets along with special guests like Actress, Throwing Snow, Shed, and Anstam. Pitchfork ha…
On Labor Day weekend 2007, Tim Lennon was working the perimeter at the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival. All weekend long, as others danced and partied, Lennon stood dutifully by the gates, occasionally letting artists in, but mainly just standing, waiting. He could hear the laughter of the fe…
Pixies had little to say, but lots to play at the Paramount Theatre on Sunday, December 3. The alt-rock pioneers, who formed in Boston in 1986, blazed through a 33 song set in just over an hour and a half, speaking a grand total of two words to the crowd between songs. Fans didn’t seem to care abou…
