It's Friday night at the Showbox and there's a singer on stage waltzing through "My Favorite Things" from The Sound Of Music and at the end of her final stanza, the band behind her crash in and a Danny Brown verse recited by Spank Rock (perhaps one of the only rappers who could conceivably match Br…
After more than a decade since its release, Seu Jorge set sail to bring back his much-acclaimed 2005 soundtrack to the Wes Anderson film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou to adoring fans. Performing live across the globe, the acclaimed Brazilian singer-songwriter provided not just nostalgia for th…
During hour six of KEXP's live broadcast from Upstream Fest + Summit, The Maldives brought their harmonic alt-country to our performance space at Little London Plane in Pioneer Square. The Maldives played five tracks from their latest record, Mad Lives, a concept album about a man's life and death …
The psych- and Tropicalia-inflected rock of Boogarins is so intriguing that when their earliest recordings had been picked up by music fans all over the globe, in early 2013, the band hadn't even played any gigs. Fortunately, becoming a live band only just shortly afterwards didn't prevent the Goiâ…
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of 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 Afte…
“There’s so many kinds of music I’m interested in that I just never let into my own songwriting, so in a way with this record, it was kind just of like opening the curtains and letting stuff come in,” Jack Tatum of Wild Nothing says of Life of Pause. Continuing with his style of creating a new worl…
From heartfelt harmonies to tranquil flirtations, Seattle’s Smokey Brights drop by the KEXP live room to unveil a decadent collection of tracks from their new rhythmically red rummed release, Taste for Blood. Duo vocalists Ryan Devlin and Kim West produce hypnotic results - tender chants that sound…
Seattle’s own Nightmare Fortress crash the KEXP live room with their stronghold of sound to unveil a handful of unheard harmonics from their upcoming full length, ‘The Wanting’. Drowning in their heralded Grave Rave otics - guitar strings of tension are mixed with dark, sublime computer manipulatio…
On the eve of the release of their new EP, False Starts, Seattle band The Young Evils stopped by KEXP to squeeze out their brand of infectious sultry soundscapes until our tiny live room walls were dripping in all elements of retro cool. From the rocking spaghetti western whimsy of "Get Your Guns" …
Mariachi and punk don’t seem like harmonious ingredients for palatable, let alone outstanding, music, but hardcore punk band The Bronx were creative (and brave) enough to try it out. The unprecedented hybrid punk/mariachi band they formed, named Mariachi El Bronx, had enough talent, appeal and nice…
It's been four years since Owen Pallett stopped by KEXP for a live in-studio, four long years. Although he's grown a beard, Pallett's new music could be described as clean-shaven, bare in its autobiographical revelations. His latest material even includes his phone number! In between performances o…
Swedish singer-songwriter Alice Boman's subtle vocals and delicate instrumentals could get a response from even the chilliest of hearts. The minimalist musician, who released her second EP, EP II, this year, creates such an uncluttered sound that it disguises the fact that she is accompanied by thr…
For a band celebrating The Age of Fracture, CYMBALS sure form a cohesive sound. On their debut, the UK foursome may shirk "concepts", but their songs are nevertheless about ideas – about "action and desire", "the city", "working", "love" and so much more – but they're even more about dancing and el…
Pickathon's live video stream concludes today... but don't worry. You still have until 2AM on Sunday night to watch and hear performances from X, Courtney Barnett, Foxygen, The Barr Brothers, The Men, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and many others. Check out the schedule above and watch the video stream …
It's only fitting that he's on a record label called Truth & Soul Records, because that's exactly the kind of music the legendary Lee Fields creates. The 63-year-old music veteran is still going strong after 43 years in the business, and his most recent release, Emma Jean, is just as vital as e…
What's the best thing about the Seattle band Country Lips? Is it their name? Maybe. Is it their traditional Americana music? Getting close... Is it that they get people to dance and dance often? Yes! In a city not known for it's folk music, accordion playing and hip shaking, Country Lips bring the …
One of the most exciting new releases of the week comes from Oakland artist Merrill Garbus, better known as tUnE-yArDs. KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes her third album as "an inventive set of visceral, rhythm-driven avant-pop with consistently strong, brightly melodic songs featuring a dens…
Ever since Warpaint first made their mark around 2008, the words "hypnotic", "atmospheric" and "brooding" have been applied by critics and fans in the most appealing ways. Their recent self-titled, sophomore full-length finds the LA band no less ethereal yet stretching further out with their minima…
