Punk shows are always more visceral when you’re hurting. You’re feeling a mix of emotions, and despite how cheesy it sounds (no pun intended), sometimes the best way to let them out is to thrash around in a mosh pit and sing your heart out. Saturday night, during The Coathangers’ headlining set at …
Along with a delightfully handwritten note detailing her intentions in creating her upcoming album, Glasser (Cameron Mesirow) released a new track, "Shape," as a prelude to the album which is due out in October. Cameron writes, "I have been thinking about space. Not only outer space and physical bo…
When England's Lucy Rose came in to KEXP's studios, the friendly, unassuming songwriter didn't give much of a hint of the powerhouse performance that was about to come out. When she began singing a set of songs from her 2012 debut, Like I Used To, the Surrey chanteuse released a For Emma-level emot…
Brooklyn-based artist Mitski shares a video today for the track "A Burning Hill," a stand-out from an already outstanding LP, Puberty 2, out now on Dead Oceans. Director Bradley Gray captures singer/songwriter Mitski Miyawaki around town, wearing a button down shirt as mentioned in the lyrics. Via…
While we're all waiting for the warm weather to officially take hold (we've been given an enticingly cruel taste of it here in Northwest), Vampire Weekend has created the perfect summer album to fuel your anticipation. At times wistfully nostalgic, percolatingly peppy and even fiercely energetic, M…
Seattle songwriter Kris Orlowski has the honesty, voice, and soul needed in a great pop folk songwriter. Since the mid-2000s, Orlowski has been on the Seattle circuit building a reputation for the highest quality songwriting with an equally talented band that seems to understand every turn and moo…
Windy City singer/songwriter Ryley Walker shares his third album this week, which KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls, "his strongest and most sophisticated set to date, combining fluid guitar lines, intricate rhythms and elliptical lyrics on expansive songs that masterfully blend elements of folk-…
Though there weren't divine circumstances by which HÆLOS formed, the London trio nevertheless seems preordained to make a heavenly sound. While each pursuing careers of their own, Arthur Delaney, Dom Goldsmith and Lotti Benardout turned their casual connections to holy writ as they joined forces to…
This past August, Cloud Cult took the stage at scenic Camp Long in West Seattle for the 15th annual Arts in Nature Festival, presented by Nature Consortium. Usually, the native Minnesotans are known for their dynamic live shows with a variety of electric and acoustic instruments, they decided to ma…
Iron and Wine, the music project of singer/songwriter Samuel Beam, delivers simple, folk ballads that evoke powerful complex emotions. With each album Beam seems to be reinventing himself; from the minimalistic, soulful melodies of The Creek Drank the Cradle and Our Endless Numbered Days to the mor…
Sufjan Stevens recently released the mixtape The Greatest Gift, which features remixes of songs from 2015's Carrie & Lowell along with a few previously unreleased tracks. Yesterday he shared a video for Helado Negro's remix of "Death With Dignity," off The Greatest Gift. The emotional clip focu…
It's been, like, eleven months -- we're overdue for a new Ty Segall album! All kidding aside, the prolific artist has announced a new self-titled LP coming out January 27th via Drag City. Check out the first single, "Orange Color Queen," below. The track is quite a departure from January's Emotion…
Although it began as an anonymous solo project, Arthur Ashin's Autre Ne Veut has emerged as one of the leaders of the current electronic and indie-tinged R&B explosion. Now that the project has evolved into an entity outside of his bedroom, Ashin's live takes on the songs from Anxiety, his seco…
Montreal's Suuns make a particular kind of low-drone heavy but never "drone music" - they walk the fine line between being experimental and being simply loud rock music. There's never really been the kind of rock n roll vibes you get from other bands walking that line, but instead an industrial syn…
Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Larry Mizell, Jr., host of The Afternoon Show on KEXP, is "Emotional (feat. Devin Morrison)" by Benedek, from the 2022 Zebrano EP on Apron Records.
Highlights this week include the latest from Swedish singer/songwriter Jens Lekman. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls Lekman's fourth LP, "a smartly crafted set of buoyant orchestral dance-pop inflected with disco, calypso, samba and other styles, combining bouncy dance beats and a variety of ins…
Originally hailing from North Wales and now based in London, The Joy Formidable is a powerhouse dream rock trio. The live show-dominating, wild-eyed outfit recently released their third studio album, Hitch, once again demonstrating their emotional shoegaze and melody-driving arena pop. However, to …
LA-via-San Francisco band Thee Oh Sees return with their 11th album, a release KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls, "a more jam-oriented take on the band's adventurous blend of raw garage-rock, trippy psych-rock and motorik prog." Veteran Minneapolis duo Atmosphere release "a potent set of emotive …
