It took losing her voice for Wye Oak to rediscover theirs. On the heels of their successful previous album, Civilian, the Baltimore duo were playing arenas, opening for acts like The National and The Decemberists. And then, sadly, frontwoman Jenn Wasner developed vocal-cord nodules, and under docto…
"Lovely" and "infectious" — mash those words together and it sounds something like Lucius. Watch and hear the band perform, and those words seem even more apt. Led by co-vocalists Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, the NYC-based five-piece blends gorgeous harmonies and lively percussion in girl group in…
Sometimes, random happenstance can lead to wonderful things - the entire existence of Got A Girl exists as a testament to this. While on set during the filming of the Edgar Wright film adaption of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead got a chance to meet Dan The Automator, w…
In a move we can only hope was inspired by KEXP's Six Degrees Day, Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli has covered a song by Sharon Van Etten! Stream his version of "A Crime" below, featuring guest vocals from none other than Ani DiFranco, to add another link to the chain. You can download the track …
Get ready of an alt-country battle royale when local musicians take on the songs of Uncle Tupelo vs. The Jayhawks on Thursday, January 30th at the Tractor Tavern! Don Slack of KEXP's Swingin' Doors will referee the rockin' ruckus, but really, everyone wins because all proceeds from this event go to…
After playing an excellent lunchtime set live on KEXP, British dub pioneer James Blake moved down to the Neptune for a sold out gig in support of new record Overgrown. Fans were lined up more than an hour before the show and the place packed out quickly once doors were open, and all for good reason…
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…
For almost five years now as Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Ruban Nielson has been learning how to give himself away. On his eponymous debut, it was from behind the closed door of a bedroom, where we heard psychedelic funk gems muffled through the wall and wanted to know more. On 2013's II, the door cra…
It's not every day a musical legend walks through your door. At age 70, with some 50 years in the music industry as a performer, composer, and producer, John Cale has made an indelible stamp on the history of music alone and alongside fellow legends like Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, The Sto…
Get ready, Seattle. Radiohead play a sold out show next door to the station at Key Arena this Saturday. And last night, at Kansas City, MO’s Sprint Center, they dug out the track "Where I End and You Begin" for the first time in nine years. Watch fan shot footage of them performing the Hail to the…
San Francisco garage rock band Weekend have been doing some serious growth over the last couple years. On their 2010 debut Sports, Weekend gave us an enjoyable, noisy introduction that put them in tune with the scene and its direction. Now, with a couple years under their belt and a fresh batch of …
Record Store Day may yet be three weeks away, but you'll find a ton of great new music at your favorite record shop today, including the latest from The Black Angels. KEXP listeners have long been fans of this Austin band, and in fact we even had them perform in-studio before the release of their v…
With Oh My Virgin Ears!, KEXP's (young) intern Gabe Pollak takes a first listen at iconic albums in music history. With revered UK group Radiohead playing a sold out show next door at Key Arena tonight, we had him spend some time with the band's third LP -- often called "one of the greatest albums …
This weekend, Pizza Fest returns to El Corazon and Funhouse for a seventh year of greasy punk, rock, metal, and of course, pizza. The three-day festival is appropriately headlined by the long-running, Ramones-inspired, "original" pizza-themed punk band Personal & the Pizzas. This year's lineu…
The Twilight Sad have always specialized in making the darker side of humanity seem so grandiose and alluring, but they've never made gloom quite so emotive and magnetic as they do on their fourth album, Nobody Wants To Be Here and Nobody Wants To Leave. When the Scottish band brought six cuts from…
Gracing the Triple Door Saturday night during Decibel Festival was an incredible Sacred Bones double header from Zola Jesus and Pharmakon. With a dazzling night sky of stars in the background and a visually arresting display from each up front, Saturday's Optical session was one for the books, show…
Congratulations to Searching for Sugar Man for winning Best Documentary Feature at the 85th annual Academy Awards tonight! Directed by Malik Bendjelloul, the musical biopic uncovers the mystery behind the Detroit-based musician Rodriguez and, most interestingly, how he became a legend for decades i…
