John Richards

It's Monday, welcome to the Morning Show! ------ BRAND SPANKIN NEW NATIONAL! This song plays during the end credits of the Aaron and Bryce Dessner–scored movie Cyrano. Director Joe Wright adapted the Cyrano de Bergerac film from a stage musical written by star Peter Dinklage’s wife, Erica Schmidt. bit.ly

This song was written by lyricist Hope Sandoval and composer David Roback, who also served as producer. Roback died last year at the age of 61. Read an in-depth exploration of this hauntingly beautiful song: ourculturemag.com

This song is a cover of the much loved song by the Knife. Born in Gothenburg, Sweden to Argentinian parents, José González was joined by the international artist collective, the String Theory, for an enchanting performance live on KEXP in 2019. Watch Live Video from the performance (hosted by Cheryl Waters): bit.ly.

Off the second LP from Elliott Smith, and his first through local label Kill Rock Stars. Kill Rock Stars founder Slim Moon said "I've always felt like this record is underappreciated. A lot of people overlook Elliott's first two records—they think of them as a prelude to the bigger albums that followed—but when you go back, you discover they're really great. This is Elliott's most fragile and delicate music, and we wanted to honor that with a special and beautiful package." elliottsmith.co

The North Carolina folk singer and scholar Jake Xerxes Fussell's album "Good and Green Again" will be available in January and features contributions from Bonnie “Prince” Billy and others - www.jakexerxesfussell.com

Scott began writing the song on a plane flight from New York to London, at the end of the Waterboys' North American tour in November 1985. During his time in New York, Scott had a meeting with the band's manager, Gary Kurfirst, however their relationship had become strained by this time. In his autobiography, Scott revealed: "I knew that the relationship [with Kurfirst] was in terminal decline. I wanted out. Squeezed into seat 31F, I wrote down my feelings in verse on the back of my boarding pass, the beginnings of a new song called "Fisherman's Blues".

Brand new music from the Eastern Oregon artist. margocilker.bandcamp.com

“Introducing different voices throughout the song added a new dimension to telling the story,” says the band’s bassist Marc Perlman, who co-wrote the song with Louris. “We approached it much like we did the whole record — more collaboration in the writing and more sharing of lead vocals than in the past.” Find this previous KEXP song of the day here: www.kexp.org

Wilco released their eleventh studio album last year. Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy says it's "really big, big folk songs." Tweedy told NPR the album overall is defiantly joyful in the face of global political and cultural upheaval. "The record is, in a weird way, an ode," he says in a statement announcing the album. "And one thing that is worth feeling, that is worth fighting for, is your freedom to still have joy even though things are going to s***." n.pr

American-bred garage band Acid Tongue's 3rd full length album "Arboretum" was just released! www.acidtonguemusic.com

Playing The Tractor Friday, April 1st, 2022. New Orleans, LA's Hurray for the Riff Raff's latest is a homespun and uplifting track with Yo La Tengo vibes and, as Alynda Segarra explained in a press release, a strong connection to the natural world. 'Rhododendron', Segarra said, is about "finding rebellion in plant life. Being called by the natural world and seeing the life that surrounds you in a way you never have. A mind expansion. A psychedelic trip. A spiritual breakthrough. Learning to adapt, and being open to the wisdom of your landscape. Being called to fix things in your own backyard, your own community." bit.ly hftrr.bandcamp.com www.hurrayfortheriffraff.com

This is the final track from the supergroup's debut album, and their second single. Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty made up this group.

In their track-by-track retrospective on the album, EW called this track "two minutes and 50 seconds of pure bliss": tinyurl.com

L.A. punk four-piece The Regrettes have just released a new single, “Monday,” (you know, like the day today) that the band’s Lydia Night tells the NME “was inspired by misery, dread and all the fun emotions of the past couple of years,” adding. “It was written at one of the peaks of my anxiety, which I was only diagnosed with recently. After years of feeling a certain way but not identifying with any sort of mental illness, this song was me finding the validation for what I was going through. It was super therapeutic.” Watch the video: youtu.be

Released on this day in 1983! “Let’s Go to Bed” was the first in a series of three synth-driven singles that would partially revitalize the band during an otherwise prolific era for Smith. While flexi-only single “Lament” appeared a few months prior as a Cure track in name only (recorded solely with Steven Severin while the pair were demoing material as The Glove), “Let’s Go to Bed” was the first major taste of new Cure music since the otherwise dour conclusion of Pornography‘s title track. post-punk.com

Released on this day in 2011 and co-produced by Danger Mouse! Each song on this album was recorded in a live take of guitar and drums before overdubs were added. This was done to give the music what Auerbach called "that human element, that live feel". "Dead and Gone" was the first song to be completed. theblackkeys.com

Released on this day in 1968! The music for this song actually began well before the band hit Olympic Sound Studios to lay down the tracks for “Street Fighting Man.” The year before, Richards had been searching for a guitar tone he had in his head – a “dry, crisp sound,” as he put it, that he only achieved through playing a close-miked acoustic guitar into an early cassette recorder. The other key element was Charlie Watts’ use of an antique practice drum kit that came packed in a small suitcase. While that was augmented in the studio with a bigger bass drum sound, the tinny slap of that tiny trap set proved to be the perfect backdrop for Jagger’s forceful vocal and Richards’ bassline. Threaded throughout are other gracefully psychedelic touches like the drone of a sitar (played by Brian Jones) and a shehnai, a reed instrument used in Indian music (played by Traffic member Dave Mason). Here's the story behind this political classic: www.udiscovermusic.com

New music from the Baltimore artist! Support her on bandcamp: snailmail.bandcamp.com

Welcome Break is the band’s second album, the follow-up to 2019’s Boat. Pip Blom are a band, but it’s also the name of the band’s frontwoman. The band also features her brother, Tender Blom. Pip wrote 20 songs in her bedroom in her parent’s house and 16 became demos. www.undertheradarmag.com pipblom.bandcamp.com

NEW MUSIC from shame! “The whole song came together on the day we recorded it at the studio,” the band shared in a statement. “It’s also the first live recording we’ve ever done, we didn’t want it to sound overworked. It’s a pure banger, listen with a piña colada in your left hand.” --- shame are playing live at The Crocodile in a 21+ show on Tuesday, February 8th, 2022! -- Kevin Cole hosted shame Live in the KEXP Gathering Space back in 2018: youtu.be

Happy birthday to David Lovering, drummer of Pixies and The Martinis ------ In the beginning they shout "Shake your butt!" but it's more fun to shout "Chicken butt!"

Pixies played live in the KEXP studio in February 2014! Watch here: www.youtube.com

Tanya Donelly and Pixies bassist co-formed The Breeders in 1989.

Tanya Donnely started this band after the Breeders. She shared, "This song was about commitment and respect; the metaphor is the tree that would be planted on large farms as a point of reference to getting around. Because nothing would grow under the large tree, the family would be buried under it. Hence: 'Take your hat off, boy when you're talking to me and be there when I feed the tree.'" John Richards hosted Belly in an awesome set Live in the KEXP Studio back in October 2018, check it out -- youtu.be

See Throwing Muses rock the KEXP studio in a live performance from 2014: www.kexp.org

My father, Sam, passed away unexpectedly last Friday despite being very healthy and active at the age of 79. He was a complex man who was not great with words but he could recognize beauty in this world. He was a big Johnny Cash Fan, and I was wondering if you could play something for him this morning. Thanks, Jason From Seattle

Los Angeles-based rockers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club covered this song for their first single from their sixth studio album "Specter At The Feast." Their version was done as a homage to The Call's lead singer and songwriter Michael Been, who suffered a fatal heart attack on August 19, 2010 whilst working as a sound engineer at a BRMC concert in Hasselt, Belgium. He was the father of BRMC's guitarist and vocalist Robert Been and was recognized as an honorary fourth member of his son's band.

The Dandy Warhols are playing 12/30 and 12/31 at Revolution Hall in Portland: event.etix.com

Born on this day in 1920, Dave Brubeck, American jazz pianist and composer (Gates of Justice), born in Concord, California Unlike most of the great jazz music of 1959, including the previous Miles Davis song, "So What," which were played mostly in four-four time, this extraordinary work was in five-four time. "It's time that the jazz musicians take up their original role of leading the public into a more adventurous rhythm," Dave Brubeck said.: www.npr.org

"So What" is the first track on the 1959 album Kind of Blue by American trumpeter Miles Davis.It is one of the best known examples of modal jazz, set in the Dorian mode and consisting of 16 bars of D Dorian, followed by eight bars of E♭ Dorian and another eight of D Dorian. This AABA structure puts it in the thirty-two-bar format of American popular song.

Found on Pearl Jam's third studio album 'Vitalogy,' released on this day in 1994. Recorded at Kingsway Studios. Also featured on the soundtrack for the 1996 Seattle music doc, "Hype!"

Stockholm-based trio VERO have shared their latest single ‘Beg!’. Released via PNKSLM Recordings and one half of an upcoming 7″ single that’s set for release on 14th January, the track is saturated with brooding bass lines, swirling riffs and stinging vocals. getinherears.com

Julie is previously known as the bassist of Eric's Trip. She worked with Daniel Romano on this great new record! juliedoiron.bandcamp.com

British sibling duo Penelope Isles are Lily and Jack Wolter. They just released a new album, Which Way to Happy, on November 5. penelopeisles.bandcamp.com

Happy birthday to Mark Gardener, singer and guitarist of Ride, born on this day in 1969. Nice.

I've been going through an incredibly hard time recently and I've been confronting choices I've made and how I can repair relationships in my life. Every morning I turn on the radio and hear the message that I am not alone and that inspires me to try every day, even when it feels impossible. Thank you for all you do. I know it's late and you might not have time but if you could play something by the National, that would be awesome. No worries if not :) Sincerely, Autumn ----- Off The National's sixth LP, released in 2013. Watch the band performing for KEXP live in 2017 here: www.youtube.com

Hello John! Today is my birthday and I would love nothing more than to hear U2's Pride! Pretty please? Erin in Seattle Happy birthday, Erin!

This 1983 song is driven by a big bass pulse that was generated by a Dynacord amplifier and sampler. This was relatively new technology and the sound Simple Minds got out of it was modern and anthemic, making it perfect for live performance. It became a concert favorite for the band.

A mate of mine back in Oz passed away of multiple myeloma last week, and the funeral service was held last night (US time) in Australia, and thanks to technology I was able to attend virtually. Jeremy was an amazingly creative individual who always had multiple projects on the go. He started a BYO alcohol nightclub called Interzone in Perth back in the '90's when there was no other venue playing decent alternative music - it was about as commercially successful as you would imagine but it provided a venue for folk who wanted to hear Severed Heads or Sisters of Mercy even if it didn't make money. His other ventures tended to be equally quixotic, but they brought joy (in one form or another) to both Jeremy and those around him. The music they played at the end of the service last night was Atmosphere by Joy Division. I know that isn't really fitting the vibe of the set you have going on, but if by any chance you could work it in, in memory of a unique individual, my friend Jeremy Byrne, I'd appreciate it. Cheers David in San Francisco

Good morning, happy Monday, and welcome to The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters! --- Beach House will perform at The Paramount Theatre on Sunday, April 3rd, 2022. -- On February 18th, Beach house will release their eighth album, "Once Twice Melody." It's the first full-length that Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally produced entirely by themselves.