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Wednesday, Jun 22 2016, 6AM
One of those tracks that really brings me back to the 80s, y'know? Songs of Faith and Devotion was Depeche Mode's first simultaneous No. 1 record on the UK and Billboard Charts. It actually came out in 1993, just by the way.
I love the moment in this track when Bernie Sumner sings "why don't you piss off" and sounds really down for a couple moments. Off the second New Order record, Power, Corruption, and Lies, which came out in 1983.
Off the rather beguiling Around the World in a Day release. Certainly not the record fans expected Prince to follow Purple Rain with, but it seems pretty fitting that this is the one we got. Also contains the insanely catchy track "Pop Life," which has a special place in my heart.
The second single from Echo & The Bunnymen's self-titled record. The real question on the mind of every KEXP listener is when will John finally break out Coldplay's classic rendition of this track, as performed live in Paris? Even Chris Martin wants to know.
Malkmus is sort of the best. Now and then it's really important to remind oneself of that rather inexorable fact. Also, he must be the coolest dad? His kids probably just sit around watching skate videos and snorting adderall. That's one cool dad.
Lou Barlow got married last year, which is pretty exciting. Proof that introverts can find love after all. From the second Folk Implosion record, titled Dare to Be Surprised. Still sounds pretty great 19 years later.
Recorded while Bowie was attempting to kick cocaine for the first time, following his move to Berlin from L.A, which clearly inspired the vibe of the record. Arguably the clearest all out jam on the record, though there are a few other contenders.
From the so great Here Come the Warm Jets record. Easily one of his best. Been thinking of Brian Eno's hair a lot lately-- like Roxy Music-era Eno hair. Look no further than this Roxy TV appearance for confirmation of Eno's hair-god status: www.youtube.com.
Better than that first Cars record. The so talented Will Toledo & co. will be playing this year's Capitol Hill Block Party, at which they will seemingly be the only band playing guitars on the main stage. Them & Thunderpussy. Let's hope he plays all 10 minutes of "Beach Life-In-Death."
From the new Modern Baseball record, which came out in mid-May. The band is one of several bands (spearheaded by the great Speedy Ortiz) to set up a hotline for concert-goers to contact if they feel unsafe at a Modern Baseball concert. So good, so necessary.
I've said it before, and I will say it again: PAWS are on Fatcat Records, which is such a cute combination. That's a match made in heaven right there. New PAWS record sounding pretty great, out just last week.
From matt pond PA's fifth full-length, Emblems, which came out back in 2004. It was the band's first for Altitude Records, following a string of albums with Polyvinyl. The band's latest, The State of Gold, came out last year.
Music to spin a loved one around a dimly lit room to. Pretty track from the Portland band, who will be in Seattle on September 8th, playing at Barboza. New album, Something to Ruin, out mid-way through August.
You gotta love Grant Lee Phillips-- he seems like one cool dude. And man he's written some great songs. This was Michael Stipe's favorite record of 1993, which makes a lot of sense once you think about it.
Little known fact: Jose Gonzalez is actually 67 years old! Wowwee he sure looks good for his age! Someone found the elixir of life, am I right guys? This track's from Jose's 2007 record, In Our Nature, which was his second full-length.
Joseph Arthur's playing The Triple Door on September 15th. His new record, The Family, came out back in early June. He's in the running for the most live appearances on KEXP, along with John Doe and Robyn Hitchcock.
Elbow bands can come as cheap as five dollars online, but in order to maximize effectiveness, one may want to invest in a slightly more expensive model. Perhaps the OrthoSleeve ES3 Compression Elbow Sleeve?
I need to sit down with a group of my millennial peers and decide once and for all how we feel about Peter Gabriel. He's touring with Sting right now, if you're into that sort of thing. Off the Peter Gabriel album with the face melting cover.
Let's all hope Sinead is doing okay. She needs our good vibes. From the singer's debut record, recorded when she was just 20 years old. The album's titled is taken from bible verse Psalm 91:13, "you will tread upon the lion and cobra."
Such a cool record from the great local producer Erik Blood. Easily up there as one of the coolest local releases of the year. Playing this Friday at Barboza, with Prom Queen and Bad Luck. Playing around town throughout the summer, I'd imagine.
Prime beard rock. I had always wondered what was missing from My Morning Jacket for me, then I saw this video and I realized it was Ms. Erykah Badu: www.youtube.com.
Released on this day in 2004 to the delight of NPR dads everywhere. I'm the same age as Jeff Tweedy's kid, which is pretty weird to think about. It also means that I could conceivably trade places with Spencer Tweedy, and maybe no-one would notice?
All the rage in 1974. New record from ex-Smith Westerns member Max Kakacek. If one looks up pictures of Whitney (the band), they'll be greeted by an image of seven young men who all resemble Mac Demarco. It's uncanny.
Blur high key have so many great songs, it's sort of overwhelming at times. You have your "Parklife"s, your "The Universal"s, your "Lonesome Street"s, your "Coffee and TV"s, the list goes on and on. Damon Albarn has some chops, even though he's sort of awful.
A band that's painfully attractive. They're so cool, and so talented. Also, a crazy good live band. They've played a few times in the KEXP studios-- here's their set from 2015 on the Morning Show: blog.kexp.org.
Not to be confused with the Bob Seger track of the same name. There was a guy in my high school who tried to get me into Bob Seger a few times, he has not yet succeeded. Sorry, bud. Night Moves' latest, Pennied Days, came out in late March on Domino.
Still such a good song. The track's video won Best Music Video at the Grammys that year, which doesn't necessarily vouch for the quality of the video, but it's pretty solid: www.youtube.com.
If only there was a radio station that could break down every sample of 3 Feet High and Rising... new De La Soul is set to be released on August 26th on Rough Trade Records. The record is titled And the Anonymous Nobody, and will hopefully be excellent?
If you've ever fantasized about Yo La Tengo collaborating with Aesop Rock, look no further than Aesop's recent performance on Colbert, where he was backed up by the band: www.youtube.com.
Sort of a nasty bandname when you start to think about it. Just makes me think of a limp pile of meat on a slightly melted cafeteria tray. Evidently it worked out okay for them never the less. Often considered the first stars of UK electronic music.
Surprisingly released on 4AD? M/A/R/R/S was the one-off collaboration between Colourbox & A.R. Kane, who were both signed to 4AD at the time. 4AD prez Ivo Watts-Russell said the two acts should collaborate after each individually oiced interest in making a commercially successful dance record.
Music to make my head explode. Sounds like an overwhelming caffeine rush. Peaked at No. 6 on the UK Charts. In order to clear the samples for this track, Fatboy Slim had to give away all the song's royalties, 25% to each artist sampled.
Off the second FIDLAR record, Too, which came out in September of last year. More skater punk for your morning. Here's a pretty interesting feature on the band from last year: consequenceofsound.net.
The best song. The lead-off track from Mission of Burma's debut EP/comp, Signals, Calls, and Marches, released in 1981. Was a significantly cleaner sounding record than the band's later releases, which the band has said alienated many audiences.
I have so much nostalgia for the unremembered 80s, it's not great. I wonder how business is going at James Murphy's Williamsburg wine bar? Do you think they'd card me? I wish there was a way to research this kind of thing.
A song that makes me pretty uncomfortable when I accidentally start singing along to it. Trent Reznor hates YouTube, if you were wondering. On the bright side, we can update our ever growing list of things that Trent Reznor hates.
"Immediate, fun, instinctual and confident"- words to describe the process of making Liars' Mess LP, or a classic dinner party thrown by yours truly? It's the former-- my dinner parties are disasters.
Released on this day in 1993, also known as the day I was truly conceived. Such a great record, honest to god. So influential on the formation of my adolescent mind. Too bad Liz Phair only tours with Billy Corgan now.
Great new music out on Kill Rock Stars from Summer Cannibals! The PDX band's debut record, Full Of It, came out in late May, and is still sounding nice and fresh (almost like they're using an ethylene-based preservative, amirite?)
It's really too bad Flaming Lips didn't release any other good tracks besides "She Don't Use Jelly." Another one-hit wonder in the dustbin of history. At least the band played the track live on 90210 before being forgotten.
In honor of the UK voting on whether or not to leave the EU today. Pretty contentious issue. Meanwhile in Washington, we can't get any gun control legislature passed...
Oh, Peter Murphy. Eternal personal style icon, perhaps most because of the amazing video for "Cuts You Up." That dude had some great hair. Looked like a really sexy lizard man: www.youtube.com.
Boss Hog will be LIVE at KEXP on July 12 at 12 PM-- available for simultaneous online streaming AND viewing in our public gathering space. See the great Jon Spencer's high kicks in person. Off the new Boss Hog record, Brood Star, out July 1st (!).
But like this is the real song of the summer. Every time Kathleen Hanna releases new music, it somehow manages to blow my mind how good it is. This is off a full-length, Hit Reset, which is out on July 8th. A world with more Kathleen Hanna is a far better place.
Off a record many considered to be a comeback for the great Mr. Cave, Abattoir Blues. Which seems a little ridiculous, since No More Shall We Part is also a great record. New Nick LP, Skeleton Tree, comes out this fall.
Missing Kim Deal. Off the first Pixies record, which is still such a blast. That Steve Albini drum sound works so well with their sound. Not really an interesting or controversial statement, but still wanted to type it for some reason.
One might compare Matt Berninger's voice to molasses. Really angry, depressed molasses. From The National's Alligator album, which came out in 2005 on the Beggars Banquet imprint. Solid tunes on this one.
MBV drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig has kept busy as of late working with Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval, as part of her Warm Inventions project. New album will hopefully be out sometime in 2016.
