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Tuesday, Nov 3 2020, 4PM
Soul cannot be manufactured, it must be conjured from the clash between darkness and light. It's hard to use words to describe what it feels like to hear it, but you know damn well when do. In this manner, Peter Croce's "Revival" is simply dripping in spirit. Released on Rocksteady Disco nearly a year ago, the original is a house edit of a speech given at the 2016 Democratic National Convention by Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II. Rousing in every way shape and form, it grips the heart and drives home the need for fierceness when reviving moral fortitude.
www.magneticmag.com
Exclusively for KEXP, IDLES have just recorded this live session for KEXP at Abbey Road. Including 'Mr. Motivator'! Enjoy it here: youtu.be
In a press release, IDLES frontman Joe Talbot says, "We want to start this journey with a means to not only encapsulate the album’s sentiment, but to encourage our audience to dance like no one is watching and plough through these dark times with a two tonne machete of a song and the most beautiful community of scumbags ever assembled. Let’s go. All is love.” www.kexp.org
While performing this song live, Zach de la Rocha changes the lyrics towards the end to say "Freedom...for Mumia..." This is a reference to the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a former death row inmate accused of killing a police officer. In 2011, his death sentence was dropped.
Please vote!!
"Fight the Power" is a song by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released as a single in the summer of 1989 on Motown Records. It was conceived at the request of film director Spike Lee, who sought a musical theme for his 1989 film Do the Right Thing. First issued on the film's 1989 soundtrack, a different version was featured on Public Enemy's 1990 studio album Fear of a Black Planet.
Public Enemy has officially released “Fight the Power Remix 2020.” The group also announced a reunion with Def Jam.
Songhoy Blues are a desert punk / blues music group from Timbuktu, formed in Bamako after they were forced to leave their homes during the civil conflict and the imposition of Sharia Law. After their debut Music in Exile told the story of the problems faced by the people of Mali with an undefeatable sense of enthusiasm and ungovernable joy, Résistance is more universal in tone and emanates the boldness of a band with more time and tools at their disposal – and the results are nothing short of astounding! If their music were a square peg, then happiness would be the square hole into which it perfectly fits.
Desert blues band Songhoy Blues grew out of political anger and civil unrest, with themes in their music inspired by their life experiences of being pushed out of their hometowns of North Mali by a jihadist group. "Badala" translates to "I don't care," highlighting the ultimate meaning behind the track and that it "celebrates that courage, fearlessness & agency through the story of a woman ending her relationship, and choosing her own destiny" songhoyblues.com
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings were an American funk and soul band signed to Daptone Records. They were part of a revivalist movement recreating mid-1960s to mid-1970s style funk and soul music.
A request for Kathryn!
Charles Edward Bradley was an American singer. After years of obscurity and a part-time music career, Bradley came to prominence in his early 50s.
Live at KEXP
Watch them perform it here:
www.youtube.com
"A Change Is Gonna Come" is a song by American recording artist Sam Cooke. It initially appeared on Cooke's album Ain't That Good News, released mid-February 1964 by RCA Victor; a slightly edited version of the recording was released as a single on December 22, 1964. Produced by Hugo & Luigi and arranged and conducted by René Hall, the song was the B-side to "Shake".
The song was inspired by various personal events in Cooke's life, most prominently an event in which he and his entourage were turned away from a whites-only motel in Louisiana. Cooke felt compelled to write a song that spoke to his struggle and of those around him, and that pertained to the Civil Rights Movement and African Americans. The song contains the refrain, "It's been a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come."
Plaid remix
Björk is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and DJ. Over her four-decade career, she has developed an eclectic musical style that draws on a range of influences and genres spanning electronic, pop, experimental, trip hop, classical, and avant-garde music.
Our Love is the seventh studio album by Canadian musician Dan Snaith, released under the moniker Caribou on October 6, 2014 by City Slang worldwide and October 7, 2014 by Merge in North America and South America. It is Snaith's fourth album as Caribou, having released his previous album, Jiaolong, as Daphni in 2012.
www.mergerecords.com
Convention-blurring techno producer and musician Kelly Lee Owens released her second album, Inner Song, on August 28th via Smalltown Supersound. Inner Song follows the 2017 release of her much lauded self-titled debut, as well as remixes of St. Vincent and by Björk, last year’s “Let It Go / Omen” 12”, and her recent collaboration with Jon Hopkins on the one-off "Luminous Spaces
kellyleeowens.bandcamp.com
"Everything in Its Right Place" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, the opening track on their fourth album Kid A (2000). It features synthesiser, manipulated vocals, and lyrics inspired by the stress singer Thom Yorke experienced while promoting Radiohead's 1997 album OK Computer.
Yorke wrote "Everything in Its Right Place" on piano. Radiohead worked on it in a conventional band arrangement before transferring it to synthesiser, and described it as a breakthrough in the album recording. Though it alienated some listeners expecting more of Radiohead's earlier rock music, "Everything in Its Right Place" was named one of the best songs of the decade by several publications.
Formed in the “original global village” of New York City in the mid-1980s, Deee-Lite was the brainchild of Kierin “Lady Miss Kier” Kirby and “Super DJ Dmitry” Brill, who a short time thereafter welcomed DJ Towa Towa (a.k.a. Towa Tei) to the group. The trio’s genesis was inspired by the dancefloor hedonism and devoted community that defined the city’s vibrant club culture, of which its founders were (and presumably, still are) avid participants and devoted purveyors.
A more uninhibited counterweight to the generally taciturn Dmitry and Towa Tei, Lady Miss Kier emerged as one of the most charismatic frontwomen in music during the early 1990s, with the soulful vocal chops and penchant for magnetic performance to match her commanding personality. Not simply the beautiful face, arresting voice, and FIT-educated fashion maven of the group, Lady Miss Kier was arguably the de facto leader of Deee-Lite, integral to the development of the trio’s career, from the studio to the stage to the media spotlight and beyond.
A request for Carolyn in Northgate!
Global electronica wizard Nickodemus returns with his second solo album, Sun People on ESL Music. Inspired by the big fireball in the sky, Sun People features uplifting dance music from Guinea, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Romania, India, Turkey, United Kingdom and New York City.
Conceptually, Sun People was built with songs made for people who love the sun, sunshine and brighter days to come. Songs were inspired by various people Nickodemus met and places he’s been, along with his collective feelings of optimism. “Sun People makes the best of every situation. When that sun peaks out in the sky, it’s another day to feel and do something positive” Nickodemus says.
worldmusiccentral.org
The origins of the group go back to 2001 when Bogotá native Simón Mejía (previously a member of 1990s Colombian alternative rock band Charconautas) was part of a loose collective of musicians and visual artists under the name A.M. 770.
A.M. 770 was influenced by Colombian groups such as Sidestepper and Bloque de Busqueda who in the late 1990s had started combining traditional Colombian musical rhythms such as salsa and cumbia with modern electronic beats and dance music. A.M. 770's first musical production was the track "Ritmika" (based on a sample of a song by Venezuelan salsa band Los Blanco) on the album Colombeat, a 2002 compilation showcasing this new musical style which was put together by Colombia's foremost alternative rock band Aterciopelados for their new label Entrecasa. By 2005 A.M. 770 had effectively become Mejía's solo project and he began to focus more on the musical side of his work, changing the name of the group to Bomba Estéreo. bit.ly
Bomba Estéreo performed live in the KEXP studio in 2013. Catch that captivating performance here: bit.ly
"Breathe Me" is a 2004 single by Australian singer Sia featured on the album Colour the Small One. The single has sold over 1.2 million copies in the United States. The song became popular on alternative radio and has been used in many different forms of media
“'Hard Life' is another example of the detailed thought that characterizes the album in its entirety. Starting with sparse syncopation and a rumbling, truculent bassline, it adds Cleo Sol’s effortless vocals and some necessary incendiary lyrics: 'I ain’t gonna wait no more / Gonna start a war / I ain’t gonna wait no more.'”"The song’s change from war cry to victory march mirrors that oft quoted idea that the arc of progress heads towards justice and it is remarkable." Learn more about his album that "embodies the soul, spirit, and sanctity of revolution.": www.albumism.com
“Blessings” is a testament to God that features deeply personal lyrics, touching on the Black Lives Matter Movement and the birth of Chance’s daughter. After devoting all his will and music to Him, The Lord has rewarded Chance with nothing but success and happiness. Chance promises to continue preaching and praising God until he “fades away.”
genius.com
Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile teamed up for a new song that they hope will not only inspire people to vote but also encourage everyone to speak up for what they believe in.
Entitled “A Beautiful Noise,” the Grammy winners performed the track on “Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy,” which aired on CBS.
“This song has that special energy that we really need to feel right now,” Keys said in a statement. “Everyone has the power to make a beautiful noise and to lift others up with their voice. And now more than ever, we need to let those voices be heard by voting. I’m so grateful to have joined my sister Brandi Carlile, a beautiful spirit, inspiring artist and incredible person, for this moment.”
In 1988, the year Tracy Chapman unexpectedly took the world by storm, the presidential matchup was between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis, but the sentiments expressed in her song “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” are, if anything, even more poignant today, 32 years later.
Chapman was clearly aware of that context when she performed that song on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” on Monday night, the eve of the most galvanizing election in recent memory. Indeed, she concludes the song by saying “Go vote,” and then stepping aside to reveal a sign reading “Vote” behind her.
“This is the most important election of our lifetime,” Chapman said in a statement. “It is imperative that everyone vote to restore our democracy."
variety.com
Marley wrote the song while touring Haiti, deeply moved by its poverty and the lives of Haitians, according to his then-girlfriend Esther Anderson. The song was frequently performed at Marley's concerts, often as the last song. "Get Up, Stand Up" was also the last song Marley ever performed on stage, on 23 September 1980 at the Stanley Theater, now the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Michael Franti is an American rapper, musician, poet, activist, documentarian, and singer-songwriter. Michael Franti is known for having participated in many musical projects (most of them with a political and social emphasis), including the Beatnigs and the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. He is the creator and lead vocalist of his current independent project, Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock.
"Walls Come Tumbling Down!" is a song by the English band The Style Council which was their ninth single to be released. It was composed by lead singer Paul Weller, and was released in 1985. It is the first single from the band's second album, Our Favourite Shop (1985). Our Favourite Shop was renamed Internationalists for the U.S. market.
A request for Chris!
When asked why "Freedom Highway" remains one of her family's most powerful songs, Staples replied, "That record was recorded right when it had just been written. It’s saying everything that needs to be said in that song. [Sings] ‘March up freedom’s highway. Made up my mind, and I won’t turn around. There is just one thing I can’t understand my friend, why some people think freedom was not designed for all men. There are so many people living their life perplexed, wondering in their minds what’s going to happen next, and that’s why we’re gonna march up freedom’s highway.’" More from this wonderful interview in retrospective of the 50 year anniversary of the march from Selma to Montgomery: bit.ly
"The music video [for "Q.U.E.E.N."] is loaded with subtle imagery and intriguing subtext—alluding to historical Black iconography and examining the paradox of museum culture—while playing with the ideas of Afro-Futurism and the past being reignited to usher us into a future with a multitude identities and equality." enjoy an Afropunk review of this excellent song:
bit.ly
You can also watch the video here:
bit.ly
"Handle Me" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, taken from her self-titled fourth studio album. It was written and produced by Klas Åhlund. The song was initially released as a promotional single in Sweden in 2005. It received a proper single release on 22 October 2007, as the album's third international single and fifth overall. It was later released as the second single in the United States on 1 April 2008. The song was described as a feminist anthem about a man who believes he is cool, but Robyn thinks he is not and she wants to tell him that. The song utilizes thudding beats and string instruments, including violas, violins and guitars.
Deep Sea Diver were live from the lawn on Friday, September 26! You can find the archive of live performances at KEXP, including Lawn in the Morning shows, at kexp.org/archive! Just click on "sessions."
"In the past I’d often tell myself, 'This other person is going through something worse than I am, so their pain weighs more,'" said Dobson of the track. "'Impossible Weight' is about finding more compassion for yourself, instead of discrediting your pain in that way."
Since signing with Rhymesayers in 2015, Sa-Roc has continued to both invigorate and grow her fanbase with a string of singles, accompanied with powerful and visually enthralling music videos, including "Forever", which has over 4 million views on YouTube. In that time, she has continued to cultivate and sharpen her skill sets, and now she is set to release her first album for the label.
sa-roc.bandcamp.com/album/the-sharecroppers-daughter
Gabriel talked to Sa-Roc about this song on KEXP's Sound & Vision last Saturday. www.kexp.org
robertowenscompost.bandcamp.com
Robert Owens is an American songwriter, record producer, DJ and singer, best known for his work with the Chicago house group Fingers Inc. in the mid-1980s.
Faye writes: I am terrified for this election. It hit me this morning like a gut punch that depending on the results, the 3-5 y/o that I am teaching will have to clean up the mess. I have to teach them the things that my grown ups left out. That all of those conflicts in history are still happening today. It breaks my heart how selfish adults can be.
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IDLES performing "Grounds", recorded exclusively for KEXP.
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Filmed and edited by Ground Work: www.youtube.com