Kevin Cole

The riff for the song uses a non-standard guitar tuning. Page explained, "I had a sitar for some time and I was interested in modal tunings and Arabic stuff. It started off with a riff and then employed Eastern lines underneath." The song's time signature combines duple and triple meter; the drums and vocal melody is in bars of 4/4 + 2/4 while the guitar riff is played in cycles of 3/8. Bonham's drums were recorded through an Eventide Instant Phaser PS-101 supplied by engineer Ron Nevison. Plant stated that Bonham's drumming is the key to the song: "It was what he didn't do that made it work." bit.ly

Thunderpussy will be performing at Drunky's Two Shoe BBQ in Seattle, WA on Wednesday, July 4th, 2018 at 6pm.

The original version of this song first appeared on Keep On Your Mean Side, the debut album by UK based indie rock band The Kills. Originally released on April 1, 2003, through Domino Records, it was later reissued on May 4, 2009, with five additional bonus tracks. bit.ly

Different opinions exist regarding the categorization of Third as a Big Star album. According to Chilton, "Jody and I were hanging together as a unit still but we didn't see it as a Big Star record. We never saw it as a Big Star record. That was a marketing decision when the record was sold in whatever year that was sold. And they didn't ask me anything about it and they never have asked me anything about it." Stephens said, "I've seen it in different ways. To a great extent it is an Alex solo record ... It's Alex's focus, it's his emotional state of being but I brought in the string section for the one song I wrote and Alex hit it off with Carl Marsh ... and started using Carl and the string section for other things. What would that album have been like if it didn't have the strings?" According to Eaton, the mastering card identifies Chilton as the recording artist. bit.ly

Chutes Too Narrow was recorded in the basement of James Mercer's former home, located in a particularly rough neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Although recording in the basement was less than pleasant, the band found it "cheaper than a real studio," with Mercer noting that "it only costs sixty bucks to buy deadbolts for the doors." Near the end of the recording process, the band was robbed of the computer they recorded on. "So the master files are now in some crack addict's basement," Mercer told Rolling Stone in 2003. Having cut ties with a bad relationship and a bad job, Mercer felt his songwriting reflected a broader perspective as a result. During the recording process, keyboardist Marty Crandall and his girlfriend, Elyse Sewell, saw a television advertisement for America's Next Top Model and joked that she should try out. Host Tyra Banks called his girlfriend a week later, and Sewell went on to win third prize on America's Next Top Model, wearing "three different Shins T-shirts" on the program. bit.ly

Prior to recording Lungs, Florence Welch had considered or attempted several different projects in the music industry, including an interest in becoming a country singer, recording folk songs she had written, and collaborating with Razorlight's guitarist Johnny Borrell, but ultimately she was unsatisfied with those endeavors. Welch and Borrell wrote several songs together. It was not until Welch began writing and recording with childhood friend Isabella Summers at her small independent workplace, Antenna Studios, in London that Welch crafted a sound she wanted to develop further. Distraught but also inspired from a recently failed relationship, Welch recorded with "enthusiasm over skills", stating "I'm quite glad I never learned to play the guitar, because I think I'd write songs that were more classically structured. As it is, I've had to create my own way of writing, which isn't typical. Everything's a big crescendo." bit.ly

Danish quartet Mew's dense and occasionally difficult And the Glass Handed Kites is old-fashioned only in the sense that it's meant to be eaten in a single sitting. This is not a single-driven record -- though "Special," with its bouncy, moody chorus and octave vocal delivery, sounds like an emission from a time machine parked dead center within the heydays of early-'90s alternative rock -- rather, it's a single organism. Kites takes the wisdom and volatility of the Delgados ("Chinaberry Tree"), the sonic scope of Sigur Rós ("White Lips Kissed"), and the angular guitar attack of early Ride and Dinosaur Jr. ("Circuitry of the Wolf") and melds them all into a cathartic post-rock epic that's so electrifying and unpredictable that it's almost impossible to take in with one or two listens. bit.ly

Eternal Summers are a power trio from Roanoke, Virginia. They have done several U.S tours, put out 3 full length albums on Kanine Records, Silver (2010), Correct Behavior (2012) and The Drop Beneath (2014) plus a comp of early work called Dawn of Eternal Summers. Explore more new stuff from the band here: bit.ly

Based originally in North Carolina and now in Los Angeles, The Love Language was formed in Raleigh in 2008 by singer-songwriter Stuart McLamb. The band features a rotating cast of talented musicians who never fail to impress. McLamb has established his band as an extroverted community art project made by responsible citizens of a loosely packed scene who know that he will match whatever they contribute. bit.ly

SP915 in our Sub Pop Count Up! The band met at open mic nights at Seattle's Conor Byrne Pub. Josiah Johnson had moved to Seattle from Southern California to pursue graduate school, and Jonathan Russell was a recent transplant from Richmond, Virginia. They met keyboardist Kenny Hensley, who had also moved to Seattle to pursue musical score-writing, and Charity Rose Thielen, who had recently returned from a year studying abroad in Paris. Drummer Tyler Williams had been in the band Prabir and The Substitutes in Richmond, but then moved to Seattle to be a part of the band, after hearing one demo for "Down In The Valley". Chris Zasche was bartending at the Conor Byrne and playing in Seattle bands The Maldives and Grand Hallway, and was the last to be added to original lineup. The band sold self-burned copies of their album at shows and eventually local record stores like Easy Street and Sonic Boom couldn’t keep them in stock. Before long, record labels were bidding over The Head and the Heart, and the band signed to Sub Pop in 2010.

Enjoy this mini featurette from FJM on the making of this album, produced by his usual partner-in-crime, Jonathan Wilson, who also makes a few cameos: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oxz7xYcJ3w

Andrew Martin of PopMatters gave the album 8 stars out of 10, describing it as "one of this year's strongest and most balanced hip-hop releases to date." Nate Knaebel of AllMusic said: "The tracks here are infectious and bang as hard as they want to, but they also show an artistry and intelligence you're just not going to get in the mainstream. bit.ly

This third studio album from Pusha T features guest appearances from Rick Ross and Kanye West, the latter of whom produced all of its tracks, with additional production from Andrew Dawson and Mike Dean and uncredited vocals by Tony Williams and 070 Shake. Daytona is the first of five albums produced by West in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in what have become known as the "Wyoming Sessions", released in 2018, with a seven-track album being released every week. bit.ly

Seattle-based 8-piece instrumental soul group The True Loves are a favorite here at KEXP. Known best for backing soul singer Grace Love for the album Grace Love & the True Loves, the band created radio hits as "Fire," "Nobody Sweeter," and the classic ballad, "Mean to Me" and the record was #19 on KEXP’s Top 100 Albums of 2015 list. The band released their incredibly fun debut instrumental album Famous Last Words last year. Earlier this year, they returned with the single "The Dapper Derp," our song of the day. The high-energy groover puts the entire band's skills on blast and impossible not to dance to. Enjoy this featured Song of the Day here: www.kexp.org/podcasts/song-of-the-day/2018/5/4/true-loves-dapper-derp/

Watch the beloved Screaming Eagle of Soul perform this heartbreaking song live on KEXP at Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop during SXSW 2011: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBdTVmSVq14

Produced by Danger Mouse, Wide Awake! is an album about independence and individuality, but also about collectivity and communitarianism. The songs, written by Andrew Savage and Austin Brown but elevated to even greater heights by the dynamic rhythmic propulsion of Max Savage (drums) and Sean Yeaton (bass), are filled with their traditional punk rock passion, as well as a lyrical tenderness. The record reflects a burgeoning confidence in the band's exploration of new ideas in a hi-fi context. bit.ly

"Bitch" was conceived during the Sticky Fingers sessions in October 1970. Keith Richards was late that day, but when he arrived he transformed a loose jam into the trademark riff found on the released take. Andy Johns claims: "When we were doing 'Bitch,' Keith was very late. Jagger and Mick Taylor had been playing the song without him and it didn't sound very good. I walked out of the kitchen and he was sitting on the floor with no shoes, eating a bowl of cereal. Suddenly he said, 'Oi, Andy! Give me that guitar.' I handed him his clear Dan Armstrong Plexiglass guitar, he put it on, kicked the song up in tempo, and just put the vibe right on it. Instantly, it went from being this laconic mess into a real groove. And I thought, Wow. THAT'S what he does." bit.ly

The band was founded in 2009 by multi-instrumentalist step-siblings Kelli Mayo (born March 29, 2000) and Peyton Bighorse (born July 11, 1995), who were just 9 and 14 years old when the band formed. The band is noted for its members alternating instruments, poetic lyrics, intense live shows, melodic arrangements and an eclectic array of songs that vary in style from riot grrrl to piano-based indie pop. Kelli and Peyton met after Kelli's father began dating Peyton's mother. The girls' families eventually moved in together and they began playing with various musical instruments that their parents owned. The band's first setup consisted of Peyton on drums and Kelli playing a basitar, a two-stringed bass instrument most notably used by novelty punk band The Presidents of the United States of America (band). (Kelli's father made her a basitar after she complained that a traditional six-string guitar hurt her fingers.) bit.ly

Performing at the Clock-Out Lounge on July 14! Check out more from this new album here: thesewimps.bandcamp.com

From DJ Kevin Cole: "Žen are a four-piece audio visual band from Zagreb, Croatia. They were one of the bands people raved about at the MENT Festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Since I wasn’t able to catch them at MENT, I was psyched to see them on the lineup at Tallinn Music Week and wasn’t going to miss my chance. Onstage, the band played with a subtlety that tempered the high expectations, drawing me in with songs that had a beautiful ebb and flow, with layers of noise and melody, precision playing, and unexpected chord changes and progressions. Accompanying this sonic bliss, the fourth member of the band, Tanja Minarik curated a visual mix that, combined with the music, inspired deep thoughts – beautiful, introspective disjointed and nostalgic – like poetry. It wasn’t all cerebral, though, as the band masterfully channeled the energy of the crowd, building to a communal rapture, before laying us all down on a cosmic aural blanket." Dig deeper into this track and learn more about the band here: blog.kexp.org

Baby in Vain recently performed at KEXP and the Grand Re-Opening of the Nordic Museum; keep your eyes peeled for video from the KEXP session. Explore more from this young Danish band here: babyinvain.bandcamp.com

The band recorded and produced the album with Butch Vig in early 1992 at the Magic Shop studios. The sound on Dirty was inspired by the grunge scene of the time, and was described as avant-rock. During his first meeting with the group, Vig told the band that he wanted to tighten the song arrangements and focus on crafting the guitar sounds. Vig quickly landed the producer job for the record. During a visit to the apartment of Sonic Youth members Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, Moore told Vig he wanted the album to sound like an obscure Mecht Mensch single that Vig had produced. The band sent a series of cassette tapes to Vig in late 1991, featuring its new compositions. Vig was pleased but also uncertain, as the tapes consisted of long instrumentals, and the producer was unable to discern the song structures. The second batch of cassettes that Vig received demonstrated that the band had performed some self-editing with its compositions. Vig moved to New York City for three months in early 1992 and the band began recording the album at the Magic Shop in March. bit.ly

Fans of Jenn Champion (formerly “S”) have praised her open-hearted lyrics, expertly-deployed melancholia, technical skill, and willingness to forgo conventions, but mostly they’ve praised her for making albums they could cry to. With the release of Cool Choices in 2014, Champion made what many considered the best record of her career, and a lot of people cried to it. On Single Rider, Champion brings with her all those skills and vulnerabilities, but it is not a record for wallowing: it is a record for intense eye contact on the dancefloor. “Sometimes you are sad and you just want to dance about it,” said Champion. https://bit.ly/2Jn3g7m Catch the video for this track here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mwrkHoQzhs

This tenth studio album from New Order features guest vocals from Elly Jackson of La Roux, Iggy Pop and Brandon Flowers. During summer 2015, the group, sans Peter Hook, promoted the album through online media, at Lollapalooza Chile with "Singularity" and "Plastic", and half-minute snippets directly on their YouTube account. It was announced that Gillian Gilbert returned to the band, but with Tom Chapman taking Peter Hook's bassist role. Musically, the album is more electronic-focused than its two predecessors, and New Order's first of new material in a decade. The cover art was designed by long-time collaborator Peter Saville and comprises a montage of lines with four colour schemes: red, yellow, green, and blue, which varies depending on packaging. bit.ly

This ninth studio album was produced by Rich Costey, who returns after collaborating with the band on their eighth album, Kintsugi. It is the first Death Cab for Cutie release to not feature Chris Walla since the band's first ever release, You Can Play These Songs with Chords. The album also marks the first time guitarist/keyboardists Dave Depper and Zac Rae have appeared on a Death Cab for Cutie album, after making their debut recording with the band on the 2016 single "Million Dollar Loan." bit.ly

This young eight-piece band performed a scintillating set here at KEXP; check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM52w9xrdn4

It was inspired by Michael Franti's trip to the Middle East, visiting Iraq, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. It is a politically charged album, with each track focusing on a controversial issue. This fifth studio album by Michael Franti was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica and San Francisco and released on July 25, 2006 by ANTI- and Liberation Records. bit.ly

Despite being stuck in his bedroom in the city of Jacksonville, the 27-year-old Yuno's pedigree is diverse. His parents are from the UK, and of Jamaican descent, and his musical upbringing involved a wide array of discovery mainly as a result of being part of his local skateboarding subculture. That's what got him into music: hanging out with friends at their now abandoned mall, going to the skate shop, playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video games, watching skate videos, and listening to all the music featured therein. “In high school I had a lot of friends that played guitar also. We would all come into school early, learn songs and play for each other in the cafeteria.” yvno.bandcamp.com

When Melody Prochet's previous project My Bee's Garden supported Tame Impala on their European tour in 2010, Prochet collaborated with Kevin Parker to produce her new solo material as Melody's Echo Chamber. The material was recorded in Parker's makeshift studio in Perth, Australia and Prochet's grandmother's seaside home in the south of France. The self-titled debut album was released on Fat Possum Records in the Fall of 2012. This new album, Bon Voyage, was written, performed and produced primarily by Prochet, with contributions from musicians Fredrik Swahn (the Amazing), Reine Fiske (the Amazing and Dungen), and Gustav Ejstes (Dungen).

Kevin Parker stated that "The Less I Know the Better" originated from his love of disco: “That song originally I thought shouldn't be on a Tame Impala album, because it has this dorky, white disco funk. I wouldn't call it cheesy, but it's not trying to be too cool, because the lyrics are pretty dorky and the groove is pretty dorky. But at the same time, for me, I love that kind of music. I don't know why, but I've been obsessed with disco for the last year or two.” According to Parker, recording the song became obsessive. He recalled performing over 1,057 partial vocal takes for either "The Less I Know the Better" or the album's second single, "'Cause I'm a Man", though he could not recall which. bit.ly

The first record by Gang Gang Dance since the acclaimed Eye Contact in 2011, Kazuashita is a mix of shoegaze and electronic ambience, all held together by Lizzi Bougatsos and her otherworldly vocal. Bougatsos, alongside founding members Brian DeGraw and Josh Diamond, formed the group as an improvisational outfit in the early 2000s. The album was produced by DeGraw after recording sessions across several New York studios and art spaces, the band worked with drummer Ryan Sawyer (who met the band through the Boredoms’ BOADRUM project) and Jorge Elbrecht (who worked on additional production and mixing duties). 4ad.com

Now Now was formed in roughly 2003. Classmates Cacie Dalager and Bradley Hale met in their high school marching band when they were both sixteen years old; they eventually started writing songs together, starting with an acoustic song dedicated to a college-bound friend. The band's name, according to Dalager, was an in-joke resulting from a typo in an online chat. The band considered using the name for an EP title, but it stuck as the band name when they officially started the project. Dalager and Hale were joined by Brad's sister Britty on keyboards, and school friend Justin Schweim on bass for the recording of their first EP and their first few shows in the Minneapolis area. bit.ly

On this day in 2007, Apple released its first mobile phone, the iPhone. In January of that year, Steve Jobs had introduced the concept of the iPhone at during one of his legendary keynotes. He introduced the multitouch interface that let the iPhone smoothly pinch-to-zoom, the physics-based interactivity that included inertial scrolling and rubberbanding, and the multitasking that let him move seamlessly from music to call to web to email and back.

On this day in 2007, Apple released its first mobile phone, the iPhone. The original iPhone had a 3.5-inch LCD screen, a quad-band 2G EDGE data radio, 802.11b.g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 2-megapixel camera. Two storage tiers were available at launch: 4GB or 8GB. iPhone also included several sensors to enhance the experience, like an accelerometer that could automatically rotate the screen to match device orientation, a proximity sensor that could automatically turn off the screen when close to the face, and an ambient light sensor that could automatically adjust brightness. Unlike other early smartphones like the Blackberry, iPhones did not include a keyboard, stylus, removable battery, or SD card support, much to the dismay of some users. It also didn’t have an exposed file system, copy and paste or any form of advanced text editing, or, critically to many, support for third-party apps.

On this day in 2007, Apple released its first mobile phone, the iPhone. The iPhone debuted at $499 for the 4GB and $599 for the 8GB model on-contract. Those prices weren't unheard of at the time, but meant Apple couldn't penetrate the mainstream market. On June 28, 2007, Apple shipped the first iPhones and lines formed outside of flagship stores. It was met with praise, but failed to become as ubiquitous as Jobs had hoped. In September of that year, he announced that Apple would discontinue the 4GB option, and make the 8GB option available for just $399. The original iPhone ended up selling over 6 million units in its first year on four carriers in four countries. Now, iPhone sells hundreds of millions a year on almost every carrier in almost every country.

Héloïse Letissier, better known as Christine and the Queens, has shared a new song called “Girlfriend.” The track is a collaboration with Dâm-Funk, and there are two versions: an English version and a French version titled, “Damn, dis-moi.” The song arrives via Because Music. “I initially set out to smash against macho culture and macho men,” Letissier said of the song in a statement. “I became obsessed with this idea of the macho man, and still being a woman. What does it mean if I’m this figure, and I’m a woman? Does it make me an aberration? Is it joyful?” https://bit.ly/2tPFXJK | Check out the video for this new track here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0NMTuz9Duo

"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" has been heard in a number of movies, including the opening and closing scenes of the 2002 film Undercover Brother, in which the '70s-inspired protagonist, played by Eddie Griffin, drives around in a classic Cadillac. In the 2006 movie Click, Adam Sandler's character performs the song while dancing. "Give Up the Funk" also appears in the salon renovation scene of the 2005 film Beauty Shop, the 1998 film Slums of Beverly Hills, the 2008 film Cloverfield and in the 2011 film Moneyball. It is also performed by Clinton and P-Funk in the 1994 film PCU. bit.ly

The third studio album by rapper Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was released by Glassnote Records on December 2, 2016. Consisting of tracks being sung rather than rapped, its fusion of psychedelic soul, funk and R&B influences was considered a bold departure from the predominantly hip hop style of his prior work. The album was produced by Glover and his longtime collaborator, Ludwig Göransson. bit.ly

The album was recorded in Melbourne with producer Burke Reid, who also worked on Barnett's previous solo album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. Barnett was joined on the album by her live rhythm section of Bones Sloane (bass, backing vocals) and Dave Mudie (drums, backing vocals), as well as guitarist Dan Luscombe of The Drones. The album also features guest appearances from the Deal sisters, Kim and Kelley. The album was teased with a video shared across Barnett's social media outlets, in which Barnett tries out different instruments and sings snippets of new songs. bit.ly

All four members of The Beths studied jazz at university, resulting in a toolkit of deft instrumental chops and tricked-out arrangements that operate on a level rarely found in guitar-pop. Beths guitarist and studio guru Jonathan Pearce (whose other acts as producer include recent Captured Tracks signing Wax Chattels) brings it all home with an approach that’s equal parts seasoned perfectionist and D.I.Y. Front and center on these ten infectious tracks is lead singer and primary songwriter Elizabeth Stokes. Stokes has previously worked in other genres within Auckland’s rich and varied music scene, recently playing in a folk outfit, but it was in exploring the angst-ridden sounds of her youth that she found her place. “Fronting this kind of band was a new experience for me,” says Stokes. “I never thought I had the right voice for it.” bit.ly

Seattle's Big Bite have a few shows coming up, the soonest at The Beehive Social Club in Salt Lake City, UT on July 6. More info and dates here: bit.ly

The founding members of Versing initially met at their college radio station in Tacoma. When the trio’s short-lived garage band—whose repertoire included what they refer to as “a mean Boyracer cover”—went kaput, they added a fourth member, shuffled some instrumental duties, rechristened themselves Versing, and relocated to Seattle. Recorded entirely over the course of one evening, “Silver Dollar” imagines the fallout of a hit-and-run, with the culprit leveraging their social status to avoid justice for their actions. The single is their Hardly Art debut and follows 2017’s full-length Nirvana and 2016’s Nude Descending EP.

Following Strummer's sudden passing in 2002, his widow and Robert Gordon McHarg compiled over 20,000 items spanning Strummer’s career. Now, Ignition Records has announced Joe Strummer 001, a career-spanning compilation. The 2xCD and box set features his solo albums, recordings with the 101ers, the Mescaleros, soundtrack work, and a full album of unreleased songs including outtakes from “Love Kills” from the 1986 film Syd and Nancy. It’s out September 28. Strummer's library of his own work was discovered after his death in December 2002; he stored writings and tapes in his garden, many of which now live among 20,000 items in the Joe Strummer Archive. Each track has ben restored and mastered by producer Peter J. Moore. According to a statement, Moore discovered hidden tracks, superimposing songs onto each other with 8 track recordings and 20-minute breaks between songs on cassettes. The cover of all formats is taken from Joe’s 1990 Californian driver’s license. A hardbackbook accompanying the new release features rarely seen and previously unpublished memorabilia plus historical press reviews and technical notes about the recordings.

Firstly, join Morgan as she pays tribute to the Families Belong Together event on-air tomorrow, with events at SeaTac Detention Center, People's Park in Tacoma, and Capitol Campus, Legislative Steps in Olympia. More info here: act.moveon.org | The Brooklyn-based bhangra-fusion ensemble rose out of bandleader Sunny Jain’s early attempt at an Indian brass wedding band in New York, before he realized the need to spread the jubilant sonics and energy of South Asian marital customs to the masses. As the concept took shape prior to their 2010 debut Chaal Baby, the group’s sound blew up considerably beyond the trappings of mere “wedding band” music, encompassing a jazz-approached riot of big band Panjabi instrumentation with singed edges of psychedelic rock and hip-hop. bit.ly

Endtroducing samples music including hip hop, jazz, funk, psychedelia, and heavy metal, as well as films and interviews. DJ Shadow layered, programmed, and cut samples into fragments to create tracks. He opted to sample more obscure selections, making it a personal rule to avoid popular material; he said: "I've always pushed myself to use obscure things, and if I use something obvious, it's usually only to break my own rules." Samples of prominent artists such as Björk and Metallica are, however, present throughout the record. Minor vocal contributions were provided by American rappers Lyrics Born and Gift of Gab, both friends of DJ Shadow. bit.ly