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Sunday, Jul 23 2023, 12PM
New album, Russell's second, comes out in September. "The Returner" is a body-shaking, mind-expanding, soulful expression of Black liberation, Black love, of Black self-respect. Written and co-produced by Allison along with Dim Star (her partner JT Nero and his brother Drew Lindsay).
allisonrussellmusic.com
"No Beginning No End" was James' debut release on Blue Note. In 2018 he co-founded Rainbow Blonde Records with Talia Billig (aka Taali) and Brian Bender. In 2020, he released a sequel to this album entitled "No Beginning No End 2".
www.josejamesmusic.com
New album releases next month. Pre order at holliecook.bandcamp.com
holliecook.com
Celebrating 2003's hip hop releases this week! kexp.org
The fifth studio album from the brilliant Atlanta duo André 3000 and Big Boi was a double LP - a disc from each artist. The two albums' featured guests included JAY-Z, CeeLo Green, Killer Mike, Goodie Mob, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Sleepy Brown and Jazze Pha, on "Speakerboxxx"; and Rosario Dawson, Norah Jones, Kelis, and Fonzworth Bentley on "The Love Below". Listen to the breakdown of this album on this week's 50 years of hip-hop podcast at www.kexp.org
New single from Chicago's Mick Jenkins. His new album "The Patience", comes out on August 18th.
www.youtube.com
Multi-instrumentalist and visionary artist Yussef Dayes announced his highly anticipated debut solo studio album "Black Classical Music", due out on September 8th
yussefdayes.bandcamp.com
Dayes performs at The Showbox on November 28th.
Video! www.youtube.com
yussefdayes.com
On "Road Of The Lonely Ones", Madlib used a couple of tracks from The Ethics, a Philadelphia soul group from the '60s. Madlib left their soft, longing falsetto vocals mostly intact, shaping the track around them.
Check out a great NPR feature on the Madlib / Four Tet collaboration on "Sound Ancestors": n.pr
madlib.bandcamp.com
This single came out this day in 1989!
In 2020 Lenny Kravitz's wrote an autobiography by the same title, "Let Love Rule."
In the memoir, Lenny Kravitz talks about growing up in New York as the child of an interracial couple, his loving relationship with his mom, actress Roxie Roker, best known for playing Helen Willis on "The Jeffersons," and the difficult relationship he had with his dad, Sy Kravitz, a TV news producer. It's also about living in LA as a teen and struggling to find his musical voice while getting kicked out of his home by his dad.
www.lennykravitz.com
Fiona Apple's debut album "Tidal" released this day in 1996. "Criminal", the album's most popular single, won a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 1998.
www.youtube.com
"Later That Day..." is the 2003 debut solo studio album by Lyrics Born. The Tokyo-born artist out of the Bay area has been performing for more than 25 years - and is looking forward to the next 25. Lyrics Born is the only Asian-American MC to release 10 studio albums plus a greatest hits album, as well as the first to play major festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza.
"I will be doing more advocating for the under served in the arts as well, particularly for Asian Americans and other people of color. The world needs the same diversity in the arts as we do in real life."
www.lyricsborn.com
Backed by an all-star band that includes Cuban trumpeter Julito Padrón (Irakere) along with Jamaican legends Sly Dunbar on drums, the late Robbie Shakespeare on bass and the late Winston "Bopee" Bowen on guitar, "The Human Chain" is a powerful and uplifting rocksteady roots anthem about the looming threats to humanity.
Fearon will be at Nectar Lounge on September 9th with Boogie Brown Band and guests Two Story Zori and DJ Kingstown Sounds.
havanameetskingston.bandcamp.com
www.clintonfearon.com
From the new album which released in June.
Meshell Ndegeocello performs at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley on October 19th.
www.meshell.com
"My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration. I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are."
Beyoncé will be at Lumen Field on September 14th. Do you have your tickets?
www.beyonce.com
"You're Makin' Me High" was Braxton's first number-one single on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts!
"It was sexy because Toni needed to do something a little more daring," the song's producer Babyface said. "She was fighting it a bit. She didn't know whether she should say those kinds of things. She didn't want to offend anybody. It was chancy, but it ended up working out."
Claire Cottrill (Clairo) is from Carlisle, Massachusetts, but has roots in Bellevue, Washington. She's been recording since she was 13.
In 2019, she curated Midnight in a Perfect World for KEXP. Check it out at www.kexp.org
www.clairo.com
New music from Seattle's own Brooklyn-based, Grammy-nominated jazz musician, emcee, singer, producer and drummer Kassa Overall! Kassa Overall is playing the THING Festival in Port Townsend on August 27th. thingnw.org kassaoverall.bandcamp.com
See the Ghent, Belgium duo perform "HAHA" and other songs in a live KEXP performance from 2022:
youtu.be
charlotteandbolis.com
From Ware's recent release. "'Free Yourself' is the beginning of a new era for me," Ware has revealed. "I’m so excited for people to have this song for the end of their summer; to dance, to feel no inhibitions, and to feel joyful because that’s how I’ve been feeling recently being able to tour again and being able to sing again. Enjoy yourself, Free Yourself!"
Official video here: bit.ly
www.jessieware.com
"C'est Si Bon," is Say She She's latest single, one of a handful of tracks released since their 2022 debut album, Prism. saysheshe.bandcamp.com
Say She She will be at Pickathon (Happy Valley, Oregon) in early August.
Check out the band playing Live on KEXP last November: www.youtube.com
"Homebase" released on this day in 1991, featuring "Summertime".
On this track, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince sampled Kool & the Gang's "Summer Madness" (from their 1974 release "Light of Worlds").
Another release on this day in history, RJD2's debut album "Deadringer", in 2002.
Did you know that "Ghostwriter" was used as the backing track for a Washington State Lottery television ad?
"You’ve Got a Woman" is a rare Seventies soul gem from Lion, which Beck and Bergman recreate with a simple guitar strum, hand drums and some dub-y percussion, and other atmospheric effects. Bergman leads the song in her falsetto, while Beck pops up to provide some backing vocals and harmonies.
Released on the 2022 Third Man Records Mix. thirdmanrecords.com
"Song for Sharon" was dedicated to Joni's best friend when she was growing up in Maidstone, Saskatchewan in the 1950s.
It references the fact that Sharon had been planning a career as a professional singer, while Joni hoped to be a farm wife, but in adulthood, each realized the other's ambition.
This 2021 track tackles racial injustice, with the video capturing Covid-19's impact on black communities. Mensa explained:
"'Shelter' is a spiritual note, a healing frequency. It was inspired not by Hollywood or Paris, but by what's going on on the ground - in the real world, with the real people."
Wyclef added: "The journey of this song was so important. It's very crucial we, as musicians, use our voice to represent those who are not so easily able to be heard."
Beautiful video here: youtu.be
Request from Tim in Seattle - "a great song for a sunny day like today"
Produced by Pantha, Lowe Mi is the latest from Jamaican singer, actress, and model, Sevana (a name reminiscent of her hometown Savannah-La-Mar), who pulls inspiration from the grassy clearings, lush countryside and azure skies of her Jamaican homeland.
Beautiful Video!
youtu.be
In 2020, Sevana shared a set of songs recorded exclusively for KEXP at Home.
youtu.be
IG: @callmesevana
Janelle is kicking off her tour in Seattle on Wednesday, August 30th! She'll be playing an all-ages show at WaMu Theatre. Be sure to catch her on tour later this summer and into the fall.
www.jmonae.com
2:19 PM
12th spin
On this day in 1968, The Beatles recorded the vocals and overdubs for this song at Abbey Road in London.
Born in Compton, Steve Lacy gained popularity as the guitarist of R&B group The Internet. Gemini Rights is his latest album and released earlier this year.
www.stevelacys.com
Lil Yachty co-produced the entire album, and the project features a list of heavy hitter guest producers including Justin Raisen, Sad Pony, Patrick Wimberly, Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait, Nick Hakim, Magdalena Bay, and Jam City.
Lil Yachty will be at THING Festival at Fort Worden in Port Townsend in late August. thingnw.org
www.lilyachtyofficial.com
Mormor explained that he wrote "Far Apart" about the "toxicity that occurs in a relationship when both people haven’t yet faced their demons." The heaviness of that topic is fleshed out in the lyrics, with MorMor singing about being "pulled down from above" and "buried in my doubt" in his distinctive falsetto.
Don't miss the official video for "Far Apart": www.youtube.com
Released in 2003, our spotlight year in celebration of 50 years of hip-hop. kexp.org
Tokyo-born artist out of the Bay area, Lyrics Born has been performing for 25 years and is looking forward to the next 25.
As LB continues the next chapter, he jokes that he’s become that "old stubborn Japanese man" who says what he wants and he's not planning on going anywhere. In fact, his goal over the next 25 years is to make another 10 albums and more films. Most notably he wants to continue providing a platform for other Asian-Americans, a slice of the population that is consistently underrepresented in pop culture.
www.lyricsborn.com
"Attention" was Doja Cat's first single after "Vegas", featured on the Elvis soundtrack. It's supposed to be the lead single to her upcoming album. www.youtube.com
www.dojacat.com
Little Dragon will be at Neptune Theatre on October 4th.
littledragon.bandcamp.com
Little Dragon was live on KEXP back in 2018. Check out the full performance here: www.youtube.com
little-dragon.net
Neneh Cherry's 2022 album "The Versions" features reimaginings of her older songs in collaboration with her favorite female and non-binary artists including SIA, Robyn & ANOHNI. She tapped Jamila Woods for this rendition of "Kootchi."
IG: @nenehcherryofficial
This is a remix of a 1971 song by the short-lived UK group Colonel Bagshot called "Six Day War." The song is about war and regret, with the refrain, "Tomorrow never comes until it's too late." The video was directed by the Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, and stars Chang Chen from the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". The video uses the song metaphorically, and tells the story of a man trying to destroy all traces of his former love, who has betrayed him. This video was released on DVD as a short film.
bit.ly
youtu.be
djshadow.com
Covering The Young Rascals 1967 single.
Thanks for listening. Stay tuned for Evie up next!
Welcome to Evie's show!
According to Interpol's Daniel Kessler, the album's opening track, "Untitled" was written specifically to open their live shows. He said, "'Untitled' was a piece of music that was cultivated to open shows, well before we had any designs to make a record. It was a way to introduce the band live. And then by virtue of having performed it so many times, it became clear that this was our theme music to announce the band, and it felt appropriate to include it as such on our first album." - bit.ly
interpol.bandcamp.com