1,269Shows
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Friday, Dec 5 2014, 2PM
Watch our exclusive video by the Notwist at the Triple Door that incited an audience member to yell at the end of their set, "You guys are crazy!" blog.kexp.org
"Perfume Genius mastermind Mike Hadreas is a local, but it wasn’t until the 2010 Matador 21 anniversary shows in Las Vegas that I first saw him live. Sandwiched on the bill between two iconic heavyweights (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Cat Power, for crissakes), Mike sat timidly behind his piano with his boyfriend. He seemed so fragile, yet there was an impressive strength behind it that kept me and my friends glued to the stage. Years later, Hadreas has returned with his third album, Too Bright, out now on Matador Records, and his strength radiates stronger then ever. Recorded with Adrian Utley of Portishead and featuring John Parish on several tracks, he describes the new release to DJ Cheryl Waters as 'dark and nasty,' but the songs still retain a beauty unique to Perfume Genius. All hail the queen." Watch video from his recent gorgeous in-studio here: blog.kexp.org
"Cranes were one of the major trance-pop/shoegaze groups of the early '90s, combining ethereal vocals and melodies with loud, droning guitars. Cranes were formed by brother and sister Jim (drums) and Alison Shaw (vocals) in 1988 in Portsmouth, England; guitarist Mark Francombe and bassist Matt Cope joined the band two years later. The group independently released its first album, Fuse, on cassette in 1990; a small local label released Self-Non-Self the same year to good reviews. Both sets of music led to a record contract with Dedicated, an English record label. Later that year, they released their first EP for the label, Inescapable, which earned them a lot of attention, including a Melody Maker cover story; a second EP, Espero, also earned positive reviews, including a Melody Maker Single of the Week." www.allmusic.com/artist/cranes-mn0000128141/biography
"Run DMC’s turntablist Jam Master Jay was instrumental in creating the band’s remix of Aerosmith’s rock hit 'Walk This Way.' This is the story of how rock and roll made it onto the turntable and how this song introduced popular culture to hip hop." www.kexp.org/learn/documentaries/?docid=6#6
"NO ZU is the wild, 'heat-beat' sounds of the New Age - a gaudy mixture of colours and textures that dance a desert dance of the antipodean kind." ~ from nozu.bandcamp.com
"Taking the same approach to hip-hop that funk maverick George Clinton took to his own projects, Afrika Bambaataa created the Time Zone project in the early '80s as another outlet for his projects. Despite the different name, their singles were essentially just Bambaataa productions, with various collaborators like Bill Laswell and James Brown included on certain tracks. Their first release was 'Wild Style,' a breakdancing single that employed the futuristic synth lines and tight funk instrumentation that he had pioneered on the massive 'Planet Rock 12.'" www.allmusic.com/artist/time-zone-mn0000599576/biography
"The band that eventually became the Shins, Albuquerque, New Mexico's Flake Music left a trail of singles dating back to 1993 and a lone full-length release to posterity (1997's When You Land Here, It's Time to Return, Omnibus Records). Originally known as Flake, the band was formed in 1992 by singer/songwriter/guitarist James Mercer and featured drummer Jesse Sandoval, keyboardist Marty Crandall, and bassist Neal Langford. Soon after, they changed their name to Flake Music and delivered shimmering guitar pop evoking ecstasy on the order of Robert Smith's best. After releasing When You Land Here, the quartet remade itself as the Shins, trading instruments and places on-stage; by 1999, Flake Music essentially disbanded when Langford joined the new group." goo.gl
"I was using old rock albums – by bands like the Beach Boys, the Tornadoes, the Animals – trying to put together these quirky little songs. We spent a lot of time re-imagining the old samples with live instrumentation, organs and so on; the samples ended up acting as inspirational starting points." www.deadjournalist.com/DJdc/2013/02/09/exclusive-interview-cayucas/ They brought the sun with them when they came and played a warm and sparkling in-studio session last year; catch it all here right here, right now: http://blog.kexp.org/2013/07/26/live-video-cayucas/
"England's Mourn was a prototypical Rise Above act, responsible for leaden, Sabbath-inspired doom metal epics. Featuring singer Caroline Wilson, guitarists Ali Reza Hakimi Ghazvini and William Palmer, bassist Steve Draysey, and drummer Mark Cronin, the group only recorded a single, self-titled album in 1995 before going their separate ways." www.allmusic.com/artist/mourn-mn0001271399
Esther Friedman, Iggy's photographer girlfriend from roughly 1976 to 1982, on the origins of this iconic song: "It’s a hymn to Berlin’s S-Bahn [Stadtschnellbahn, light rail system]. Jim [James Osterberg aka Jim aka Iggy] went on the S-Bahn almost every day. Those trips inspired him to write the song, especially the section that goes out to the Wannsee. Jim and David [Bowie] also frequently traveled together to East Berlin, in a Mercedes-Benz 600 that David’s chauffeur took care of." dangerousminds.net
"At a time when everyone is looking for change and 're-discovery,' maybe it’s not such a bad thing to be known as a good band you can rely on. At least one Deerhoof album should be in any collection, and this is as good a place to start as any." Read on, and savour your own free copy of a Deerhoof track here: blog.kexp.org
"Don’t expect to take the title of the second solo album by Kevin Morby literally. Still Life was written during a particularly busy time in his life, which included touring with two bands — Woods (his former band) and The Babies (his project with Vivian Girls’ Cassie Ramone) — and switching coasts, as he moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Because of that, the songs cover a sweeping range of emotions and experiences. The first single, which we can share with you today in this exclusive premiere, is the moving elegy, 'Parade.' Inspired by one of Morby’s heroes, Lou Reed, the song contemplates remembrance after death and a common theme for Morby, the tension of the private individual in a public space." Listen to it here: blog.kexp.org
Tim Butler: "Seeing the Pistols at the 100 Club made us want to form a band. Other than that, there were very few bands that were any good. I would have to say the thing that made me want to play bass was John Burnel of the Stranglers. We used to see them play at the Nashville Rooms and he had such a great sound – and he didn't stand around in the background! I wanted to be a drummer, but I couldn't afford a drum kit. I wanted to be at the bottom end, bass or drums, so Richard said, buy yourself a bass, learn to play it and we'll form a band. We always said that we liked the energy and drive of punk, but we appreciated the bands punks would put down, like Roxy Music and the Velvet Underground. We weren't calling everything crap. I listen to more of the music from the early 70s than I do punk. I can sit down and listen to the whole of the first Roxy Music album. I can't listen to the whole of Never Mind The Bollocks. It wears my eardrums out!" goo.gl
Jon Loudon: "I feel like everyone has a different idea of what we sound like, which is a pretty fun thing to experience on its own. Everyone we’ve talked to has a different angle on it. It seems to have a lot to do with what someone’s vocabulary is. They’ll say, “Oh, you sound like this and them and that.” What we think the band sounds like and what anyone else thinks is nowhere near the same thing. We’ll think that we sound like Fugazi and people will say that no, no, we do not sound like Fugazi. People are always saying heavy metal, Bruce Springsteen, all these weird, disparate things." noisey.vice.com
"Guitarist Johnny Marr and lead singer Morrissey met in 1979 when they both went to see Patti Smith in concert. By 1982, they were a band. The pulsing, lush sounds of Johnny Marr’s guitar, along with Morrissey’s Sinatra-like crooning sounded so different from the other — more synth-based — bands of the 80s." More from our cozy Saturday Afternoon Artist feature here: blog.kexp.org Johnny Marr will be playing at Neumos this coming Monday evening, December 8th; ticket info here: neumos.com
"I have a huge hunger for music and cultural impressions of any form. Whether it's music or movies, I just consume it, and I really cherish it when I find something I enjoy. I'm fairly eclectic when it comes to music: I eat anything as long as it's good. I don't mind if I'm listening to Dolly Parton or King Crimson or German tech house—as long as I find it interesting and find there's a certain identity for it, I'll go for it. These sides co-exist, but they do fill different needs, different mind states and moods." ~ Svein Berge www.interviewmagazine.com/music/royksopp-senior#_
Ever entertaining, here's one of our Review Revues on PIL's Live in Tokyo. It even comes with chewing gum. blog.kexp.org
"Don’t be fooled by the inflatable tube dancer guy on the front cover – behind that hapless smile is a maniacal, beastly force waiting to be unleashed. Chaz Bundick continues to prove himself as one of the most capable, surprising, and provocative producers on the scene today. Last year, he dropped Anything In Return, a near-flawless LP that steered his Toro y Moi project off the rocks of niche R&B producer to full-fledged sex god. In the time since then, Chaz has toured mercilessly, and apparently, been continuing the production craft under his more club-driven moniker Les Sins with slightly more devious intentions." More from our album review of Michael here: blog.kexp.org
"Comprised of six members operating in three cities (Sydney, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia), A Sunny Day in Glasgow might not have the most efficient creative process, but the fragmented nature of the group is undoubtedly crucial to the band’s ethereal, seamlessly cut-and-pasted music. First active in Philadelphia in the mid-2000s, the group’s knack for patching together melodic and gauzy shoegaze-indebted tunes from studio stems won them online buzz for 2007’s Scribble Mural Comic Journal and 2009’s Ashes Grammar. By 2010, the band had splintered into different parts of the world and onto other projects, slowing progress down and requiring a few lineup changes." Read on, and enjoy a free download of the band's lovely "Crushin'": blog.kexp.org
"Born in Los Angeles in 1970 to David Campbell and Bibbe Hansen — he a Canadian song arranger and conductor, and she a former dancer for The Velvet Underground, a visual artist, and a daughter of Al Hansen, a fluxus artist — Beck never graduated high school, having left after the ninth grade. From that point, he traveled and spent time in Germany with his artist grandfather. His artistic relationship with his grandfather may have influenced both his album art and sense of musical collage. He began the musical activity in 1988." Read on, and enjoy a celebration of Beck's birthday from last year, where he gets a bit of sweet lovin' from John Richards in a fun video compilation: blog.kexp.org
When asked how they felt about being constantly compared to the Bee Gees, the Liverpool-based band responded, ""Who isn't influenced by high voices and tight trousers? Both of which we have in abundance." www.theguardian.com/uk-news/the-northerner/2013/aug/12/all-we-are-liverpool-lipa
"They Might Be Giants write some of the catchiest songs in the universe. They’re most famous for being the first alternative band to get a video on MTV, and for their Grammy-winning theme to the 'Malcolm In The Middle' TV show. But most people don’t know that this same band is on the cutting edge of alternative music in education." TMBG was featured in our "Streetwise: Classrooms that Rock" documentary series; check it out here: www.kexp.org/learn/documentaries?docid=2#8
"The local darlings’ catchy, ebullient pop jams are most certainly youthful but far from anything that could be considered sinister. Led by Troy Nelson and Mackenzie Mercer, the band broke out in 2011 with a vocal chemistry that buzzes in your ears with the pleasing oohs and ahhs of something that is simply meant to be, like two voices separated at birth. Nelson and Mercer’s harmonies are what leave listeners swooning, but it’s the band’s jangly, buoyant, and delightfully precise instrumentation that gives their pop tunes their unrelenting propulsiveness and energy, leaving listeners with a spirited sense that everything is going to be all right." For more, plus your own downloadable copy of "When Sally Walked In The Rain," click here: blog.kexp.org
"Most strikingly different, the Brooklyn based group features dual vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, who sing in constant harmony, immediately bringing to mind girl groups of the 50’s and 60’s, even as the songs on their debut LP, Wildewoman, traverse a range of influences and styles, from dusty folk pop to dynamic indie rock, and through gentle melodies to barely controlled blow-outs. More than support for the girls’ luscious voices, the guys – drummer and producer Danny Molad, guitarist Peter Lalish, and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Burri – interweave their parts through the vocal harmonies and provide backup, all while dressing sharply." Read on, and enjoy video from their fantastic in-studio performance here in our studio last November: blog.kexp.org
"Formed in Wolverhampton, England, in 1985, the Mighty Lemon Drops were a psychedelic-influenced post-punk band with a guitar-based pop sound that drew comparisons to Liverpool's Echo & the Bunnymen. Originally called the Sherbert Monsters, the lineup consisted of singer/guitarist Paul Marsh, guitarist Dave Newton, bassist Tony Linehan, and drummer Keith Rowley, with Newton and Linehan contributing most of the songwriting. In December of 1985, the group released their debut single "Like an Angel" on regional indie Dreamworld Records and it rose to number one on the U.K. indie chart. After appearing on NME's influential C-86 compilation, the band signed with Geoff Travis' new Chrysalis subsidiary Blue Guitar in the U.K., and with Sire in North America for their debut album Happy Head." www.allmusic.com
When asked by Greg Vandy which track on Lazaretto is his favourite, White responds, "It might be 'Would You Fight For My Love?' I feel like it was the most challenging and intricate song on the mechanical side. To put it together with three different bands playing on this one song, punching them onto analogue tape over one another was pretty complicated. It’s one of those things where you’re doing something so complicated that you know no one will ever appreciate it unless you took them into the studio and pointed it out to them. (laughs) In an age where everyone is recording on digital on the computer, no one is really impressed by that anymore. It’s one of those things that only some engineers and musicians would think was interesting." More from our exclusive interview: blog.kexp.org
"Birthed from a teenage obsession with classic garage rock and '60s psychedelia, the Shivas were formed in 2006 by a very young Jared Molyneux on guitar and vocals, his brother Colby on drums, and friend Eric Shanafelt on bass. The trio worked on their sound for a while, leaning heavily on the influence of classic Pacific Northwestern garage and surf, and getting a touch of the region's punk aesthetic in their mix as well. Eventually the lineup would shift somewhat to include second guitarist Rob Mannering and new drummer/vocalist Kristin Leonard. The bandmembers, some of them still teenagers, ventured into a prolific touring and recording schedule, playing gigs across the country and working on new songs constantly." goo.gl Here's an archived edition of our Song of the Day, with "Swimming with Sharks," for your downloading pleasure: blog.kexp.org
"Something of an anomaly on the Sub Pop roster, the Supersuckers bore a limited surface resemblance to grunge, but they were a party band at heart, donning cowboy hats and kicking out a gleefully trashy brand of throttling, rockabilly-flavored garage punk. Their lyrics were a raucous, over-the-top celebration of all the attendant evils of rock & roll -- sex, booze, drugs, Satan, and whatever other vices the band could think of, all glorified with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Save for an abrupt and temporary detour into hardcore honky tonk, their approach stayed relatively consistent through the '90s, as did their quality control. The Supersuckers were formed in Tucson, AZ, in 1988 by high-school friends Eddie Spaghetti (born Edward Carlyle Daly III, bass, vocals), Ron Heathman (guitar), Dan 'Thunder' Bolton (guitar), Dancing Eagle (born Dan Seigal, drums), and Eric Martin (lead vocals)." www.allmusic.com
"I deal with the things that I know most about. You almost have to create situations in order to write about them, so I live in a constant state of self-imposed poverty. I don't want to live any other way. There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not trying to pull a caper. It's easy for me, 'cause it's not such a large jump. I don't have to get into a costume. I'm in contact and I'm in context… But all of a sudden it becomes your image, and it's hard to tell where the image stops and you begin or where you stop and the image begins. Any image I have, it's just what I do, but it comes off as being very pretentious. When you're a bit in the public astigmatism, anything you do seems like you did it so somebody would see you do it, like showing up at the right parties." www.theguardian.com/music/2012/aug/07/tom-waits-interview Waits turns 65 this upcoming Sunday.
"Atmospheric Seattle, WA-based indie rock outfit Black Whales formed in 2008 around the talents of vocalist/guitarist Alex Robert, guitarist/keyboardist Alan Foote, drummer/percussionist Davey Brozowski, bassist Ryan Middleton, and keyboard player/percussionist Mike Bayer. Employing the spacious rainy neo-traditional pop-infused folk-rock aesthetic of fellow Pacific Northwest shape-shifters like the Moondoggies and the Cave Singers, Black Whales released their debut EP, Origins, in 2009." goo.gl Enjoy a free download of the BW's "Vietnam" here: blog.kexp.org
The lyrics of Only in Dreams was written by Dee Dee Penny as her mother was dying of cancer; here, Penny shares what it was like to bring her father along while touring the album: "It was great. I know that probably sounds counterintuitive, but he’s just got a very particular take on life. Even though he’s old, he’s very active, very healthy, & enthusiastic about traveling and seeing things. He’s watched me try to do music with my life for over 10 years; he knows that I’m doing it better now, but it was interesting for me to see him sort of get the real 'take' on what’s it like to be in a band, and a band that tours a lot. I checked with the rest of the band beforehand but he’s pretty hands off, so no one had to change the way they live. He befriended everybody. He bought a leather jacket. He gets why now I might come home from a tour and I’m sleeping for three days, because I haven’t slept for three months. I don’t have to apologize for being a sloth for a week." goo.gl
"Leave it to an Australian band to save Brit Pop. Actually, they may be destroying it because reportedly Noel Gallagher is too busy listening to Jagwar Ma to get the old band back together. In truth, the young Aussies have revitalized the Madchester sound, though rather than sustain one long bacchanalian yell, they trace the sonic thread through the scenes that followed. Their debut album, Howlin, combines those baggy beats with rave, popular EDM, and psych rock to form an undulating mix of hook, groove and sonic breakdown that feels as modern as it does familiar." Check out live video from their performance in our studio just last year: blog.kexp.org
"As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosphere hopes to pull back the curtain on a wealth of sights and sound from luminaries such as Ariel Pink. Before Today, the latest from Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, is not the first time Pink has tapped into this bygone era of legend. It’s not the first time the music press has fawned over his ease to crank out these well-aged, and somehow ageless, pop gems that feed on every genre made public domain. However, Before Today may be Ariel Pink’s most realized effort in combining dusty gems and forgotten fads without a hint of cynicism." Enjoy "Round and Round" here: blog.kexp.org
"One of new wave's most innovative and (for a time) successful bands, Devo was also perhaps one of its most misunderstood. Formed in Akron, Ohio, in 1972 by Kent State art students Jerry Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, Devo took its name from their concept of "de-evolution" -- the idea that instead of evolving, mankind has actually regressed, as evidenced by the dysfunction and herd mentality of American society. Their music echoed this view of society as rigid, repressive, and mechanical, with appropriate touches - jerky, robotic rhythms; an obsession with technology and electronics (the group was among the first non-prog rock bands to make the synthesizer a core element); often atonal melodies and chord progressions - all of which were filtered through the perspectives of geeky misfits. Devo became a cult sensation, helped in part by their concurrent emphasis on highly stylized visuals, and briefly broke through to the mainstream with the smash single 'Whip It'..." goo.gl
"When [Ethan] Kath collaborated with singer Alice Glass on some songs in spring 2005, Crystal Castles' lineup was complete. One of the songs the pair recorded, "Alice Practice," was something of an accident: it was intended to be a demo of Glass testing out a microphone, but its presence on MySpace piqued record labels' interest. "Alice Practice" was released as a limited-edition 7" in summer 2006 on Merok Records, also home to Klaxons; its 500-copy run sold out in three days. Kath and Glass worked on their own songs and also honed their remixing skills, tweaking songs for Klaxons as well as GoodBooks, Uffie, Health, and Bloc Party." goo.gl Enjoy your own downloadable copy of the sadly now-defunct band's "Vanished" right here: blog.kexp.org
"The New Pornographers have always had a knack for explosive, shining melodies, but after two relatively experimental, more mellow albums, they’ve returned to playing to their strengths – multi-part harmonies and agile, punchy performances – on their new album, Brill Bruisers. The Vancouver supergroup were back from a four-year break when they entered the KEXP studios, but judging by their fierce performance, you’d never be able to tell. Twin guitars, buzzing keyboards, and, of course, up to three-part harmonies filled the room and showed that, fifteen years on, the band are still as vibrant as ever." Video from that performance right here: blog.kexp.org
"While it’s hard to begrudge Alt-J their winning the Mercury Prize, many of us at KEXP were also rooting for another young U.K. group, Django Django. These London-based Scots have also created a stunning art-pop debut, though on their self-titled release, Django Django tend to favor warmer, more Americana and Eastern influences to Alt-J’s cooler Brit- and Afro-pop vibes. Both bands, though, help form a swelling new wave of music from the U.K., and on the heels of their Mercury Prize nom, we were psyched to get them into the Cutting Room Studios NYC this past October." Enjoy the band performing an intimate, stripped down set filmed at NYC's Cutting Room Studio: blog.kexp.org
"Best known for their alternative radio classic 'Mexican Radio,' Wall of Voodoo formed in Los Angeles in 1977, originally as a soundtrack company. Led by singer/songwriter Stan Ridgway and rounded out by guitarist Marc Moreland, bassist/keyboardist Bruce Moreland, keyboardist Chas Gray, and drummer Joe Nanini, the group issued its self-titled debut EP in 1980. With the additions of bassist Bruce Moreland and his brother Marc on guitar (replacing Noland), the band's sound crystallized on 1981's full-length Dark Continent, which couched Ridgway's highly stylized and cinematic narratives -- heavily influenced by Westerns and film noir, and sung in the vocalist's distinctively droll, narcoleptic manner -- in atonal, electronically based settings." www.allmusic.com
"AJ Davila may be better known to the casual bystander as the frontman of Dávila 666, the Puerto Rico garage rock band whose stateside appreciation pales in comparison to that they deserve. The group’s last LP came in the form of 2011’s Tan Bajo, a relentless forty minute plateful of badassery that could put them up against the likes of the Black Lips any day. Davila’s solo effort, Terror/Amor, doesn’t lose any punch with loss of numbers — the record is solid gold." Enjoy your own copy of his "Salvajes" here, described as "a blistering kick in the face to start off the record": blog.kexp.org
"The loveable soul singer has been thrilling KEXP listeners and audiences world wide since his late-in-life discovery by members of The Budos Band and has appeared on KEXP many times. Recently, he’s been featured in the acclaimed documentary Soul of America and released Victim of Love, his second stellar album of old school soul. During our broadcast from the Bumbershoot Music Lounge, Charles Bradley was joined by His Extraordinaires, a seven member crew of crack musicians, to perform a stirring set of new songs." Watch video from his blisteringly good performance here: blog.kexp.org
"A DFA supergroup of sorts, Museum of Love is the project of former LCD Soundsystem drummer Pat Mahoney and the Juan MacLean's Jee Day (a.k.a. Dennis McNany). With Mahoney on vocals and McNany, who also founded Run-Roc Records, handling most of the production duties, the duo's sound is a little softer and more esoteric than the label's usual fare: the project's name is from a Daniel Johnston song and further inspiration comes from Harry Nilsson and Roxy Music. However, their music is still danceable, as the remix of Battles' 'My Machines' and the 2013 singles Down South and Monotronic revealed. Museum of Love's self-titled debut arrived in October 2014." www.allmusic.com/artist/museum-of-love-mn0003208779/biography
Andy McCluskey on English Electric (2013), the band's most recent release: "One of the things we said to ourselves was 'we don’t need to do this. We have a canon of music from the past which is sufficient. People say nice things about us now. We get royalties from the old tracks. We don’t have to top up our pension. So why are we doing this?' And we’re doing it because we’re still essentially going back to being teenagers and having a conversation with ourselves. This is Humphreys and McCluskey essentially relearning the language that they invented for themselves over thirty years ago, which we have a confidence in because we have spent the last five years playing live, and we’ve made another album, and we know that people will accept what we do if we do it to the very best of our abilities. There is a place for us." thequietus.com
"David Bowie wrote his 1971 classic 'Queen Bitch' as a tribute to Lou Reed, and at his 50th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden in 1997, he finally had a chance to sing it with him. They followed it up with the Velvet Underground's 'I'm Waiting for the Man' before wrapping up with Reed's 1989 comeback hit 'Dirty Blvd.' Bowie is a huge Lou Reed fan and he even produced his 1972 solo LP Transformer (featuring the huge hit 'Walk on the Wild Side'), but this show marked one of the few times they actually shared a stage. Lou Reed/Velvet Underground songs like 'White Light/White Heat' were regular parts of Bowie's concerts on his Ziggy Stardust tour, all the way up to his final outing in 2003-04." goo.gl And here, enjoy a Bowie video smorgasbord in celebration of his birthday earlier this year: blog.kexp.org
"Springtime Carnivore is the new project of former Gold Motel frontwoman Greta Morgan. Her debut album under that name is a promising set of dreamy, ‘60s-influenced indie-pop with a warm, psych-tinged sound featuring fuzzy keyboards, hazy vocals, occasional whistling and wistful, girl-group melodies." ~ Don Yates springtimecarnivore.bandcamp.com
When asked by DJ Sharlese Metcalf about recurring dreams in her "Twenty Questions with Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of The Posies," Auer responded, "Mine always seem to involve Anthony Bourdain and the cast of 'Different Strokes.' Don’t ask." More from her entertaining 2013 interview: blog.kexp.org
"This Harlem rapper’s long-delayed debut full-length is an expansive set of hip hop blended with house, U.K. garage, R&B, industrial and other styles, combining adventurous production from the likes of Machinedrum, Lone, Lil Internet and Araabmusik with her confident vocals, alternating between rapid-fire rapping and smooth singing." ~ Don Yates www.kexp.org/reviews/review/5307
"A one-off project that quickly evolved into a hip-hop superduo, Run the Jewels feature rappers El-P and Killer Mike. Formed after El-P produced Killer Mike's 2012 album R.A.P. Music, the duo released Run the Jewels in 2013, an album credited to Killer Mike and El-P and released on Fool's Gold. Critically popular and with a sizable fan base to boot, Run the Jewels quickly evolved into a going concern when their sophomore effort, RTJ2, landed in 2014. A remix version with all music replaced by cats was also released that year as Meow the Jewels." www.allmusic.com/artist/run-the-jewels-mn0003189555/biography
Zaakir, aka Soup, on playing in Britain: "That’s where we had our start, over in the UK. Needless to say that when the invitation to play Parklife came their way, the group snapped it up. There’s no telling what J5 would have done if we’d have started in the States. You guys were the testing ground for everything, and embraced us when nobody else did. We only had a 12” out when we were invited to play a festival there in 1997, so you guys got a love that can’t be matched." www.clashmusic.com/features/jurassic-5-parklife-preview-interview
"Native America is a New Orleans garage pop trio made up of Ross Farbe, John St. Cyr, and Ray Micarelli. The group has been booked as direct support for King Kahn and the Shrines, Woods, White Fence, Dent May, The Black Angels, and The Shins. Their studio debut Grown Up Wrong was released 11/18 via Inflated Records." http://www.nativeamericamusic.com/about-2/ For more tunes from the band, check out www.nativeamericamusic.com/
In honour of Peter Buck, who turns 58 years old tomorrow. Keep that REM wave going by heading over to John Richards' compilation of favourite REM videos: blog.kexp.org
"Yet another promising Canadian indie rock band, Montreal-via-British Columbia's Unicorns began in the late '90s, when high-school friends Nick (Neil) Diamonds and Alden Ginger began crafting their roundabout, lo-fi, but distinctly catchy music. Cheap keyboards, loud guitars, and real and mechanical drums surround the duo's skewed and often spiritual lyrics, and their live shows can also include films, puppet shows, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches." www.allmusic.com/artist/the-unicorns-mn0000572720/biography
"Since their 2010 debut, the band has been launched into the limelight when director/actress Lena Dunham used their track 'It’s On' in season three of her HBO show GIRLS. The TV time caught the attention of Dine Alone Records, who put out the band’s sophomore release, Just Enough Hip To Be Woman." Read on, and download your own copy of the boys' "Historian": blog.kexp.org
"Twenty-plus years into a varied and universally celebrated career, Spoon can still surprise and delight us. They Want My Soul, the Austin-based band’s follow-up to 2010’s Transference, has all the Spoon hallmarks you expect: the fiery voice of frontman Britt Daniel, the wry if sometimes bittersweet lyrics, and a punchy pop-influenced sound that’s immediately identifiable. Not only were we thrilled to host Spoon in our own studio for the very first time, but we went ga ga ga ga ga when they rolled out an amazing 9-song set filled with songs from their whole catalog. Watch the full session with Spoon here." blog.kexp.org
"Although not as well as known as some of their peers (the Clash, the Sex Pistols, the Damned, etc.), first wave U.K. punk rockers Generation X burst onto the scene at the same time as the others. And while they enjoyed some moderate success in their homeland, Generation X would become better-known as the launching pad for their singer, Billy Idol, who would go on to achieve great commercial success come the '80s. Originally formed in 1976, Generation X (which was named after a book that focused on battles between the Mods and the Rockers during the '60s) was comprised of guitarist Bob Andrews, bassist Tony James, drummer Mark Laff, and fronted by Idol. The group was eventually signed up by Chrysalis Records, resulting in a self-titled debut album in 1978 (the U.S. and U.K. versions contained different track listings), as Generation X became one of the first punk bands to appear on the popular British TV music program Top of the Pops." bit.ly
"Ming City Rockers hail from the fine English town of Immingham. Together with near neighbor Grimsby, 'Ming City' is part of the largest port by tonnage in the UK, and serves as one of many midpoints for rail and road transit between London, Edinburgh, and Rotterdam. In other words, its a spot on a map, and it’s not flashy. Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1 said that Ming City Rockers may be the best rock and roll band to ever come out of Immingham, but as the band wryly puts it, there wasn’t much competition to begin with. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen to Ming City Rockers. In fact, if you like freakishly energetic classic rock akin to the Stooges and Eddie Cochran, you won’t get much better this side of the pond." Read on, and download your own copy of a song with the funniest title ever: blog.kexp.org
"When it comes to songwriting, Cloud Nothings frontman Dylan Baldi has a solid plan. 'I think about trying to getting better,' Baldi explains to DJ Cheryl Waters, adding with a laugh, 'I don’t want to get worse!' It’s a technique that is clearly working out for for the young Cleveland-based musician. From his early days as a fuzzed-out solo project, recording music in his bedroom, to his most recent album with a full band, Here and Nowhere Else." Enjoy a live performance by the band from right here, right here: blog.kexp.org
"The post-Smiths guitar pop of the House of Love was popular for a short time in the late '80s and early '90s, as many college and alternative rock fans became converts to their mixture of shiny ringing guitars, pseudo-psychedelic melodies, and bursts of noise. The British group formed in 1986; it featured Guy Chadwick (vocals, guitar), Terry Bickers (guitar), Andrea Heukamp (vocals, guitar), Pete Evans (drums), & Chris Groothuizen (bass). Their demo tape attracted the attention of Alan McGee, the head of Creation Records. McGee signed the band for a single, "Shine On," which was released in May of 1987 to some critical acclaim; it and its follow-up, "Real Animal," both sold poorly. Following a tour, Heukamp left the group. Instead of replacing her, the House of Love continued as a quartet, releasing their untitled debut album in the spring of 1988. Many U.K. critics called it one of the finest records of the year, and the band built up a cult audience." bit.ly
"With his appealingly lazy hip-hop vocal phrasing and his eclectic bedroom D.I.Y. musical palette, Jamie T. comes across at times like the mutant love child of the Streets' Mike Skinner and Badly Drawn Boy's Damon Gough. His clever pop sense is his own, however, and keeps the young South Londoner from sounding like a mashup of his influences, which range from vintage Jamaican ska to the Beastie Boys, via Tina Turner and the Clash. Born Jamie Treays (roughly, "TREE-yay") in Wimbledon in 1986, Jamie T. grew up in multicultural London, absorbing a variety of musical styles while attempting to create his own. Abandoning the guitar as too difficult to play while singing, Jamie T. first picked up the electric bass before a friend gifted him with a hand-me-down standup acoustic model. While playing solo bass-and-vocals gigs, Jamie T. also started recording his own one-man band home tracks, eventually debuting with the "Salvador" 7" single in 2004." bit.ly
In case you didn't get enough of the Marley pair just now, here's another for your listening pleasure: soundcloud.com
"One of the original rock & roll greats, Little Richard merged the fire of gospel with New Orleans R&B, pounding the piano and wailing with gleeful abandon. While numerous other R&B greats of the early '50s had been moving in a similar direction, none of them matched the sheer electricity of Richard's vocals. With his bullet-speed deliveries, ecstatic trills, and the overjoyed force of personality in his singing, he was crucial in upping the voltage from high-powered R&B into the similar, yet different, guise of rock & roll. Although he was only a hitmaker for a couple of years or so, his influence upon both the soul and British Invasion stars of the 1960s was vast, and his early hits remain core classics of the rock repertoire." www.allmusic.com/artist/little-richard-mn0000824022/biography
"Coming out of Detroit, The Dirtbombs frontman Mick Collins’ conceptual dream of bottom heavy noise gorging out the soundscape using diverse influences came to be in 1997 when their seven-inch debut appeared on record store shelves. Collins started the group as a side project from his main act The Gories.. Since then, the often changed up Dirtbombs lineup created more and more singles, and dabbled in different styles." Read on, and check out your own downloadable copy of "Cosmic Cars," right here: blog.kexp.org
Still reeling from the dream made incarnate, here's vintagey video from a performance by Exene Cervenka and John Doe right here in our studio: blog.kexp.org
Clyde is considered one of the founders of the Tulsa sound.