Seattle’s Brittany Davis has released a debut EP on Pearl Jam Guitarist Stone Gossard’s label, Loosegroove Records. Davis was born blind and started recording music around the age of 13 when they were homeless. They talk about their musical journey, reflecting on the past two years through music, collaborating with Gossard and addressing blindness in a song. “As much as blindness as disability is romanticized, nah dude, that stuff ain’t romantic. That stuff impacts you in...
Mar 24, 2022•15 min•Ep 254•Transcript available on Metacast Band of Horses is out with their first new album in six years. While it's called ‘Things Are Great,' the lyrics paint a different picture. Frontman Ben Bridwell talks about how the record was inspired by heartache and breakups. He also discusses his experience arriving in Seattle homeless years ago before starting the band. Finally, he shares his thoughts on the music industry and how he spent between $350k-$500k on this album in hopes the band's record label and sales would pay out. ...
Mar 22, 2022•9 min•Ep 253•Transcript available on Metacast James Bookert used to tour with a well-known bluegrass punk band, Whiskey Shivers (they even made an appearance in the movie Pitch Perfect 3.) After burnout and a battle with seizures, Bookert is making new music and community at his day job at a local liquor store. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 17, 2022•10 min•Ep 252•Transcript available on Metacast DakhaBrakha is a band from Ukraine whose live performance on KEXP from 2017 has garnered more than two million views on our YouTube channel. One member of that band, Iryna Kovalenko, has been living in Seattle for the past five years. She spoke with Sound & Vision’s Emily Fox on March 11 while her husband, Oleksandr Cherniyenko helped with interpretations. They talked about what is going on between Ukraine and Russia right now. Watch DakhaBrakha's Live on KEXP session here. ...
Mar 15, 2022•12 min•Ep 251•Transcript available on Metacast Musicians who score video games have found luck making connections and finding work here in the Pacific Northwest rather than larger cities like New York or LA. Seattle is a hub for big video game developers like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Valve, and indie musicians have found (or even made) their own opportunities here, too. Sound & Vision’s Roddy Nikpour brings us the story of two Seattle-based composers, Eric Barone and Andrew Rohrmann, and explores what it takes to break into the wor...
Mar 10, 2022•13 min•Ep 250•Transcript available on Metacast Laura Ballance is the bassist of the band Superchunk as well as a co-founder of Merge Records. Nearly 10 years ago, she stopped touring with Superchunk because of a hearing condition she developed from being exposed to loud sounds and music. Ballance talks about how her hearing issues have impacted her career in music. “If I’m around loud noises, which can be as minor as people talking too loudly when there’s more than a few people in a room, it hurts my ear. I get sort ...
Mar 08, 2022•12 min•Ep 249•Transcript available on Metacast Jen Malone is the music supervisor behind the hit TV shows Euphoria, Yellowjackets, Atlanta and more. KEXP’s Larry Mizell Jr. is a big fan of those shows and a fan of Malone’s work. He caught up with her recently to learn how it takes both a music lover and a sleuth to get songs placed on television. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 03, 2022•14 min•Ep 248•Transcript available on Metacast It has been 25 years since the one-hit wonder White Town released the album that contained the hit, "Your Woman." The man behind White Town, Jyoti Mishra, breaks down how the song came together and why he wrote a song from a woman’s perspective. He discusses the bullying and racism he faced growing up in “white towns” in the UK after his family moved from India, his struggles with mental health, and the power of music in his life. He also explains how he pulled his single ...
Mar 01, 2022•29 min•Ep 247•Transcript available on Metacast Screaming Trees lead vocalist Mark Lanegan died February 22 at the age of 57. On today's bonus episode, we hear reflections on Lanegan's music, career, personality and life. To share with us are founding Screaming Trees member and drummer, Mark Pickerel, along with guitarist Jeff Fielder who played with Lanegan from 2010-2020. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Feb 24, 2022•14 min•Ep 246•Transcript available on Metacast Last Friday marked the official release of Beach House’s latest album, 'Once Twice Melody,' out via Sub Pop Records. Fans had already heard more than half of the album, though , since the band released it digitally in four “chapters” each month starting last November. Sound & Vision’s assistant producer Roddy Nikpour brings us this review of 'Once Twice Melody.' Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Feb 24, 2022•8 min•Ep 245•Transcript available on Metacast Yoko Ono turned 89 last Friday, the same day a new covers album of her music was released. The album was curated by Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and features artists like Japanese Breakfast, Sharon Van Etten, and David Byrne. Gibbard talks about how Yoko Ono's work has been overlooked and that he hopes this tribute album "is not just a reevaluation but an evaluation" of her work as an artist and songwriter. “This is an incredibly talented woman who mastered multiple mediums in a...
Feb 22, 2022•20 min•Ep 244•Transcript available on Metacast Anaïs Mitchell has won a Grammy and 8 Tony awards for her musical, 'Hadestown.' She’s also in the band Bonny Light Horseman and has been featured as part of Big Red Machine, the musical project of Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner of the National. She’s now out with her first new solo album in a decade. Mitchell talks with Sound & Vision’s Emily Fox about leaving New York City early in the pandemic to give birth at her parents’ farm in Vermont, and stay...
Feb 17, 2022•19 min•Ep 243•Transcript available on Metacast Animal Collective’s Josh Dibb aka Deakin talks about the various inspirations for the band's latest record, 'Time Skiffs,' including concerns over climate change, the feeling of losing human connection during COVID, and a musical art installation in New Orleans. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 15, 2022•15 min•Ep 242•Transcript available on Metacast The band Bait Bag calls North Haven Island, Maine, home, but their influences come from Washington State’s Riot Grrrl movement of the 90s. Their feminist punk sound and ethos challenges sexism, racism, transphobia and fascism and responds to reproductive justice, childbirth, climate change, and biology. Contributor Caroline Losneck reports on Bait Bag’s inspiration and perception on their small, isolated island-- population 350. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnys...
Feb 10, 2022•11 min•Ep 241•Transcript available on Metacast The late MC and producer J Dilla would have been 48 years old on February 7th. In honor of his birthday, KEXP’s Larry Mizell Jr. talks with author Dan Charnas about his new book, “Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm.” “To slam swing rhythms against straight rhythms simultaneously in ways that put them in a kind of rhythm conflict, this is that Dilla feel,” Charnas says. Support the show: ...
Feb 08, 2022•17 min•Ep 240•Transcript available on Metacast Discord is a communication software that lets users chat in real time via text, audio, or video. Gamers have been using the platform since 2015. Sound & Vision’s Roddy Nikpour reports on how Discord is growing in the music industry and is being used to connect with fans, especially during the pandemic. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Feb 03, 2022•11 min•Ep 239•Transcript available on Metacast Seattle had a thriving funk and soul scene in the 60s and 70s. There were dozens of bands and more than 20 venues specializing in the genres. For today’s episode, Emily Fox talks with KEXP DJ Supreme La Rock about how he first discovered Seattle’s funk and soul scene while digging for records. His discoveries later turned into a compilation called 'Wheedle’s Groove,' released by Light in the Attic Records in 2004. We also hear about the scene from drummer Robbie Hill of the Sea...
Feb 01, 2022•13 min•Ep 238•Transcript available on Metacast The soulful trio Gabriels released their first EP in 2021. Elton John called it “one of the most seminal records I've heard in the last 10 years.” They’re now out with their latest EP, 'Bloodline.' Singer Jacob Lusk (who was a former American Idol contestant) talks about being “the most myself I’ve ever been” with this group. He also discusses how the theme of family lineage comes up in the EP. “The overarching theme within the EP 'Bloodline,' there&rsqu...
Jan 27, 2022•14 min•Ep 237•Transcript available on Metacast January 22, 2022 was the 49th anniversary of Roe v Wade, the landmark US Supreme Court case that legalized abortion across the nation. Today on the podcast, we reflect on the human rights issue through music: Ishmael Butler and Larry Mizell, Jr. discuss the Digable Planets song, "La Femme Fétal," which was about the decision to terminate a pregnancy. KEXP’s Albina Cabrera shares music about abortion from Latin America and explains how abortion laws are playing out there. Emil...
Jan 25, 2022•31 min•Ep 236•Transcript available on Metacast Cat Power produced and released her 11th studio album and third covers album on January 14th. The cover songs span decades and genres, from old school country and Billie Holiday, to Nick Cave and Bob Seger, to contemporary artists like Lana Del Rey and Frank Ocean. Chan Marshall of Cat Power spoke with Emily Fox about the record, overcoming her struggles with mental health, and how motherhood has grounded her and given her strength. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.co...
Jan 20, 2022•16 min•Ep 235•Transcript available on Metacast Bonobo's most recent full-length album, 'Fragments,' came out on January 14. He talks with Emily Fox about the samples he used in the record, getting through his writer's block with the help of modular synths, and finding solace in nature on tour and during the pandemic. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 18, 2022•17 min•Ep 234•Transcript available on Metacast KEXP DJs Riz Rollins and Larry Mizell Jr. discuss the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and remember the time before he had his own holiday. Read the full story here. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 13, 2022•11 min•Ep 233•Transcript available on Metacast Alda Agustiano goes by the stage name Chong The Nomad. She’s composed music for the TV series Modern Love, contributed to a video game soundtrack, helped produce the lead single to the Marvel movie, Shang Chi, and so much more. That’s all since she quit her day job as a line cook in 2019. We go back to her days as a line cook to find out how she found musical inspiration at her day job. Read the story here. (This story originally aired in October 2019) Support the show: https:...
Jan 11, 2022•13 min•Ep 232•Transcript available on Metacast The Seattle area’s Vashon Island is home to a surprising number of creatives, including a few famous musicians, like Zola Jesus and Chris Ballew of The Presidents of The United States of America. Drew Pine reports on what it is about the island that attracts the creative type. Read the story here. (This story originally aired as part of the December 10, 2019 episode) Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 06, 2022•14 min•Ep 231•Transcript available on Metacast Ketamine treatment centers are opening all over Seattle. The psychedelic drug is used to help with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other ailments, but it does come with controversy. These treatments look and feel much different than most mental health treatments. It also sounds different because music is an important part of Ketamine infusions. KEXP’s Rachel Stevens reports on how the treatments work. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...
Jan 04, 2022•11 min•Ep 230•Transcript available on Metacast KEXP staff share their favorite music of 2021. Dig deeper with these personal essays from KEXP staff. Check out this collection of KEXP DJs' top ten lists. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 30, 2021•18 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast Emily Fox and Larry Mizell Jr. break down the top three most played albums on KEXP this year, as well as listeners' top three albums of 2021. Top Played Albums on KEXP in 2021: Jungle - Loving In Stereo Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams KEXP Listeners' Top Albums of 2021: Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams IDLES - Crawler Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/lis...
Dec 28, 2021•19 min•Ep 228•Transcript available on Metacast DJ Brian Foss shares his favorite non-traditional Christmas tunes spanning genres from garage rock to punk. He also talks about how he became KEXP's de-facto Christmas DJ. Brian will be taking over KEXP’s airwaves on Christmas Day from noon to 6pm and again from 9pm to midnight Pacific Time. Tune in on 90.3 FM in Seattle or KEXP.org worldwide. You can also check out Brian's non-traditional Christmas picks this week on KEXP's Song of the Day podcast. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/s...
Dec 23, 2021•15 min•Ep 227•Transcript available on Metacast DJ John Richards drops by to tell you about KEXP's Song of the Day podcast, where you get a DJ-curated song delivered straight to your feed each weekday. You also get to learn some context around the song, right there in the episode description. To enjoy this convenient mode of music discovery, subscribe to KEXP's Song of the Day wherever you get your podcasts. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 22, 2021•41 sec•Transcript available on Metacast Vinyl has seen a resurgence in recent years, but the increased demand for the old-school format has been impacted by manufacturing and supply chain issues that are delaying pressing schedules by eight to nine months. Reporter George Mocharko looks at how these production bottlenecks are affecting independent recording artists and their record labels struggling to get albums out. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 21, 2021•8 min•Ep 226•Transcript available on Metacast 
