Song of the Day: Posse - Afraid

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, selected by DJ John Richards, is “Afraid” from Seattle band Posse from their forthcoming album, Soft Opening, due March 4 on Beating A Dead Horse Records.

Posse - Afraid (MP3)

Seattle trio Posse play etherial rock 'n roll with both triumphant and subdued melodic styles. At times noisy, at times refined, the group maintains a clear sound with lead singer Paul Witmann-Todd hovering above the crisp guitars and drums from band members Sacha Maxim and Jon Salzman. The group also has a sense of humor, citing "Nickelodeon slime" as one of their main influences. Posse, who are poised to release their new album, Soft Opening, their second full-length record, in March, recently released their first single off the album, "Shut Up" - the perfect song title from a dynamic band who knows how to laugh.

Posse's song "Afriad", the second track on Soft Opening, is part Lou Reed and part Luna - it sounds like how fireflies on a late summer night look. The song, along with the rest of the album, was recorded in Posse's home studio. "It is not intended to be slick and is also not intentionally rough," says the band. Indeed, it is it's own thing and unlike any music coming out of the prodigious Seattle scene.

Just a few days before their album comes out on March 4, Posse will play on March 1 at the Broken Deck House in Seattle for the, er, soft opening party for Soft Opening. They will also be playing March 4 at Spin Cycle in Seattle and on April 19th live on KEXP's Audioasis. Check out their band page and Facebook page for more information. For now, here they are performing during our broadcast at Bumbershoot in 2012: