Song of the Day: Trampled by Turtles - Are You Behind the Shining Star?

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part 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, featured on The Morning Show with DJ John Richards, is “Are You Behind the Shining Star?” by Trampled by Turtles from the 2014 album Wild Animals out now on Banjodad Records.

Trampled by Turtles - Are You Behind the Shining Star? (MP3)

Their seventh studio album may be titled Wild Animals, but the Duluth, MN-based folk-rock group Trampled By Turtles are anything but. Reeling in their raucous bluegrass past, the Turtles display a slower pace on the new release, as produced by slowcore-pioneer Alan Sparhawk of Low. (Slowgrass?)

In an interview with HearYa.com, frontman Dave Simonett stated, "We all tried to come into this thing extremely open-minded. How can we sound new to ourselves? A lot of our reputation from even just a couple years ago was that we were this fast band, which we can do, and we do that. But this record focused a little bit more on other aspects of our playing together." On today's Song of the Day, the band demonstrate the strength of their seven-album bond with strong harmonies over soaring fiddle and acoustic guitar, with their bluegrass-tinged pop reminiscent of bands like The Avett Brothers or Wilco.

Trampled by Turtles are slowly making their way to Seattle on Saturday, October 18th at Showbox SoDo with Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers. Stay in touch with the band on Twitter and Facebook. And check out a video for today's featured song below: