Canadian indie legends Metric have undoubtedly "made it." They're at the glorious stage in a career where they have the commercial success to justify any off-kilter choice they make, while still being independent enough that they have the freedom to make those off-kilter choices without any corporate desk monkey breathing down their throat, yelling buzzwords like "marketability" and "revenue". So when the band known for grit guitar, at times aggressive synthetic soundscapes, and alt-rock banging drums decides to come to the KEXP live room and do a somber acoustic set without half their band, no one bats an eye. The stripped format reveals a deeper, more reflective side to Emily Haines' lyrics that sometimes gets lost in the full band context, only aided by the lack of the vocal processing they usually layer on in the studio. Without ever going full Coffee Shop Open Mic with it, the duo of Haines and James Shaw present a more intimate, singer/songwriter version of a familiar band, an unfamiliar take on a reliable classic that is sure to delight hardened fans and win over newcomers.
Ben Harper has defined the sweet spot between reggae and American folk for over two decades now. It's hard for an artist to survive that long while maintaining relevance and staying true to the original sound that hooked listeners long ago while evolving and while shifting and growing - but after r…
Collectors of kitsch and arcane Americana in their private lives, Cincinnati's Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker are also accumulators of high praise with their band, Wussy. Over the past 15 years, from when they first formed as a duo, the now five-piece has built a loyal fanbase and gathered a wealth …
