Our long-time musician friend, David Bazan, stopped by the KEXP studios the other day to play synth-ethereal songs off his new album, Blanco, which he so Bazanly described before the session as "basically electronic music with sadness." No surprise there! If you know anything about the man you know he's a poignantly witty lyricist, but is also one of the busiest musicians in the business. He's is an energizer bunny of creativity. This live in-studio performance is a perfect example of Bazan's playful originality and talent as he says goodbye to his guitar and fixes himself up with a custom rig where he plays organ-pedaled drums with his feet and simultaneously plays keyboard with MPC pads - all while singing! In his interview with DJ Cheryl Waters, David Bazan opines, "I feel like I've been chasing something" and that speaks volumes as these songs off Blanco kind of harken back to a sound from his ahead-of-its-time, electronic project Headphones that he started back in 2005. Check out the videos below to hear four rapturous numbers from the new LP and his amusing banter with Cheryl Waters about where all the new songs got their start.
At just 27, singer-songwriter Kevin Morby has accomplished much, both as a band member of NYC-based projects such as Woods and The Babies and as a solo artist. The songs on the third album under his own name, Singing Saw, are his sharpest and also most spacious, reflecting the divide between city a…
In what's easily become a summer tradition for many KEXP listeners, the 4th Annual Timber! Outdoor Music Festival kicks off tonight in beautiful Carnation, WA. It's more than just a music festival: it's a beautiful escape to Tolt-Macdonald Park with recreation tree climbing, swimming, kayaking, an…
Seattle-based DJ and producer Waylon Dungan (a.k.a. WD4D) has been a staple on the local DJ scene for well over a decade now. Consistently bringing his top-notch song selection, fresh mixing skills, and positive energy to each and every party and mixtape, WD4D also brings his lively, progressive st…
Charles Bradley is one of those rare artists who can bring a crowd to tears, and that’s exactly what he did as he played a free public show in the gathering space at KEXP's new home. A longtime James Brown impersonator, Bradley began performing as himself at the age of 62, emerging just in time to …
