In Our Headphones

Zola Jesus - The Fall - from the 2022 album Arkhon on Sacred Bones. Zola Jesus returns with her sixth full-length later this month titled Arkhon. The artist, whose real name is Nika Roza Danilova, explains that the title translates to "power" or "ruler" in ancient Greek. "Arkons are a Gnostic idea of power wielded through a flawed god," Danilova elaborated via a press release. "They taint and tarnish humanity, keeping them corrupted instead of letting them find their harmonious selves. I do feel like we are living in an arkhonic time; these negative influences are weighing extremely heavy on all of us. We're in a time of arkhons. There's power in naming that."  Today's Song of the Day taps into that power. "I wrote ‘The Fall’ for myself," she said. "It was an exercise in using music as a tool for the sake of my own inner catharsis. I had a lot of turmoil and complicated emotions that I couldn’t process in any other way. I suppose some feelings require you to write a pop song in order to fully understand them. For that reason, this song is very precious to me." Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Heavy Heavy - Miles and Miles - from the 2022 album Life and Life Only on ATO. Brighton, UK-based duo The Heavy Heavy channel the sun-drenched sound of the '60s with today's Song of the Day. “‘Miles and Miles’ is about driving across the country, trying to get from place to place — free and easy but with real energy and motion," band member Georgie Fuller said in a press release. "It was inspired by the landscapes of Easy Rider and Vanishing Point and this fantasy of racing down the highway. It’s fuel for the listeners’ imagination — whatever that may be. For the music video we wanted to create that feeling, and we were inspired by clips of the Stones and the Beatles on roadsides in the ’60s. It’s sun-soaked and fast-paced, and we wanted it to feel like a dream." Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Porridge Radio - "The Rip" from the 2022 album Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky on Secretly Canadian. Right before the pandemic shut the world down, Brighton band Porridge Radio dropped Every Bad, their first record on Secretly Canadian that would go on to receive a Mercury Prize nomination as well as a generous amount of airplay on KEXP. While not technically the first album under the Porridge Radio moniker, it felt like an introduction to the band, who blended UK post-punk with anthemic indie rock for a uniquely cathartic sound. Last month, they released the follow-up Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky which broadens Porridge Radio’s sound without giving up any of their defining characteristics. Our Song of the Day is “The Rip” which is led by soaring synths and roaring guitars, as the song slowly builds and bursts. Frontperson Dana Margolin had this to say about the song: “‘The Rip’ was the last song to be finished for the album, and we finished it about a week before we went into the studio to record it in March 2021. We wanted it to sound like massive pop, like Charli XCX, but with the instrumentation of bands like Slothrust or Deftones. It took the longest a song has ever taken me to write lyrics for, and they took form over a few years. At the beginning it was a song about a power dynamic where I was in control, by the end it was about one where I had none. My friends always accuse me of making up idioms and using them like they are well known phrases and I think this song is full of those. I love the idea of something being sick at the seams, like it’s disintegrating from its core. I like things that are so simple they are universal. I wanted it to sound like when your heart breaks so badly that your entire body aches. I wanted it to feel like your soul is dropping out of your body.” The song comes with a video directed by Margolin’s sister Ella which mimics the intensity of the song with Margolin furiously running on a treadmill while menacing figures in papier-mâché masks envelope her. Watch the video at the link below and catch Porridge Radio in Seattle on Tuesday, September 13th at Barboza. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia Jacklin - "Lydia Wears A Cross" from the 2022 album Pre Pleasure on Polyvinyl. Four years after charming the socks off of us with her 2018 record Crushing, Julia Jacklin is finally releasing its anticipated follow-up. Titled Pre Pleasure, the record was conceived upon returning home at the end of a mammoth Crushing world tour and finished in a frantic few months of recording in Montreal. Our Song of the Day is the lead single and opening track off the record, “Lydia Wears a Cross.” Harkening back to her Catholic upbringing, a young Jacklin struggles with an understanding of what she’s being fed while deeply enjoying the pageantry of the church. “I'd be a believer /If it was all just song and dance,” she sings on the chorus. In a statement, Jacklin describes the song like this: “The song is about a lot of things but mainly being a 7yr old Jesus Christ superstar fanatic attending catholic school trying to figure out which way is up. The music video was filmed by my constant collaborator and friend Nick Mckk at Splitpoint lighthouse. I played a show close by recently and asked on stage if anyone could let me film inside. Someone in the crowd knew a guy and that was it. The rest was filmed in the streets of Northcote, Melbourne.” Pre Pleasure was recorded in Montreal with co-producer Marcus Paquin (The Weather Station, The National) and finds Jacklin teamed with her Canada-based touring band, bassist Ben Whiteley and guitarist Will Kidman, both of Canadian folk outfit The Weather Station. It also introduces drummer Laurie Torres, saxophonist Adam Kinner and string arrangements by Owen Pallett (Arcade Fire) recorded by a full orchestra in Prague. Jacklin will be embarking on a US tour this August, with a date in Seattle on Friday, September 30th at the Crocodile. Watch her incredible KEXP in-studio performance from 2019 at the link below. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We believe that everyone who runs should have a great soundtrack. Not one curated by an algorithm, but one that’s hand-picked by a DJ who runs too. The Runcast with John Richards brings you a dynamic mix of music and inspiration to keep you company and motivate you on your run, no matter what your level. Subscribe to KEXP's The Runcast with John Richards, wherever you podcast, and enjoy new episodes every two weeks, June 3 - October 7, 2022.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These Arms Are Snakes - "Camera Shy" from the 2022 album Duct Tape & Shivering Crows on Suicide Squeeze. Thirteen years after the unceremonious breakup of post-hardcore outfit These Arms Are Snakes, the Seattle band have released the double LP Duct Tape & Shivering Crows. While it’s not made up of entirely new material, the record gives a thorough overview of the band’s expansive experimentations over their seven-year run. Our Song of the Day is the track “Camera Shy.” Originally released on their 2008 split-LP with Chicago’s Russian Circles, the song utilizes a crisp, throbbing rhythm section as a platform for Ryan Frederiksen to lay his always-intense spacey yowls. Following These Arms Are Snakes’ reunion shows in Seattle last August, the quartet is hitting the road for a run of five dates in Denver, Chicago, Brooklyn, Oakland, and Los Angeles starting in June. Watch the visualizer for “Camera Shy” at the link below. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kraus - "Anyone" from the 2022 album Eye Escapes on Mutual Skies. Will Kraus has been releasing his unique brand of caustic shoegaze under his surname since 2016. Since then, the Dallas musician has released four records, with his latest being 2022’s Eye Escapes. A collection of recordings from 2016 - 2021, primarily from a lost album between Path and View No Country, the 11 tracks were mastered by the legendary Sacramento-based producer Blank Body, who also recently dropped a new record - his first in five years. Our Song of the Day, “Anyone,” is another excellent addition to Kraus’ discography of lush, dissonant sounds. Anchored by heavy distortion, his soft vocals float angelically yet indecipherably over the semi-caustic soundscapes. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hunt - "I Can’t Stand (Zola Jesus cover)" from the 2022 album Todo Muere SBXV on Sacred Bones. This year, Brooklyn-based label Sacred Bones Records celebrates its 15th anniversary, and to commemorate this occasion, they've devoted the latest volume of their annual Todo Muere compilation to artists on their roster covering other artists on their roster.  And who better to reunite for this release than The Hunt? The post-punk duo helped launch the label with their very first release, a 7" single from the band. While both band members — Jasper McGandy & Christian Kount — have sinced moved on to join Cult of Youth, they've reconvened to cover labelmate Zola Jesus for this special release.   Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Automatic - "Skyscraper" from the 2022 album Excess on Stones Throw. Los Angeles trio Automatic tap into consumerism on their latest single, “Skyscraper,” channeling a materialistic yuppie type, obsessed with consumer culture. “It’s about spending your life making money and then spending it to fill the void created by said job,” explained bassist/vocalist Halle Saxon, with bandmate Lola Dompé cheekily adding, "Kind of like going to LA to live your dreams."  The track will be released on their forthcoming full-length Excess, out June 24th. Automatic plays Seattle on September 10th and 11th, opening for Osees at Neumos. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Working Men’s Club - Circumference from the 2022 album Fear Fear on Heavenly Recordings. UK quartet Working Men’s Club return with their sophomore full-length Fear Fear, to be released July 15th via Heavenly Recordings. Like their first album, Ross Orton (The Fall, Arctic Monkeys) provides production talents; unlike that debut LP, the band have evolved their post-punk sound in a more new wave, synth-heavy direction, providing a stark contrast to their lyrical approach this time around.  “The first album was mostly a personal documentation lyrically, this is a blur between personal and a third-person perspective of what was going on.” says frontman and songwriter Syd Minsky-Sargeant, in a press release. “I like the contrast of it being happy, uplifting music and really dark lyrics. It’s not a minimal record, certainly compared to the first one. That’s because there’s been a lot more going on that needed to be said.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MALIA - "Undone" from the 2022 album What's After 'I Love You?' on MALIA/Black Sea Music. Seattle-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter MALIA recently unveiled her latest set of soulful R&B tunes with What’s After ‘I Love You.’ Following her 2021 debut Unpolished, the vulnerable album examines a past relationship in the wake of immense heartbreak. Our Song of the Day is the record’s closer “Undone,” in which MALIA comes to terms with the fact that the relationship is now forever changed and even when her ex asks her to come over, it won’t be the same for her. The damage is done and the magic gone so it’s time to focus on putting herself back together piece-by-piece. “This is the most vulnerable I’ve ever been in my writing and it makes me feel so exposed to share but also empowered because the growth I experienced through this intense pain created the best version of me yet,” MALIA told American Songwriter about the new EP. “Sharing these songs with the world forces me to continue to remain open and live from a place of love over fear. I hope my story reminds people that moments of darkness however painful, actually hold our hand and help us elevate.” This summer, MALIA will be supporting Corrine Bailey Rae on tour with a stop in Seattle on Sunday, July 17th at the Moore Theatre. Below, watch the visual for What’s After ‘I Love You’ highlight “Only One.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jelly Cleaver - "Cosmovisions," a 2022 single on Jelly's Jams. London musician Jelly Cleaver’s otherworldly take on jazz by utilizing her DIY/punk scene influences and integrating political activism within her work makes the century and half year-old genre something entirely new. A recipient of the coveted Steve Reid Innovation Award, a grant that funds outstanding emerging artists of which Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd have also been recipients, Cleaver is on a clear path towards greatness. Our Song of the Day, “Cosmovisions,” is direct evidence of that. The massive track feels like a constantly evolving organism, with layers of bass, keys, strings, flute, and sax flowing and cascading over each other to extraordinary effect. This track was inspired by Arturo Escobar's book Designs for the Pluriverse, “A beautiful book which describes the ontology of Cosmovisions as a way for humankind to live in harmony with nature and itself,” according to Cleaver. That focus on harmony begins with knowledge and Cleaver’s been doing her part to attempt to make the world a less racist place. During the lockdown, she helped develop a workshop on Anti-racism that she delivered to Extinction Rebellion groups across the country and presented the workshop at Brainchild Festival. Her newest single, “My People,” dropped yesterday, on the anniversary of George Floyd’s death (as well as her birthday) as a eulogy to all victims of racism and police violence. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mumu Fresh - "Dance Daughter" a 2022 self-released single. For her latest single (and today's Song of the Day), Grammy-nominated artist Mumu Fresh teamed up with the movement 20 Million Women Strong, Planet Restoration, and the Netflix original TV show "We Speak Dance" to craft a special song for Earth Day. On social media, she thanks the organizations for "sharing the healing balm and uplifting energy of dance on behalf of Mother Earth and women, mothers, sisters, and daughters around the world. May we all dance for the planet on this special day and always." Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chronixx - "Never Give Up" a 2022 single on Forever Living Originals. With his latest single, reggae artist Chronixx sends love to generations of his fellow artists in Jamaica. On social media, he writes: Give thanks for the Rastafari vibration. The positive vibrations that make it possible for youths here in a seemingly chaotic world to sing from our souls into the soul of the world.  For all the people who are struggling for peace and against systematic oppression. #nevergiveup the fight for the family. Never give up the fight for love. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quelle Chris - "Alive Ain't Always Living" from the 2022 album Deathfame on Mello Music Group. Fresh off co-composing part of the score for the Oscar-winning film Judas and The Black Messiah, rapper Quelle Chris returned last week with his latest full-length, DEATHFAME. The Detroit-based artist (real name: Gavin Tennille) describes the genre-defying new LP like "an incredible lost tape found at a flea market." Guests include Navy Blue, Pink Siifu, and Quelle's longtime collaborator Chris Keys co-produces a few of the album's tracks.  Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damien Jurado - Taped in Front of a Live Studio Audience from the 2022 album Reggae Film Star on Maraqopa. Longtime KEXP-favorite Damien Jurado is on the heels of releasing his 18th album Reggae Film Star this June. The album comes 25 years after his debut album Waters Ave S. and is just one of seven albums the prolific songwriter wrote and recorded during the pandemic. 2021’s The Monster Who Ate Pennsylvania was the first of those to be released. Our Song of the Day is the short but sweet “Taped In Front of a Live Studio Audience.” Over a softly driving beat and warm, thrumming guitars, Jurado paints a picture of a day in the life of an exhausted working mother, doing her best to keep it together or at least stay awake. With lines like “Who's screaming at the top of their lungs? /Well I don't have time, and my patience is running thin,” the song is a relatable story for those familiar with the comedy of parenting. Reggae Film Sta is due digitally and on CD June 24 via his own Maraqopa Records, with vinyl arriving July 8. Damien produced it himself alongside multi-instrumentalist Josh Gordon and recording engineer Alex Bush. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James and the Cold Gun - "Seven" from the 2022 False Start EP on Venn Records. With a sound that’s miles away from the Kate Bush song they’re named after, the two James’ of James and the Cold Gun - James Joseph and James Bliss - are making blistering rock n’ roll that harkens back to the early aughts alt-rock scene. The duo individually formerly fronted other bands but have been making waves in their Cardiff scene for their balls-to-the-wall pub shows as well as outside of it, touring with bands like Salem and Therapy. Our Song of the Day, “Seven” is the opening track off their debut EP False Start, released in April. Immediately, the song sets the tone for the searing set of tracks to follow. Stomping drums and fiery, distortion-laden guitars accompany James squared’s howling vocals. The band had this to say about the song: “‘Seven’ is a song about being angry, but only because you care about something so much. We really enjoy this one, it’s a real thumper—we aimed to write a proper, driving riff.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nina Kohout - "Moonlight" from the 2022 Pandemonium EP on Deadred Records. When Slovakian artist Nina Kohout released her first single "Blue Sunray" back in 2020, she landed the Newcomer of the Year award from her hometown Rádio FM's annual Radio_Head Awards. More accolades are sure to be on the way with the release of her long-awaited debut EP, Pandemonium. She describes today's Song of the Day as a "Vampiric Waltz" in this YouTube clip.  Kohout currently resides in London, attending The Brit School where she studies music production and music technology. (A few alumni of this prestigious institution include Amy Winehouse, Adele, and FKA Twigs.) In an interview with Hudba.sk, she shares, "I'm an intense person. I think a lot, I feel, and so I turn to music as my personal valve," adding, "it is the personal demons with whom we are slowly becoming friends that I explore through music." Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

alyona alyona - "Ridni moi (feat. Jerry Heil)," a 2022 single on ENKO. For Easter this year, Ukrainian rapper alyona alyona shared a plea to celebrate and to uphold traditions with her latest single "Рідні мої." She writes on YouTube: The warmest memories of most people in Ukraine during their lives are warm family gatherings for Easter. Opportunity to get away from business, to see the closest ones, to visit distant relatives, to take part in creation of Easter eggs, to taste mother's or grandmother's dishes from the childhood, to unite in continuation of national and family traditions... This year has radically changed us, changed everything around us. Many families will no longer reunite, many grandparents will no longer please their grandchildren, and many ovens will no longer bake Easter cakes. We have changed our values, changed our attitude to many things. But we will always carry the traditions of our nation and our families through the years. May the memory of them be eternal. This track is about pain, sadness, memories and family warmth. And about that things which unite us all, wherever we are. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hazel English - "Summer Nights," a 2022 self-released single. On her forthcoming EP Summer Nights (out June 17th), Hazel English teams up with producer Jackson Phillips (Day Wave) for a "short story"-like collection of songs whose narratives interweave with another. Today's Song of the Day is “about the intoxicating feeling of developing a crush on someone. I thought it would be interesting to explore the buildup of tension sonically because to me, the anticipation is the best part.” “Jackson and I have such a great flow when it comes to working on music that it was easy to essentially pick up where we had left off,” English said in a press release about the EP. “Our process together is very quick and fun, no second guessing. I also think the pandemic and time at home got me thinking a lot about my past and remembering high school experiences and those kinds of feelings that were so vivid at that time. So I found myself writing lyrics that were inspired by some of those experiences and then I kind of created a whole new story out of it.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Zaidi - "Jerusalem" from the 2022 album Acre of Salt on Nettwerk. “What are you?” is an eye-rolling question people of mixed heritages never cease to get asked and often have no idea how to answer. Seattle’s Ben Zaidi tackles his unique background and the internal conflict of not knowing how to identify in today’s Song of the Day, “Jerusalem.” Born to a Jewish father, Pakistani mother, and with Muslim grandparents, Zaidi candidly unpacks his familial stories and the complicated feelings surrounding them in the downtempo guitar strummer. “Sometimes I feel like Jersualem /There’s three religions trickling through my veins,” sings Zaidi in the chorus. “By the time they sort it out /There’ll be nothing left to claim.” “It is a strange fate being of mixed heritage in the whitewash of America,” Zaidi explains of the song. “Often it feels like the many cultures of my ancestors have been diluted, and I have been left with no heritage rather than many... I am starting, however, to see this disorientation as an identity of its own. Manzur Zaidi was my grandfather I never met. He and his family were Pakistani, and lived through the partition of India... I use their Arabic family name and my Hebrew first name to try to combine the two lineages that most describe my parents. It was only later that I discovered 'Ben' means 'son.' and that 'Zaidi' is also a Yiddish word, for 'grandfather.'" The song comes from his upcoming debut album Acre of Salt, set for release on June 3rd. Produced by Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, Peter Gabriel, Beck), the record was recorded at Los Angeles' Sound City Studios along with backing band members Ethan Gruska, Sebastian Steinberg (Fiona Apple,) saxophonist Sam Gendel and Kane Ritchotte (Portugal. The Man). Watch the video for “Jersualem” at the link below. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fontaines D.C. - "Roman Holiday" from the 2022 album Skinty Fia on Partisan. In April, Irish post-punkers Fontaines D.C. released their third studio album Skinty Fia. Their first record since relocating to London, the album title is an Irish phrase that translates to “the damnation of the deer" and delves deep into the minds of transplants reckoning with their feelings around identity and belonging. Our Song of the Day, “Roman Holiday,” really drives that home with a bittersweet ode to discovering a new city while in the midst of young love. One of the many surprsingly downtempo songs on the record, wailing guitars provide a bed for Grian Chatten’s wistful croons about weddings, high heels, and getting stoned to lay upon. “‘Roman Holiday’ makes me think of the wide streets of north London in the summer and the urge to discover them at night time,” explains Chatten. “The thrill of being a gang of Irish people in London with a bit of a secret language and my first flat with my girlfriend.” Fontaines D.C. will be in Seattle this Saturday, May 14th to play Showbox SoDo with Just Mustard. They’ll be stopping by KEXP that afternoon to play a live in-studio at 12:30pm. Watch their 2019 KEXP in-studio performance at the link below. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Say Sue Me - "꿈에 To Dream" from the 2022 album The Last Thing Left on Damnably. South Korean dream-pop quartet Say Sue Me will release their third LP The Last Thing Left this coming Friday, May 13th via long-time label Damnably. The group states the new release "has the theme of some realization, eventually the realization of love. Love in relationships, love for oneself, and the ultimate love gained after realizing those two things!” On today's Song of the Day, they surrender to slumber, with vocalist/guitarist Sumi Choi explaining in a press release, “I dreamed that everyone was alive, and I came to think that there might be no end. One day everyone will come back and meet somewhere.”  Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Camp Cope - "Running With the Hurricane" from the 2022 album Running with the Hurricane on Run For Cover. Melbourne, Australia-based trio Camp Cope find the calm within the storm on their latest full-length Running with the Hurricane.  While their 2018 album How to Socialise & Make Friends channeled the intensity of '90s artists like Alanis Morissette or Courtney Love, the new LP takes a quieter approach. During the pandemic, guitarist/vocalist Georgia Maq returned to her post-rock world of nursing. Her work in COVID-19 testing and vaccine administration had an impact on her songwriting. As she explained to NPR, "Before when we'd made records, it was just like, 'Let's just record us live so that when people see us live, they won't be disappointed.' This was more like, 'Well, we're all gonna die of coronavirus, so let's just try to make something quite beautiful.'" Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gracie Gray - "Happiness" from the 2022 album Anna on Hand In Hive. Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Gracie Gray looks back on her youth on this wistful acoustic track off her latest LP anna. The accompanying music video features VHS footage from her family's archive, alongside footage of her today. (Watch below.) "'happiness' is about longing for childhood innocence," she explained in a press release. "It's something that can never be fully recaptured, but the video shows that these younger versions of ourselves are still alive inside of us."  "I think 'happiness' is going to mean different things to me as time goes on," she continued. "When I wrote it I was processing a lot of hard memories. When I finished it, I felt like I was just beginning an ugly process of letting go. I am really proud of how we were able to resolve the song sonically." Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moon Palace - "It’s a Shame" from the 2022 self-released Love Lost EP. We’ve written about Moon Palace a number of times since the release of their 2017 self-titled debut. In fact, today marks the third time that the Seattle band has received the Song of the Day treatment! If they get to five, they get a jacket! (Or, at least, should. In my opinion.) Today’s Song of the Day “It’s a Shame” is actually quite a departure from the rambling psychedelia Moon Palace has released over the past five years. Slow and sensual, the song is led by a throbbing bass riff while twin sisters Cat and Carrie Biell croon about a torrid experience with an elusive sweetie. “With this track we took our dreamy psychedelic garage vibes to the disco club,” explains Moon Palace in the song’s Bandcamp description. “We slowed way down and summoned the sultry lyrics Carrie wrote about having a chance encounter with a mysterious babe at our local Seattle lesbian bar, The Wildrose. Inspirations were Solange, Taylor Swift & Prince.” The song comes from the Love Lost EP, released today, May 6th. Moon Palace will be playing with Tomo Nakayama and Coral Grief at the Tractor Tavern on Friday, June 3rd. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Night Shop - "Let Me Let It Go" from the 2022 album Forever Night on Dangerbird Records. Night Shop is the solo project of Justin Sullivan, who can often be seen hitting the skins as the touring drummer for Kevin Morby, in addition to playing with Waxahatchee, Hand Habits, The Babies, Anna St. Louis, and LA post-punk outfit Flat Worms. This past February, he unveiled Night Shop’s debut album Forever Night via Dangerbird Records which saw a lot of these prior collaborators give back to their favorite drummer. Early single and Song of the Day “Let Me Let It Go” features Meg Duffy of Hand Habits on guitar, Jess Williamson, Anna St. Louis and Woods/Purple Mountains’ Jarvis Taveniere providing engineering and co-production alongside Sullivan so it truly is a family affair. The rollicking horn-laden track its inspiration from Dante and Beatrice’s love and “the concept of courtly love,” according to Sullivan. “A journey to hell, the pursuit of art, the Shangri-Las, and finding peace in what is, not how we think things should be.” The video for the track sees Sullivan fleeing directors Jeff Davenport and Cooper Kenward, sprinting through the streets of LA. “I think we just wanted to offer a sense of escape and abandon that comes with both loving someone and also surrendering our attachment to a certain outcome in regards to that love,” Sullivan explains. “I'm just trying to get at the proper expression of a feeling; in this case, a deep yearning. So I think visually, you want to complement that sense. A desire to see and feel everything and escape from the smallness of your own thoughts.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spiritualized - "The Mainline Song" from the 2022 album Everything Was Beautiful on Fat Possum. Long-running space rock pioneers Spiritualized return with their ninth studio album, the appropriately titled Everything Was Beautiful. Founding and sole constant member Jason Pierce (aka J. Spaceman) plays 16 different instruments on the recording, which was done at 11 different studios (not including his home), and employing 30 different collaborators.  “There was so much information on it that the slightest move would unbalance it," he admits in a press release, "but going around in circles is important to me. Not like you’re spiraling out of control but you’re going around and around and on each revolution you hold onto the good each time. Sure, you get mistakes as well, but you hold on to some of those too and that’s how you kind of... achieve. Well, you get there.”  Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Death Of The High Street - "Synergy," a 2022 self-released single. Midlands-based post-punk band Death Of The High Street hit the scene last year with a very strong vote of confidence: their debut single was released by Creation Records empresario Alan McGee, on his new label named It’s Creation Baby. Their latest single continues their reign of dark, driving, pulsating sound.  “Synergy is a mantra. A reminder that the collective struggle is more important than the individual," the band shared in a press statement. "We should remember, no matter the importance we place on the person, no matter how much the powers that be attempt to single us out and turn us into consumerist automations, we will only really know ourselves properly when we interact with those around us.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dazy & Militarie Gun - "Pressure Cooker," a 2022 single on Very Loud Sounds. Combine the talents of LA-based hardcore band Militarie Gun and James Goodson's punk/pop project Dazy, and what you get is "Pressure Cooker," a collaborative single out now. A conflict of interest? Perhaps, as Goodson also serves as Militarie Gun's publicist, but the creativity could not be contained.  “Ever since I met Ian [Shelton, frontman of Militarie Gun], we’ve had a tendency to veer off into long conversations about songwriting, but when he suggested we should try to do something together I thought he was just being friendly,” Goodson shared in a press release, that maybe he wrote. “He kept bringing it up so finally I showed him a song I’d been working on, and in no time at all he was sending back vocals and new ideas. I’m always blown away by the amount of energy and personality that Militarie Gun can pack into a song, and it was really cool to work together and see that happening in real time.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rigmor - "Det er lige meget" from the 2022 album Glade blinde børn on Mermaid Records. This week's Songs of the Day were selected by KEXP DJ Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time, spotlighting artists playing the SPOT Festival in Aarhus, Denmark, May 6-7th.  This past February, two years after they dropped the Rebel EP, Danish indie pop band Rigmor unveiled their debut record Glade blinde børn. In English the title translates to “Happy Blind Children” which is telling of the poetic melancholy the band paints through their lyrics and dramatic, airy soundscapes. Our Song of the Day “Det er lige meget” translates to “It Doesn’t Matter” but rather than being a narrative of cynicism, it’s simply admittance that, when looking out at the stars and nature and the vastness of the universe, our petty little bullshit is just not that important. Frontwoman Sarah Wichmann’s celestial vocals paired with shimmering guitars serve well as angelic advisors, whispering in our ears, “It doesn’t matter.” The song comes with a video directed by Peter Sørensen in which our protagonist seemingly has this revelation. Watch it at the link below. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La Dame Blanche - "Mata Sede (feat. Amanda Magalhaes)," a 2021 single on Nacional. This week's Songs of the Day were selected by KEXP DJ Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time, spotlighting artists playing the SPOT Festival in Aarhus, Denmark, May 6-7th.  Cuban singer, flautist, and percussionist Yaite Ramos Rodriguez makes a distinctive mix of cumbia, hip hop, dancehall, and feminist lyrics as La Dame Blanche. The daughter of the artistic director of the Buena Vista Social Club orquestra and a loving mother who imparted incredible wisdom upon her daughter, it was inevitable that Rodriguez would become the rebellious powerhouse musician she is. For “Mata Sede,” the Paris-based artist teamed up with Brazilian actress Amanda Magalhães, of the immensely popular Brazilian series 3% for a sweet ballad of sisterhood. The downtempo track was produced by Babylotion, the Paris-based producer, beat maker, and sound engineer who mans production for the majority of La Dame Blanche’s music. Magalhães had this to say about “Mata Sede”: “It’s a song about the longing to love nowadays. It’s an honor to sing alongside an artist whose work I admire so much. La Dame Blanche has a special way of composing and this musical encounter was special for me. ‘Mata Sede’ is about love. It speaks of us.” La Dame Blanche’s latest full-length was 2020’s Ella, which was made as a tribute to her mother as well as women everywhere. At the link below, watch her Live on KEXP At Home session from November 2021.  Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lydmor - "Nevada" from the 2021 album Capacity on hfn music. This week's Songs of the Day were selected by KEXP DJ Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time, spotlighting artists playing the SPOT Festival in Aarhus, Denmark, May 6-7th.  Danish artist Lydmor [real name: Jenny Rossander] examines the space she's in on her fourth album Capacity, a Björk-inspired expression of futuristic electro-pop. On today's Song of the Day, she's joined by Faroese singer Eivør on guest vocals. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Les Filles de Illighadad - "Eghass Malan" from the 2017 album Eghass Malan on Sahel Sounds. This week's Songs of the Day were selected by KEXP DJ Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time, spotlighting artists playing the SPOT Festival in Aarhus, Denmark, May 6-7th.  Hailing from the secluded commune of Illighadad, located in central Niger, Les Filles de Illighadad tap into their "desert blues" heritage on their most recent album, Eghass Malan. The band breaks the mold of the typical male Tuareg guitarist with lead vocalist/musician Fatou Seidi Ghali, the first professional female Tuareg guitarist, and still one of a very few in general.  Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Verdens Sidste Idé - "Marianne" from the 2022 self-released album Strå. This week's Songs of the Day were selected by KEXP DJ Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time, spotlighting artists playing the SPOT Festival in Aarhus, Denmark, May 6-7th.  Danish pop band Verdens Sidste Idé [translation: The World's Last Idea] is a seven-member orchestra led by songwriter/frontman Asbjørn Hvelplund. They debuted with the full-length Den Indre By [translation: The Inner City] at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, but forged ahead during the global lockdown to create their sophomore full-length Strå [or Straw], just released in February.  Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Robert Glasper - "Why We Speak (feat. Q-Tip & Esperanza Spalding)," a 2022 single on Loma Vista / Concord. In 2012, jazz pianist Robert Glasper's fifth album, Black Radio, was a breakout success. It landed him the Grammy for Best R&B Album, while at the same time, hitting #1 on the Billboard jazz charts. The following year, Black Radio 2 was met with similar success, winning the Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the track "Jesus Children of America" featuring Lalah Hathaway and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Now, in 2022, he's released the latest installment, Black Radio III, where he continues to defy categorization and embrace collaboration. Featured guests include India.Arie, Meshell Ndegeocello, Killer Mike, Common, Ty Dolla $ign, and on today's KEXP Song of the Day, Esperanza Spalding and Q-Tip. “When I’m working on Black Radio, I’m not interested in who’s the hot new artist at the time,” Glasper told Relix. “It’s more about people who are open to pushing the music. I’m interested in, ‘Are you actually talented? Do you actually work on your craft?’ Black Radio has become a bar. If you’re on Black Radio, you have to be a certain thing. Who really has something to say?” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah MK - "MITTOS (Make It To The Other Side)," a 2022 self-released single. Montreal-based soulstress Sarah MK shares an uplifting new single, the first from her sophomore full-length Wax & Gold, out later this month on April 27th. “I wrote this song a few years back for a friend of mine going through a difficult time in her life,” Sarah MK told the Tinnitist. “I just wanted her to know that no matter what she’s facing, she’s going to get through it and make it out. The song seems just as poignant now speaking to the whole world as we try to navigate living through a global pandemic.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rell Be Free - "$FreeMunny" from the 2022 self-released album Sow What? (Phase 3). South Seattle-based musician/educator/entrepreneur Rell Be Free (real name: Jerrell Davis) returns this month with Sow What? (Phase 3). On this latest installment of the series, he teams up again with local producer Noah Coinflip for their atmospheric, mysterious sound.  Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mala Suerte - "Habla Mierda de Mi" from the 2022 album Mala Suerte on Freakout Records. Back in October, KEXP shared the debut single from brand new PNW meets MEX supergroup Mala Suerte. Made up of members of Carrion Kids, Acid Tongue, Los Honey Rockets, and Grizzled Mighty, the band is an international fusion of spirited sounds and talents. Our Song of the Day, “Habla Mierda de Mi” takes the psychedelic sounds of Acid Tongue, the bluesy riffs of Grizzled Mighty, the grittiness of Carrion Kids, and firey intensity of Los Honey Rockets and throws them in a blender for a song that smacks you in the face. Sung en español by Miguel Servin, the title translates to “Talk Shit About Me,” which is exactly the kind of bratty, no-fucks-given attitude that you’d expect from this quartet. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crows - "Garden of England" from the 2022 album Beware Believers on Bad Vibrations Records. London-based quartet Crows released their sophomore dark and fuzzy post-punk record Beware Believers in early April. Written during the summer of 2019, Song of the Day “Garden of England” takes its inspiration from the complicated and controversial Brexit elections. “This is straight-up our Brexit anthem,” frontman James Cox explains. “Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t care less which way you voted, your vote, your choice. I just hated how much Brexit had become so ingrained in our day to day life. First thing I’d hear about when I woke up and the last thing I’d read before I went to sleep at night. It became all people spoke about. ‘Garden of England’ is more of a comment about the divisiveness it caused, splitting families, friends, widening the north-south divide and empowering nationalism. Public figures’ ability to lie publicly and not be held accountable, it’s just dangerous dog-whistle politics that doesn’t belong in the UK.” The song is accompanied by a video directed by Joe Hoffman and Phoebe May, with Hoffman explaining, “When chatting with a boxer mate one day, he mentioned a friend at his club who was a career ‘Journeyman’. He explained this was a boxer who was not skilled enough to go pro, but was all the same good enough to fight around that level. The Journeyman makes a career by being paid, often weekly, to lose fights (unbeknownst to many of the crowd). When up-and-coming boxers are looking to progress to the next stage of their career, they need an unbroken streak of say 12 wins. When they are nearing this streak after maybe 10 wins, the coach often doesn’t want to risk them losing at this point so they will employ a Journeyman to put on a good show, and ultimately lose the fight.” “I found this to be a fascinating concept,” he continues. “As I imagine it to be a real battle of the psyche for a Journeyman. They love the sport, but to partake and make a living in it they must fight to lose, and with this often lose the respect of their peers too. Many Journeymen work hard during the week, as low paid labourers or similar, and then will be paid a few hundred quid at the weekend to step into the losing ring. I’m sure it must be a battle in their head, but ultimately it will put food on the table and get them in the ring. The idea that he is a loser out of choice, and the fact he gets paid for it, brings into question who in this story is the actual loser? Is it the Contender? Is it the Journeyman? Or is it the crowd? I think maybe it’s all of them and none of them.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francis of Delirium - "The Funhouse," a 2022 single on Dalliance Records. Fronted by 20-year-old dynamo Jana Bahrich, the Luxembourg-based band Francis of Delirium brings a moody, yet driving alt-rock sound to today's Song of the Day. On their latest single, Bahrich says she was inspired by the disarray we experience daily.  “'The Funhouse' is largely about how we are adapting to the chaos that is present in our everyday lives," she shared in a press release. "The way it can feel that the world is crashing down around us and in order to protect ourselves, we become numb to the sheer terror of it all. Sort of like walking through a funhouse and attempting to remain unphased by the mayhem that surrounds you.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chaka Gettz - "Incinerate for KG" from the 2022 self-released Daytime Eraser EP. Ukrainian band Chaka Gettz admits: "If someday a series is made about us 🎬, then the beginning of the first series (our 2-year activity before the release of the first track) will not be very dynamic in visual terms. Probably, the director should just turn on the camera and shoot at an accelerated pace, as we play, compose, change and improve our songs day after day, sitting in our cozy studio in Kharkov (Ukraine) and looking for our sound 🎸." The young trio released their first single in late 2021, and have since self-released their debut EP Daytime Eraser, featuring three fun, frenetic '90s-inspired songs. It's no surprise that today's Song of the Day is dedicated to none other than indie-rock icon Kim Gordon.  Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello Mary - "Sink In," a 2022 self-released single. Today's Song of the Day comes from Brooklyn trio Hello Mary, who formed when band members Helena Straight (vocalist/guitarist), Mikaela Oppenheimer (bassist), and Stella Wave (drummer/vocalist) were still teenagers. They released their debut album Ginger back in 2020. Earlier this year, we were thrilled to premiere this latest single, along with its sister song "Stinge." As KEXP's Tia Ho reported, the singles were produced by Bryce Goggin, who brought his experience working with '90s guitar-heavy bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement to the studio.  Wave told KEXP, “‘Stinge’ is a passion-filled, sad/angry song focusing on the polarizing emotions and back and forth feelings that come with nearing the end of a relationship (friend, romantic partner etc.), “Sink In” puts the relationship to rest. The feeling is less angry, and more accepting of the new state of things.”  She added that the two new tracks are "more mature on all fronts," adding, "Most of the songs on Ginger were written when Helena and Mikaela were 14 years old. The song writing, even though it can be catchy and fun, is pretty amateur in comparison to the new songs. Our ‘sound’ has become more unique since we have been playing together for longer. It’s more Hello Mary.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Tones - "The End of Everything," a 2022 single on Sub Pop. Seattle twin sibling duo The Black Tones made a splash in 2019 with their gritty debut full-length Cobain & Cornbread which saw Eva and Cedric Walker utilize blues, soul, and grunge to explore topics both light and heavy. While “Ghetto Spaceship” and “Mama! There’s a Spider in My Room” veered towards the former, songs like “The Key of Black (They Want Us Dead)” swung so dramatically towards the latter that it was clear the Walkers have important things to say. Since then, they’ve been using their art primarily just for that - to voice their concerns about the issues, be it political or personal, of the present moment. The George Floyd protests inspired them to write “My Name’s Not Abraham Lincoln” in the summer of 2020 and, most recently, the culmination of two years of personal anxieties, grief, and anger led to our Song of the Day, “The End of Everything.” Named after the book The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie Mack, the song confronts the fact that, whether it’s the second coming of who or whatever you believe in, this will all end. A variety of gods and religious symbols - Jesus, Buddah, Allah, Confucious - are shouted out in the sludgey ‘90s-indebted scorcher that features vocals from former Talking Heads backing singer and member the 1970s disco group The Ritchie Family, Edna Holt. “This song is not a jab at religion or anything like that,” Eva Walker told American Songwriter in an interview. “This song is saying, it doesn’t matter what you believe in, the second coming of whoever or whatever, this is all going to be over and it feels like humans might be speeding up that process.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quinton Brock - "There For You," a 2022 single on Shadow Panther. With an ambitious goal to “change rock music forever,” Quinton Brock is clearly not shy about his pursuits. The former singer of the bluesy surf rock duo The Get Money Squad has been slowly releasing singles under his government name over the past couple of years that prove he just might do it too. With a penchant for breezy R&B-tinged indie rock that’s typically played by artists of a paler complexion, Brock is on an ever-growing list of black artists reclaiming rock. Highly influenced by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the lost godmother of rock and roll, who melded spiritual lyrics with electric guitar (shredding long before Elvis gyrated his way to becoming to the “King” of rock n’ roll), Brock similarly fuses genres. Our Song of the Day, “There For You,” utilizes surf rock guitar tones with R&B production for a sunny ditty about love. “This song is so close to me,” explains Brock. “An ode to a past love. The song fades out in the end the same way love sometimes fades away. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.” Watch the video for “There For You,” directed by Allen Jiang, at the link below. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Magdalena Bay - "Secrets (Your Fire)" from the 2021 album Mercurial World on Luminelle Recordings. Electro-pop duo Magdalena Bay share their struggles with social media on today's Song of the Day. “‘Secrets’ is about interconnectivity, privacy, and digital anxiety,” band members Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin shared in a press release. “It’s also about a need to keep sharing, to keep giving up more and more of yourself to faceless strangers in the hopes of making friends or fans.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congotronics International - "Where's The One?," a 2022 single on Crammed Discs. Congotronics International is truly a global affair: this supergroup comprises members of Konono Nº1, Kasai Allstars, Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, and Skeletons’ Matt Mehlan. Their forthcoming full-length, Where’s The One (due April 29th via Crammed Discs), was crafted over ten years, with files being emailed across four continents, sent from Kinshasa DRC, Buenos Aires, New Mexico, New York, Stockholm and Brooklyn.  “There was no rational explanation behind what was going on, it was just direct, immediate experience on both sides. Things you think are impossible just happen,” Vincent Kenis of Crammed Discs said in a press release (Kenis is the co-founder of Kasai Allstars and curator/producer of the Congotronics series). Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TV Girl x Jordana - "Jump the Turnstile" from the 2021 album Summer's Over on Summer's Over. Los Angeles-based group TV Girl have a long history with NYC artist Jordana. The pair have toured together, and a collaborative EP seemed like a natural next step. Titled Summer’s Over, the seven-song release combines Jordana's heavenly voice with the west coast trio's sample-heavy style.  TV Girl set off for their first headlining European tour later this year, and Jordana releases her debut studio album, Face The Wall, on May 20th via Grand Jury. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.