A Deeper Listen

Bratmobile was one of the most visible bands of the feminist punk riot grrrl movement in the early 1990s. As part of KEXP’s northwest music column, Throwaway Style , Martin Douglas spoke with founding members Allison Wolfe and Molly Neuman. In this excerpt, they talk about activism, the origins of Bratmobile and the riot grrrl scene.   Read the full interview here: https://kexp.org/read/2023/7/27/...

Arlo Parks’ latest album, 'My Soft Machine,' has been the most played album on KEXP so far this year. Arlo Parks' lyrics read like a diary, or a poetic handwritten note to a close friend or long-distance lover, or even a novel. In this episode, she talks about lyricism but also how she manages burnout, which caused the cancellation of a few of her tour stops last fall. Support the show: https://ww...

The craze with artificial intelligence has continued dominating people’s attention across industries — creating images, deepfake videos and writing essays. KEXP’s Roddy Nikpour gives a rundown on how A.I. has been playing out in the music industry and chats with musician and writer, Kelly Bishop, about her Vice article titled, “Is AI Music a Genuine Threat to Real Artists?”   Support the show: htt...

Guitarist Steve Turner had a front row seat to Seattle’s grunge scene. He played in the band Green River, a band which included future members of Pearl Jam and was the first to be described with the word, "grunge." Turner went on to play with Mudhoney, which has been hugely influential to Seattle’s grunge scene. He’s written a memoir about it all called 'Mud Ride: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge E...

KEXP’s Production Manager Jackson Long has published a booklet called 'Hiding in Plain Sight—Studios of Seattle & Tacoma.' In it, he features nine recording studios in the area that you’d likely miss if you drove by them. Jackson spoke with Emily Fox about the stories behind these spaces that have recorded Seattle artists including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Death Cab for Cutie, The Soni...

Seattle-based producer John Goodmanson has worked with many notable artists including Bikini Kill, Death Cab for Cutie, Harvey Danger, Soundgarden and more. He talks with KEXP’s Owen Murphy about the craft of producing, some notable moments in his career, and what artists should look for in a producer.  Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

For our series, Mix & Match, Jasmine Albertson creates a cocktail inspired by a Seattle band. This week she features Linda From Work. She teams up with KEXP’s Martin Douglas to discuss a range of topics with the band, from the persona of the fictional character that is "Linda from Work" to writing through insomnia and reflecting on the overturn of Roe v. Wade through music. How Linda Got Her G...

Alicia Keys is performing at Seattle’s Climate Pledge arena on July 30. Contributor Mia Imani shares a little bit of Alicia Key’s personal story and discography and shares her own memories set to the key of Alicia.  Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roughly 2% of producers are women . Femme House is trying to change that number by providing free online workshops to teach women and gender expansive individuals how to produce and DJ. LP Giobbi is a producer and DJ behind the project. She talks about the training sessions, her process for getting more femmes booked on festival stages and the impact her first piano teacher had on her life and car...

Danielle Ponder talks about leaving her job as a public defender to pursue music full time at 40. She talks about the clients she worked with as a public defender and how restorative justice and resources were needed instead of jail time. She also breaks down what it takes to make a living in music today.  “I had a mother whose [four-year-old] daughter was in an apartment hallway. . .  running up...

Protomartyr released their sixth album, titled ' Formal Growth in the Desert ,' in June. Prior to their performance at Treefort Music Festival in March, KEXP’s Martin Douglas caught up with vocalist Joe Casey to talk about the new album, Protomartyr’s musical evolution, and being so closely associated with their hometown of Detroit.  Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com...

Nabihah Iqbal’s latest album, DREAMER , is a lush and atmospheric meditation on love and loss. It incorporates elements of shoegaze and dance music and weaves in instrumentation that nods to her Pakistani roots.  Nabihah speaks with KEXP’s Isabel Khalili about how a studio burglary led her to a more stripped-down approach to songwriting for this album, the first poem that made her cry, and how her...

Seattle’s summer music festival season is upon us. KEXP’s Emily Fox, Dusty Henry, Jasmine Albertson, Martin Douglas, and Leah Capindo give their recommendations for which artists and bands to see at Capitol Hill Block Party, Timber, Day In Day Out, THING, and Bumbershoot. They also discuss the different vibes and audiences you may find at each festival. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound...

Janelle Monáe dropped her latest album, 'The Age of Pleasure' on June 9th. Contributor Mia Imani has this review of Monáe’s journey of sensuality, queerness, and joy. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brandy Clark and Brandi Carlile are both gay Americana and Country artists from Washington State. The two have teamed up on Brandy Clark’s new solo album with Carlile on production credits. Emily Fox caught up with Brandy Clark to talk about the record, her Tony award winning musical, songwriting for other country stars and gay representation in country music.   “What went along with being an arti...

The Icelandic band Sigur Rós made a surprise album release on June 16. It’s called 'ÁTTA,' which means “eight” in Icelandic. It’s their eighth studio album, and it features eight tracks heavy with strings. KEXP’s Roddy Nikpour immersed himself in the album and brings us this review.     Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The artist K.Flay lost hearing in one ear last fall and it hasn’t returned since. She’s planning to release a new album in September and is now on her first tour since the hearing loss. She’s performing at Showbox Sodo in Seattle on Friday June 23. Emily Fox caught up with her to talk about her experience and what it’s like performing and making music under her new condition.    "Just kind of like...

Erykah Badu will perform at Seattle’s WAMU Theater on Friday June 23rd. Seattle native, writer and interdisciplinary artist Mia Imani reflects on how the high priestess of neo soul has influenced her own artistry, spirituality and Blackness.  Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a special Father’s Day episode of Apparently—Our series featuring musicians who are also parents. This story is about two parents who made music when their daughter was in the womb. A few years ago, Iván Diaz Mathé attached biosonic midi devices to a then pregnant Elizabeth Hart. She and her very pregnant belly sat for hours while her body and fetus created the sounds you hear on the recor...

On this special Father’s Day episode of Apparently—Our series about music and parenthood. On this episode, rapper billy woods talks about fatherhood and his new chidren’s book with M. Musgrove –  A Is For Anarchist . Dusty Henry chats with the prolific rapper about the lessons he learned from his academic and revolutionary parents, parenting while touring, and his latest album, ‘Maps,’ with Kenny...

W.I.T.C.H. talks about the elements that came together to form Zamrock in the 60s. They discuss how Zambia’s economic struggles, forced curfews as well as disco caused the band to stop playing in the 80s. Then they talk about how reissues of their albums in recent years, a documentary out about them, and their new album has allowed them to be rediscovered on an international scale, decades later....

Everything But The Girl is known for their hit “Missing” from the 90s (“like the deserts miss the rain. . . ”) The duo made up of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt is back with their first album in 24 years. They talk about making choices that were best for them instead of chasing fame or money, including taking a long hiatus shortly after turning down a stadium tour with U2 in the 90s.  “We had a feeling...

A new documentary about Little Richard, titled ' Little Richard: I Am Everything ,' was recently released to rave reviews. One of those reviews came in the form of an essay for the New Yorker written by Hanif Abdurraqib called “What Little Richard Deserved.”  KEXP's Martin Douglas speaks to Hanif about the film, and Little Richard's life.  “Little Richard is as loud and joyfully brash and bold as...

Sound & Vision’s mini series Day Job explores how artists and musicians juggle their craft and day jobs to make it all work. Rachel Stevens caught up with KEXP’s own DJ Yaddy about balancing DJing and being a teacher.   Check out DJ Yaddy at Seattle’s Lazer Dome: https://pacificsciencecenter.org/events/pacsci-kexp-laser/ Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener...

Mix & Match is our miniseries where KEXP’s Jasmine Albertson combines her reporting skills with her bartending skills to craft a cocktail for an artist based on their sound and their story. This week she makes a drink for local band, Racoma. They released their sophomore record, 'Good a Place As Any,' last October.  Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/ See omnystudio.com/listener for...