Live on KEXP

Hailing from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ORUÃ brings their own brand of jazz-infused, fuzzed-out psychedelia to the KEXP Live Room. Playing mostly songs from their 2019 album, 'Romã,’ the three-piece band also speaks with Cheryl Waters about their connection with Built To Spill, the arts community in Rio de Janeiro and their many side projects. Recorded 03/27/2019. 5 songs - Volte...

On her debut LP, 'Keepsake,' Australian artist Harriette Pilbeam, or Hatchie, delivers the electro-pop nostalgia the record's title promises. She and her band join DJ Evie in the KEXP Live Room to perform four songs and discuss influences, selling out shows and writing songs in her pajamas. Recorded 09/29/2019. 4 songs - Her Own Heart, Kiss The Stars, Obsessed, Stay With Me. Support the show: http...

Recorded 04/02/2019. 4 songs - Crosses, Heartbeats, The Forest, Leaf Off / The Cave. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recorded 09/27/2019. 4 songs - Weyu Lárigi Weyu (Day By Day), Banda, Gudemei (Poverty), Mongulu. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh Sees frontman John Dwyer is known for his relentless experimentation across genres, encompassing krautrock, punk, thrash metal, no-wave, and psychedelic. The band is also prolific, with this year's 'Face Stabber' putting them at a staggering twenty-two studio albums. Hosted by Troy Nelson, the band performs three sprawling tracks from 'Face Stabber' as well as two from earlier releases, and dis...

The eponymous debut record from Austin-based Black Pumas has been a KEXP favorite since its summer release. The uniquely raw and soulful delivery of singer Eric Burton paired with producer Adrian Quesada's instrumentals, which nod to 70s soul and 90s hip hop, give them a sound that's simultaneously nostalgic and of the future. DJ Cheryl Waters chats with the duo about how they formed the project,...

On their sophomore LP, ‘Cry,’ Cigarettes After Sex continues delicately crafting a world that’s moody, atmospheric and cinematic. Frontman Greg Gonzalez says the sound is owed in part to the recording of the album in a remote part of the Spanish island Mallorca. DJ Morgan hosts the band in the KEXP Live Room for a performance of four songs and a discussion about recording in exot...

The title of Jay Som’s latest record, ‘Anak Ko,’ is a term of endearment in the Filipino language of Tagalog, and translates to “my child.” Songwriter and frontwoman Melina Duterte describes the title as “a warm blanket over the record,” which finds her rooted in the personal while maintaining a bright, dream pop punchiness. Duterte and her charismatic ban...

Zimbabwe's Mokoomba merges traditional Tonga rhythms with modern Afro-fusion for a brimming sound that's at once energizing and emotionally evocative. The six-piece band joins Wo'Pop's Darek Mazzone in the KEXP Live Room to perform four new songs and discuss eleven years of touring together and the meaning behind their songs. Recorded 04/26/2019. 4 songs - Nyansola, Njawane, Manina, Ndipe. Support...

On her dynamic debut LP, 'Miss Universe,' Nilüfer Yanya manages to exceed the hype of her alluring earlier releases. Breaking down boundaries of genre and expectation, the London artist bounces between floating falsetto, anthemic power, head-banging rock and spare jazz arrangements, all interspersed with short skits of the fictional WWAY HEALTH, a satire on self-improvement industries. She jo...

Shana Cleveland is best known as the lead guitarist and vocalist of surfer-rock group La Luz, but her solo music stands wholly on its own. Inspired in part by Afro-futurist Sun Ra, her second solo album, 'Night of the Worm Moon,' explores UFOs, the cosmos, and alternate dimensions. With her acoustic fingerpicking and moody melodies gliding on a bed of ambient drones, the record serves as the perfe...

This Perth-based psychedelic rock outfit gets bigger with every release. With crunchier guitars, heavier riffs and more hypnotic melodies, their much anticipated 2019 LP, 'And Now For The Whatchamacallit,' does not disappoint. The band joins Cheryl Waters in the KEXP Live Room to perform four songs. Recorded 09/13/2019. 4 songs - Hymn For A Droid, Bill's Mandolin, Cubensis Lenses, Cornflake. Suppo...

LA-based duo Girlpool's third LP, 'What Chaos Is Imaginary,' demonstrates their continued need for expansion and experimentation. While at the heart, it's still driven by the crafty and infectious melodies characteristic of their previous releases, the record is bursting with new harmonies, instrumentation and textures. Cheryl Waters hosts the band in the KEXP Live Room for four new songs and a co...

The five members of Portland-based No Kind of Rider have been making music together since their teen years in Oklahoma, drawing influence from jazz, post-punk, R&B, shoegaze and electronic. Their 2018 debut full-length, 'Savage Coast,' strikes an intricate balance between these varied genres, resulting in a sound that evokes no comparison. Audioasis host Eva Walker welcomes the band to the KEX...

Brooklyn-based Alsarah & The Nubatones encompasses the diverse influences of its members in what they describe as "East-African retro-pop.” With a range of backgrounds including Sudanese, Egyptian, Armenian, American, French and Togolese, this group proves that music with soul has no borders. Alsarah's calm yet vibrant vocals lead the way in four stunning songs and an enlightening interv...

Wilco frontman and indie rock icon Jeff Tweedy stops by Rainshadow Recording on his birthday for this live session during the THING Fest 2019 broadcast. After releasing two gorgeous, stripped-down solo records and a memoir in the span of a year, Jeff is back on the road with Wilco to promote their 11th studio album, Ode To Joy. Along with playing a few songs, old and new, Tweedy talks with KEXP's...

Molly Burch's sophomore LP, ‘First Flower,' is an intimate self-portrait that lays bare her insecurities alongside her triumphs. Accompanied by dreamy electric guitar, her sultry vocals take center stage to tell her story. Cheryl Waters hosts the band in the KEXP Live Room as they play songs from ‘First Flower’ and the new 7” single. Recorded 08/28/2019. 4 songs - First Flo...

Iceland's Júníus Meyvant joins KEXP for another energy-packed live performance, this time from Rainshadow Recording during THING Fest 2019. Meyvant's captivating sense of melody and crooning vocals are elevated by the rich backing arrangements of his band. He plays songs from his two 2019 releases, the ‘Across The Borders’ LP and ‘Rearview Paradise’ EP in this...

A staple of the 90’s indie rock scene, Versus is back after a nearly decade-long hiatus with the LP ‘Ex Voto.’ Pared down to subtly highlight the harmonies of Richard Baluyut and Fontaine Toups, the music remains tinged with nostalgia even as the songwriting continues to evolve. Cheryl Waters hosts the band in the KEXP Live Room to showcase four songs from the new album. Recorded...

Aussie psych-rock favorite King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard continually impresses its die-hard fanbase, from ambitiously releasing five albums in 2017 to effortlessly genre-hopping through experimentation. Most recently, the seven-piece band (which includes two drummers) has gone metal to convey a message about the human race’s hand in climate change. They join Cheryl Waters in the KEXP...

First-generation Colombian-American quartet Combo Chimbita made an impression in 2017 with their debut LP, ‘Abya Yala,’ in a style they described as “tropical futurism.” Their new album, ‘Ahomale,’ borrows its name from a Yoruba term meaning ‘adorer of ancestors’ and channels the spiritual wisdom of their ancestral past through a variety of musical i...

Fifteen years and seven albums in, The Hold Steady (as their name suggests) remains a fan-favorite after their latest effort, ‘Thrashing Thru The Passion.’ The fresh line-up highlights frontman Craig Finn’s masterful storytelling with raw and uplifting instrumental backing. On this Midday Show session, the band performs five songs from the record and speaks with DJ Cheryl Waters...

On their fourth album, Can't Tell Me No, Portland's Summer Cannibals get confrontational about their past. The result is chock-full of empowering anthems that are as catchy as they are punk. DJ Abbie hosts the band in the KEXP Live Room for a shredding performance. Recorded 07/26/2019. 4 songs - One Of Many, Behave, Like I Used To, False Anthem. Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate See om...

In her music, avant-garde artist Lido Pimienta incorporates sounds from her indigenous Wayuu culture, traditional Afro-Colombian percussion, and textured electronic soundscapes. Among these varied influences, her voice manages to continually pierce through with intensity and sincerity. Cheryl Waters hosts this session at the Kex Hostel in Reykjavik during 2017's Iceland Airwaves. Recorded 11/04/20...

Leading with his hypnotic electric guitar and soulful vocals, Tuareg musician Mdou Moctar is a powerful force in contemporary Saharan music. Hosted by DJ Rhythma on Wo'Pop, Moctar performs 3 songs from his 2019 album Ilana (The Creator), as well as one original song from the Tuareg-language film he produced and starred in based on Prince's Purple Rain. Recorded 05/25/2018. 4 songs - Tada Dounia, W...