Jason McCue - When He Drinks

Meskerem Mees - "Joe" from the 2021 album Julius on Mayway Records. Belgium-based singer-songwriter Meskerem Mees first appeared on the scene in 2020 with her debut single, “Joe.” A sweet and simple guitar ballad, Mees’ soft, clear voice takes center stage and pulls listeners in with her saccharine coos, making it an easy choice for Song of the Day. “Joe” went on to become a massive commercial and critical success in Belgium and its neighboring countries and set Mees up to release her debut album Julius in November 2021. At only 22 years old, the 13 songs that make up Julius show an artist fully formed in her timeless delivery of catchy, well-crafted folk-pop gems. With just her voice, an acoustic guitar, and the cello of her sister-in-arms Febe Lazou, the sparse songs carry so much more weight than their simplicity belies. Meskerem Mees played the Netherlands-based non-profit showcase for European artists Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) this past weekend, where they were also awarded with the Grand Jury MME Award for the Music Moves Europe Awards. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Tammi 20223min

LADANIVA - "Vay Aman" from the 2020 EP Ladaniva on Planete B. Ladaniva is the musical partnership between Armenian singer Jacqueline Baghdasaryan and French multi-instrumentalist Louis Thomas. Founded by the duo in 2019, they went viral in the early days of the pandemic with the release of the video for our Song of the Day, “Vay Aman.” Set in a sunny locale with faces full of joy, it’s hard not to smile while watching their effervescent playing. Ladaniva’s music takes influences from all around the world, from traditional Balkan music to maloya, jazz and reggae, with strong roots in Armenian folk. It reflects Baghdasaryan’s DNA, of Armenian and Belarussian descent while Thomas came from a family of musicians and began to play trumpet at the age of 7. After a jazz course at the conservatory, he traveled with his instruments around Africa and Latin America and got introduced to a long list of musical genres through meetings with traditional musicians. The two fused their backgrounds and styles after meeting in Lille, France, where Baghdasaryan is a vocal teacher at the MusicaLille music school. Ladaniva played the Netherlands-based non-profit showcase for European artists Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) this past weekend, where they were also awarded with the esteemed prize of Public Choice Award for the Music Moves Europe Awards. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Tammi 20223min

Jayomi - "Julia" from the 2021 self-released album Midnight Love Note. Local band Jayomi has been wowing underground audiences with their dreamy take on indiepop for a few years now but didn’t release recorded music until 2019’s Wet Burrito. The album was the band’s attempt to recreate the sad yet beautiful nature of those late romantic composers through the lens of modern day indie pop music. Since the pandemic, the lineup has slimmed to just frontman Jon Wu and his partner Ruka Bleu. Together, they created Jayomi’s latest release midnight love note, released in September 2021. Our Song of the Day, “Julia,” is the opening track off the record and displays a sense of longing. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Tammi 20223min

Parcels - "Somethinggreater" from the 2021 album Day/Night on Because Music. Australia-born, Berlin-based five-piece Parcels make groovy electropop, blending funk and disco in intoxicating fashion. Their 2018 self-titled debut blew up with a little help from Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, better known as Daft Punk, who produced the album’s lead single “Overnight.” But the assist from one of the world’s most popular disco duos hasn’t led Parcels to rest on their laurels. With their latest album, Day/Night, the band created an ambitious double album that plays out like a sweeping movie soundtrack. Our Song of the Day, “Somethinggreater,” is the album’s lead single and proves that the Aussies picked up a thing or two from their French friends. Slinky and sexy, the bouncey track has a natural groove that ebbs between subdued emotional moments and energetic dancefloor bursts. The band had this to say bout the song: “In early 2020, Noah showed us a demo that contained a chorus line that had us all particularly excited. It had an anthem-like quality and felt really fitting to what we were channelling through the albums. We jammed out the track in our rehearsal room in Berlin and fell upon the chorus groove all at once, a special instantaneousness that seems to be only achieved in a live jam, and as a result we proceeded to play it for hours. Anatole began to cry with the tears that usually come from when you are lost in a night-club, alas, we felt we had hit something really special. With the song’s clear message of search and discovery, it felt absolutely right to record ‘Somethinggreater’ first upon entering La Frette studios.” The song comes with a video directed by Carmen Crommelin. 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.

20 Tammi 20223min

Bully - "Just For Love," a 2021 single on Sub Pop. If you somehow missed SUGAREGG, the third studio album from Nashville’s Bully, when it was released a year and a half ago then it’s definitely time to circle back. Furious and fiery, Alicia Bognanno put her all into the record, which just finally got to be played on live stages this past December. Ahead of that nine-date east coast tour, Bognanno revealed a new single called “Just For Love.” Co-produced by John Congleton during the SUGAREGG sessions, the song is similarly raw and wiry, with Bognanno’s lyrics half-obscured by her coarse expressions. While it’s not exactly clear, my interpretation of the song is it’s a conversation with one’s self about wanting to grow and change and to do it for yourself this time rather than for a partner (if so, great advice). Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 Tammi 20223min

Ibibio Sound Machine - "Electricity," a 2021 single on Merge. Just about three years ago, when the world was in a very different place, KEXP celebrated International Clash Day by venturing across the pond to London for a showcase of upcoming artists that radiate the spirit of the Clash in vibrant, diverse ways. One of the most electrifying performances over those four days came from electro Afro-funk ensemble Ibibio Sound Machine. Fusing the polyrhythms of West African funk, highlife, disco, and post-punk, the Nigeria-born, London-based band light stages figuratively on fire with their genre-bending sound. This fall, the band released their first single since their 2019 LP Doko Mien with a title fitting for a band with this much kinetic energy. “Electricity” sees Ibibio Sound Machine team up with Hot Chip for a pulsing electronic track with elements of West African instrumentation. ISM vocalist Eno Williams had this to say about “Electricity”: “Even in trying times, ‘without love, there’s no electricity.’ This one started out as an idea to mix Afrobeat with Giorgio Moroder–style synth vibes. The end section with Alfred’s korego (Ghanaian 2-stringed folk guitar) solo was already there when we got into the studio, but then we added the big kick drum that happens underneath and Owen from Hot Chip’s crazy drum machine percussion at the end, which gave it a futuristic Afro feel when mixed with the more talking drum parts.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 Tammi 20224min

Beach House Once - "Twice Melody" from the 2022 album Once Twice Melody on Sub Pop. As longtime fans and champions of Baltimore-based band Beach House, the excitement over the dream pop duo’s partially-released double LP Once Twice Melody is feverish, to say the least. With two of the four chapters already released, it’s clear to see Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally have a masterpiece on their hands with their eighth studio record. Our Song of the Day is the album’s title track and the lead single off the album. As also the opening track, “Once Twice Melody” sets the dreamy, cinematic mood that Beach House has made their signature over the past 18(?!) years. For the first time, a live string ensemble is brought in to back the sparkling synths and arpeggiated guitar strums, adding lush texture and drama. Legrand’s lyrics are similarly illusory, telling the story of a girl who lives in her head - preferring romantic daydreams over the dull realities of life. The third chapter of Once Twice Melody is out this Wednesday, January 19th. The full release is Friday, February 18th with an option of a Limited “GOLD” Edition 2xLP in a gold-embossed, hinged box on gold and clear vinyl with full-color booklet and 2 exclusive posters if you want to go all in. Beach House is (hopefully, depending on Covid) heading out on tour this February, with a date in Seattle on Sunday, April 3rd at the Paramount. Watch the lyric video for “Once Twice Melody” at the link below. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17 Tammi 20224min

Floored Faces - "I'd Be Broke" from the 2021 self-released album Kool Hangs. Floored Faces are the latest to emerge from Seattle’s heavy rock scene, drawing influence from Northwest greats like the Melvins, Tad, and the Sonics. Fusing that heavy rock energy with psychedelic and indie, the trio makes songs just as melodic as they are dense. Our Song of the Day, “I’d Be Broke,” is an excellent example of this harmonious fusion. Anchored by a sludgy, throbbing riff, flourishes of bright guitar and harmonic vocals lightens the load for a vibey head-bobber of a track. The song comes off of Floored Faces’ November release, Kool Hangs. Somewhat of a concept album, Kool Hangs “explores the absurd yet tangible fantasy of an apocalyptic world where the only personal belongings that remain are a motocross bike and a cassette copy of Monster Magnet's 'Dopes to Infinity', and a shotgun,” according to Bandcamp. In an interview, the band described “I’d Be Broke” as, “A love song to time and space —fleeting experiences with a flash flood of life always coming at us full steam. It’s about holding people and memories we love close. Dedicated to a close friend who passed away too soon: never spend your time unwisely, never go broke.” The song was released alongside a video that starts out in a winter wonderland starring a very pale girl in red but then makes the stark transition to the complete opposite terrain - sunny beaches and the surfers who ride the waves. Watch the video, directed by Floored Faces, at the link below. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Tammi 20223min