Jason McCue - When He Drinks

Sufjan Stevens - "Video Game" from the 2020 album The Ascension on Asthmatic Kitty. KEXP is a listener-funded nonprofit, and we need your help to keep creating podcasts like this one. Donate now for our Fall Fundraising Drive! As we reported back in August, acclaimed singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens has returned with his eighth solo LP, The Ascension, his first since 2015's Carrie & Lowell. The song's video features Jalaiah Harmon, a 14-year-old dancer/choreographer who went viral on Tik-Tok with her "Renegade" dance. Stevens released the following statement addressing both the song and the clip, directed by Nicole Ginelli. "It’s unfortunate that we live in a society where the value of people is quantified by likes, followers, listeners and views. So many people are seeking attention for the wrong reasons. I think we should all be doing our best work without looking for accolades or seeking reward. The main takeaway of “Video Game” for me is: your worth (invaluable) should never be based on other people’s approval (ephemeral). Just be yourself. Keep it real. Keep it moving. Do all things with absolute purity, love and joy. And always do your best." Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7 Okt 20204min

Tomberlin - "Wasted" from the 2020 Projections EP on Saddle Creek. KEXP is a listener-funded nonprofit, and we need your help to keep creating podcasts like this one. Donate now for our Fall Fundraising Drive! Sarah Beth Tomberlin (who records under the name Tomberlin) teams up with lo-fi king Alex G on her forthcoming EP Projections, out October 16th via Saddle Creek. In a press statement, she explains that today's Song of the Day was "the most fun song to record," adding "I brought the song with the guitar part and knew I wanted drums, but wasn't sure what kind of beat I wanted. Alex played this drum beat for me and was all 'kinda left field but maybe this would be cool.' It took the song to a whole new level. Sad song or summer banger? You tell me." For the accompanying music video, Tomberlin brought in actress/author Busy Philipps, who she spent the lockdown with. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6 Okt 20202min

Lost Horizons - "I Woke Up With An Open Heart (feat. The Hempolics)," from the 2020 album In Quiet Moments on Bella Union. KEXP is a listener-funded nonprofit, and we need your help to keep creating podcasts like this one. Donate now for our Fall Fundraising Drive! Lost Horizons unites the talents of Richie Thomas (aka Dif Juz) and Simon Raymonde (bassist of Cocteau Twins and founder of record label Bella Union), two former 4AD recording artists in the '80s. Their 2017 debut full-length Ojalá featured a stellar cast of guest vocalists, including Marissa Nadler, former Midlake frontman Tim Smith, and Karen Peris of The Innocence Mission. And, on their forthcoming sophomore LP In Quiet Moments, they reinvite those three stunning voices, adding John Grant, Porridge Radio, Penelope Isles, and more to their cast. London-based soul group The Hempolics appear on today's featured Song of the Day. The duo gave their guests the following theme to inspire their lyrics: "Death and rebirth," Raymonde confirmed via a press release. "Of loved ones, of ideals, at an age when many artists that have inspired us are also dead, and the planet isn’t far behind. But I also said, ‘The most important part is to just do your own thing, and have fun.'” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5 Okt 20205min

Left at London - "Do You See Us? (feat. Nobi)" from the 2020 self-released single Jenny Durkan, Resign in Disgrace. With a title like "Jenny Durkan, Resign in Disgrace", it's pretty obvious Seattle artist Left at London (real name: Nat Puff) does not mince words. And in the verses of today's Song of the Day, she teams up with guest rapper Nobi to sing: Fuck you, and the slavers that you work for This song’s For the people you killed “I fucking despise her,” Puff says about Seattle's Mayor Durkan via a press release. “She gassed her own citizens on Pride.” The track reappears on her latest LP Transgender Street Legend Vol. 2., which came out last week. “I wanted it to be a series,” she says, “and then the success of the first CD really encouraged me to start working on the second one.” This new album, like today's Song of the Day, takes on a more serious tone. “Comedy hasn’t really influenced this project in any real sense,” Puff confirms. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Okt 20202min

The Budos Band - "Long in the Tooth" from the 2020 album Long in the Tooth on Daptone Records. Twenty years hardly makes one "long in the tooth," but Brooklyn's Budos Band are celebrating two decades as a musical unit (and 15 years from the release of their debut album) with their sixth LP, Long in the Tooth, out October 9th via Daptone Records. The album continues to expand on their soul-inspired instrumentals, sounding (as they put it) "as if Quentin Tarantino was the music supervisor for a Bond film." “In some ways, it’s reminiscent of our first two albums The Budos Band and Budos II,” says Tom Brenneck, guitarist and producer. “We branched off on Burnt Offering and V. Now, we’re still moving forward. You can play these songs on the dance-floor. We knew the horns had to stand out, too. Thinking about hip-hop allowed us to put the bounce back into The Budos.” Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Okt 20203min

Sneaks - "Faith" from the 2020 album Happy Birthday on Merge Records. A new album from Sneaks is definitely 'cause for celebration, and this fourth full-length from Washington, DC’s Eva Moolchan provides a party-perfect groove with electronic dance beats and a Liquid Liquid-influenced bass line. Like last year's album, Highway Hypnosis, she teams up with mixing engineer Carlos Hernandez and legendary Grammy-Award-winning producer Jacknife Lee (U2, R.E.M., Taylor Swift, to name a few). The production combined with Moolchan's laid-back delivery takes you right back to New York's early '80s no-wave scene. Crank it up and enjoy the festivities. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

30 Sep 20202min

Smokescreens - "I Love Only You" from the 2020 album A Strange Dream on Slumberland Records. With their melodic, jangle-pop sound, you might mistake Smokescreens for a New Zealand band. But it's no surprise this Los Angeles-based band's music is infused with the classic "Flying Nun" sound, when David Kilgour, of legendary Dunedin band The Clean, is behind the production on their latest full-length A Strange Dream, out October 30th via Slumberland Records. "The Clean are one of my favorite bands of all time and David is definitely someone I greatly admire which makes this album so special to me," the band enthused on Facebook. Recorded with engineer Kyle Mullarky (Allah-Las, Little Wings), the band come into their own on this third album, combining buoyant guitar lines with dulcet vocals. And with a trippy painting by Kilgour used as the album artwork, this is one record you'd be OK to judge by its cover. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 Sep 20203min

Bully - "Hours and Hours" from the 2020 album SUGAREGG on Sub Pop. On Bully's third album SUGAREGG, frontwoman/songwriter Alicia Bognanno took a more introspective approach to her '90s-inspired, fuzzed-out grunge-pop. “There was change that needed to happen and it happened on this record,” she said in a press statement. “Derailing my ego and insecurities allowed me to give these songs the attention they deserved.” On today's Song of the Day, she reflected on her connection to her Mom. She explained: “Hours And Hours” is about my mother and I finally figuring out our relationship. She and I had a really hard time connecting growing up and at times felt like it would never happen. Over the past five years we have become best friends, she is now the very first person I call when I am at my absolute lowest and has saved my life. I realize now how similar we are and how that probably had everything to do with why we had a difficult time with each other growing up. I wish I knew sooner how much we could relate but am eternally grateful that we have figured it out now and I’m just so thankful to be on good terms, I love her dearly. Read the full post on KEXP.orgSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Sep 20203min