A Deeper Listen

Sunny Day Real Estate came out of the hardcore scene in Seattle in the 90s and eventually became a major influence on “emo” music.

KEXP’s Dusty Henry talks with guitarist Dan Hoerner and drummer Will…

The Canadian hardcore band, F*cked Up is out with a new record, called Another Day. The band’s last three records were all written and recorded in a total of 24 hours. Emily Fox speaks with F*cked Up…

Aoife O’Donovan of the bluegrass bands Crooked Still and I’m With Her released a solo album this year about the suffrage movement. To honor the 104th anniversary of women’s right to vote in the U.S.,…

Alisa Amador grew up touring the US and singing in her parents' Latin folk band, Sol y Canto. She then went on to start a solo career and in 2022 she won NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. But when she got the…

Alex Henry Foster of the band Your Favorite Enemies talks about how his new ambient record, 'Kimiyo,' was formed after a health crisis that left him unable to speak for months. The album also shares …

Emel Mathlouthi is a Tunisian musician whose song “Kelmti Horra” went viral in 2011 and became an anthem for the Tunisian Revolution during the Arab Spring.

Her new album, ‘MRA,’ calls for the contin…

Seattle indie rock band Pedro the Lion gained a cult following in their early days, making Christian-adjacent music that saw lead singer David Bazan’s reckoning with his faith and politics. After put…

Natasha El-Sergany of the Seattle band somesurprises talks about the cosmic, political. and social inspirations behind their new album, 'Perseids.' She also discusses her journey coming to the US wit…

Jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting jazz artists of his generation. He's worked with artists like Kendrick Lamar and Flying Lotus. On his new album,…

After playing in a rock band and embarking on a solo career that has spanned many genres, Lawrence Rothman has released a country album. The album is personal—it processes their battle with anorexia,…

Shabaka Hutchings is a celebrated saxophone player and a major figure in London’s contemporary jazz scene. He was the bandleader for Sons of Kemet and Shabaka and the Ancestors, and part of the elect…

Alice Randall was the first Black woman to co-write a number one country hit with her song “XXX’s and OOO’s,” sung by Trisha Yearwood in 1994. Now, 30 years later, Randall is out with a memoir and ac…

Fabi Reyna is a Portland-based guitarist and songwriter and is also the founder of She Shreds Media, which is dedicated to empowering women and non-binary guitarists and bassists. Reyna is now out wi…

Shana Cleveland of La Luz talks about her band’s new album, 'News of the Universe,' and how many of the songs reflect on the breast cancer diagnosis she got after weaning her then two-year-old son of…

After a 12-year hiatus, the Olympia born-band Gossip is out with their 6th album, 'Real Power.' Beth Ditto of Gossip talks about growing up in Arkansas, moving to Olympia in 1999 after the rise of ri…

Kathleen Hanna of the Olympia feminist punk riot grrrl band, Bikini Kill, talks with KEXP’s Martin Douglas about her career, activism and why she wanted to write her new memoir, “Rebel Girl: My Life …

Ibibio Sound Machine is an electronic group based in London. Singer Eno Williams sings in both her Nigerian family’s language of Ibibio as well as in English. The group’s music spreads messages of un…

The Oakland-based band Shannon and the Clams recently released their seventh album, 'The Moon Is In The Wrong Place.' The entire album touches on the loss of Shannon Shaw’s finance Joe Haener who die…

St. Vincent is out with her 7th album, 'All Born Screaming.' In recent years, she has written a screenplay and starred in it, produced records for herself and others, and co-written hit songs like Ta…

The four-time GRAMMY award winning artist Gary Clark Jr. is out with a new album, 'JPEG Raw.' Emily Fox talks with Clark about the songs on the album that address mental health, substance abuse, race…