Sep 23rd, 2008 · Calling Stephin Merritt a reluctant performer is putting it lightly. Nevertheless, the Magnetic Fields leader bellied up to a microphone by himself in a KEXP session. Here, he surveys his expansive catalog and answers questions in the deadpan style that makes his songs so great.
Sep 9th, 2008 · Long a singer, songwriter, session guitarist and member of the band Green on Red, Prophet plays songs from his latest solo album, Soap & Water, with a Telecaster guitar, a deadpan delivery and a distorted bullhorn microphone.
Jul 28th, 2008 · It happens again and again; a politician, celebrity or TV anchor wearing a microphone says something embarrassing, followed shortly by, "Oh, is this thing on?" Our resident humorist takes on "hot mic" disasters.
Jul 18th, 2008 · Gathered around a large, vintage diaphragm microphone, the native West Virginians in Hillbilly Gypsies perform a mix of traditional and original Appalachian music before a crowd at the International Mother's Day Shrine.
Jun 9th, 2008 · These days, all it takes to make great music is a laptop and a mic. That said, it doesn't hurt if you also have a voice that channels Ben Gibbard, not to mention a keen sense for layering electronic blips and synths with real instruments. Mike Boggs, aka We Were Pirates, recorded his debut five-song EP, The Wolf, on his trusty iBook using the program GarageBand and two microphones. The homespun product is soft, beautifully textured electronic pop perfectly tailored for headphones listening.
Apr 23rd, 2008 · In order for scientists to measure the strength of a hurricane, they typically must rely on the tricky maneuver of flying an airplane through the storm. But a discovery from the field of underwater acoustics means it's possible to measure a hurricane's strength just by listening to the sounds it makes — under the sea.
Apr 22nd, 2008 · When The Helio Sequence set up in KEXP's studio with just one guitar, one drum kit, and two microphones, few expected such a full sound to emerge. Many challenges faced the band as it made Keep Your Eyes Ahead, yet its end result on CD and in the studio reveal focus and power.
Apr 21st, 2008 · Travis Shawn Hill wanted to prove you don't need a major record label to put out an album... or a band, for that matter. Using a home computer and a couple of microphones, the singer-songwriter from Santa Cruz, Calif. wrote and recorded more than a dozen songs in February and posted them online for this year's RPM Challenge. The album he came up with is called A Bright Wind, featuring the infectiously upbeat song "Sing."