Exposé Online

Bent Knee in Seattle with Megafauna

Bent Knee entered my awareness around the time of Say So, and I’ve been a big fan ever since. The combination of wild unpredictability and impeccable musicianship really hits a sweet spot for me, and I know I’m not the only one. As intricate and elaborate as their studio albums have always been, they are also a band that puts on an outstanding live performance. With the band now settled into its four-piece configuration, I was looking forward to seeing and hearing this new phase at their 2024 Seattle show.

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(Posted by Jon Davis 2024-09-14)

From Backwards Brubeck to Stage Diving —
The Medicine Hat Interview

During the time period from 1989 to 1994, Seattle had an outsize impact on the music world. Bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam garnered international attention, and journalists flocked to the city to see what was going on. There was even a movie called Hype made to document both the scene and the frenzy that was generated in (or by) the press. There were dozens of music venues active almost every night of the week, and dozens of bands played all around the Northwest. One of those bands was Medicine Hat, which got its start a bit after some of the big name bands, but flourished in the still-vibrant scene. Their music was a stylistic outlyer, with complex rhythms and unusual structures, incorporating elements of the then-nascent genre of math-rock with the emotional impact of the Seattle sound labeled "grunge."

The group broke up shortly after releasing their only album in 1994, but 2023 saw the surprise announcement that they were getting back together for a reunion show. I was able to catch part of a rehearsal and speak to the band at length about their past, present, and future. I'm very grateful to all of them for devoting so much time late on a Monday night to tell their story.

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(Posted by Jon Davis 2023-11-12)

2021 Was a Year, and It's Over

A quick query of the Exposé review database shows that we have published 208 reviews for music released in 2021. These have spanned quite a variety in sound, from ambient electronic music and experimental music made on invented instruments to old-school space rock and modern interpretations of progessive rock. And a lot of other stuff from all over the map — both the stylistic map and the map of the world. We haven’t been much into making lists lately, so we’ll just throw out some reminders of some of our favorite 2021 releases.

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(Posted by Jon Davis 2022-01-03)

Never give up! Never surrender! —
The Paul Sears Interview 2018

We last spoke with drummer Paul Sears about ten years ago, and when that interview was recently posted on the site, it was apparent that an update was in order. While The Muffins may be no more, Sears has been very active musically, and there was a lot of catching up to do.  » Read more
(Posted by Jon Davis 2018-01-29)

From Flight to Communion —
The Proud Peasant Interview 2017

A lot of has happened to Proud Peasant since we introduced you to them in 2014. Now they are in the middle of recording their second album and we wanted to bring everyone up to date, plus introduce you to the band members. First, we’ll hear from leader Xander Rapstine (guitars, vocals, and composer) on what has happened over the past three years and his plans for the future.  » Read more
(Posted by Henry Schneider 2017-11-22)

The Dance of Freedom and Form —
The Adam Rudolph Interview

With a recorded career stretching back to the early 70s and including many luminaries, Adam Rudolph surely qualifies as one of the most prominent percussionists in jazz. He was at the forefront of fusing African sounds into Western forms, and he’s led many innovative and creative ensembles. He has also developed a concept of rhythm that is a synthesis of many styles from around the world and written about it in the book Pure Rhythm.

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(Posted by Jon Davis 2017-09-18)

Listening to the Little Demon —
The Alex's Hand Interview

In this or any other musical era, the band Alex's Hand stands out as different. Very little about them, from the music they play to the convoluted story that has taken them from Seattle to Berlin, conforms to expectations or standards. "Fiercely independent" is an understatement of their attitude. I've been a fan since I first saw them in a dive bar in Seattle, and have kept up with them ever since. I caught up with them from Berlin via email.  » Read more
(Posted by Jon Davis 2017-08-04)

Is Performing in a Cock-Fighting Ring a Secret Worth Keeping? —
The Sam Arnold Interview

Another of Austin’s best-kept musical secrets in its growing community of musicians who are constantly pushing boundaries is progressive art rock musician Sam Arnold. Here is another chapter in Exposé’s continued efforts to bring this music to a larger audience. I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing Sam Arnold’s efforts with Opposite Day and his new project Sam Arnold and the Secret Keepers. So I wanted to learn more about the man behind the music.  » Read more
(Posted by Henry Schneider 2017-06-30)

Seeking the Dimensional Connector —
The Kalaban Interview 2017

On the upper floor of a large garage on back side of the property, equipped better than most commercial garages might be, we walk up a long stairway and open a red door with something scrawled on it. This is Randy Graves’ world class recording studio, where he and drummer Kyle Nish have been working on the latest Kalaban release, Edge of Infinity. These days it’s more of a project than a working band. If there were a need to play live, musicians would have to be hired to play the various parts, but at this point Graves and Nish are content to simply create music in the studio and record it. Tonight is a special night, they are working on a long piece of music (as yet untitled) destined to be used as the soundtrack for a motor sport racing DVD, filmed on the Bonneville salt flats west of the Great Salt Lake.  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 2017-06-22)

Enraging the Painter Next Door —
The Zero Times Everything Interview

Among the many groups that have originated with Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft seminars, Zero Times Everything stands as an outlier. While there are guitars involved, the music is largely electronic, with programmed percussion parts, heavily processed sounds, and sampled voices. About as far from the California Guitar Trio (for example) as you can get, at least on the surface.  » Read more
(Posted by Jon Davis 2017-05-19)