A Deeper Listen

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Pussy Riot's New Protest Song Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

Russian feminist protest band, activist and performance art group Pussy Riot has a new song out called "RAGE" that calls for the release of Russian political prisoners. Two of Pussy Riot’s members now face jail time after being involved in recent protests in Russia. The protests were in response to the recent arrest and jailing of Russian activist and opposition leader, Alexi Navalny.

Pussy Riot founder Nadya Tolokonnikova talks about the new song, the political situation in Russia, her two-year experience in a Russian prison, and what Pussy Riot stands for.

Watch the video for "RAGE" here

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Music’s Copyright Gold Rush Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

Music has become an investment opportunity. Last month, we heard the news that Bob Dylan sold his songwriting catalog to Universal for more than $300 million. Since then, artists such as Neil Young and Shakira have sold the rights to their songs to an investment company called Hipgnosis. To understand what this all might mean for the music industry is Marc Hogan. He’s a senior staff writer for Pitchfork who wrote an article titled “What To Know About Music’s Copyright Gold Rush.”

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How Brexit Could Impact Music Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

After years of negotiations following the 2016 referendum for the UK to leave the EU, a deal over Brexit was finally hammered out just before the new year. We’re now one month into that deal and many questions remain. Isaac Kaplan-Woolner reports that with new borders, visas, work permits, and taxes, it looks like it will likely mean a lot of complications for UK bands trying to tour Europe.

We also chat with the London-based band, Goat Girl, about the themes of climate change, mental health and gender issues that come up on their new record, 'On All Fours.'

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The Avalanches Find Inspiration in Interstellar Love Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

Australian group The Avalanches released their third album, 'We Will Always Love You,' at the end of 2020, twenty years after their debut. The record takes listeners on a cosmic journey inspired by the Golden Voyager Record, a compilation of sounds, music and greetings from around our world that was sent into space in the late 70s. The album also features guest appearances from MGMT, Blood Orange, Leon Bridges, Tricky, and Sampa The Great.

Robbie Chater and Tony DiBlasi of The Avalanches discuss sampling, collaborating with different artists, and the love story behind the Golden Voyager Record involving its creators, Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan.

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Selling Horses to Get By: a Rural Musician Perspective Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

Matt and Rachel Wilson are ranchers and musicians by trade who live in the tiny town of Silver Lake in the high desert of rural Oregon. On a normal year, half of their income comes from performing live as a musical duo called Wampus Cat. Once COVID-19 hit, that income disappeared and their cupboards went dry. The Wilsons had to sell some horses to get by and work two hours from their home to make ends meet. The Wilsons discuss their journey, hopes, and the silver linings of the pandemic.

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Rap Lyrics in Court: “A Dangerous Precedent” Jan 21, 2021

Show notes

Entertainment attorney Dina LaPolt talks about her recent opinion piece in Variety titled, “Rap Lyrics Now Admissible in Court Evidence: A Dangerous Precedent.”

LaPolt says, “If all of a sudden every Black artist is afraid that everything that they rap about can be used against them if they were ever charged with a crime is very scary.” She adds that it’s been studied that when research participants were presented identical lyrics from different musical genres, writers of violent rap lyrics are perceived more negatively than if the same lyric came from a country or heavy metal artist.

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Venues Look to Build a More Equitable Future Jan 19, 2021

Show notes

Karli Ingersoll, co-owner of Spokane's Lucky You Lounge, and Cedric Walker, musician and board member of Keep Music Live, discuss the recent passage of the Save Our Stages Act and what it will mean for venues. At the center of their conversation is equity, and how the music community in Washington state plans to build the live music scene back better.

Joe Seamons of Black & Tan Hall talks about the future of their newly purchased space in the south Seattle neighborhood of Hillman City. Their vision is to create a space that serves as a community institution and is welcoming to everyone. Integral to this vision is "creating a pathway to ownership for people who have been systemically denied ownership in business and land.”

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Hip Hop 206: Vitamin D Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

Derrick “Vitamin D” Brown is a bonafide Seattle Legend: an MC, DJ, producer and engineer whose work has helped define the aesthetics and sensibilities of Seattle hip hop for over two decades.

KEXP's Larry Mizell Jr. profiles Vitamin D’s story, how he bridged Seattle's funk and soul era with the beginnings of its rap scene, and eventually created the unmatched sound that persists today.

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Hip Hop 206: Legacy of the Unexpected Jan 12, 2021

Show notes

In part two of our series on Seattle hip hop, Larry Mizell, Jr. interviews Dr. Daudi Abe about his new book, ‘Emerald Street: A History of Hip Hop In Seattle.’ Abe talks about how Seattle’s geographic isolation allowed hip hop artists to break the mold in their lyrical content, sound and more.

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Hip Hop 206: Emerald Street Boys Jan 07, 2021

Show notes

Seattle’s first rap group formed 40 years ago. They called themselves the Emerald Street Boys.

As part of Sound & Vision’s mini-series on the history of hip hop in Seattle, we look back at the Emerald Street Boys' beginnings, their distinctive performance style, their lasting impact on hip hop, and where they are now.

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