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John Richards

John Richards is the host and producer of The Morning Show with John on 90.3 FM KEXP Seattle, and online at . He is also KEXP's assistant program director.

Richards is the owner of his own record label (Loveless Records), does A&R work with the TAO Music Group, and undertakes an assortment of music consulting projects. He lives in Seattle, where he has a toddler who loves the Pixies.

  • The Colorado folk-rock band has been gaining traction on the national stage. Its members recently stopped by the KEXP studios to perform lively songs from their self-titled debut.
  • On "Rocket," Working for a Nuclear Free City attempts to solve some of life's most vexing problems. But as the answers get more outrageous, and the lessons get harder to come by, the music's momentum starts to take over.
  • Upon first listen, "Not Yet" flaunts the emotional energy characteristic of the London-based band The Veils. Subsequent attention reveals a surprising assortment of themes and ideas, including references to war, motherhood, disease, death and even a veiled mention of homosexuality.
  • The Glaswegian pop-rock band sounds like the next big-time Britpop sensation, an "it" band to follow Oasis and others who've translated European media hype into U.S. success. Of course, it doesn't hurt that anyone who's seen an iTunes commercial has heard "Flathead" about 10,000 times.
  • Since 1996, Sunny Day Real Estate's Jeremy Enigk has experienced band break-ups, reunions and a widely publicized conversion to Christianity. What remains is a man who's grown up and brought his lovely voice and sweet melodies out from behind layers of blaring bluster.
  • Smartly sloppy, Cold War Kids' "Tell Me in the Morning" exudes soulful swagger, driven by bright, shimmering guitar and handclaps. With a great hook, a catchy chorus and many changes in between, the song conjures up the giddy thrill of discovering Gang of Four or The Jam for the first time, which is no small feat.
  • On an album full of epic tracks, Silversun Pickups' "Lazy Eye" is the powerhouse, mixing Smashing Pumpkins-esque bombast with the complexity and ambitious oddness of Slint. At times, the song seems to move so quickly that Brian Aubert's vocals can barely keep up.
  • The Texas band Midlake has changed its sound dramatically on The Trials of Van Occupanther, transforming its poppy, keyboard-driven music into a deeper, '70s-influenced folk-pop experience. But there's also a refreshingly modern touch to "Roscoe."
  • Radio 4 returns with an excellent mix of politically charged post-punk dance-rock, inspired by Gang of Four, The Clash and '80s new wave. The group comes by its sound without ripping off its forebears or contemporaries, so the result sounds at once classic and modern.
  • One of the best hip-hop acts to surface in recent years, Spank Rock lays fun, over-the-top raps atop a mix of '80s-influenced electronic beats. Street-smart but beach-friendly, "Sweet Talk" is one of the catchiest, most exhilarating songs released this year, hip-hop or otherwise.