Song of the Day: Clem Snide - Denise

photo by Jim Bennett

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Each and every Friday, we deliver songs by local artists. Today’s selection, featured on the Midday Show with Cheryl Waters, is “Denise” by Clem Snide from their 2010 album The Meat of Life on 429 Records.

Alt-country band Clem Snide know a thing or two about survival. After forming in the late 1990′s, the band has been through numerous personnel changes and other challenges, but maybe that comes with the territory in a band that never seems to stand still. The one constant of the group is the talented singer/songwriter Eef Barzelay.  Born in Israel and transplanted to Nashville, he seems an unlikely character to lead such a force, until you hear his voice. In 2009, Eef reformed the band with Brendan Fitzpatrick and Ben Martin and began flushing out the tunes for The Meat of Life , Clem Snide’s 7th full-length album. Longtime fans of the band, familiar with their ever-changing sound, believe this may be their best collective work yet. The band co-produced the album with Nashville producer Mark Nevers, who’s also known for his work with Calexico and Lambchop. Today’s featured selection “Denise”, is a love song that speaks directly to the intimacy and openness of Eef’s songwriting. If you’ve never heard the music of Clem Snide, this is a great place to start exploring.

You can read more about the band on their website or listen to additional tracks on their MySpace page. The band is currently on tour and scheduled to play at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle on May 19th.

Here is their fantastic video for “Walmart Parking Lot,” the first song on their new record, The Meat of Life: