photo by Jessica Koslow
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 offer songs by local artists. Today’s selection, featured on The Morning Show with John Richards is “People Can Do The Most Amazing Things” by Kisses.
Today’s song of the day is brought to you by a Los Angeles based item, Jesse Kivel from the LA band Princeton and Zinzi Edmundson providing the keyboard action. The duo lead a literary life: Kivel is a travel writer and Edmundson writes for a fashion blog, and their preoccupation with another occupation gives way to the ambient coolness that comes out in the tunes. Kivel’s vocals have appropriately been compared to Jens Lekman, its loungey, moody, and richness might just resonate if their latest single on IAMSOUND wasn’t trumped by the dark and lo-fi air that conjures Ian Curtis paired with Faith era The Cure.
Where they left off with the 70s inspired disco lounge sound of their first single “Bermuda,” Kisses take off with “People Can Do the Most Amazing Things” with a moody 80s era synth approach, and the perfect soundtrack to a lost dark comedy circa 1984 starring Judd Nelson, Christian Slater, and Ally Sheedy.
Currently, the duo seems to be preferring the sunnier climes of Southern California, with live dates listed on their MySpace page mostly in the LA/SF area, but then they head out for a few festivals and shows in Northern Europe. It looks like you’ll have to wait until at least next year for Kisses to come to you. For now, check out their video for “People Can Do the Most Amazing Things”:
