Song of the Day: Lemolo – On Again, Off Again

photo by Genevieve Pierson

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part 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 featured selection is part of the weeklong celebration of local music that we’re thankful for. Today’s song is “On Again, Off Again” by Lemolo from their in-studio performance at KEXP earlier this year.

As the tryptophan haze wears off and you snuggle a little further into the butt grooves you’ve made on your couch, we offer up the perfect soundtrack for “digesting” that family drama you just experienced. This week we give “Thanks” to all the local artists who come in and share one-of-a-kind performances with our listeners and DJs. As you know, some of the very best make it on the Live at KEXP compilations and we hope that the powers that be are considering this band from their in-studio in March. The love seems to go both ways as singer Meagan Grandall said this of their experience: “Playing the in-studio for KEXP was by far one of the highlights of our musical career. Despite the fact that we were dreadfully nervous!”

Lemolo is the Piscean project of Meagan Grandall and Kendra Cox, originally from Poulsbo. They offer up sparse, dreamy songs with haunting vocals that mesmerize and enchant you. It’s been a busy and productive year for these ladies who spent time opening for local favorites The Head and the Heart, The Maldives, and Thao and the Get Down Stay Down among others. They wowed folks at this year’s Doe Bay Fest as well where it folks crammed into the yoga studio to catch their performance. With things going so good for the band, it’s hard to imagine that the inspiration for today’s song, the somber “On Again, Off Again” was written as a token of self-encouragement, which has definitely paid off.

I wrote the song “On Again, Off Again” when I was struggling through a period of “writers’ block” last year. I was really doubting myself and second guessing all of my ideas, worrying more about what people would think about my songwriting than how I felt about it. I needed some encouraging words, and decided to write them for myself in the form of this song. It’s basically a reminder to trust myself and not worry about anything else. It is a lesson I am still trying learn, but being able to sing this song definitely helps put me at ease.
-Meagan Grandall

Right now these ladies are busy wrapping up recording their debut full-length, but look for them to add some shows soon (we hope). Keep an eye on their website for more info. In the meantime, here they are performing today’s song “On Again, Off Again” also from the same in-studio session in March: