13 is what became Sweet World on the Companion EP. I'd never noticed that it was played here. Still remains one of my favorites. Perfectly crafted and executed.
Braids are a three-piece experimental pop band from Montreal. To record their third album, Deep In The Iris, Braids decamped to a series of retreats in the mountains of Arizona, Vermont, and upstate New York. Surrounded by nature in all its warm vitality, the longtime bandmates strove to shed the fabric of their day to day relationships, being bare and vulnerable before one another. What resulted is Deep In The Iris, their strongest record to date - powerful, yet fragile; immaculately sculpted, but deeply human. Driven by roomy acoustic instrumentation and tasteful electronics, Deep In The Iris is easily Braids’ sunniest and most immediate record. While the icy, airless production of their second album Flourish // Perish suited the songs’ inward gaze, the widescreen warmth and full-bodied punch of Deep In The Iris are the perfect complement to its unflinching lyricism. Raphaelle Standell has always had a formidable voice but rarely has it sounded as vital, focused, and powerful as it does here. True to the process that birthed it, the record explores a number of heavy subjects. Standell’s emotional vulnerability becomes a triumphant weapon in its own right: scything through wrongdoing and shame with equal aplomb, and clearing the way for the many others who will find resonance in the bravery of these lyrics. Written from a place of inspiring strength and unblinking lucidity, the lyricism of this record is a cathartic gift. Longtime friends, Braids was formed in 2007 in Calgary, AB. After relocating to Montreal, the band released their critically acclaimed debut Native Speaker in 2011, and its 2013 follow-up Flourish // Perish. Consisting of Raphaelle Standell, Austin Tufts, and Taylor Smith, Braids are a collaborative whole, emphasizing a collective creative experience. text: arbutusrecords #braids
I heard the album that these song are from and I found it overproduced (too much techno wizardy). I do find this performance and level of techno wizardry absolutely fantastic. What they do here still blows me away after hearing it over five times. Good job Braids! Really moving and beautiful! I have listened to alot of music in my life and this is clearly top notch stuff. If i had it my way you would keep the techno stuff to about this level but you clearly know what your doing so keep it up!
Discovering new bands in 2020 is super bittersweet, especially when they've slipped your notice for years like Braids did for me. On the bright side, got nothin' but time to go through KEXP's back catalog of appearances.
braids has been doing incredible work hosting international live concert marathons during quarantine! 6 timezones 6 concerts one day, they've done that two or three times so far! go check out their youtube page and show them some love! :D
I'm sure they were nervous but I've always connected nervousness or at least tension with their music. So I think they thrive on nervousness in a weird way :)
I like that their reactions were authentic, they were definitely into it. There are few things that turn me off quite like people trying to act cool while performing.
KnifeFan I got to known Baths at the same time as Braids. He's incredible, Obsidian is an awesome album. Btw, I'm now discovering The Knife with Shaking the Habitual: there is a whole awesome electronic world of music that I didn't know :3
Incredible. Exceptional. Magic. Words to describe this performance!! Holy that was amazingly beautiful and impressive. One thing though for jokes, is that at 10:54 the singer respectfully reminds me of SNL's Jacob's bar mitzvah boy.
Great stuff, reminds me feeling i get after first time listen Treasure album by Cocteau Twins, Are you guys coming to Scotland? and one more where i can buy song titled:13 ?:P my favourite...Keep on
Good performance and whatever, but can we talk about how every member of Braids, past and present, is attractive? It's like Dirty Projectors up in here.
Hello KEXP, thank you for this encore of Braids. They were an opening band when I saw them with 2 other Canidianne acts. This interview for the EP was unexpected. What is demonic gurgle? Unless they mean Pacific NW. Elle for Postal
ariana benson the drummer looks pretty tripped out at times but honestly I will give them all the benefit of the doubt and say they wouldn't do something so risky on the radio... Risky in the sense that they would probably be playing a lot worse if they were on acid..
well both of their albums make a number of references to acid. so i'm assuming they are no stranger to the drug. but i highly doubt they are currently on acid in this video (if that what you were asking), its not a drug that is conducive to being productive, and can make interacting with sober people super awkward, so i doubt they'd take it before going into a studio for a recorded performance.
Gareth Walsh it’s only speculation but it sounds like they run the glockenspiel controller and synths and drum machine and vocals all through Ableton, so they can loop and produce on the fly. I say this because a couple of the synths here and several more from this album sound close to stock synths bundled with Ableton. It’s cool to watch them make it happen live
