As is very often the case, some friends turned us on to a band. That band is Seattle, WA’s Special Explosion. They are instantly and undeniably infectious — equal parts studied, poised and deliberate — while also wide-eyed and anxious. It comes across in everything from our conversations with them to their live show (seriously, watch the video below). It’d be too easy to pigeon hole their sound with comparisons to the likes of other great Northwest acts like Death Cab for Cutie, Built to Spill, The Thermals or Kind of Like Spitting (they’re currently Ben Barnett’s backing band), but the band avoids these trappings by time and time again adding their own unique spin to this sound. There’s no formula here and you get the sense they’re having a lot of fun creating something that’s, well, special.
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"Worth the fuss."
-SPIN
"...vocal harmonies and pulsing rhythms that [lean] atmospheric while remaining grounded."
-NPR
"The best Built to Spill riff of the past five years or so heads a couple hours west and ends up in the hands of Special Explosion."
-Pitchfork
"A rock-solid foundation built from booming toms, grooving bass and (especially) melodic guitar string-bends straight from the heavens."
-Stereogum
"Special Explosion float into candied atmospheres and whirling pop distortion without abandoning their sharp, crunchy guitar and catchy hooks."
-The Stranger, on "Past/Future"