Tiny Desk Concerts
It is rare to experience the kind of intimacy with musicians as can be found on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. Different bands or musicians come in to this NPR studio, which is really more of an office space than a recording studio and perform a short concert. The vibe is casual and relaxed, and tends to capture a side of the musicians that is hard to come by. I only discovered these little jewels just a few days ago and have been glued to my computer ever since, watching such legends as Vic Chestnutt and Jim White, as well as underground eccentrics such as Dr. Dog and Thao Nguyen. Genius idea NPR.
The one I have posted here is from my current favorite musician. I discovered him about two years ago and it really pissed me off. The album, Close to Paradise, featured the combination of electronic and beautiful, organic orchestrations that I had been trying to achieve. The band I had assembled was talented but did not understand the idea. Watson, essentially, beat me to it. His next album, Wooden Arms, proved far more beautiful and strange and has become my current obsession. This video shows the amazing depth of sounds that this band is able to achieve with just four musicians playing very standard instruments. Enjoy:
Ryan Peoples 