Tiny Desk Concerts

I was browsing the NPR "Tiny Desk Concerts" channel today:

http://www.youtube.com/@nprmusic

SIXTEEN FUCKING YEARS that thing has been around. Jesus. I was just browsing backwards and getting more and more depressed as I was reminded of people I haven't thought of in over a decade. Sometimes because they died. My present paranoia is Internet apocalypse - that all this stuff is just gonna vanish. Particularly since NPR is, like, funded by the US government... I mean, who the fuck knows if the US President _could_ just demand that the channel vanish? I don't even know what's already gone... there are reposts of some "classic sessions" up, which I guess is fair enough because SIXTEEN FUCKING YEARS.

Anyway. Faves? Hidden gems? Cringe? Amanda Palmer and PWR BOTTOM both appeared multiple times.

I found out about Tiny Desk when Beth Orton did one, so there's that

If it’s comforting at all, NPR isn’t controlled by the gov’t, and receives like 1% of its funding from federal sources (including the CPB).

Recent faves:

El De Barge
Doechii
Chaka Khan
Meshell Ndgeocello
Juvenile
Chappel Roan

Particularly since NPR is, like, funded by the US government

aiui this is only to a small degree these days.

the El De Barge one is perfect imo. like the best, most beautiful hit of serotonin <3

xp or what morrisp said

scarface is the goat

My present paranoia is Internet apocalypse - that all this stuff is just gonna vanish

you're not the only one, friend. let's get our money's worth in the meantime.

as for the main topic, mac miller's was the one that convinced me with regards to him. some of those performances of those songs are the definitive versions imo.

also said so on his proper thread, but for more recent ones, maxwell's was satisfying as hell.

Big Daddy Kane

Vic Chesnutt did a great one.

Juana Molina and Negativland were both great

Big Daddy Kane

― bbq, 26. maj 2025 10:16

so good

The Bill Orcutt one was a pleasant surprise.

Love the Little Simz one.

Of recent ones, Nile Rodgers and especially Doechii. Her bassist looks like a star-in-the-making too, but the whole band really pushes out the live band hiphop thing in a new way.

Recent standouts for me were Jeff Parker and Beth Gibbons, the dynamic felt right for that music.

Juvenile (with Mannie Fresh)

my recent favs

sabrina carpenter -- puts a twangy spin on her album and the format is perfect for her personality

MJ lenderman -- really teases out the americana influences in his music

kelela -- the "take me apart" -> "bankhead" -> "waitin" medley here reimagines her music in the best way possible. she repeated it for the blue note shows which are a better and fuller performance than this but this one is still great even as a stepping stone

Jazmine Sullivan's is the one I revisit the most. Also really liked the recent Ryan Leslie one.

From a few years ago The Comet is Coming did an insane set

I thought Innocence Mission's episode was stunning, bought the studio albums afterwards and couldn't get into them as much

yay area!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59eBs8iiLU0

oh hell yes <3

loved the LOX one. especially in context of their post-versuz, finally getting their due era

THE GOON WITH THE SPOON