How do you love rap when rap doesn’t love you back? From Rico Nasty’s harassment from toxic Carti fans, to Saucy Santana's unapologetically femme aesthetics in a queerphobic industry, to the assault case that put Megan Thee Stallion’s entire image on trial, each episode of Louder Than A Riot - the second season of our investigative hip-hop podcast - unpacks the unspoken rules of rap that hold the entire culture back. Tap in to our first episode at n.pr/louder-season-2.
Adrianne Lenker's writing feels like it already existed before they played it for the first time. It's as if these songs have been floating in the ether for eternity and she just happened to be the one with the right net to catch it. We could all see it there floating around but she's the only one that could bring it to earth and show it to us up close.
it’s really cool that you say this, because i read an article once about how she writes her songs and she says that they exist in her head and she could know all the words to a song without ever writing them down. she said for capacity and masterpiece, their record label asked for all the lyrics written out and she had to do it all right there because she had never even written them down, they just came to her
@@hiromiikegami6320 yes but she releases her own work too under just her name :-) so I think they meant both her work with the band and her own releases
I’m a 66 year old musician, have studied theory, trained classically but improvise and write. I’ve grown up listening to A LOT of music over the years in all genres. I discovered Adrianne Lenker about a month ago on Spotify. I’ve been through as much of her catalog as I think possible. I caught her show in Oakland June 17 not because I wanted to but because I HAD to go. I’m convinced she will go down in history as one of the great American songwriters. I put her right up there with Dylan, Simon, Cash, Nelson. She has a special quality where she touches the ethereal in many of her songs.
in my 40+ years I have had 2 favourite bands, Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo. Now I have 3. Big Thief mean the world to me; their music has helped me through the last few years like nothing else has.
@@rickashley2322 That's a tough one because each song is amazing. I do have to say Ignore Tenderness, Less of a Stranger, I was Neon. But I adore every song on this album. It's perfection. So glad to meet a fellow fan of Julia's! Hope you're doing well.🙏🏻💕🌸
Change and this whole album will always hold such a special place in my heart, I heard it right after my grandma died. The line "Death, like a door To a place we've never been before" broke me down and built me back up. This was incredible, the connection I have to their music is indescribable. Thank you for always breaking me down and building me back up.
It really speaks to me about grief too, it's strange as other parts of the song sound like it was wrote for a break-up, but in the end it is the same struggle that all of us as humans have with this constantly changing world, to treasure what and who we leave behind and yet to find a way forward for ourselves
My grandma died recently too and I found out about big thief afterward. Whenever I want to feel her I head on over to the other npr they did and it never ceases to amaze me.
They're truly such beautiful people. I listen to them every single day and I never get tired of listening. Every song has a deep message that anyone can apply to their life. To be in a room with them while they play would be such a gift.
In this video they wonder, when, where, what, and why we are watching this video. Well for me, I just got out of the shower with my daughter, mid day late March of 2024, in Wisconsin, it’s cold outside, it’s just her and I today. We like to throw on some music in the background of playing and tiny desk is a staple. I wanted something calm and sweet. My daughter is a few days shy from 9 months, and she watched this so contently (she usually very very busy) as we do our after shower slow routine. Diaper, moisturize massage with bm and coconut oil and nursing her. It was a very sweet 18 minutes, thank you for the music and contributing to our peaceful and beautiful day. I hummed along while she sang in her sweet baby language. Hope all is well with you and anyone who reads this. ✨
that baby is going to grow up appreciating the love you gave her through this music and come to love music so much for that, thank you for talking about this sweet time with her!
This year I got to meet Adrianne after her show in San Diego, I'm a Big Thief fan. We talked about songwriting, and I thanked her for her music, her magic. Definitely a highlight of the year 2022, of my regular life, regular working class, songwriter.
Loads of emotional baggage just rapidly unfolded before my eyes as I listened to this. omfg. I havent cried in so long, and its a ll hit me now. This is truly medicine.
I can never quite put my finger on why they're so good (apart from the obvious songwriting, and lyrics) but I think it's the chemistry and energy between the four of them that makes this one of the best bands of our age. Just amazing, so happy to have seen them at an intimate set at Glastonbury festival.
You know you love Big Theif when you tear up hearing the first chord to Change while the NPR logo comes in. And maybe cry a little at the end because how couldn't you.
Wonderful! I saw your first Tiny Desk Concert and it was love at first sound. I'm 63 and have been a music lover since my older cousin played "Meet the Beatles" for me when I was five. Your sound is so terrific, and the beautiful lyrics really pull me in. Looking forward to more; thank you!
Ha sido mi banda favorita desde hace algunos años, y lo sigue siendo. Sus letras siempre son íntimas y poéticas; La voz de Adrianne siempre me llega❤️ Espero un día poder verlos en vivo!! Mucho amor desde México 🇲🇽
This is the best possible setting for them to play in. The warmth, familiarity, and coziness of a home setting is absolutely perfect for their style and energy.
Change is the growth of flowers that then you harvest and dry, Dried Roses, settling into Certainty, which leads to a period of stillness and Happiness, which can only give way again to Change.
I am homeless living in my tiny car and it is a Friday morning in the second day of December, and have been in a sad state. But I can always count on Adrian and BT to lift my spirits up and try to hold on to the small glimmer of hope to keep going on. Thank you for your music that is a gift that keeps on giving. Blessings to you and all!🙏🏻❤️🪷📿
Big Thief is amazing! The band members are so filled with passion and I love how they truly have such a good spiritual energy between each other. They got me through a lot and I never thought a band could understand me so much and so many others. There just is something so special about this group and I hope they are all having an amazing day today. So many lonely nights they had my back, so many happy days were spent with this music. It definitely is incomparable and I feel so lucky everytime I replay all their albums. Thank you again NPR for showing off one of the most incredible bands.
Banjo is easy to start hard to master, but it's a ton of fun every step of the way. Been playing clawhammer banjo for about six years now I'd recommend it to anyone
Big Thief was my favorite tdc that I would always come back to and now I feel so so lucky to have another. much love. so much passion and truth in every performance from them. I could never get enough of Big Thief.
I’m in Murfreesboro, NC. My son and daughter in law are watching you perform at Radio City Music Hall as I type this. I’m listening because I was curious about the band my daughter in law likes so much. I like it. Very pleasing to my ears.
I feel such a deep emotional connection to this whole album I didn’t know why and out of curiosity I googled when it was released. I come to find out it was on my birthday.❤
Another jewel to ad to my 'fafourites' treasure chest playlist. Like stowing wood for fire warmth in the dark cold winter ahead. Thank you Big Thief and Tiny Desk.
5.11 - it’s 10:03 in Los Angeles, I’m on my bed tearfully eating oats with banana and walnuts , washing it down with some lukewarm cold brew, technically on the clock (don’t tell my boss) because this performance is life affirming.
If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it. The feelings you get from listening to them here and through your headphones come to life. I've never cried so much from the happiness I felt from being able to witness them in person...
One of my favs and one of the best currently performing groups. Solo stuff, group stuff, side projects all killer. Incredible writing, beautiful harmonic style, loose but not sloppy. So sick, i will listen to them for life.
this video shows up in my home page today, right when i just broke up with the love of my life, for the best for both of us. and all the setlist matched all of my feelings. thank you Big Thief for being the sound of my emotions.
I am watching this in Sweden, on holiday. Its a nice place to rest. I need some more soothing though - my Ukrainian friend just texted me about her friends house being bombed by the Russians. She survived. This music makes it all a bit easier for me. Thank you
My absolute favorite band right now. I can not get enough of listening to their music. This includes Adrianne's solo music as well. :)) They have re-invented great music !! Listening to Adrianne's voice is like wrapping myself in a soft warm blanket.
I found these guys a few years ago from Tiny Desk. Best band out there hands down. Love them so much. It's been great absorbing all their music as they put it out. Solo stuff too
Love how this sounds more than a performance of a band, like a “rehearsing session” of 4 friends just having fun playing their instruments, its so moving, hope to see more from them in the future
What an incredible band. To think that Lenker was making amazing music from the age of, like, 14 or something just blows me away. An incredible talent, as are the rest of the band. All born to give us this beautiful music. Love em.
Years ago the Avett Brothers did a brilliant Tiny Desk and this one reminds me of that a bit, mostly in the love and respect the four musicians have for each other and their commitment to the acoustic format. The four of them singing together in this setting is just sublime. Adrianne has such incredible range to go from something like the incendiary version of Not they did on Colbert to the almost whispered versions of these songs in this set. They are the essential band of the past seven years.
What a beeeautiful , full voice , full of soul , great band . She has a quality similar to Johny Cash , love it . How evocative .Can imagine this around a camp fire with loved ones ;D
I’m in York - Yorkshire- England 🏴 and loving this set ! Sometimes music just makes sense and sits with you so easily.. this does for me Thanks 🙏
Adrienne, since you were wondering where we are at -- I'm at a small cabin in the woods in Upper Peninsula, MI. My partner and I just found the property of our dreams, surrounded by forest where wolves, foxes and bears live. There are waterfalls and Lake Superior is very close. This is all we have now, and we're going to transform it into a space where other artists and musicians like us can come and find piece in nature. I hope Big Thief can come sometime. That would be my next dream to accomplish!
Had to do a double take when I thought I heard "all alone in Japan" instead of "all alone in the pan" starting at around 7:24 in Dried Roses. Looks like Buck does say that and gets a little reaction out of Adrianne. I miss little moments like that from being in a band - and this is a truly special band.
Love this band so much. Dragon New Warm Mountain is my favorite album to came out in a long time and this is a perfect footnote to it. Just wish they were playing live near me!
Amazing ! Great to have a good recording of "Happiness" to listen to. It was one of the many highlights last month at their concert in Bordeaux...it lasted about 10 minutes and developed a real rapport with the audience...being asked for French translations of key phrases ! The best band of the last 20 years ?!
