This episode of All Songs Considered comes to you from the NPR Music podcast,
NPR Music, of course, you're home for tiny desks, and the tiny desk contest.
“I am here with Bobby Carter, the series producer, and host for tiny desks.”
I would like to think that I'm here with you, Rob. I have wanted you on the show for so long, but this is a great excuse to have you on because this is the tiny desk contest season. So every year around this time of year, we do the tiny desk contest, it's where people record an original song, shoot a video of it, they send it in for the opportunity to maybe play behind the tiny desk itself. The big stage.
And every year around this time of year, we do a series called Top Shelf where we share some of the artists that we discovered along the way, and that's where we're here to talk about,
“I'm going to let you kick it off. Let's get to it. Let's go to Nashville, Tennessee,”
another returning contestant. This is their third entry, a band called Pump Action,
and the song is called Supernova. Free, free, monorone, we've got a name with a fire button in the middle, untamed with a pilot scouted after the bottom, and game is a marvelous opportunity, let's go to seek the base of the little, I've danced in keeping everybody warm, it's a problem.
Close to you, close to you, close to you. The degree of my discharge for the now, I like me, striking ground in midnight, would help, but we could burn to bright, we can't find it in terms of why, maybe that's just what we are supernova guy and star. Yeah, I love that. I'm glad they entered once again. I almost forgot that we featured them at
Top Shelf last year. Yeah, he's got a great voice. He kind of spliced the difference between sort of restraint and something that could fill a stadium. There are moments when I listen to them,
“and I think this could be journey. This could be filled. This is like almost stadium rock,”
but there's a restrained quality to it that I really love, and that's a great riff. That guitar riff. I could just hear that on me. It's everything that reminds me of a lot of my favorite pop rock bands. It's catchy with a little bit of power, but can also be restraint. I love these guys. This is the third entry. Yeah, Supernova. It was sick. You know, a rock band, like straight up guitar rock band,
it's never won the Tiny Desk contest. 12 years of doing it. I would love for that to happen.
It could be the one. It's not the guys as you never know. You want to keep it moving on? Yeah, so you know how a lot of times in these videos, the artists will try to do something to get our attention. Sometimes it's just it can be kind of like a gimmick. You know, and sometimes not, like there was one. I saw one where they were playing on a highway overpass. So I'll one where they were in a bathtub filled with water. And then there was this one that we got
from Lily Tommers, and I was listening to it, and I couldn't quite tell exactly what am I hearing in this song. So I had to go right to the video. But if you watch the the top of the video, it's just the Simpty Field with the mic, and you hear the bass. It's the band backs up, and you see the driver trying to line the singer up with the microphone. It's such a simple thing. They're just playing in that band, and they've got the horns and the
upright bass, and they're all crammed into that little space. Nothing's really bad, brother. Nothing's really that good either. It's all in your head to dress. That fine platter to you. Things work out in the air, brother.
I could say I love you, do I mean it, do you mean it, do you mean it, do I me...
paradoxes who flowed into the air, something awful happens long, and it's like I'm eating all the next. And you say yes, do the crackling of darkness that you say,
“we need you in the sun, if you're trying to know, can't you hear the sound?”
Nothing's ever really bad, you see and nothing's really that good either. There's never any better
place to me. I don't know. It doesn't come off as a gimmick. There's something really sort of quirky and playful about it that I really love, and the song is so infectious. Those harmonies are great, is so quirky and so funny, but I love it too. You know, when you watch the video, there's sitting right on top of each other. Yeah, little door. And for me when I see that, I was like, oh, they, they would fit perfectly here. Yeah. I mean, and as far as I love hearing like how you
process, I don't want to call them gimmicks, but people, they want to catch our attention. Right.
“And this was just enough. Exactly. I think they, they pulled in, they got to it. You know,”
I always, I forget who originated the quote, but when it, especially when it comes to watching
hundreds and thousands of videos, don't bore us get to the course. Yeah. Exactly. Some things are okay. And again, this was, this was just enough, and they got right to it. And it felt really, this is an eight time. Eight entry. Eight entry. I, when I saw that, I thought, I tell you what, if you've entered a couple times, you feel like nothing happened. You're like, shut up, bother, keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Most of our winners have, you know,
inter multiple times, and, you know, here's Lily right here on, on, on shot number eight. So it's really, really good. Love it. Lily, Tommers, and the song was the big idea. Let's go back to Nashville. His name is Walker Burrows, and the song is called "Open Skies." Northern California. No Jackie for the snow. "Class and green signs telling me where to go."
"It ain't been nothing that I've ever seen before."
"You're always more sitting next to me. Go down a little hug, back in Tennessee."
"What I would give to see those trees." "Turn in yellow and orange, blues and lily." "I am with you in my mind, laying by the waterside." "I got hurt longs for been skydiving. How I wish your hand was home." For this one, I was immediately struck by Walker's voice. Oh, incredible. It's just like,
it's like punches through. And the second thing was how he had the other voices just completely complimenting what he did. The harmonies were beautiful. Really talented. That's the moment for me. This is pretty tight. This is a good song. He's got a good voice, but I don't know. It's like 48, 5 seconds or so in to the song. They all come in and it's like game over. "I think I can tell these guys have been playing with each other for a long time. And I think
“in order to do that, you have to be seasoned with those harmonies. They sound great. I can see that”
here. I love his story about how they recorded this. He said he's traded in. They were actually
Renovating the space that they were performing in and they traded the renovat...
studio, which was a good old-boarder system. I love this. This is the second time interim. That was Walker Burroughs. That was really dope." "Can I read this quote that he sent in?" "Not in the song." He said, so when we get some of these entries, sometimes artists will include a little statement about it. This is quote from Walker Burroughs. He says, "I'm making music with an intentional choice of joy. Joy as a resistance to what's going on in the world. There is good
in the world and it's worth fighting for. That is my cause." "I love that. Amen." "Yeah, I love it." Like we need it. Again, there's another reason why we're so privileged to be in this position to watch
“a lot of people who make music with this in my. It's really, really important right now. So,”
yeah, salute to Walker." So we were talking about the different things that we look for, song important. This next one that I want to play and talk about, the performance in this one
is what floored me. I mean, this is less green in the Swazies, less green, incredible voice,
incredible band, but this performance really knocked me out, but the song they sent in is called "Long Story Short" was doing. "I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. Thank you." [ Music ] [ Music ]
[ Music ] >> Come on. >> Come on. >> He is a star. He is a star.
“And so they're killing it in a living room.”
The horns are sitting back on the couch. Those horns are sick.
The whole band is incredible.
Like when this video starts, Less is just kind of sitting back in the swivel chair. And you just kind of swaying back and forth. But it's, you think they were on a stage in Vegas. But then it's like heels off a layer and action becomes a whole...
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, there's a wardrobe change about a minute and a half or so in. And then wow, incredible. Really knock me out. >> Less entered the contest in 2019.
And took a big break. It was actually just less green without Swazys. He did like just a simple guitar, just solo with guitar at the time. But he really came back with a vengeance. And now that one, that one kind of got the hair.
>> Yeah, for sure. >> Yeah, for sure. >> That vocal is just pure power and pure emotion. And that's what we're looking for.
We always say we're looking for something different.
>> Yeah. >> And let's say, okay, here you go. >> Yeah. Again, I can't stress enough like to gather a group of friends like that in your living room. And to bring it like that.
And just kill it like that. >> That's incredible. >> If you do it in the confisable little room. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Once they get to this spot, it's like, okay, I got it. I got space to work with. >> Yeah. >> I don't know if I mentioned that they're from Miami. >> Yeah, Miami.
>> It's gorgeous. >> Yeah.
“>> I think it's time to go to the West Coast though.”
>> Yeah. Let's do it. This is Nicolosi. Are you coming to the Ivy? [MUSIC]
We've been doing it the wrong way. All our lives. Are you coming to the history?
Are you calling off the bed?
It was only just a painting.
Both my lungs. Though the two of us should rest. [MUSIC] >> Robin, you mean we get a lot of singing song writers. >> Yeah.
>> With the guitar. >> Yeah, it's the same thing. >> And it's hard to cut through. >> Yeah.
“>> Just honestly, there has to be something else at least when I'm watching.”
And for Nicolosi, I think it was the imperfection of it.
He doesn't sound like a classically trained vocalist, but you can hear the pain. You know, you can hear the pain in his voice. This song was inspired by the passing of his father. And just that medley, that medley that he just, that melody that he just homes. >> A little falsetto, the wordless, yeah.
>> It's just the rawness of it all. It's really, really grabbed me. I got really emotional watching it. >> Yeah, the moment his voice comes in, that's, I mean, I just swam. Like what a great, great voice, beautiful voice.
And it is, it's all just a kind of a little scruffy.
“I was talking with someone recently, they were asking me like,”
"What is it that you're looking for? What stands out to you?" And I'm just looking for something that is authentic and real and honest from an artist who's willing to put themselves out there in some way. And instead of trying to be something or trying to contrive some sort of sound
that you think will get someone's attention just be honest and real. And, you know, to your point, what the song is about. >> Yeah. >> That's really moving. >> That was, again, moving was, that really really moved me.
And I couldn't get that melody that he's saying with the falsetto. So, shout out to you very first time entry.
So, shout out to you, that was amazing.
Nicolosi, are you coming to the Ivy?
“>> You know, one thing that I think with these entries and you probably know is,”
we go through so many, sometimes you know, pretty quickly whether or not, or at least you think, you know, pretty quickly whether or not it's something you're going to like. And then sometimes, if you just stick with it, it will end up having this huge payoff that you did not see coming. And this next one that I want to play, I think is maybe the quintessential example of that
for me in the ones that I listen to. >> Yeah. >> This is Jackie Marshall and when you start off watching this video, she seems like a straight up sort of, like a looper. She's making percussion, she's looping it.
And then she puts these, they're called contact microphones. These little flat microphones on her throat. And she sings in this really kind of high, beautiful register. [ Music ] >> And you're like, okay, a looper, this is cool, this is really pretty.
But then she stands up, she walks over, there's a whole band and she starts to sing against the loop and this really deep register and like, oh my God, where did this voice come from? It's incredible. I'm less afraid than you know.
I put all my faiths in your hands and youth through it all. [ Music ] [ Music ] [ Music ] [ Music ]
>> They definitely got to stick with this one because there's a reward,
what should get to the metal.
>> It's so unexpected. Honestly, I became a mouth breather while I was watching, because I was just like sitting there through the whole thing with me.
“But you have to stick with it, like you said, and it's so rewarding when you do.”
So we've been following her for a minute. She played, you know, we do a tiny desk tour with the winner in different cities, and she played our San Francisco show a couple of years ago. >> Yep. >> Really, really talented.
I love the way those two worlds come together. The looping, then singing on it, the band comes together beautifully. >> Yeah, and this is, you know, we've talked about, you know, multiple people who come back and enter multiple times, and, you know, she played the tour. And this is, you know, at the end of the day, there's only one winner in these things,
but I love that, you know, we've gotten together. And figure out ways to get more exposure for these artists. I think actually this year, we brought three former contestants to the tiny desk, and shout out to Ellen and Dora, who created the tiny desk takeover. I mean, we had, you know, former contestants, it was a forger, Sally Baby,
and Anolella.
So listen, keep entering, because you just never know where you're in this thing.
>> It's like, you enter, you don't win, but it doesn't end there. >> It doesn't, it doesn't. It doesn't, and ultimately you're joining this community. So now that was watch that whole video. You got to watch that whole video, because there's a treat of pot of gold at the end.
Let's keep moving. We're going to, we're going to, you, Utah, Lee, high Utah. This is the King Will Come in the song is called Welcome. [MUSIC] ♪ You live in me right now ♪
♪ You live in me right now ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, come on ♪ ♪ Welcome, welcome to the theater ♪ ♪ Come on in you, oh, welcome ♪ ♪ Welcome to the theater ♪
♪ Welcome, welcome to ♪ ♪ Welcome, you don't need a reason ♪ ♪ You can come on in you, oh, welcome ♪ ♪ Welcome to the theater ♪ ♪ Welcome, welcome ♪
♪ Welcome to the theater ♪ ♪ And my solitude I picture my own creation ♪ ♪ But got to include you in my mind of imagination ♪ ♪ Releaning into the old selfish rules I'll say ♪ ♪ You saw me deep in my darkness sleep ♪
♪ But now I'm awake ♪ ♪ You sent the solo and gave me purpose ♪ ♪ You saw the lonely and don't beneath the surface ♪ ♪ You were the only one who saw that I was worth it ♪ ♪ I know you love me, you know me to go searching ♪
♪ Wow ♪ ♪ Yes, that got me excited ♪ ♪ We don't get enough gospel and modern gospel ♪ ♪ I'm in this contest ♪ ♪ And that was very refreshing to see that ♪
♪ Because that's how you do it ♪
“♪ That's how you bring, I don't know how many people are in that video ♪”
♪ But upwards of 10 to 15 and bring it together ♪ ♪ Like that, that made me feel really good ♪ ♪ Really excited about where this contest is going ♪ Yeah, I got to be honest, I'm like a total sucker for big groups ♪ Sing along ♪
♪ And when they all sing together and came together ♪ ♪ I'm getting goosebumps ♪ ♪ Just now thinking about it, sure ♪ ♪ And Tammy Steven is the singer there ♪ ♪ I love how she slips so seamlessly ♪
♪ Between rapping ♪ ♪ And singing, there's a moment where she starts to rap ♪ ♪ And I'm like, okay, here we go ♪ ♪ But she only does it for like two bars ♪ And then slips right back in the singing again.
No, that's really, really cool. That's a big, math, city music vibes. That was sick, that was like tribal, that was Kirk Franklin. That was all the great things. It's a lot of folks in Nate, they made a sound like one voice
“and when you do gospel, you have to do it that way.”
That was really, really special. And the message too, everyone welcome. Yeah, and I think they said, like, we hope that you welcome us to the time
'cause this is good. You never know.
All right, so again, we get a lot of singer songwriters just a person in their guitar. This next one is one that just really, really moved me. Something in her voice, the melody, what she's singing about, all comes together so beautifully in the song called "Falling Rabbit"
and the singer is named Yuri Shen. Let's chill here again and I remember missing. And you gave me a days that is sinking. You never do this unless something's going wrong.
That was happy to see your face.
I drove you to places you drank in the morning
“and you never watched a movie at the moment.”
Last time you were here, it was ten years ago.
When I never got to say goodbye.
How are you doing? Some time has passed since last. And we very got to talk. Young love. Man, that's the thing too. The song is just so sweet.
Love how the melody kind of rises and rises again and then falls. It's so perfect as she's remembering someone she hasn't seen in a really, really long time and really, really misses. And she paints this picture of just a simple little moment together. But no bells, no whistles.
“Just like, but again, so real, so honest.”
And it just really, really moved me. This is her eighth time, seven, seven. She says she has entered every year since she turned 18 years old. Right at the cut off.
And here we are, like, eight years into some of these seven years in and we're just now finally getting them on top shelf.
And I'm so grateful that she kept going and sent in the song because it really, it's really beautiful page. And again, watch to the end because there's this great little moment. It's very subtle at the very end of the song where she just stops playing and sings aqua pellet just for the last bar or so. When she says, "I miss you." And it's just, "Oh, it just punched to the chest."
You did the thing, Yuri. Welcome to the top shelf. We love it. Love it. I got another one.
This one. Yeah, this is a favorite of mine.
“She's back. Her name is Lauren Friedhoff.”
And the song is called "One Thing" who always leads to another.
One thing always leads to another step out of the maze. And I wonder how I even got here. And I woke around and was in question track my brain until I was in war. I even bothered. Because you could spend your life trying to be down against you.
If I let it go, really mad at you. The older I get, the stranger, I feel yelling. For the climb on the keeps you high. Oh, so long. And many of those songs do have the truth.
It just feels like there's nowhere to hide. Lauren Friedhoff is the true fruit. Man, that is a gold record melody. I'm not kidding. That is, it is so beautiful.
Yes. Her voice is incredible. It's just the way that she uses it. Like, a lot of people, a lot of artists tend to misuse the power. The way that she just suddenly just flows a few things in just to let you know that I really do this.
Yeah. It's just beautiful. But what I love even more is this song, right? Yeah. Like, she writes beyond her years.
Yeah. And what she's singing about here is, I'm just not reaching this stage in my life about life. Yeah. Not sweating the small stuff and not trying to get to upset about things. It kind of don't matter, you know, and the fleeting feeling of gratification and how this thing comes and goes.
At the end of the day, you get out which you put into the world.
And I just, I'm blown away by her all the time. And it's been a while since she's been on the top shelf, but I'm glad she's back. She actually, she actually was on the voice in 2019.
Well, that's amazing because like, if you just put that song on and I listened to it blindly,
I would not think that this was an unsigned or I discovered ours.
“So I think I listened to whole album of this part of this music.”
There's a great line in the song to some of the themes you were talking about. She says, "The older I get, the stranger I feel." I was like, "Yeah." That's it. That's pretty much it.
You know, that's amazing. Shout out a lot of time in her neck contest.
So we've been going through all these entries.
Have you found one? Like, you think like, "I don't know, maybe this could be it." Look at now, I've seen, I've been blown away by stuff. I'll say that. Yeah.
Yeah. You know how it is, like, picking the winner because once we get close now, we're looking even closer. Yeah. You can watch it again. It's a lot.
But it's so hard. I feel good about this. Yeah. The bar's really gotten a lot higher this year.
“I think in part because of last year's winner, Ruby Abara, which is amazing because,”
like Ruby Abara's video was the very first entry that I watched last year.
It like never works that way. We're the very first one you watched and it's being the winner.
But it did last year. Yeah. She put the bar in a roof, so we'll see how it goes. But you're taking this home. All right. So this is another first time entry from an artist that goes by the name Mirror.
They're from Brooklyn, New York. We've already had one looper on the show. This is another looper. But this one stood out to me. Honestly, it is relentlessly hooking.
“And my reaction when I first heard this song from Mira,”
it kind of was like that moment with Ferrell and Maggie Rogers. When she plays Alaska and he's kind of like looking around. My dog was sitting next to me. So I was listening and I was like, given my dog side, I like this. This is really, really, really hooking.
Really, really good. So the song that Mira Sinon is called "Make Me Go" and we'll just go out on this. [Music] Thanks so much, Bobby. Thank you, Matt.
It's been a blast. I'm Robin Hilton for NPR Music. It's all songs considered. [Music] [Music]
[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]
[Music]
