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.
@@Confucius_76 ha no worries. The question, "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" represents the sort of ideas decadent, out of touch intellectual elites start to discuss when they get lost in their own ideology. This was an actual philosophical question pondered by scholastics, and it is associated with the end stage of scholasticism. You could say our own liberal elites are in a similar decadent stage, where they are lost in these questions of queerphobia and so on.
@No_Ghosts thanks, I knew what the phrase meant, just wasn't sure how you were relating it to the other part. I agree though. The whole subject of queerness seems naturally inclined to that sort of intellectual navel gazing
I was in prison in 2016 and we had these tablets that we could listen to podcasts and music on. this tiny desk concert pulled up and listening to this concert got me thru some pretty hard times. Thank you. ♥
Passenger Seat is one of the greatest songs ever written. Transatlanticism, one the greatest albums ever produced. Death Cab For Cutie, one of the most brilliant bands in the last 15 years!
One of the most brilliant bands of all time really. I put them equivalent to the Beatles personally, and even a tiny smidge past them if I’m being honest.
I met Ben during a Morning group run in Seattle. He showed up with the rest of us on a super rainy Tuesday morning at around 6am. We went for a 6 Mile run around discovery park and hung out at the running shop for a little while afterwards. He’s just as nice and genuine as you think he would be.
I'll stick with wine on the first song. Lyrics or not... Just the feel. Second song: carrot juice. Till the last line hit. Damn... this third song... Dude... Man got hit by a true Bitch. Came n went, with his soul. Piano solo drives the nails deep into his heart. NPR the NEWS STATION? Dude.. Why am i just seeing this room? These recordings? Must be more... I hope. 4th song... More Cowbell.
His voice has matured in a beautiful way. I love when musicians get older and start to write from their longer life experience. It's as if some of the superfluous elements are shed and they streamline their sound. Beautiful.
Jessica Stewart I definitely enjoyed the maturation of his voice in Kintsugi. I wasn't particularly fond of Narrow Stairs, even less so for Codes & Keys, but something just stuck with me in their newest album.
Jessica Stewart these words describe it all. The youth is more mature and worldly than people understand, but experience cannot be learned without time. I am 24, I thought i understood deathcab when I was 16. I did not. I fear i still do not. But i know it is beautiful.
Kudos to the audio engineers at Tiny Desk! The sound is always so good. Until Tiny Desk, I've never seen a shotgun mic on the lead vocalist. Just thought I'd give a shout out to the audio folks at Tiny Desk.
Totally agree - these sets always make me realize the insane amount of talent that goes into making beautiful music. Vocals, instruments, sound engineering, etc. Literally amazing.
I would love to be his bass player (if I was a playa!) cuz' it seems like he writes a lot of music that utililzes the bass up front, not just as a supporting instrument.
These four songs, when listened together in this sequence, are an incredibly beautiful narrative of losing love, going through the rebuilding process, and encountering something even more beautiful. Gibbard is a genius.
Ah. Even after listening to Kintsugi for a year I still find little nuggets of emotion that I hadn't noticed before. "And we'll both go on and get lonely with someone else." Ben Gibbard, you kill me.
I sing Passenger Seat to my 4 month old son every night to get him to sleep. So many memories to that album, and now even more. Excited to see it live next year! Happy 20th anniversary! ❤
It would not have resonated with me if not for a loss of a parent recently. Listening to it now, strikes a hard. The melody and lyrics make me cry, remembering loading a 20 yard roll-off full of the house i grew up in. Unexpected and barely accepting the reality of losing a loved one. Ben painted the picture perfectly and i could listen to the song again and again
I wanna share a death cab story, back in early 2005 I bought Plans on a whim thinking that maybe I'd like it. after wearing it out by listening to it non stop I bought every album they ever made knowing that they were musical geniuses. they create an entire atmosphere in their sound. it's nostalgia, beauty, love, loss, and melancholy wrapped up in some of the soothing melodies ever created. it takes me back to some of the best days of my life and I am grateful to have a vehicle to reach them whenever I need to feel like that again. peace and love, people. update: these 4 songs here are so timeless. gives me shivers thinking of time, space, love, loss, the future, the past, and all the mysterious things we still haven't figured out about the people and situations in our lives.
The Photo Album, Transatlanticism, and Plans are my favorites. All of their albums are great. Just finally got to hear Kintsugi the other day and it's incredible as well.
I stumbled onto this Tiny Desk Concert yesterday. I haven't listen to Death Cab For Cutie since I lived in my grandfather's house as a teenager. He passed away yesterday morning. The depth of these songs brings me to my own. Encouraging me to feel hope, heal the pain and grief from his loss while coming to terms with the ground shaking reason behind his absence. Thank you Death Cab For Cutie. Thank you NPR.
There's a moment when NPR guy says, off frame, "thanks for doing this", and Ben pauses, looks up and right into NPR guy's eyes and says "of course". I thought it was kind of a revealing moment. It made me like him a lot more; it was a moment that could have gone by without a response, but he seemed very genuine in his reponse.
I love how people in the Death Cab comments sections (at least on the videos I’ve watched) are so chill. Makes a pleasant change. Keep being awesome everyone. 👍
"When you feel embarassed, then I'll be your pride. When you need directions, then I'll be your guide. For all time" I think those are the lyrics that inspired 'Directions', the visual companion for 'Plans'. Sort of the following through to a vow, the constructed beautiful masterpiece in his mind that he, like so many other's decided to share with another like-minded, deep, passionate individual. He spawned a generation of hopeless romantics, I swear. Now he's living through the same trials as his listeners. Awesome how we've matured together.
Passenger seat has always been, and continues to be, one of the most achingly beautiful yet simple songs I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. I've been listening to it for years and it gets me every time.
I think my favorite part of this performance is Zac Rae's playing. His touch and feel on the piano is incredibly tasteful. Also the recording quality is just amazing on this.
Just found this. Picking my jaw up off the floor. So stripped down and somehow greater without the synths and guitar. The piano was soulful and sounded so good. Seriously how does a tiny desk concert produce sound this great? Great job NPR. Can’t listen to the studio of Black Sun anymore cuz this one is the real one.
NPR, THIS is why I LOVE you: Bands ALWAYS sound way different here playing "tiny desk concerts"!!!! And.... Its always WAY better in my opinion! WAY more intimate and just more personal and emotional and I LOVE what youve got going on. Bob Boilin and all others involved... YOURE BEAUTIFUL people and I love you guys (along with all the other huge, huge fans). So I wanted to thank you and encourage you NEVER TO STOP. Keep it up!!!!!! Bands music truly NEVER sounds as good ANYwhere else!
4 years later but don't mind me, I just found NPR and subsequent this series. I believe the reason these always sound different from the bands studio performance is because their basically just plopped into this room and given the instruments they need and told to enjoy themselves. No deadlines,no manager telling them to start from the top. Just them and their passion for the craft laid bear. Truly these performances are a testimony to their skills
@@erwinthedodo9205 Absolutely! And yeah, 4 years later, thats crazy. Still listening to this performance though, put it on my mp3 player. Happy listening my friend!
Yeah fair here is used to mean like ‘a fair maiden’ basically noting the contrast between her beauty and her cruelty with some fantastic wordplay, ‘something’ is also used to suggest that after this cruelty she no longer deserves to be referred to a someone, she has become inhuman.
@@briandantana8470 it's better than that, I feel. Like, yes, it has that allusion, but nothing else in the language is oldy-worldy, and the romanticism is stark and dark. I feel it means more like, life has come out as it was always going to, and it hurts. Yet it's right.
+ANoteToSelf could not agree more, the most achingly honest song to me is "You can do better than me" - It's one of several songs that are very personal to me. Also "Cath" is essentially a blow-by-blow description of a time period in my mom's life when she got married to a guy she didn't particularly love but who could take care of her (us) for awhile. Her name is Kathy. So yes this band is very honest but also very personal to so many.
Hellisan12 Totally! The tracks I'm most connected to are "What Sara Said," "A Lack of Color," "Transatlanticism," "Someday You Will Be Loved." I always go back to them, and they always apply to me. Your mom's situation reminds me of the first book in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians book. The mother in that book does the same thing. Your mother must love you an awful lot. :)
What Sara said isn't based on anything that actually happened to Gibbard. He said in an interview from May of this year "I feel that songwriters are held to a different standard than almost any other type of writer-some fans get genuinely upset if I admit that a song that they held close to their heart was not based on actual events in my life. Like “What Sarah Said”: I was never in a waiting room in a hospital waiting for news that somebody was going to die. I’ve been in hospital waiting rooms before, waiting for a doctor’s appointment, and I got a sense of the general vibe of the room-not a joyous place-and I decided to set a song there." So whilst you may perceive this song as honest it is actually a fabrication.
Dear god...as a tragically hip fan, and still feeling the loss of Gord Downie.....watching this man deliver this song was like seeing Gord be there with him... singing along....we are so lucky to have these musical geniuses...
I lived in NYC when DCFC first came out. They got huge after an episode of Six Feet Under when Claire & her friends listened to Trasatlanticism in her bedrooom on LSD. I was a baby and newly married living in Westchester. I ran to Limewire to search for the song. A lovely time in NY when Bright Eyes, DCFC etc lived in the city. Wes Anderson films, Ryan Adams was dating Parker Posey. A time of infinite sadness from 9/11 just occurring and still, a hopefulness.
Something I've just noticed after the nth time watching this - I love how, during Passenger Seat, Nick is sat there really getting into it, despite there being no need for him to play. If you notice when the song finishes, it's like the spell is broken and he snaps out of a trance. Nice to see such a team player. I feel Nick deserves a mention, he's been an underrated bass player for years imo. Love this Tiny Desk :)
I have always been enamoured by Ben's storytelling. Any tune from Death Cab or Postal Service always offers a lovely remedy to any case of "Writer's block".
Excellent musician. Will be enjoyed for decades to come. Your music helped author my teenage angst and now I listen fondly and am reminded of the memories you are forever tethered to.
I love NPR Tiny Desk Concerts but this is the best one ever made. Barely knew about DCFC before getting here by accident... It was so touching that I couldn't help myself but crying. The four songs are the process between a broken heart and the joy of finding a new love. On top of that, everything on this set sounds beautiful, amazing musicians and wonderful sound engineering job. I've rewatched this so many times and still gives me the chills ❤️
I keep coming back to this Black Sun performance. What impacts me are the piano and bass players. Not a smile, word, or wasted movement. Absolute concentration on their instrument, every note perfect. This is incredible respect for the singer and song, like it's the most important performance of their lives. You want to hold your breath while listening.
I know those are not christmas songs by any way, but I stumbled on this on RUclips around the christmas 2017 while having christmas at my first own apartment aaand.... it stuck, this set seems to be perfect for this "winter is starting/new year and maybe new chances are coming" season. So I keep listening to this each year, only in December. This one will be the first one with my son... hope he likes it, and that there will be many more.
I’ve always thought “The Decemberists” and “Death Cab For a Cutie” sounded super similar. They’re two wonderful bands that I’ve loved through the ages.
I got in to Death Cab about nine years ago thanks to the Postal Service. When I heard that Ben Gibbard was from a band called Death Cab for Cutie I thought it sounded like the most emo band going; and this was around a time when we'd been suffering emo bands for far too long already. I love being wrong.
They were my favorite band during my teenage years and so many of their songs got me through some tough times. Saw them last week in ATL and was able to relive my teenage years again through their music and realized how far I've come and how many obstacles I overcame. The things that I was going through when listening to their music seemed so insignificant but played such a huge role in my becoming an adult. I enjoyed this so much. Love you forever DCFC.
When I first watched this, I remember I listened to the first couple songs then switched off to something else. Coming back to it a few years later... I don’t know what I was thinking! It’s strange how sometimes you can listen to a song, but not really hear it.
this might be one of the best NPR sessions. I never get tired of coming back . And although i always found them ok, i cant say i was ever a fan.. This small show case though.. opening with such a powerful Black Sun version ..shows how easily one can be touched by other fellow humans, that really out their hearts and their skills into a portion of Music. So simple and yet.. so whispering of that reminder that_ we are Alive. Thank you NPR Thank you (partial) DeathCabforCutie
Makes me feel like I'm driving on the coast, heartbreak heavy on my mind and also a renewal of sorts. It's fall, and it's a half day after a heavy rain and the roads almost dry, except the edges where the leaves clump together and there's a chill in the wind; but all I can feel is the heavy dose of serotonin from these 4 songs
This concert perfectly describes heartbreak and pain. It explained every moment every step, every moment, every movement. Listen to these songs or stay, that is the only choice
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.
The moral dilemmas of being a progressive...
@@Confucius_76 how many angels can dance on the head of a queerphobic unapologetic femme?
@No_Ghosts I'm not sure what your point is sorry :)
@@Confucius_76 ha no worries. The question, "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" represents the sort of ideas decadent, out of touch intellectual elites start to discuss when they get lost in their own ideology.
This was an actual philosophical question pondered by scholastics, and it is associated with the end stage of scholasticism.
You could say our own liberal elites are in a similar decadent stage, where they are lost in these questions of queerphobia and so on.
@No_Ghosts thanks, I knew what the phrase meant, just wasn't sure how you were relating it to the other part.
I agree though. The whole subject of queerness seems naturally inclined to that sort of intellectual navel gazing
I was in prison in 2016 and we had these tablets that we could listen to podcasts and music on. this tiny desk concert pulled up and listening to this concert got me thru some pretty hard times. Thank you. ♥
I’ve always loved this concert. I listen to it often.
Amen‼️🙏✝️🙌
Good soul
You found the good stuff brother
Mate, what a beautiful comment/story that shook me to my core ❤️
Passenger Seat is one of the greatest songs ever written.
Transatlanticism, one the greatest albums ever produced.
Death Cab For Cutie, one of the most brilliant bands in the last 15 years!
Fully agreed!! Passenger Seat is so underrated.
Absolutely love passenger seat. Always been a personal DCFC fave.
One of the most brilliant bands of all time really. I put them equivalent to the Beatles personally, and even a tiny smidge past them if I’m being honest.
In the last 24 years tbh
@ISEEKSPACE this is the greatest album since the 80's. This is the masterpiece that mercury wishes he could've made.
I met Ben during a Morning group run in Seattle. He showed up with the rest of us on a super rainy Tuesday morning at around 6am. We went for a 6 Mile run around discovery park and hung out at the running shop for a little while afterwards. He’s just as nice and genuine as you think he would be.
This warms my soul. Thank you for sharing.
That's pretty cool man.
You never told me being rich was so lonely.
let's all take a moment to recognize zac raes beautiful piano playing here
And Nick Harmer on bass!
i love this cause of the piano
RelientKStuff simple yet sublime
RelientKStuff His playing and interpretations of the compositions remind me so much of Phillip Glass.
They may look like a bunch of sausages, but those fingers are magical
I love all the Tiny Desk concerts. But, this one is special. It is audible wine.
I would've gone with scotch, but I guess wine works just as well :)
you mean whiskey in water?
I'll stick with wine on the first song. Lyrics or not... Just the feel. Second song: carrot juice. Till the last line hit. Damn... this third song... Dude... Man got hit by a true Bitch. Came n went, with his soul. Piano solo drives the nails deep into his heart. NPR the NEWS STATION? Dude.. Why am i just seeing this room? These recordings? Must be more... I hope. 4th song... More Cowbell.
Young Blood 3rd I’ll stick with some good WA flower for all 4 songs, or any DCFC or PS song for that matter.
@@lupowins NEED Tennessee to LEGALIZE FLOWERS. N u oughtta have a jug of my cranberry.
Had the chance to see the 20th anniversary tour in NYC and I’m still speechless.
The way Ben sings Transatlantism + Passenger Seat makes me emotional.
Same! I’ve been to numerous concerts and they were unforgettable.
Just saw them at UBC in Vancouver. Ditto
His voice has matured in a beautiful way. I love when musicians get older and start to write from their longer life experience. It's as if some of the superfluous elements are shed and they streamline their sound. Beautiful.
Jessica Stewart Totally with you... This new record has a depth, space and a beautiful maturity to it. Thanks DCFC!
Jessica Stewart Amen.This man has an interesting voice with character.I like it.
Jessica Stewart I definitely enjoyed the maturation of his voice in Kintsugi. I wasn't particularly fond of Narrow Stairs, even less so for Codes & Keys, but something just stuck with me in their newest album.
Jessica Stewart I like those words.
Jessica Stewart these words describe it all. The youth is more mature and worldly than people understand, but experience cannot be learned without time. I am 24, I thought i understood deathcab when I was 16. I did not. I fear i still do not. But i know it is beautiful.
Black sun 0:07
No room in frame 5:13
Your heart is an empty room 9:23
Passenger seat 14:00
always looking 4 the angel who does that
Just watch the full thing every time, it's an insult not to.
Thank you
Thanks
Eric Mccool. I like black sun but its not my favorite. Its not really a somg that I listen to a lot
Passenger seat is a timeless masterpiece
I can’t listen to “Passenger Seat” without holding back tears. Almost all of “Plans” is the same way.
One that doesn't get the respect it deserves at all either.
One of the most beautiful pieces ever...
That song is incredible. Actually, that entire album hits so hard.
Every song on that album is a timeless masterpiece
he's smirking at the beginning of the video cuz he knows he's about to crush it
Death Cab's songs really resonate with me. They're quiet, introspective, shy, and honest.
what a great description
Direct, deeper than heart...
My middle school and high school theme my ipod was full of death cab the postal service and all time quarterback
Kudos to the audio engineers at Tiny Desk! The sound is always so good. Until Tiny Desk, I've never seen a shotgun mic on the lead vocalist. Just thought I'd give a shout out to the audio folks at Tiny Desk.
bungopony so true ...
Totally agree - these sets always make me realize the insane amount of talent that goes into making beautiful music. Vocals, instruments, sound engineering, etc. Literally amazing.
I guess the shotgun makes it easier to mix/master the tracks independently from each other.
Heck yes, production is excellent!!!!
It’s honestly shocking how good they all sound.
The way Ben weaves silence into his singing is just beautiful
"Music is the space between the notes"-Debussy
Beautifully put.
Freaking sorcery magic
It’s crazy
I am overwhelmed with nostalgia so much it's making me cry.
Same
💗
i remember when the kintsugi album first came out and i was like "a NEW ALBUM!" and now it's been 7 years
Love u janie
@@crazypizza SEVEN YEARS?!??!!?
the bass line in black sun is brilliant
I was actually scrolling through here wondering why nobody had commented on that bass line yet. So, thanks.
I would love to be his bass player (if I was a playa!) cuz' it seems like he writes a lot of music that utililzes the bass up front, not just as a supporting instrument.
Might be because the bass line is something a beginner would do when they are just noodling lol
yeah it's so good!
This stripped down version of black sun is the equivalent to the sound of a heart breaking.
absolutely. spot on.
Kamryn Mello you’re so beautiful it’s like looking at the magic obtained inside a rainbow.
I cant stop replaying and singing Black Sun. Such a satisfying song to sing.
Black Sun is meant to be sung this slow and stripped down
Interested in promoting The 50-50 Club, in Atlantic City, with 50 Cent?
These four songs, when listened together in this sequence, are an incredibly beautiful narrative of losing love, going through the rebuilding process, and encountering something even more beautiful. Gibbard is a genius.
Could not agree more! I love this.
Mike C is about how black music and country music are so poor and all they have is to revolve around women ....also they also sing about drinking too
"black music"? Your narrow mind is showing
This is my favorite one of these videos
No need a big thicc one
Ah. Even after listening to Kintsugi for a year I still find little nuggets of emotion that I hadn't noticed before.
"And we'll both go on and get lonely with someone else."
Ben Gibbard, you kill me.
Same here, I never really paid attention to that line until hearing this version.
I read this right as he sang it. Amazing
That is a fantastic line
Read this comment right as he sang it XD
This band changed me.
Transatlantacism Changed my Life growing up. Critically underrated band
Oh god. Same. I can’t listen to them without tearing up and thinking of my days of heavy dissociation
SpinThe Mercury we can tell ♥️
Forever
They’re still changing me.
I sing Passenger Seat to my 4 month old son every night to get him to sleep. So many memories to that album, and now even more. Excited to see it live next year! Happy 20th anniversary! ❤
This is so good but you must hear “Winding Road” or “Live Not Survive” by SLT 🤘
I just saw them and I love it so much
@@wallflowercommenter3610 I had to skip it cause my son was sick, but I'm sure it was amazing
"My feet on the dash. The world doesn't matter". I always have to hold in a tear when he sings that.
How do you hold it in? I fail everytime
I've always LOVED this line. So evocative, it's just captured a beautiful moment of just feeling at peace, if just for a moment. Always stuck with me.
"There's a dumpster in the driveway...of all the plans that came undone."
Lyrical gold.
It would not have resonated with me if not for a loss of a parent recently. Listening to it now, strikes a hard. The melody and lyrics make me cry, remembering loading a 20 yard roll-off full of the house i grew up in. Unexpected and barely accepting the reality of losing a loved one. Ben painted the picture perfectly and i could listen to the song again and again
Every plan is a tiny prayer to father time.
There are so many Ben Gibbard lyrics that are so impactful. I find myself starting to cry often listening to such genius.
I'm about to put a dumpster in my driveway, because my marriage has fallen apart. All the good I wanted to do... Just so much wasted potential.
@@CursedMarkMedia God is the father, timeless, eternal.
That bass/piano combo is beautiful.
no room in frame is such an underrated song. it should have been way more popular
Agreed, I'm liking it much more now .
Zoey Deschanel made some calls to keep it down
One of my favorites by them. I never get tired of it!
His voice is just sooo...good. This is my kind of music
20 seconds into Passenger Seat took me back 15 years and filled my eyes with tears... your music has always moved me. Up, down and in between.
Heather Cuevas same, god I love it
Right there with you my friend. I hope life is treating you well!
I wanna share a death cab story, back in early 2005 I bought Plans on a whim thinking that maybe I'd like it. after wearing it out by listening to it non stop I bought every album they ever made knowing that they were musical geniuses. they create an entire atmosphere in their sound. it's nostalgia, beauty, love, loss, and melancholy wrapped up in some of the soothing melodies ever created. it takes me back to some of the best days of my life and I am grateful to have a vehicle to reach them whenever I need to feel like that again. peace and love, people. update: these 4 songs here are so timeless. gives me shivers thinking of time, space, love, loss, the future, the past, and all the mysterious things we still haven't figured out about the people and situations in our lives.
drinkingpoolwater Well said.
+drinkingpoolwater Nice story! What are some of your FAVORITE albums by them?? Which are their best?? (Im just trying to check them out).
The Photo Album, Transatlanticism, and Plans are my favorites. All of their albums are great. Just finally got to hear Kintsugi the other day and it's incredible as well.
+drinkingpoolwater AWESOME! Yeah Im excited to star making memories with their music too! Great story my friend!
I wanna share a story also, my ex introduced me to The Postal Service. That's when I heard about Ben, and have been a fan ever since.
2022 and I keep listening to this. True love.
This might be the best Tiny Desk Concert of them all.
agree
yes
agreed.
it actually is.
Completely agree!
I stumbled onto this Tiny Desk Concert yesterday. I haven't listen to Death Cab For Cutie since I lived in my grandfather's house as a teenager. He passed away yesterday morning. The depth of these songs brings me to my own. Encouraging me to feel hope, heal the pain and grief from his loss while coming to terms with the ground shaking reason behind his absence. Thank you Death Cab For Cutie. Thank you NPR.
A friend put me onto this band, didn't know much about them, being from Australia. Certainly beautiful lyrics.
I'm sorry about your grandfather. He is watching you if that makes it better. You never die your soul never sleeps, you will float on...
When did you pass away?
@@matthewpardo8379 3 seconds after my 3rd blast of dimethyltryptamine
There's a moment when NPR guy says, off frame, "thanks for doing this", and Ben pauses, looks up and right into NPR guy's eyes and says "of course". I thought it was kind of a revealing moment. It made me like him a lot more; it was a moment that could have gone by without a response, but he seemed very genuine in his reponse.
durkley. It's even better because Ben starts off by thanking all the NPR people for coming to see him play...in their offices. Class guy
Obligatory internet pedantry: How can you know he looked him right in the eye if they were out of frame?
Not sure, but at least we know why they were out of frame: there was no room.
@@asdfate1 You just made my morning with that comment
13:55 for those wanting to see this moment for themselves (but I mean you might as well watch the whole thing over again - no loss haha)
I love how people in the Death Cab comments sections (at least on the videos I’ve watched) are so chill. Makes a pleasant change. Keep being awesome everyone. 👍
Very true! No drama
Mess with a poet, you will get the symbolic thorns. I hate seeing this guy sad, but he does write great music after he takes a beating.
I don't follow the band that closely, what had happened then?
lol that would be "life"... Life happened.
@@adamontiveros-oberg1528 just a messy break up, essentially.
True
@@adamontiveros-oberg1528 Ben at the time had divorced and the album had some implications towards that.
Still one of if not my favorite concerts to watch online of all time. I must watch this video 10 to 15 times a year to be honest.
This is one of the hardest hitting Death Cab performances I've ever seen. So so good
That voice, unique, always recognizable, brings me back when I was a different person
"When you feel embarassed, then I'll be your pride. When you need directions, then I'll be your guide. For all time"
I think those are the lyrics that inspired 'Directions', the visual companion for 'Plans'. Sort of the following through to a vow, the constructed beautiful masterpiece in his mind that he, like so many other's decided to share with another like-minded, deep, passionate individual. He spawned a generation of hopeless romantics, I swear. Now he's living through the same trials as his listeners. Awesome how we've matured together.
In this performance soul meets body, thank you.
one of the greatest song writers of our day..
Passenger seat has always been, and continues to be, one of the most achingly beautiful yet simple songs I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. I've been listening to it for years and it gets me every time.
I think my favorite part of this performance is Zac Rae's playing. His touch and feel on the piano is incredibly tasteful. Also the recording quality is just amazing on this.
Agree on both poonts
Death Cab's one of those bands where their music sounds better the older I get. Truly timeless. That's how you know it's good stuff.
I was just thinking this… I’ve been listening since I was 16 I’m 32 now i understand more than ever
stripped down to the bass and piano. something special about this sound with the context.
Just found this. Picking my jaw up off the floor. So stripped down and somehow greater without the synths and guitar.
The piano was soulful and sounded so good. Seriously how does a tiny desk concert produce sound this great? Great job NPR.
Can’t listen to the studio of Black Sun anymore cuz this one is the real one.
NPR, THIS is why I LOVE you: Bands ALWAYS sound way different here playing "tiny desk concerts"!!!! And.... Its always WAY better in my opinion! WAY more intimate and just more personal and emotional and I LOVE what youve got going on. Bob Boilin and all others involved... YOURE BEAUTIFUL people and I love you guys (along with all the other huge, huge fans). So I wanted to thank you and encourage you NEVER TO STOP. Keep it up!!!!!! Bands music truly NEVER sounds as good ANYwhere else!
this is so true, I always look up the bands I like and their music never sounds as good as it does at npr :P
musicisbrilliant Agreed
4 years later but don't mind me, I just found NPR and subsequent this series. I believe the reason these always sound different from the bands studio performance is because their basically just plopped into this room and given the instruments they need and told to enjoy themselves. No deadlines,no manager telling them to start from the top. Just them and their passion for the craft laid bear. Truly these performances are a testimony to their skills
@@erwinthedodo9205 Absolutely! And yeah, 4 years later, thats crazy. Still listening to this performance though, put it on my mp3 player. Happy listening my friend!
This version of Black Sun is just cruel. 10/10
How could something so fair be so cruel?
Makes me wanna cry Mann
it is real, you can see his pain remembering how soeynwanted to end it. think f lesving Ben for Nck 😊
the slow progression from ben gibbard to steve zissou
who the shit is kingsley zissou?
Yes!!!!
"How could something so fair be so cruel?" I don't know exactly what hes referring to but man what a line. That hits deep
If it hits you, you find some sort of reference in it. You’ll find it for yourself soon enough.
I don't get what he's saying either, but it's deep
Fair = beautiful. A lady, methinks.
Yeah fair here is used to mean like ‘a fair maiden’ basically noting the contrast between her beauty and her cruelty with some fantastic wordplay, ‘something’ is also used to suggest that after this cruelty she no longer deserves to be referred to a someone, she has become inhuman.
@@briandantana8470 it's better than that, I feel. Like, yes, it has that allusion, but nothing else in the language is oldy-worldy, and the romanticism is stark and dark. I feel it means more like, life has come out as it was always going to, and it hurts. Yet it's right.
... my favorite rendition of "Your Heart is an Empty Room". Unreal.
Same bruv, it's absolutely beautiful
Agreed
I cannot get over this. On repeat all day, everyday.
same
Zac really just gives a whole new dimension to Death Cab's already wonderful sound. Those piano melodies are gorgeous.
THERE IS GRACE WITHIN FORGIVENESS
BUT IT IS SO HARD FOR ME TO FIND
This stripped down version sounds ten million times better than the studio version on their new album. Way more emotional!
I think it’s the piano. 😌
I always come back to this Version of "Black Sun" because it has a certain tranquil atmosphere
This live rendition of Black Sun is simply one of the best songs I have heard in my entire life.
So wholesome. I needed this. Death cab got me through some rough times as a teenager. Now they comfort my soul as an adult. ❤️
Right there with you my friend. Cheers, hope life is treating you better now!
I think if I had one word to describe their music it would be *honest*. Amazing band...
+ Offcourse :)
+ANoteToSelf could not agree more, the most achingly honest song to me is "You can do better than me" - It's one of several songs that are very personal to me. Also "Cath" is essentially a blow-by-blow description of a time period in my mom's life when she got married to a guy she didn't particularly love but who could take care of her (us) for awhile. Her name is Kathy. So yes this band is very honest but also very personal to so many.
Hellisan12 Totally! The tracks I'm most connected to are "What Sara Said," "A Lack of Color," "Transatlanticism," "Someday You Will Be Loved." I always go back to them, and they always apply to me. Your mom's situation reminds me of the first book in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians book. The mother in that book does the same thing. Your mother must love you an awful lot. :)
What Sara said isn't based on anything that actually happened to Gibbard. He said in an interview from May of this year "I feel that songwriters are held to a different standard than almost any other type of writer-some fans get genuinely upset if I admit that a song that they held close to their heart was not based on actual events in my life. Like “What Sarah Said”: I was never in a waiting room in a hospital waiting for news that somebody was going to die. I’ve been in hospital waiting rooms before, waiting for a doctor’s appointment, and I got a sense of the general vibe of the room-not a joyous place-and I decided to set a song there." So whilst you may perceive this song as honest it is actually a fabrication.
this whole album is a breakup album done right! thanks zoey deshanel
Lol
He expects us to interpret it however we want
Yeah, No Room in Frame is one of the ultimate revenge songs!
Dear god...as a tragically hip fan, and still feeling the loss of Gord Downie.....watching this man deliver this song was like seeing Gord be there with him... singing along....we are so lucky to have these musical geniuses...
I lived in NYC when DCFC first came out. They got huge after an episode of Six Feet Under when Claire & her friends listened to Trasatlanticism in her bedrooom on LSD. I was a baby and newly married living in Westchester. I ran to Limewire to search for the song. A lovely time in NY when Bright Eyes, DCFC etc lived in the city. Wes Anderson films, Ryan Adams was dating Parker Posey. A time of infinite sadness from 9/11 just occurring and still, a hopefulness.
"There's a dumpster in the driveway of all the plans that came undone"
kills me every time
Something I've just noticed after the nth time watching this - I love how, during Passenger Seat, Nick is sat there really getting into it, despite there being no need for him to play. If you notice when the song finishes, it's like the spell is broken and he snaps out of a trance. Nice to see such a team player. I feel Nick deserves a mention, he's been an underrated bass player for years imo. Love this Tiny Desk :)
I have always been enamoured by Ben's storytelling. Any tune from Death Cab or Postal Service always offers a lovely remedy to any case of "Writer's block".
Excellent musician. Will be enjoyed for decades to come. Your music helped author my teenage angst and now I listen fondly and am reminded of the memories you are forever tethered to.
this man as yanked more tears out of me than any other person alive. Can't believe it's already been seven years since Kintsugi.
This is so good but you must hear “Winding Road” or “Live Not Survive” by SLT 🤘
I get why everyone always says death can for cutie deserves a listen or 2.
Can, hahaha
I meant cab..
All hail the death can!
I love NPR Tiny Desk Concerts but this is the best one ever made. Barely knew about DCFC before getting here by accident... It was so touching that I couldn't help myself but crying. The four songs are the process between a broken heart and the joy of finding a new love. On top of that, everything on this set sounds beautiful, amazing musicians and wonderful sound engineering job. I've rewatched this so many times and still gives me the chills ❤️
Those Kintsugi numbers sound gorgeous acoustic, I'd even go as far as to say better.
This really does make listening to the album version of No Room in Frame tough.
I'm not crying, shut up, you're crying...
♡
+Isuru Abeykoon I'd like to think so yes, I've written a fair few :)
thank u4 this
beat me too it lol
*Best comment I have read.*
=)
no words can express what these songs have done for me. Timeless.
This band’s music has helped time stamp so many things in my life.
This is so good but you must hear “Winding Road” or “Live Not Survive” by SLT 🤘
Just beautiful. I underappreciated you in my youth. Loved you then, but so much more appreciation now.
I keep coming back to this Black Sun performance. What impacts me are the piano and bass players. Not a smile, word, or wasted movement. Absolute concentration on their instrument, every note perfect. This is incredible respect for the singer and song, like it's the most important performance of their lives. You want to hold your breath while listening.
There’s something so incredibly truthful and honest yet deeply troubling that stirs the human soul when hearing a vulnerable person bare theirs!
Ben is so underrated as a vocalist.
I know those are not christmas songs by any way, but I stumbled on this on RUclips around the christmas 2017 while having christmas at my first own apartment aaand.... it stuck, this set seems to be perfect for this "winter is starting/new year and maybe new chances are coming" season. So I keep listening to this each year, only in December. This one will be the first one with my son... hope he likes it, and that there will be many more.
Omg this is adorable!
I think this version of "No Room in Frame" is better than the studio version.
I love the original, but I have to agree
Definitely. Less crowded. More room for the emotions to flow!
the drums are awesome though and good turn up song on the studio and drive
I 100% agree
I would agree if I didn’t think that Jason on drums is 50% of the band’s greatness
black sun. complete chills..
I can't believe that the two last songs are more than 10 years old...
12 now
:)
I’ve always thought “The Decemberists” and “Death Cab For a Cutie” sounded super similar. They’re two wonderful bands that I’ve loved through the ages.
with my feet on the dash, the world doesn't matter.
these guys have had me crying since 2005.
This one makes me tear up because of the nostalgic feeling. Death Cab will always be that for me... this immense comfort.
I got in to Death Cab about nine years ago thanks to the Postal Service. When I heard that Ben Gibbard was from a band called Death Cab for Cutie I thought it sounded like the most emo band going; and this was around a time when we'd been suffering emo bands for far too long already. I love being wrong.
They were my favorite band during my teenage years and so many of their songs got me through some tough times. Saw them last week in ATL and was able to relive my teenage years again through their music and realized how far I've come and how many obstacles I overcame. The things that I was going through when listening to their music seemed so insignificant but played such a huge role in my becoming an adult. I enjoyed this so much. Love you forever DCFC.
Good lord. It's funny how you miss some of these older ones. This is fantastic. Anyone else in 2019?
Im a little late, but right here buddy
2020
As soon as they started playing “Your Heart is an Empty Room” I suddenly felt 15/16 years old again. Ugh. All the feels for this Tiny Desk Concert.
This is easily my favorite Tiny Desk. I've probably watched this 100+ times. They perform with such emotion and feeling.
When I first watched this, I remember I listened to the first couple songs then switched off to something else.
Coming back to it a few years later... I don’t know what I was thinking! It’s strange how sometimes you can listen to a song, but not really hear it.
There is grace within forgiveness. This country would do well to remember that.
NPR audio techs are genius. This is amazing
god, if I had to choose one album to listen to for the rest of my life it would be Plans. so good.
How can I not ever heard of this guy before? Thanks once, thanks twice, thank you three times Tiny Studio.
No room in frame is really earth shattering...
this might be one of the best NPR sessions. I never get tired of coming back .
And although i always found them ok, i cant say i was ever a fan..
This small show case though.. opening with such a powerful Black Sun version ..shows how easily one can be touched by other fellow humans, that really out their hearts and their skills into a portion of Music. So simple and yet.. so whispering of that reminder that_ we are Alive.
Thank you NPR
Thank you (partial) DeathCabforCutie
It's to the point where I hear those opening piano chords of Passenger Seat and immediately begin to tear up.
Such a drastically different level of talent and perfection. The hours and hours of fine tuning their craft shows. Amazing job guys.
This is forever my favorite tiny desk concert.
Makes me feel like I'm driving on the coast, heartbreak heavy on my mind and also a renewal of sorts. It's fall, and it's a half day after a heavy rain and the roads almost dry, except the edges where the leaves clump together and there's a chill in the wind; but all I can feel is the heavy dose of serotonin from these 4 songs
This concert perfectly describes heartbreak and pain. It explained every moment every step, every moment, every movement. Listen to these songs or stay, that is the only choice