NPR Music has released a new iteration of their Tiny Desk concert series this morning, with Dirty Projectors as featured performers. David Longstreth and his team of Dirty Projectors regulars (Felicia Douglas, Kristin Slipp, Maia Friedman, Nat Baldwin, and Mike Johnson) performed three cuts from their most recent album, Lamp Lit Prose.
The scene is peak Tiny Desk — covered with Christmas lights and candles, the famous Desk is decidedly cozier and more intimate than usual. And Dirty Projectors’ chosen songs are easily three of the best on that record. Without the benefit of electric guitars, this live version of “That’s a Lifestyle” feels a little warmer than its studio counterpart, and more suited to the NPR Tiny Desk mood. For their second pick, the band move into the subtle alt-folk of “Right Now,” which suffers slightly without backing vocals from Syd, but not enough to break the spell. Longstreth and his band round out the performance with “What Is The Time,” and a demanding set of vocal runs across registers. As always with Dirty Projectors, the music is complex and gorgeous and throughout. Check out the full performance below.
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