Death Cab For Cutie: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Death Cab For Cutie came as a trio: Ben Gibbard sang, Nick Harmer played bass, and we wheeled in our piano for Zac Rae. This intimate set included two new songs — including "Black Sun," the first single from their new album Kintsugi.

The album title refers to the Japanese art of reassembling broken pottery and making the breakage part of the newly formed pot. Death Cab For Cutie, a groundbreaking band formed in 1997, has gone through its own rebuilding of sorts. Chris Walla, a founding member of the band, has left, after contributing music to Kintsugi, but that's his farewell offering.

Death Cab For Cutie is still strongly defined by Gibbard's words, and that couldn't be more evident in this beautifully stark performance, which also includes "No Room In Frame" from Kintsugi, as well as two stripped-down favorites from the past. One, "Your Heart Is An Empty Room," is from Plans, while a beautiful love song from Transatlanticism, "Passenger Seat," moistened more than a few eyes in the crowd.

Set List
"Black Sun" 0:07
"No Room In Frame" 5:13
"Your Heart Is An Empty Room" 9:23
"Passenger Seat" 14:00

Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Maggie Starbard; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Maggie Starbard, Carlos Waters; Assistant Producer: Emily Jan; photo by Emily Jan/NPR

[JayReezy-bsot]

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. ♥

[ISEEKSPACE]

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!

[internogrupo]

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.

[max-zlvm]

Death Cab's songs really resonate with me. They're quiet, introspective, shy, and honest.

[Mikeyrc]

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.

[carriekmms]

I am overwhelmed with nostalgia so much it's making me cry.

[lukelarsson]

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.

[isabelschmitt]

I love all the Tiny Desk concerts. But, this one is special. It is audible wine.

[Riley-nwjv]

Black sun 0:07
No room in frame 5:13
Your heart is an empty room 9:23
Passenger seat 14:00

[cuevasheather]

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.

[AtHomewithLucas]

The way Ben weaves silence into his singing is just beautiful

[bungopony]

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.

[QuietEarp]

he's smirking at the beginning of the video cuz he knows he's about to crush it

[IdahoJessie]

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.

[RelientKStuff]

let's all take a moment to recognize zac raes beautiful piano playing here

[toni]

Passenger seat is a timeless masterpiece

[Itiswhatitisitiswhatitiswhatit]

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! ❤

[DHGroove]

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.

[GreySectoid]

That voice, unique, always recognizable, brings me back when I was a different person

[deehoo]

His voice is just sooo...good. This is my kind of music