Alt-J: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

There's mystery in the music of Alt-J: The band's songs are wrapped in enigmatic textures, with swift shifts in arrangements inside every song and an oddness to the drums. Mere glimpses of lyrics are discernible, even after listening over and over — and if you can decipher the words, the meanings don't necessarily follow immediately. Still, those words reside at the core of Alt-J, and they're cinematic and stunning and sometimes brutal.

Seeing Alt-J live in concert — or here at the Tiny Desk — reveals a few of those mysteries, making a band that can be difficult on first listen a bit easier to digest. For one, seeing Joe Newman sing makes his words less oblique; for another, that curious rhythm at the foundation of the songs reveals not a hint of cymbals. And, though the drums are stripped down more than ever at the Tiny Desk, they still provide the essence of an original sound. Thom Green plays mostly with a mounted tambourine and cowbell for the sorts of things a hi-hat would accomplish — that tick tick sound, with the snap of the sound coming from a small-bodied 10" snare called a popcorn snare. The sparseness that happens in the absence of crashing cymbals leaves a lot of space in the music.

Alt-J is from Leeds, England — home to another of my favorite art-rock bands, Gang of Four. Both play angular, poetic music that takes unexpected turns, shifting gears when you least expect it. Alt-J made my favorite album of 2012, An Awesome Wave, and if you're new to the group, the understated sound may get lost on you at first. But listen to the words and study how the songs evolve: No one else is making music like this. This is an original, innovative band with a brilliant present and a brighter future. --BOB BOILEN

Set List
"Tessellate"
"Something Good"
"Matilda"

Credits
Producer: Bob Boilen; Editor: Denise DeBelius; Audio Engineers: Kevin Wait, Suraya Mohamed; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Christopher Parks, Ryan Smith; photo by Lauren Rock/NPR

[jackwishneski]

I really wish Tiny Desk concerts were like 45 minutes to an hour long. I want more of this.

[JB-ipvr]

"Three guns one goes off, ones empty, ones not quick enough"  This is the definition of a love triangle. 

[carloscorrea]

I like Alt-J because they always sound like they just woke up.

[wrnerd]

This guys voice should officially declared one of the wonders of the universe. I mean its magically hypnotic.

[ani]

I can't believe they sound this good live. It's a mark of how good they are as musicians - no need for special effects, the magic's all there in the fabric of the basics - the voice, the beat, the sweet melody, the togetherness.

[clownratt]

This is the first time I've heard them play something live, and I had no idea that was his legit, natural voice. It sounds so surreal and I love it

[jayrwinleblanc]

Pretty cool how an artist can incorporate Whale speak into their songs. Pure Talent

[firstdigits]

When the video is almost over I hit Alt-J a lot to bring it back to the beginning ;)

[flashgordonrocks]

0:00 - TESSEL∆TE
3:40 - SOMETHING GOOD
8:32 - M∆TILD∆

[erikjakubec]

Less than 16 more months and it’ll be 10 years since the masterpiece called An Awesome Wave was released. Man I still can’t put my head around that. It’s been almost a freaking decade

[autumnthomas]

I'm glad I finally found a video where I can actually see this man's voice coming out of his mouth. It's so beautiful- every note, every inflection is mesmerizing.

[Anth_]

There is just something so magical about Alt-J. Something Good is simply an amazing song.

[GuidoValdata]

listening in 2022, very very good sound, congratulations to the whole team

[junjierocks]

Poor guys at NPR have to laugh everytime people make the joke about playing in an office

[sukumarparitossh]

it's been SEVEN YEARS since this
.
.
.
Just stumbled onto NPR's TDCs with Mac Miller's concert and realized I have ten years of catching up to this BEAUTIFUL channel. If you're still reading this, I wish you all the joy I experience whenever I open any of their Tiny Desk Concerts.

[krace]

His voice is like a gem! So precise and technical but totally flow at the same time

[indieglowflowerchild]

I find myself returning to this video quite often and I still get chills every time.

[wutaboutstaci]

This video sums up why I listen to Alt-J...they're music is unlike any other thing I've heard before. Not to mention they're each SO talented ∆

[datcat]

"And she neeeeds yoooouu this is from Matiwwwdaaa"

For real though, I loved this

[DcMustDie]

My defeat sleeps top to toe with her success.

If anybody has not seen the movie Leon, I highly suggest you watch it right now.