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Jenny Lewis: Tiny Desk Concert

Having seen Jenny Lewis' recent concert spectacle, with its Las Vegas sparkle — complete with a multi-level stage — I loved the contrast her Tiny Desk Concert provided.

Jenny arrived at NPR with just her acoustic guitar and bandmates Emily Elbert, who sang and played guitar, and Anna Butterss on upright bass and vocals. Stripped of all the glitz, it was the words that found their way to my heart. A consummate storyteller, going as far back to her days with her band Rilo Kiley, Jenny's words have comforted and inspired so many.

She sings two of her three Tiny Desk songs from her fourth solo record, On the Line. These are tough breakup songs, though she redirects all the pain into thoughtful fun. She even turned "Rabbit Hole" into an NPR sing-along and gave us all a Hot Pockets surprise. You'll have to watch for that one.

SET LIST

  • "Rabbit Hole"
  • "Do Si Do"
  • "Just One Of The Guys"
  • MUSICIANS

    Jenny Lewis: vocals, guitar; Emily Elbert: guitar, vocals; Anna Butterss: bass, vocals

    CREDITS

    Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Noelle Smith, Maia Stern; Creative director: Bob Boilen; Audio engineers: Josh Rogosin, Patrick Boyd, Natasha Branch; Editor: Maia Stern; Videographers: Jack Corbett, Maia Stern, Bronson Arcuri; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Executive producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Laura Beltran Villamizar/NPR

    Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

    In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.