Alpine: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Alpine's music doesn't instantly present itself as Tiny Desk material: The Australian sextet crafts busily impeccable pop music with a danceable sway, prominent synths and the charming shared lead vocals of Phoebe Baker and Lou James. That's a lot of ingredients to strip down to a semi-acoustic set in the NPR Music offices; there's virtually no margin for error.
Thankfully, the two women at the band's heart possess gorgeously interlocking, harmony-intensive voices that require no sweeteners. Alpine's debut album, the brightly catchy A Is For Alpine, is a high-gloss studio production, which only helps make this four-song set - recorded at 9 o'clock at night to kick off an after-hours party on a nearby NPR roof deck - an essential companion piece. Taken together, the album and this relentlessly engaging performance form a charm offensive that's awfully easy to love. --STEPHEN THOMPSON
Set List
"Gasoline"
"Villages"
"Hands"
"Softsides"
Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Denise DeBelius; Editor: Audio Engineer: Suraya Mohamed; Videographers: Chloe Coleman, Denise DeBelius, Becky Lettenberger

[@jazz1265]

The guy with the beard in white t-shirt taught me guitar in melb uni! He's the best music teacher i've ever had :P

[@Fopalope]

This has aged terribly 😄 edit: he sexually assaulted a teenage girl

[@Alcibaides101]

This is oddly fantastic. They definitely need to make a whole album like this

[@holadonkey]

the vocals and guitars are tight.blends so well together.i love it.but I can see its not for everyone.I like music that's pop but eclectic.

[@ariannaapplewhite8592]

Following this band for a few years now.. constantly amazed by their unique style and compositions. Their songs make smile and tap my foot. Can’t help but to start groovin.

[@MoldyWarts]

Villages was the song that made me fall in love with this band and the version here is just amazing

[@tanyazapien290]

These girls have more talent then 98% of the shit on the radio.

[@jonlesliehaynes]

I find Gasoline to be one of their most intriguing compositions

[@joshuaparish8440]

The guy with the beard tutored me for guitar at uni, haha. Funny dude. Good band.

[@milabloom4736]

+Joshua Parish holy crap really??!

[@joshuaparish8440]

+Luna Whitegrass yep! they're all from Melbourne uni. They played a free concert there once as well

[@jazz1265]

He's tutoring this year at uni too! A great tutor and really genuine too

[@errolfellows409]

I started listening, and went "Hmmm?" in a rather mildly not for me mood, but within a few bars went "Hmmm!" in a rather more interested mood, and then by the end of the first song I was hooked!!! Intriguing music and MARVELLOUS! Another grand KZbin find!

[@ismaelisaiasramirez]

Marvelous paragraph.

[@DisgruntledVampire]

I like Alpine's sound. Everything blends with everything else really well. It sounds to me like acoustic hip-hop mixed with pop and a couple other elements I can't place, and they all do it in a way that sounds refreshing.

[@esohedicho]

best live version of "Hands" i've seen so far... great!

[@karlmoore6354]

that guy with the nylon string is killing it

[@zipporah.milliner]

Cool to see how the tiny desk space has changed from years ago to what it currently is in 2024. 11years ago and they were just filling up the walls and shelves 😭

[@soymilk7669]

when they started playing hands I just about died

[@colinmelville3636]

Gotta laugh at some of the negative comments on here! Ha ha ha ha (that's me laughing at some of the negative comments on here). This music is really good. :*

[@Luke-Harno3]

Very nice!

[@Kydog28]

Till this day; this version of Softsides gets me 🥹

[@dieyoung22]

[@justkeepquiet]

Technically amazing, pop high !! Love the hippie style ahah

[@josephcornell3083]

Just found this band. I am loving their sound. Looking forward to more albums from them.

[@michaelhudson1521]

im so sorry bro

[@Fopalope]

Disbanded, plus guitarist sexually assaulted so will never reunite

[@heneskahnyobee]

4 birds came to my window during soft sides :)

[@dydrmfm7579]

great voices

[@aw00gag0rl]

they sound as good acoustically as they do in their regular recordings, I love it!

[@brettplayford9808]

+Xiadani Avila the drummer is dragging in every song, either that or the rest of the band is rushing. No judgement tho, still my favourite non metal band.

[@breisdor1]

+Drum Edge Nah, he's just playing on the back of the beat, but he's always placing it in the right spot. Sounds good.

[@brettplayford9808]

It's not leaning on the beat if the song wasn't recorded that way. It's mistakes mate.

[@breisdor1]

+Drum Edge: Because you always play the song exactly like the recording.

[@brettplayford9808]

Well the rest of the band is, he is fucking it up. It's off putting. I understand weaving time, and leaning forward or back on the beat. He is just dragging. It's not a subtle change, its a clanger.

[@klemintine7]

I like their vibe, however I don't understand the outfit choice if the woman in the left.

[@Stoogemeister420]

thank you. i love you all so much. have a nice life

[@johns1693]

This band is so good. I got chills while listening to this. Gotta love them.

[@foggyrange]

Amazing the guitars make the jazzy sound.

[@bananaliver]

Their syncopation is just impeccable!

[@radical631]

they sing like brass instruments. its great.

[@MrBobble51]

it's an acquired taste but I like them, no room for error indeed.

[@sscillitani]

The voice of the one on the left(I think) reminds me a bit of Joanna Newsom.

[@ismaelisaiasramirez]

Love to all the lonely hearts out there.

[@taynanadeo1230]

Do someone know the model of the Cajon? (percussion)

[@MoldyWarts]

Oh man, Softsides was just heaven.

[@eds6889]

Just listened to the studio versions, prefer the acoustic. Like to see them live. Liked

[@josezapata1784]

Why are there three guitars for this?

[@Joepicken]

So... this what goes on in the teachers lounge.

[@OnEvenKeel]

They would have been huge in the eighties!

[@5k33k]

Since I couldn't find em elsewhere, here are the names of the performers Phoebe Baker - Vocals (Green shirt, purple dress) Lou James - Vocals (Blue romper) Christian O'Brien - Acoustic Guitar (With the beard) Tim Royall - Keys/Acoustic Guitar Phil Tucker - Percussion/Keys Ryan Lamb - Acoustic Guitar (English guy who visited the Air and Space museum)

[@marcelonerymusical]

wow! a kind of magic!

[@mezcalchidito]

so beautiful!

[@nihiser7087]

big love to this band XX

[@dtrefz4941]

Absolutely beautiful.

[@radoslawrokita6022]

Indeed, people have different concept of beauty. Listen to the original video,,,, Gasoline and comparing the actual possibilities of vocal these charming ladies. Have you ever heard meowing cats, or voice stepped on a frog? This is it .. I'd be ashamed. Listen to a live band from Canada Mother Mother and compare and verify.

[@milabloom4736]

They're great, I just couldn't really get into how they sounded here, with nothing to make their voices reverberate off of the walls. Sometimes I could barely even hear them. They don't exactly have, shall we say... very projected voices. It sounded pretty muffled at times and I honestly think they sound better vocally in a studio, but they were still good. Three and a half stars. They were as good, at least, as you can sound when you're singing in a library. My only suggestion to them is that maybe they could just raise the volume of their voices just a little bit more, but I'm no professional, haha.

[@Kissaki0]

8:32 I’m confused by the shirt O.o

[@harvester0181]

a cat with tit-eyes? tit-ties...? titties? I have no idea either.

[@Slenderman629]

got annoyed at 1:39 those vocals are not for me e e e e e e e

[@0HARE]

I love this performance so much! Thanks for hosting the band, and posting this excellent video. Good Vibrations

[@ramzyred]

A shitty version of Lucius

[@timekeep3r]

this vid comes on automatically sometimes & i get triggered each time

[@suegha]

This is so wonderful, I'm stuck for words. Some of the best harmonizing that I have ever heard!

[@testdirver]

Alpine is my favorite car

[@cellfloam]

Saw these guys live with Crystal Fighters. The best concert I've ever been to.

[@dirtyjewkillah]

Easily one of my least favorite comments I could hope to forget.

[@wasnevergivenaname]

Somebody's drinking a Two Hearted Ale. Thumbs up.

[@drprfssrprft4511]

why is jamie lovell playing guitar?

[@bobbrownell5990]

He's drinking a Bell's Two Hearted! Represent from Kalamazoo, MI!

[@jalynndenise3246]

pretty please have this band back!!!

[@ilsonilson7113]

Star Slinger brought me here

[@gershonnundkumar6444]

love you from South Africa

[@mariano697]

BRAVI!

[@samiserhan6296]

More like Sam from Game of Thrones

[@jamisonstiebeling803]

Professor Snape on acustic

[@mitchgordon8199]

There fantastic.

[@soymilk7669]

yes yes yes

[@blabberpad]

Not a fan of Pheobe's outfit but this band makes me very happy

[@milabloom4736]

+BlabberPad I think she pulls it off pretty well, though, wouldn't you say?

[@ellomenn0]

original & dope!

[@danieljose6458]

felt so lovely💛💛💛

[@Worstification]

Drone pop

[@OnEvenKeel]

By chance is anyone else reminded of Ani DiFranco?

[@gerimayawhyte154]

Nah... No bite... Ani has got bite to her lyrics...

[@starlingrad]

Awesome!!!

[@mc540flip]

I love this! They killed it

[@patrickcavins3231]

Would love to see them release an acoustic album!

[@sophearykham505]

Llll the, the New York Tim

[@brettplayford9808]

Drummer is dragging every time, even his dancing is out of time. You should trust him to keep and set time. You guys are relying too much on your lead guitar

[@DarioCivinelli]

+Drum Edge Go play Minecraft

[@brettplayford9808]

I should actually, it's been about 6 months haha

[@duncangrigsby3802]

He nailed it on softsides thou. :-)

[@be9nz]

It's the J-dilla style. You play behind the beat.

[@theorifice]

What the hell are you talking about? Your internal metronome is broken.

[@bigziam]

2 Women not killing each other over all of the shine .....amazing!!! Dope smooth melodic very impressive ALPINE 1 new fan....

[@DanielPerez-hb2xn]

Never really cared so much for them but the more I hear them live the more i like them

[@michaelirish6634]

This just felt very uncomfortable.

[@morrisnhotel970]

easily one of my least favorite tiny desk videos I can remember

[@alfadChannel]

nothing special really ..

[@milabloom4736]

+Alfredo Salvati I mean, you should hear them when they're singing in a studio instead, because they're an amazing band in general, they just have really quiet voices. But yeah I can totally agree with what you're saying... it's not their best.

[@phillipjoseph1535]

boring.

[@neuropiano]

A bit boring to be honest. Not enough variety

[@Adventuretk]

this band is not good