Black Dub: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

At the NPR Music offices, Trixie Whitley and Daniel Lanois brought a variety of instrumental backing, including an electronic bed for the single "I Believe in You," only to ditch many of the accoutrements on the fly. The result is a gripping and revealing performance.
Set List:
"Surely"
"Silverado"
"I Believe In You"
"I'd Rather Go Blind"
For more videos, visit NPR.org/tinydeskconcerts

[@laloatx5892]

10 years on this is still brilliant and deserves way more views

[@WimVandeKeere]

So true

[@sammie_gee5586]

wow! blown away! just coming across this for the first time after hearing Lanois talk about it while being interviewed by Buddy Miller and Emmylou Harris on SiriusXM

[@coloringonwalls]

I watch this video over and over again and I still can't get enough. I love the spirit of this duo. Its amazing how the creativity of artists can speak so personally to others' souls. I feel this resonating happiness every time I press play. Thank You for sharing your talents.

[@andrewwong1625]

So beautiful and well expressed...saw Black Dub three times.❤️

[@bballboyjumpshot9353]

What a voice! What a duet!

[@JamesFate]

Holy Cow! Thank you NPR for helping me discover these bands I should have known about a long time ago!!! This woman's voice is a revelation!!!

[@andrewmclean4082]

This is music. This is heart and soul. This is the reason I love music so much. If you can listen to this and not feel the heartbreak, the intensity, and the tears that went into it, then I'm truly sorry. I'm a grown man, and this made me cry. #onthereal

[@MrPnew1]

Nothing to be ashamed of. MeeToo

[@esperago]

The singing is too much. Too put on. There's an artifice to it. The songs of sadness and heartbreak she sings, well, if someone was actually feeling those emotions, they wouldn't sing like that. It would be raw emotion and vocal tone, not theatrical blues. I respect everything else about these compositions but her voice destroys the sincerity of the message. Too much bravado, "Listen to me!" ego stuff going on.

[@joyellinghaus6876]

I've just come to TW recently, (1/18) and I'm so glad I waited. Her work is completely different 7 years later than what this clip portrays. I've been a massive fan of her father's for decades and had the pleasure of seeing him countless times.. (anyone who does not know of him needs to be schooled.) Her work today has gone far afield from the loud vocal approach you hear here. She has turned inward, much as her father did at points in his career when he was alone with his guitar, bandless, and it is devastatingly beautiful and effective. Her songs are sparse, slow, intimate, quiet, stunning. It appears she has hit on the true muse within. At least it was present in that church in Brooklyn this winter, where she sat in a pew in the dark and sang the most beautiful song in the world only with a piano to accompany her. If I had my fucking phone on video instead of photo I'd have uploaded what you could see for yourselves but I'm a moron, too bad for her and everyone else. She doesn't have her father's guitar skills but she has his hold and cadence and timing and that's good enough for her to get around most any song she wants to sing as you can see the kernels of in the clip at 15:01. This clip is only representational of the artist in transition, like any.

[@sinusx8686]

C'est authentique et spirituel, j'adore. Bravo

[@vitoriachaves874]

They are like gods of music!

[@raphaelweg9721]

One of the best performances I have ever seen. Saw her live in Rotterdam ~10years ago and today KZbin waved this video into my screen. Tremendous

[@djharp51]

Amazing what a sweet lark and an ol' vet can give flight to.

[@YouGenie]

They all rock when you put your heart and soul into 'em. Thanks for sharing.

[@sspiper]

I think they are the best. The band with Daniel Lanois Brian Blades and Daryl Johnson is just unbelievably at the top of their game. Couple that with the addition of Trixie Whitley who makes my heart soar everytime she uses her amazing voice to belt out tunes with the heart felt soul of a true angel. A voice that truly invokes Janis Joplin , Billie Holiday channeling great blues artists of the past. Oh my god they are so good. Thank you!

[@ChrisStreidt]

if i only could loop this video so it runs all day long.. Such amazing music.

[@Natulcien1608]

The great thing about these talented musicians is that they're able to reinvent their songs again and again.

[@cristianofisch]

What an amazing tone and way of singing. Inspiring!

[@lonkylaine]

Gifted...Lanois is such a great guitar player !!

[@ThisIsTheAlphabet]

Trixie Whitley is one of those persons/musicians where you think "Yea, she's pretty sweet" and then you hear them again and you go "Damn, how good can she actually be?"

[@tizzwozz49]

I keep coming back to this. It's so powerful. Top 5 tiny desk for me!

[@ddbeattie]

I am in love with her voice! Can't wait to see them all play live :D

[@alessandro3000]

her voice is a straight arrow to the heart.

[@sspiper]

ok the song "Siverado" gives me goose bumps. I can't believe Trixie's voice. Her singing goes right to my soul

[@Artekb]

What a voice, you guys rock. Thanks for performing and posting.

[@manimal75]

You're so AMAZING Trixie,Where the HELL have you been hiding?? The WORLD needs to hear what you have to say.Enjoy your ride to the stars lady,cause you already are one,the WORLD just don't know it yet!!

[@123tube456]

Well I certainly did not expect THAT voice! WOW I was simply blown away. My God she is gooooooood! Next stop: buying her/their album. Thanks NPR.

[@markazevedo8679]

Wonder ! Thanks for posting, NPR Music

[@qqssaa]

this music goes right to my soul.............

[@TheQuietMidden]

She's amazing but I will always get chills by Lanois' voice. I love it. I love his soul.

[@nlouve]

what a voice !oh thanx, en direct du Québec merci.

[@TomPMelanson]

She's super emotional with these songs and that makes them so amazing. I've sang songs when I didn't feel them and it was so boring. But when you can breathe life and emotion into them it's just chilling

[@andrewdakota55]

I SURELY BELIEVE IN YOU!!! THANK-YOU KINDLY!!!

[@Klofvermark]

Her voice in no hesitation has to go in the history book. Cool cool awesoma

[@salazarbox]

her voice its surely amazing!

[@solreinecke6084]

Oh my goodness, this is so good for me..

[@822chase]

wow! my friend just showed me this and im completely blown away awesome!!!! shes got soul!!!!

[@WhiteXou]

Just can't stop listening .... Love it !

[@solreinecke6084]

Oh goodness, Trixi you are far out, and amazing, I will be following.

[@r.thurman544]

Wow. That apple didn't fall far from the tree at all. She sounds like her dad, who I am still a fan of. She's amazing!

[@TaiChiTex]

brought tears to my eyes....thx

[@zainbaggott8679]

I'm welling up! beautiful!

[@TincupPgh]

Rare is the female singer that blows me away. This lady tore me to pieces. Wow.

[@wooden_forge]

I think I'm in love with her. But there's so much passion in her voice there probably wouldn't be much left for me. *sigh* I'll just have to love her from afar.

[@seeyouinsalan]

surely you were meant to be heard.

[@vitoriachaves874]

I love her voice!

[@dubbedcrazy]

what a treat! thank you! amazing...great vocals! f__ing love le noise!

[@sonicpenguin]

definitely best album of the year... possibly, the decade.

[@janicekoenig2537]

holy shit...tears...

[@guyfidelity]

Brilliant for sure.

[@sebby4457]

love them both

[@MPBigTime]

She's outstanding.

[@heilleman7438]

Total connexion with my soul

[@heatherbrown1880]

fantastic

[@roomsforghost]

I'm frozen...Wow this has so much depth..Thanks NPR...

[@pascaleliotard]

so talented! bravo

[@slim1275]

Sweet and powerful.

[@gordonrosenberg]

extraordinary!

[@solreinecke6084]

Trixie is my HERO

[@comaradella]

GIFTED greatly

[@supersunshine22]

Friggin BRILLIANT!

[@Achtungworld1]

Ah, I don't know what to say!?. But; ah shivers down my spine all the way through loved it!. Girl got some lungs on her and Lanois can sure play. Silverado! These 2 have got great chemistry :)

[@kingkotey]

very very great voice

[@flyingworldtour]

awesome thanks !!!

[@bapbap22]

this is so much better than the over produced studio recording

[@gomezdharmabum]

great performance

[@colinvaughan2523]

Black Dub: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert ,,,,,fantastic.... recherche du temps perdu

[@CanesGen]

Wonderful! Please come to Japan!

[@24raves]

Purely spellbinding.

[@NinaKlockseth]

really like it!

[@Persiandarling]

Perfect!

[@tamalocal]

it'd be nice if NPR Music could upload this video in HD, it's pretty amazing.

[@supermassive16]

oh my god her voice gives me chills!!..you're really good :)))

[@masollat]

Raw is beautiful.

[@Takarafire]

Im moved. :] This has so much emotion.

[@gregorypekkery]

she made her dad proud.........then, now, for always

[@xenoglossy]

wow.. speechless

[@william4661]

Don't see this type of thing on npr often. However great it always is. Wish I could give 5 stars

[@frodus23]

I've seen Dan & Trixie live, and I've listened to her new stuff. It stuns me that she is just getting better...

[@comaradella]

OHHH MY GOD, THAT " SURELY " GOES RIGHT THROUGH MY BONES

[@jimmyskins]

love that photo of Sun Ra behind them!

[@wingtofly55]

good to hear........

[@digitalwv]

Awesome

[@MrBadguitar]

A bit of Joan armitrading here and that's a great compliment.

[@lisellote4101]

Einfach genial Daniel Mach sie zum Stern

[@mrabrams]

Wow, great energy. I saw Trixie with her father, the late great Chris Whitley, at the Gibson guitar festival in the late 90s in Newport RI. They played a duet, I think Powerdown, she was maybe 8 or 9 but you could see her potential. I'm sure Chris is smiling somewhere.

[@deelightandbrite]

... just saw them and Rocco DeLuca at the El Rey last night. Oh yes. You should be jealous. It was phenomenal!!

[@Danowzz]

i'mjust going to say... WAUW.... OR FREAKING WAUW.... :)

[@TheLexxMarie]

Damn, that was incredible.

[@schlagdog]

@manimal75 She has been amazing since she was a little girl dancing on stage with her dad while he played. She really is a super talent.

[@tatyanaandjon]

wow!

[@dorafriedman8951]

If he refuses I still go on Till the heaven and earth are gone Time may rage but rage in vain My designs unchanged remain Night is my shepherd, moonlight is my guide You were close by, now the distance is so wide You found me blind, you taught me how to see Now it's so hard to have you away from me Surely you were meant to be mine Surely you were meant to be mine You command my hand to write In the dark hours of deep midnight Your love is a love, a love like no other Wings of joy forever flutter Surely you were meant to be mine Surely you were meant to be mine Surely you were meant to be mine Surely you were meant to be mine Fortune favors the brave they say My bravery could not convince me to stay If he refuses I still go on Till the heaven and earth are gone Fortune favors the brave they say My bravery could not convince me to stay Surely Surely you were meant to be mine Surely you were meant to be mine Surely you were meant to be mine Surely you were meant to be mine Surely, surely, surely Surely you were meant to be mine

[@m1chelangel01]

I have just fallen in love.....

[@slapshot1519]

GOD DAMN!

[@afroditereall]

Silverado🖤🖤

[@qqssaa]

@sonicpenguin exactly .... your right man !!! this album is incredible !!!!

[@suryrrvjku643]

daniel lanois is a pure genius as far as working with musicians goes..There's a book about this fella somewhere. Take a look at his history & you'll know the calliber this guy has an eye for talent. I don't doubt trixie for a second, if he's got her back. Oh The Joy.. was enough for me.

[@MsElete]

I don't get why it takes the audience, after every song, like 5 seconds before they start to clap.. Aren't they watching or paying attention?? it's akward for trixie and Daniel. I would go nuts if I would see this live and would most def start to clap too soon! :) They are magic..

[@juliegiordanoparada]

me too!!!

[@MrBungalow78]

beau

[@TheJudyCantwell]

Black Dub please come to St. John's NL, please please please !! :-)

[@vinceinelkins]

This is my pick for best banf of 2010...