The power of Big Thief lies in the stunning voice of Adrianne Lenker — as well as the band's intense rhythms, the guitar playing of Buck Meek and, right, the lyrics. Come to think of it, everything this band does serves the muscular warmth of these brilliant songs, which are not only memorable, but meaningful.

"Masterpiece" is the first song in this Tiny Desk Concert, as well as Big Thief's best-known tune. It's a song of mortality and walking through life with your friends by your side. In fact, all three of these songs, all from the group's 2016 debut, are about passion, friendship, reflection, life and loved ones — it's music profound and beautiful enough to even work well in a brightly lit office in the middle of the day.

Masterpiece is available now (iTunes) (Amazon).

Set List

  • "Masterpiece"
  • "Paul"
  • "Lorraine"

Credits

Producers: Bob Boilen, Niki Walker; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Niki Walker, Claire Hannah Collins; Production Assistant: Sophie Kemp; Photo: Ruby Wallau/NPR.

For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast.

Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit NPR.

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