Laura Gibson

If you love seeing live concerts, chances are you've gone to shows where the clinking beer bottles and incessant crowd chatter were louder than the music. After seeing the soft spoken Laura Gibson lose out to a noisy audience during a show in Austin, TX, All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen and Song of the Day editor Stephen Thompson came up with a novel solution: They invited Gibson to play at the NPR Music offices, specifically Bob Boilen's desk, launching what's now called the Tiny Desk Concert series.

Oregon-based folksinger Laura Gibson was a good sport when we invited her to play a mini-concert for us at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. She drew a small crowd of curious office workers while playing a handful of delicately crafted songs.

Part industry trade show, part fan feast, Austin's South by Southwest provides one-stop shopping for those looking for music discovery. Preview the four-day music marathon.

If you love seeing live concerts, chances are you've gone to shows where the clinking beer bottles and incessant crowd chatter were louder than the music. After seeing the soft spoken Laura Gibson lose out to a noisy audience during a show in Austin, TX, All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen and Song of the Day editor Stephen Thompson came up with a novel solution: They invited Gibson to play at the NPR Music offices, specifically Bob Boilen's desk, launching what's now called the Tiny Desk Concert series.

Opening amid feedback squalls, Gibson's "Shadows on Parade" quickly offsets the dissonance with harp-like strums on an acoustic guitar, setting the tone for a somber, dreamlike journey that drifts along gently while retaining its muted beauty.

Hear a full-album preview of Laura Gibson's quiet masterpiece, Beasts of Seasons, streaming on NPR Music as an exclusive first listen.

Laura Gibson is about to release one of the year's most breathtaking albums. Hear a preview of the quiet masterpiece, Beasts of Seasonson this edition of All Songs Considered. Also on the program: new music from Lily Allen and Morrissey, hip-hop troubadour K'naan, a Sufjan Stevens remix, Jason Schwartzman's solo project Coconut Records, and an eerily beautiful new album from The Antlers.

Former members of Olivia Tremor control return as Circulatory System: we've got a preview of new work from their upcoming album; Athens, GA neo-psych group Elf Power releases their best CD of the decade; The Black Keys get in touch with their softer side; folk singer Laura Gibson shares some old blues; Gnarls Barkley return as the 'odd couple'; West African artist Etran Finatawa has a powerful new collection of desert blues; and hip-hop chameleon Tim Fite produces his most ambitious record to date.

Oregon-based folksinger Laura Gibson was a good sport when we invited her to play a mini-concert for us at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. She drew a small crowd of curious office workers while playing a handful of delicately crafted songs.

Opening amid feedback squalls, Gibson's "Shadows on Parade" quickly offsets the dissonance with harp-like strums on an acoustic guitar, setting the tone for a somber, dreamlike journey that drifts along gently while retaining its muted beauty.

Laura Gibson is about to release one of the year's most breathtaking albums. Hear a preview of the quiet masterpiece, Beasts of Seasonson this edition of All Songs Considered. Also on the program: new music from Lily Allen and Morrissey, hip-hop troubadour K'naan, a Sufjan Stevens remix, Jason Schwartzman's solo project Coconut Records, and an eerily beautiful new album from The Antlers.