Jim Guthrie: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

We've had bands from all over the world visit the Tiny Desk. Most recently, we published a set by Keaton Henson, who was in from London. Back in May, we had singer M.R. Shajarian from Iran. There was the Danish band Efterklang, the Algerian singer Souad Massi and French composer Yann Tiersen. But before hosting singer Jim Guthrie earlier this summer, we'd never had a artist visit the U.S. solely to play the Tiny Desk.

Guthrie and a small army of backing musicians packed themselves into a van and drove down from their home in Ontario just to have a moment behind Bob Boilen's desk. "We drove nine hours," Guthrie told the audience. "So feel free to clap loud and clap often, because we've only got three songs here." When they finished those three songs, Guthrie and the rest of his band got back in the van and drove straight home.

Driving a total of 18 hours to play three songs might seem ridiculous, but Guthrie is no stranger to putting in time. He took 10 years between his last record, 2003's Now, More Than Ever, and this year's appropriately titled follow-up, Takes Time, a collection of wistful pop with sweet harmonies and uplifting, infectious melodies. The wait was worth it. Here, Guthrie and his band perform three standout tracks from Takes Time. --ROBIN HILTON

Set List
"Difference A Day Makes"
"Before & After"
"Like A Lake"

Credits
Producers: Denise DeBelius, Robin Hilton; Editor: Parker Miles Blohm; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Gaby Demczuk, Gabriella Garcia-Pardo