Esmé Patterson: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Bob Boilen | February 10, 2017 — There’s a vibrance to the current music of Esmé Patterson that I wasn’t expecting, having listened to her previous band Paper Bird. Gone are the banjos and remnants of folk music, and in their place are electric guitars — sometimes fierce and, here at the Tiny Desk, somewhat understated. She’s a relative newcomer to the guitar, making it part of her songwriting only since leaving Paper Bird. But all of this instrumentation is meant to be supportive, not center-stage. At the heart of these songs, from her album We Were Wild, is a reach for independence: I can’t sit still ’cause I’m no mountain I can’t sit so still ’cause I’m no mountain I can’t sit still forever, I’m no mountain I’m human, I’m human If there’s a thread that ties Patterson’s songs together, it’s discovering who you are and standing strong. She’s doing that well — with a powerful and sensitive band that’s got her back. We Were Wild is available now: iTunes: