Haley Bonar: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

October 11, 2016 by Stephen Thompson The first time I saw Haley Bonar in concert, she and her band were performing at the base of a 54foot Doritos vending machine a dehumanizing corporate venue of the variety that occasionally surfaces at SXSW. Somehow, though, her wry, spiky spark found a way to shine through. A few years later, we found a slightly cozier spot for Bonar to perform three new songs, all drawn from the Minnesotan s terrific new album Impossible Dream. Along the way, she achieves an impressive range of sounds and storytelling, taking a little more than 10 minutes to pack in a melancholy look at the past s inescapability ( Hometown ), a brooding slowburn about temptation and trust ( Jealous Girls ), and a stomping rager about doomed love ( Called You Queen ). All three achieve a nifty balance, sounding just strippeddown enough to suit the space, yet still immaculately polished at every turn. Impossible Dream is available now: iTunes: