Stephen Thompson | January 18, 2024
The Japanese House, a.k.a. the recording project of U.K. singer-songwriter Amber Bain, put out my favorite album of 2023: In the End It Always Does is an irresistible electro-pop record full of warmly relatable songs about desire, regret and the fear that no one will ever love you as much as the dog nestled in your lap. It's a wonderful record that's buoyed by impeccably chosen guests — MUNA's Katie Gavin, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, two members of The 1975 — and a pervasive mood of low-key dreaminess.

At the Tiny Desk, Bain recasts four of In the End It Always Does' songs in fresh arrangements that swap out the synths while highlighting the more organic sounds of brushed drums, a violin, a spare piano and the occasional baritone sax. And, though she closes with the album's effervescent lead single "Boyhood," Bain also uses her set to center the album's softer material — particularly the lush gem "Baby Goes Again," which has no business languishing as a deep cut.

SET LIST
"Sunshine Baby"
"Baby Goes Again"
"Over There"
"Boyhood"

MUSICIANS
Amber Bain: guitar, piano, lead vocals
Cicely Cotton: piano, saxophone, vocals
Kamran Khan: guitar, vocals
Dominic Potts: bass, vocals
Myles Sargent: drums
Chloe Kraemer: violin

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Stephen Thompson
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josh Rogosin
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Mitra I. Arthur
Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#thejapanesehouse #nprmusic #tinydesk