The Jayhawks: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

August 8, 2016 by TOM HUIZENGA • The last song in this set from The Jayhawks is called “Comeback Kids.“ Although it’s ostensibly a breezy portrait of a lovers’ reunion, the title could be the motto for a band that’s been through so many breakups, re-formations and personnel changes in the past 30 years that Wikipedia resorted to an infographic timeline to capture the myriad details. Yet the essential Jayhawks sound — jangly, country-tinged rock with exquisitely crafted hooks and close harmonies — remains solid, due largely to founding member Gary Louris, who continues to dominate the singing and songwriting. The band’s new album Paging Mr. Proust, from which they chose four songs for this Tiny Desk concert, sounds like vintage Jayhawks. “Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces,“ with its carefree, sing-along chorus, may sound lightweight, but it’s actually a plea to live more in the moment (“In the end, there’s no waiting redemption“). It could fit perfectly into the lineup on Rainy Day Music, the band’s impeccable 20