Last year, Angel Olsen‘s Burn Your Fire For No Witness broke through in a big way, landing on many year-end best lists. Olsen’s songs hit with heartbreaking vulnerability, lost somewhere between what could be and what can’t be. In this song, “Stars,” she showcases her impressively agile voice in front of an enthralled audience.

The 2014 edition of Pickathon was held over three days at Pendarvis Farm just outside of Portland, Ore. In 16 seasons, the festival has built a solid reputation for its curatorial independence, family-friendly environment and green focus. Throughout the weekend, bands often perform on several stages, including the main stage, a pair of converted barns, and one in the woods. To get to the Woods Stage, you follow a footpath through the trees to a natural bowl-shaped amphitheater. At night, the path is lit by suspended lights, while the stage itself is situated under a nest of branches, surrounded on three sides by the audience.

SET LIST

• “Stars”

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Olsen is a Missouri-born — and now Asheville, N.C.-based — musician via Chicago. The new record was produced by John Congleton with a new band featuring Josh Jaeger on drums and bassist Stewart Bronaugh. The trio began rehearsing these songs in a church turned recording studio in Asheville over the summer. The songs are at times explosive and at times lulling. At the Tiny Desk, the expressive and powerful singer stood alone, and in the process gave us the perfect way to first hear these songs.

Set List

• “Unf–theworld”
• “lota”
• “Enemy”
• “White Fire”

Credits

Producers: Bob Boilen, Denise DeBelius; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Becky Harlan, Meredith Rizzo; photo by Abbey Oldham/NPR

Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.