Stephen Thompson http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5244882&ft=1&f=5244882 Stephen Thompson is an editor and reviewer for NPR Music, where he curates Song of the Day, fusses over the placement of commas and is a frequent panelist on All Songs Considered and Pop Culture Happy Hour. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Stephen Thompson http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5244882&ft=1&f=5244882 First Listen Live: Queens Of The Stone Age, '...Like Clockwork' Josh Homme presides over a dense, textured, unpredictable sound that's equal parts mystery, intensity, beauty and bluster. Watch QOTSA perform <em>...Like Clockwork</em> in its entirety, then tackle an assortment of older material, in a sold-out show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on May 23. Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/event/music/185557912/first-listen-live-queens-of-the-stone-age-like-clockwork?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/event/music/185557912/first-listen-live-queens-of-the-stone-age-like-clockwork?ft=1&f=5244882 Josh Homme presides over a dense, textured, unpredictable sound that's equal parts mystery, intensity, beauty and bluster. Watch QOTSA perform ...Like Clockwork in its entirety, then tackle an assortment of older material, in a sold-out show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on May 23.

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]]> First Listen: Laura Marling, 'Once I Was An Eagle' Marling's songs dig well beyond the everyday, with each sung in a wise, dusky, brooding voice that always seems in control of its surroundings. The U.K. folksinger's fourth album, <em>Once I Was an Eagle</em>, takes a remarkable journey over the course of 16 hypnotic, subtly inventive songs. Sun, 19 May 2013 22:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/19/184795915/first-listen-laura-marling-once-i-was-an-eagle?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/19/184795915/first-listen-laura-marling-once-i-was-an-eagle?ft=1&f=5244882 Marling's songs dig well beyond the everyday, with each sung in a wise, dusky, brooding voice that always seems in control of its surroundings. The U.K. folksinger's fourth album, Once I Was an Eagle, takes a remarkable journey over the course of 16 hypnotic, subtly inventive songs.

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]]> First Listen: Sean Nelson, 'Make Good Choices' Eight years after his last album with Harvey Danger, Nelson returns with a wonderfully catchy and quotable solo record. True to virtually every piece of music the singer-songwriter has ever written, <em>Make Good Choices</em> is fueled by a cocktail of quotability and charm. Sun, 19 May 2013 22:20:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/19/184811141/first-listen-sean-nelson-make-good-choices?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/19/184811141/first-listen-sean-nelson-make-good-choices?ft=1&f=5244882 Eight years after his last album with Harvey Danger, Nelson returns with a wonderfully catchy and quotable solo record. True to virtually every piece of music the singer-songwriter has ever written, Make Good Choices is fueled by a cocktail of quotability and charm.

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]]> We Get Mail: Can You Build The Perfect Cover Song? The best cover songs, the ones that endure, bring out something that wasn't already there in the original. Thu, 16 May 2013 12:25:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/05/15/184350690/we-get-mail-can-you-build-the-perfect-cover-song?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/05/15/184350690/we-get-mail-can-you-build-the-perfect-cover-song?ft=1&f=5244882 The best cover songs, the ones that endure, bring out something that wasn't already there in the original.

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]]> First Listen: G&D, 'The Lighthouse' On <em>The Lighthouse</em>, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Dudley Perkins engineer an overstuffed, idea-packed collision of funk, soul, hip-hop, jazz, psychedelic space-rock, spoken-word poetry, protest music and more. Along the way, they examine innumerable intersections of love, politics, spirituality, healthy living, parenthood and world citizenship. Sun, 12 May 2013 22:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/182912777/first-listen-g-d-the-lighthouse?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/182912777/first-listen-g-d-the-lighthouse?ft=1&f=5244882 On The Lighthouse, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Dudley Perkins engineer an overstuffed, idea-packed collision of funk, soul, hip-hop, jazz, psychedelic space-rock, spoken-word poetry, protest music and more. Along the way, they examine innumerable intersections of love, politics, spirituality, healthy living, parenthood and world citizenship.

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]]> First Listen: The Handsome Family, 'Wilderness' The duo returns with a concept album about wildlife, with an emphasis on nature's capacity for destruction. Animals may burrow in and out of each of these songs, but they're merely helping humanity forge a pathway to madness. Sun, 12 May 2013 22:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/182867242/first-listen-the-handsome-family-wilderness?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/182867242/first-listen-the-handsome-family-wilderness?ft=1&f=5244882 The duo returns with a concept album about wildlife, with an emphasis on nature's capacity for destruction. Animals may burrow in and out of each of these songs, but they're merely helping humanity forge a pathway to madness.

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]]> We Get Mail: How Can A Vinyl Lover Start Over From Scratch? To the vinyl lover who dumped her collection years ago: First off, we feel terrible for you, but we're here to offer some tips on how to rebuild. Thu, 09 May 2013 12:20:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/05/09/182574410/we-get-mail-how-can-a-vinyl-lover-start-over-from-scratch?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/05/09/182574410/we-get-mail-how-can-a-vinyl-lover-start-over-from-scratch?ft=1&f=5244882 To the vinyl lover who dumped her collection years ago: First off, we feel terrible for you, but we're here to offer some tips on how to rebuild.

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]]> Cayucas: Sunlight In Song Form Sitting poolside on a picnic table under the blazing California sun, the band performs its bittersweet single "High School Lover" with only an acoustic guitar and light percussion for accompaniment. The result is pure sunshine — a perfect soundtrack to the shimmery leisure that surrounds the band on all sides. Thu, 09 May 2013 10:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/event/music/182252333/cayucas-sunlight-in-song-form?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/event/music/182252333/cayucas-sunlight-in-song-form?ft=1&f=5244882 Sitting poolside on a picnic table under the blazing California sun, the band performs its bittersweet single "High School Lover" with only an acoustic guitar and light percussion for accompaniment. The result is pure sunshine — a perfect soundtrack to the shimmery leisure that surrounds the band on all sides.

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]]> We Get Mail: What To Do When You've Burned Out On Your Favorite Music Familiarity can breed contempt. So how do you rekindle passion for the albums you once loved? Thu, 02 May 2013 14:05:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/05/02/180558872/we-get-mail-what-to-do-when-youve-burned-out-on-your-favorite-music?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/05/02/180558872/we-get-mail-what-to-do-when-youve-burned-out-on-your-favorite-music?ft=1&f=5244882 Familiarity can breed contempt. So how do you rekindle passion for the albums you once loved?

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]]> First Listen: She & Him, 'Volume 3' Playful, soft, sunnily melancholy and springlike, Zooey Deschanel's songs with M. Ward once again subsist on the strength of their own agreeability. Timelessness has long been key to the duo's charm, and indeed, <em>Volume 3</em> seems to be floating through AM speakers at all times. Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/28/178857227/first-listen-she-him-volume-3?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/28/178857227/first-listen-she-him-volume-3?ft=1&f=5244882 Playful, soft, sunnily melancholy and springlike, Zooey Deschanel's songs with M. Ward once again subsist on the strength of their own agreeability. Timelessness has long been key to the duo's charm, and indeed, Volume 3 seems to be floating through AM speakers at all times.

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]]> First Listen: Mikal Cronin, 'MCII' On his second album, the perfectionist and multi-instrumentalist applies a beachy sparkle to 37 minutes of fresh, fun rock 'n' roll. The result feels like the work of a young artist who's both newly grown-up and still growing. Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/28/179052744/first-listen-mikal-cronin-mcii?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/28/179052744/first-listen-mikal-cronin-mcii?ft=1&f=5244882 On his second album, the perfectionist and multi-instrumentalist applies a beachy sparkle to 37 minutes of fresh, fun rock 'n' roll. The result feels like the work of a young artist who's both newly grown-up and still growing.

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]]> We Get Mail: Should Parents Try To Get Their Kids Into Great Music? Parents pass down countless behavioral and cultural inheritances. Is it possible to pass down musical taste? Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:16:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/04/23/178597447/we-get-mail-should-parents-try-to-get-their-kids-into-great-music?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/04/23/178597447/we-get-mail-should-parents-try-to-get-their-kids-into-great-music?ft=1&f=5244882 Parents pass down countless behavioral and cultural inheritances. Is it possible to pass down musical taste?

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]]> Jittery Jams: 10 Songs For Coffee Lovers With the Beastie Boys taking their "sugar with coffee and cream," Carly Simon finding "clouds in my coffee," and countless singers using black coffee as a metaphor for a life in need of a swift kick, it was actually tough to narrow a caffeinated playlist down to just 10 selections. Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:14:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/25/178849497/jittery-jams-10-songs-for-coffee-lovers?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/25/178849497/jittery-jams-10-songs-for-coffee-lovers?ft=1&f=5244882 With the Beastie Boys taking their "sugar with coffee and cream," Carly Simon finding "clouds in my coffee," and countless singers using black coffee as a metaphor for a life in need of a swift kick, it was actually tough to narrow a caffeinated playlist down to just 10 selections.

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]]> First Listen: Colin Stetson, 'New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light' The saxophonist infuses his solo records with an unsettling rumble, while still making room for alternately grandiose and guttural moments that awe and unnerve. His new album features vocal contributions from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. Sun, 21 Apr 2013 22:31:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/21/177495625/first-listen-colin-stetson-new-history-warfare-vol-3-to-see-more-light?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/21/177495625/first-listen-colin-stetson-new-history-warfare-vol-3-to-see-more-light?ft=1&f=5244882 The saxophonist infuses his solo records with an unsettling rumble, while still making room for alternately grandiose and guttural moments that awe and unnerve. His new album features vocal contributions from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.

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]]> First Listen: Deerhunter, 'Monomania' <em>Monomania</em> has a dirtier, wirier, less fussed-over feel than the band has cultivated in recent years. The band's fifth album captures Bradford Cox's gift for self-laceration and unpredictability, but it moves in a less studio-bound direction, closer to the raw and unhinged spirit of his live shows. Sun, 21 Apr 2013 22:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/21/177759938/first-listen-deerhunter-monomania?ft=1&f=5244882 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/21/177759938/first-listen-deerhunter-monomania?ft=1&f=5244882 Monomania has a dirtier, wirier, less fussed-over feel than the band has cultivated in recent years. The band's fifth album captures Bradford Cox's gift for self-laceration and unpredictability, but it moves in a less studio-bound direction, closer to the raw and unhinged spirit of his live shows.

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