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Stephen Thompson Stephen Thompson is a host, writer and reviewer for NPR Music and Pop Culture Happy Hour. He appears frequently on All Songs Considered and NPR newsmagazines.
Washington, DC - May 03, 2016: Stephen Thompson CREDIT: Matt Roth
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Stephen Thompson

Tuesday

Review

Song Of The Day

Melancholy Gloom, Beautiful and Bruised

In "Serpentine," it takes about 40 seconds for Chris Bathgate to introduce himself as a skilled purveyor of lovely gloom. Throughout the song, a variety of handsome instrumental window dressing obscures a sad rumination on estrangement.

'Serpentine' by Chris Bathgate

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Monday

Thursday

Holiday Music

18 Hours of Christmas Music: My Holiday Hellride

The week of Thanksgiving, NPR Music producer Stephen Thompson completed a daunting task: He listened to nothing but new holiday CDs for an entire 18-hour drive. The trip yielded prizes and punishments, and even a minor Christmas miracle.

18 Hours of Christmas Music: My Holiday Hellride

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Friday

Thursday

Review

Song Of The Day

'The Weight of Lies' and an Unforgettable Past

The Avett Brothers' reputation has been staked on its unhinged live shows, which mix a rock band's power with the frenetic speed of bluegrass. But the North Carolina trio's best songs, like "The Weight of Lies," are nuanced and incisive, showcasing uncommon wisdom.

'The Weight of Lies' by The Avett Brothers

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Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

A Sort of Homecoming, on the 'Day After Tomorrow'

Like so many great songs about complex issues, Linda Thompson's cover of Tom Waits' "Day After Tomorrow" views the ethics and impact of war on the smallest possible scale, functioning entirely from the perspective of a disillusioned soldier preparing to return home.

'Day After Tomorrow' by Linda Thompson

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

Mick Turner: Brooding Portent And A Stormy Cataclysm

In "Swing (Parts 1 & 2)," guitarist Mick Turner plucks out a simple, dreamy hook as a violin radiates unease. Meanwhile, drummer Jim White helps ratchet up the tension over the course of several eerie minutes. As a solo act, Turner expertly emulates his band, Dirty Three.

'Swing (Parts 1 & 2)' by Mick Turner/Tren Brothers

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

Scott Matthews' Study in Worried Beauty

In "Elusive," Matthews strips down to the essentials of his songwriting: a dusky croon, gently strummed guitar strings, a hypnotic melody. Opening with a beleaguered sigh and getting only incrementally more cheerful from there, "Elusive" is a study in dreamy beauty.

'Elusive' by Scott Matthews

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Wednesday

Music

It's Halloween, So Be of Good Cheer

Pumpkins are on doorsteps. Movie screens are aglow with zombies and torture devices. Virtually every show on television has a Halloween theme. For one last day, Halloween is everywhere. But where's the Halloween music?

It's Halloween, So Be of Good Cheer

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Tuesday

Review

Song Of The Day

'Take These Thoughts,' Drenched in Harmony

From its name to its stripped-down acoustic Americana, the L.A.-based duo Chris & Thomas revels in straightforward simplicity. But make no mistake: There's nothing easy about writing songs as purely infectious as "Take These Thoughts."

'Take These Thoughts' by Chris & Thomas

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Wednesday

Review

Song Of The Day

Obsessive Love in a Soft-Spoken Disguise

Fionn Regan's "Put a Penny in the Slot" has to be one of the most shyly nonchalant songs ever written from the perspective of a clinging ex-lover. Along the way, he casually slips in his underlying meaning: "I can't help from crying / I wish you were mine."

'Put a Penny in the Slot' by Fionn Regan

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Thursday

Review

Song Of The Day

Rilo Kiley and the Joy of Liberation

For a band prone to sad confessionals, Rilo Kiley sounds downright gleeful on "Breakin' Up." Granted, it's a kiss-off song that practically fetishizes rationalization. But there's something uplifting about hearing singer Jenny Lewis "wash the blues away," for once.

'Breakin' Up' by Rilo Kiley

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Thursday

Review

Song Of The Day

Turning the Past Into a Pile of Ash

At first, The Avett Brothers' "Yardsale" unfolds as a fairly straightforward study of the mundane items at a neighborhood yard sale. But then, three-quarters of the way through, the North Carolina brothers shift gears radically, speculating about how nice it would be to burn the whole lot of it.

'Yardsale' by The Avett Brothers

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

For Stars, An Impersonal Message Gets 'Personal'

Stars' albums toggle back and forth between fizzy pop and dark snapshots of relationships in distress. On "Personal," singers Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell demonstrate that they've mastered the art of he-said/she-said ballads that expose raw nerves and rawer emotions.

'Personal' by Stars

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Wednesday

Review

Song Of The Day

Great Northern and the 'Height' of Portent

Great Northern's "Low Is a Height" doesn't break a ton of lyrical ground: Instead, it's content to use vague phrases to help pile on the atmosphere. It's an effective strategy, as the song functions as the musical embodiment of a mood that's somehow both sunny and oppressive.

'Low Is a Height' by Great Northern

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