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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

Monday

Basia Bulat: Tiny Desk Concert
Abby Verbosky/NPR

Tiny Desk

Basia Bulat: Tiny Desk Concert

The sweetly engaging Canadian singer-songwriter sings highlights from her two albums at the NPR Music offices. And, as an added bonus, she trots out a surprise from Poland.

Basia Bulat: Tiny Desk Concert

Listen · 15:06
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Friday

Iron And Wine: Tiny Desk Concert
Abby Verbosky/NPR

Tiny Desk

Iron And Wine: Tiny Desk Concert

For those who fell in love with Sam Beam's spare solo work, he plays his new full-band material as a solo performer here. Watch Beam show a fresh side of his new songs at the NPR Music offices, and top them off with his devastating 2004 gem "Naked As We Came."

Iron And Wine: Tiny Desk Concert

Listen · 17:48
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Friday

Blue Water White Death: Grace And Mystery

Blue Water White Death's "Song for the Greater Jihad" captures the soaring majesty of Jonathan Meiburg's work with Shearwater. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Review

Song Of The Day

Blue Water White Death: Grace And Mystery

"Song for the Greater Jihad" allows for stretches of virtual white space and a spot of wrenching noise about halfway through, but Jonathan Meiburg's powerful vocal -- at times reduced to a falsetto whisper, at others shouted past the rafters -- throbs at the song's core.

'Song for the Greater Jihad' by Blue Water White Death

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Friday

The Posies: Hard-Charging Kindness

It's nice to hear a new Posies song sparkle as brightly as "So Caroline," an utterly winning three minutes of love and devotion. Christine Taylor/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Christine Taylor/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Song Of The Day

The Posies: Hard-Charging Kindness

It's nice to hear a new Posies song sparkle as brightly as "So Caroline," an utterly winning three minutes of love and devotion. The track is best summed up by a sweet line about midway through: "With friends like you, who needs anyone else?"

'So Caroline' by The Posies

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Wednesday

First Listen Live: Iron And Wine

Sam Beam of Iron and Wine performs at WNYC's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Aaron Epstein/WNYC hide caption

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Aaron Epstein/WNYC

Live in Concert

First Listen Live: Iron And Wine

WNYC

Like The Shepherd's Dog, Kiss Each Other Clean showcases Iron and Wine's subtly exploratory, even meandering side. Hear the increasingly exploratory band perform its new album at New York City's Greene Space. Tickets for the surprise show were scarce, but fans got to watch the intimate performance on NPR.org.

Hear Iron And Wine Perform 'Kiss Each Other Clean'

Wednesday

The Heligoats: Tiny Desk Concert

Chris Otepka of The Heligoats performs a Tiny Desk Concert at the NPR Music offices. Abby Verbosky/NPR hide caption

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Abby Verbosky/NPR

Tiny Desk

The Heligoats: Tiny Desk Concert

The Heligoats' Chris Otepka is the star of NPR Music's 100th Tiny Desk Concert. In many ways, he's the perfect act to mark that milestone: His music is best heard in an intimate setting, where his words can unfurl clearly and he can hold a small room rapt — which he does here, to say the least.

Audio Only: The Heligoats' Tiny Desk Concert

Listen · 19:31
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Tuesday

Stephen Thompson's Top 10 Albums Of 2010

Jonsi performs on stage during Day 3 of the Splendour in the Grass music festival at Woodfordia on August 1, 2010, in Woodford, Australia. Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images hide caption

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Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

Stephen Thompson's Top 10 Albums Of 2010

This isn't a list of 2010's "best" albums; that designation has more to do with consensus anyway. Instead, NPR Music editor Stephen Thompson picks 10 records that roll around in relatable emotions.

Monday

Dolorean: Finding The Petty In Pretty

Dolorean's "Country Clutter" captures the way a relationship's end can be irrevocably shot through with righteously vindictive anger. Sarah Jurado hide caption

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Sarah Jurado

Review

Song Of The Day

Dolorean: Finding The Petty In Pretty

Dolorean infuses its songs with weary woundedness, but it's not exactly taking the high road in "Country Clutter": Amid the sweetest conceivable harmonies, singer Al James uses a gently shambling arrangement as a vehicle for a look back in venomous anger.

'Country Clutter' by Dolorean

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Wednesday

The Extra Lens: Failure's Gravitational Pull

The Extra Lens' "Only Existing Footage" perfectly encapsulates the way small missteps can bloom into ruin. Max S. Gerber hide caption

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Max S. Gerber

Review

Song Of The Day

The Extra Lens: Failure's Gravitational Pull

"Only Existing Footage" perfectly encapsulates the way small missteps can bloom into ruin, as singer John Darnielle uses a troubled film production as a metaphor for looming disaster.

'Only Existing Footage' by The Extra Lens

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Sunday

Monday

Black Dub: Tiny Desk Concert
Abby Verbosky/NPR

Tiny Desk

Black Dub: Tiny Desk Concert

At the NPR Music offices, Trixie Whitley and Daniel Lanois brought a variety of instrumental backing, including an electronic bed for the single "I Believe in You," only to ditch many of the accoutrements on the fly. The result is a gripping and revealing performance.

Audio Only: Black Dub's Tiny Desk Concert

Listen · 18:03
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Tuesday

Horse Feathers: The Darker Side Of Rebirth

The most agreeably pretty song to float along in ages, Horse Feathers' "Thistled Spring" still finds a way to chill the blood. Tarina Westlund hide caption

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Tarina Westlund

Review

Song Of The Day

Horse Feathers: The Darker Side Of Rebirth

Horse Feathers' members understand with clarity how much richer "Thistled Spring" is for its darker shading; how even a season of renewal has its thorny and disagreeable side. The most agreeably pretty song to float along in ages, it still finds a way to chill the blood.

'Thistled Spring' by Horse Feathers

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Tuesday

NPR Music Faces The Man, With An Assist From Lost In The Trees

Lost in the Trees sticks it to the man by performing four string-swept folk songs for his amusement. Stephen Thompson/NPR hide caption

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Stephen Thompson/NPR

All Songs Considered

NPR Music Faces The Man, With An Assist From Lost In The Trees

When NPR Music staffers were called upon to speak on Capitol Hill, we brought in a ringer: the Tiny Desk Concert veterans in Lost in the Trees, a.k.a. the band Bob wishes to adopt as his chamber-folk foster children. Hear the complete session.

Lost in the Trees: Recorded Live on Capitol Hill

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Sunday

Hey Marseilles: Tiny Desk Concert
Coburn Dukehart/NPR

Tiny Desk

Hey Marseilles: Tiny Desk Concert

These three songs, performed live at the NPR Music offices, benefit from a rich assortment of instrumentation: cello, viola, accordion, trumpet, snare drum, cymbal, tambourine, another gigantic drum and a pair of acoustic guitars.

Audio Only: Hey Marseilles' Tiny Desk Concert

Listen · 11:56
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Sunday