Stephen Thompson : NPR

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.

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Stephen Thompson

Thursday October 27, 2016

Review: Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions, 'Until The Hunter'

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions' new album, Until The Hunter, comes out Nov. 4. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Review: Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions, 'Until The Hunter'

October 27, 2016 • Nearly 30 years into her career, Mazzy Star's singer still takes her time in the pursuit of beauty. Here, she works with My Bloody Valentine's Colm O'Ciosoig, as well as guests like Kurt Vile.

Friday October 21, 2016

Tiny Desk Concert with Blind Pilot. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR

Blind Pilot: Tiny Desk Concert

October 21, 2016 • The band's shimmery folk-pop sound, with its vibraphone and overarching vibrancy, is perfectly suited to the space behind Bob Boilen's desk.

Thursday October 13, 2016

John K Samson's new album, Winter Wheat, comes out Oct. 21. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Review: John K. Samson, 'Winter Wheat'

October 13, 2016 • The former Weakerthans singer returns with an album full of gorgeous, vividly detailed songs about characters whose potential doesn't always lend them a pathway out of their own heads.

Tuesday October 11, 2016

Tiny Desk Concert with Haley Bonar. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR

Haley Bonar: Tiny Desk Concert

October 11, 2016 • In a performance of three songs from Impossible Dream, the Minnesota singer-songwriter achieves a nifty balance of stripped-down intimacy and impeccable polish.

Thursday October 6, 2016

Johnnyswim's new album, Georgica Pond, comes out Oct. 14. Darren Lau/Courtesy of the artist. hide caption

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Darren Lau/Courtesy of the artist.

Review

Review: Johnnyswim, 'Georgica Pond'

October 6, 2016 • These are songs by and for feel-big dreamers, performed with a gift for weapons-grade ingratiation by a pair of born crowd-pleasers.

Monday October 3, 2016

Video: Kurt Vile Joins Hope Sandoval On The Radiant 'Let Me Get There'

A still from Hope Sandoval's "Let Me Get There" video. hide caption

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Video: Kurt Vile Joins Hope Sandoval On The Radiant 'Let Me Get There'

October 3, 2016 • Radiant warmth meets laconic cool in a breezily beautiful duet between the Mazzy Star singer and the Philly rocker.

Video: Kurt Vile Joins Hope Sandoval On The Radiant 'Let Me Get There'

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Friday September 30, 2016

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'The Magnificent Seven' And 'Fleabag'

Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt in Antoine Fuqua's remake of The Magnificent Seven. Sony Pictures hide caption

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Sony Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'The Magnificent Seven' And 'Fleabag'

September 30, 2016 • The gang discusses a new Western remake starring Denzel Washington, as well as a beloved British TV import starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Plus, as always, What's Making Us Happy this week.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'The Magnificent Seven' And 'Fleabag'

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Thursday September 29, 2016

Conor Oberst's new album, Ruminations, comes out Oct. 14. Amelie Raoul/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Amelie Raoul/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Conor Oberst, 'Ruminations'

September 29, 2016 • Oberst's distinctive warble is set against a spare patchwork of acoustic guitar, piano and the occasional harmonica, drawing most of the attention to his dark, personal words.

Friday September 23, 2016

Jason Frank Rothenberg/Courtesy of the artist

Hear Dirty Projectors' First New Song Since 2012

September 23, 2016 • David Longstreth's band returns from a long absence with "Keep Your Name," a song about betrayal and loss with a tortured, deeply conflicted video to match.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Emmys, Comedy And Your Spooky Grandpa

Kate McKinnon accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for Saturday Night Live at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards last Sunday. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP hide caption

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Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Emmys, Comedy And Your Spooky Grandpa

September 23, 2016 • An assortment of odds and ends, including an Emmys recap, David Greene's interview with comedian Hari Kondabolu, and Petra Mayer's discussion with English writer Alan Moore.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Emmys, Comedy And Your Spooky Grandpa

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Monday September 19, 2016

Gordi Blurs Reality In A Video For 'So Here We Are'

A still from Gordi's "So Here We Are" video. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs TV

Gordi Blurs Reality In A Video For 'So Here We Are'

September 19, 2016 • The singer's voice sounds both human and mechanized, and now it's got a video to match.

Friday September 16, 2016

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Documentary Now!' And Life Onscreen

Fred Armisen and Bill Hader parody The War Room in the new season of Documentary Now! Rhys Thomas/IFC hide caption

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Rhys Thomas/IFC

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Documentary Now!' And Life Onscreen

September 16, 2016 • NPR Politics Podcast host Sam Sanders joins the gang to discuss the IFC series. Then, we each pick, watch and describe a documentary we'd never seen. And, of course, What's Making Us Happy this week.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Documentary Now!' And Life Onscreen

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Thursday September 15, 2016

Review: Beach Slang, 'A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings'

Beach Slang's new album, A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings, comes out Sept. 23. Ian Laidlaw/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ian Laidlaw/Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Review: Beach Slang, 'A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings'

September 15, 2016 • On its new album, the Philly rock band rattles the rafters with grace, power and concision. These are songs by and for the alienated, out-of-place, searching and otherwise disconnected.

Review: Flock Of Dimes, 'If You See Me, Say Yes'

Flock Of Dimes' new album, If You See Me, Say Yes, comes out Sept. 23. Will Hackney/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Will Hackney/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

Review: Flock Of Dimes, 'If You See Me, Say Yes'

September 15, 2016 • The newest project by Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner is a reflective, slyly infectious set of synth-pop songs. Throughout the album, the singer demonstrates her gift for patient, atmospheric slow burns.

Review: Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam, 'I Had A Dream That You Were Mine'

Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam's new album, I Had A Dream That You Were Mine, comes out Sept. 23. Josh Goleman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Josh Goleman/Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Review: Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam, 'I Had A Dream That You Were Mine'

September 15, 2016 • The former Walkmen frontman records an album with the help of Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij. Throughout, the two surround the singer's voice with surprising, sometimes old-fashioned sounds.