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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

Thursday

Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

The Tender Sound of Empires Crumbling

Andrew Bird's new Armchair Apocrypha finds him continuing to prove himself as a performer of significant elegance and depth. "Scythian Empires" amply demonstrates his gifts for marrying obtuse-but-evocative imagery to uncommonly lovely arrangements.

'Scythian Empires' by Andrew Bird

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

Self-Pity and Bad Behavior, with Strings

The Cost finds The Frames harboring more commercial ambitions than usual, but no one involved has forgotten singer Glen Hansard's odd ability to sound sweetly romantic, big-hearted, self-deprecating and emotionally stunted at the same time.

'Bad Bone' by The Frames

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

When Optimism and Realism Collide

A sweet-voiced pop singer whose accessibility borders on quaintness, Ron Sexsmith nevertheless remains entrenched in pop's margins. It may or may not attract a large audience, but "Never Give Up" radiates the warmth that has become his signature.

'Never Give Up' by Ron Sexsmith

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Monday

Review

Song Of The Day

The Ideal Soundtrack to an Early Spring

Though it runs only two and a half minutes, The Apples in Stereo's "Sun Is Out" functions as a charming, modestly shambling mini-epic, complete with discrete movements that culminate in a full-on power-pop blowout. The effect remains infectious and beguiling throughout.

'Sun Is Out' by The Apples in Stereo

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Monday

Extra Effort And An 'Ooh-Ooh' Chorus

The Shins' members take the time to stuff their songs with many discrete, memorable hooks. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Song Of The Day

Extra Effort And An 'Ooh-Ooh' Chorus

The Shins' fine new Wincing the Night Away is built of the same solid stuff that made its predecessors famous: lush pop melodies, rich harmonies, vaguely obtuse lyrics, and sly, sideways hooks. It also features a gorgeous, brightly swooning ringer in "Phantom Limb."

'Phantom Limb' by The Shins

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Monday

Thursday

Thursday

Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

Estrangement Gets a Lilting Makeover

Damien Jurado has experimented with everything from rollicking rock to electronic beats to found sound, but his stock in trade remains painfully intimate folk music. Traversing barren and dusty acoustic hellscapes, Jurado makes music that seems painstakingly constructed for consumption at 4 a.m.

'Denton, TX' by Damien Jurado

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Thursday

Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

'Our Hell': Making Misery Beautiful

On her first solo album, Knives Don't Have Your Back, Emily Haines writes stripped-down folk songs that sound as catchy as they are doomstruck. The Metric singer purges personal and political demons through dark, minor-key melodies and glorious arrangements.

'Our Hell' by Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton

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Wednesday

Music Lists

The Best, Worst and Weirdest in Holiday CDs

Every year brings a flood of new holiday CDs, and with good reason: They're quick and easy to make, most if not all of the songs have already been written, and they get reissued practically every year. From Sufjan Stevens to Twisted Sister to The Chipmunks, here's a look at 2006's holiday crop.

The Best, Worst and Weirdest in Holiday CDs

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Wednesday

Review

Song Of The Day

Ruminations on Bridges Burned and Backs Turned

Karen Dalton's In My Own Time sounds nicely fleshed out in the studio, as it showcases the singer's ability to interpret standards amid lush arrangements. But it's no surprise that the set's crown jewel is also its most haunting track: "Katie Cruel," on which Dalton gives a traditional lament its definitive reading.

'Katie Cruel' by Karen Dalton

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Friday

Review

Song Of The Day

Damien Rice: From a Whisper to a Scream

Rice's music demands close attention: Whether he's singing in an aching whisper or yelling amid strings and other pomp (often in the same song), he's a nuanced performer who isn't afraid to lay his feelings bare. "Elephant" finds him carrying on in top form, in an epic ballad that showcases his considerable emotional and vocal range.

'Elephant' by Damien Rice

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